Finished! 9/4/14

The last thing to finish on this costume is the ruff.  It had very special requirements, since the model will be wearing as she floats in water.  Most of the usual ways I’d have made a ruff were therefore not doable this time.  After some consideration, I decided to use plastic canvas.  I couldn’t buy it in sheets large enough, so I used three, wired together.

I also gave it a large back support piece, to give added stability.

Next, I covered it in fabric, then spray painted it, so add additional stiffness and sheen to the fabric.

Then I added a trim of pearls around the edge, and put on a system of straps to hold it securely on.

And then?  Just put the bodice on top!

And there it is.  The final costume I’m making for the Steampunk Monster Book.  The photographer has started taking the pictures for it this week, he’s going to post a few every day on the blog, here.  Check it out.

Sea Witch 8/1/14

This one, even though it will be one of the monsters in the steampunk book, is not a steampunk costume.  The concept is of an Elizabethan-era witch, who drowns at sea and becomes a ghost.  Thus, her outfit is almost pure Elizabethan – with many fantasy elements.

I still need to make the collar, but here is the finished bodice and choker.

I just made a simple skirt, because she will be photographed only from the waist up…and she’ll be floating in water, so that gave me added problem of making everything on her costume waterproof.

These are very crap pictures, because it’s very bright and sunny outside.  You’ll see better ones later on, after the actual photographer gets his hands on this.

All of the ghosts in this book need to be grey, so I spray-painted some fishnet, pearls, silk leaves, and shells to match.