Where the Wild Things Are: Max's costume...

[Cleverlilminx]

So has anyone completed this scepter yet? I'm just starting my search for fabric. So far, all I can find is plain old fleece but that can get pilled up after several washings. Still need to go to a few more stores but I know I wanted either fleece or a thick and soft cotton knit.

I'll post more when I find some possible fabrics.

 

[Fringe]

Hellooo! I know this is a year old thread, but I want to do just what synasp set out to do a year ago: Make a WTWTA costume as close to the movie version as possible!

I've been searching around as to what exactly the type of material used is - I even found the lead costume designer's name and contacted his agent asking if he could possible send me a message about what they used - no reply though :-( ah well, worth a shot, eh?

Here's the best picture I have seen of the material for Max's wolf outfit: looks like either a terry cloth bath towel sorta thing or possibly sherpa?

I read interviews that said they wanted the costume to look like the kid's mom made it, and it had been worn ALOT - complete with distressed buttons and "repair jobs" in certain areas. So, I wouldn't be surprised if it was some sort of terry cloth - but I could be wrong.

Thanks!

 

[jedibugs]

I was actually Max this past Halloween. The costume was made totally from scratch and, while it was a bit too loose-fitting, I think we did a decent job. It went from bolts of fabric to Max in about 4 hours with the help of a theatrical costumer friend of mine.
I don't know much about the sewing methods used, but I'd be more than happy to dig the suit out and take some close-ups of any stitching or other parts you'd like to see.
It was a sort of last-minute costume, so I wasn't able to find a furry material for the tail that looked like in the movie and had to settle for a solid black. Also, the fingerless gloves aren't attached to the sleeve like in the movie. Instead, I wore 5 pairs of photographer's cotton gloves and cut the fingers off. I figured, as a 30 year old man dressed as an 8 year old, 100% screen-accuracy wasn't something I needed to worry about being judged for.

As for the whiskers, those turned out to actually be one of the easiest parts. I found some dark brown (almost black) cloth-wrapped wire at Jo-Ann fabrics. I cut a couple strips of cardboard and made 4 small holes in each, about 1/2 apart, bent the wire to a long U shape and stuck one piece through each set of two holes. A piece of tape on the back of the cardboard to hold them out straight, then push the wire through the hood material from the inside and hem the cardboard in. Last step: twist them all wonky!

The picture here is the only one I have on me at the moment but, like I said, if you'd like any closer details, just ask and I'll take any of the suit that you'd like.

 

[Fringe]

LOL! Hey thanks for the reply! Don't know why I didn't see this sooner - I thought I had checked back here a few times and never saw anything - oh well.

I did find something that looks pretty close to the movie version: it is the short pile plush fur found here: MENDEL'S - Faux Fur Shorter Furs!

At least, I hope it's similar! I found another site that had a closeup picture of that same fur that said "short pile plush" but I don't know if I can even order from that site. That fabric is in the pic below:

I also got a pattern from McCall's: M5956.

I like your costume. Very nice. What pattern did you use - or did you make your own?

Thanx

 

[RAD]

Goodluck - my family loves this book like everyone else (Here is our take on the costumes for last halloween as well - now we are invited to Libraries etc...)

http://www.therpf.com/f24/another-max-carol-where-wild-things-73435/


My wife made the max suit large so our son could grow into it and use for a few years (The local school and libraries like to have our family out to events to read/act out in various costumes)

 

[miknugget]

I look forward to your creation! I also did this last year, here is a pic of me and my wife as Arlene. I used an off the shelf bunny costume and modified it, removed the zipper and ran the buttons there basically wearing the costume backwards. Used the material from the shoe covers to make the wolf ears. Sewed fingers into the mittens and cut the ends off. The tail is just faux bear fur that is attached to an elastic waistband that passes through a hole in the costume, glad I did that as my tail was yanked a lot that night. My crown is simple poster board with an inner layer glued in and offset to help smooth the seam, spray paint, then I added a ring of weather strip foam for fitment. Unfortunately I didn't have time to dirty max up, I wanted to run it through the wash to get that "old washed teddy bear" look then drag it through the dirt & repeat.

 

[Fringe]

Done!

We used the McCalls pattern M5956 as the base (which runs quite large actually). My friend did the sewing, I designed the ears out of foam sheets and used 14 gauge jewelry wire for the whiskers. I never could find the exact fabric used in the movie, but I like the stuff I found. It was on sale at Fabric Depot and I think it looks great!

So it's obviously not what I set out to do in the beginning, but it's going to be fun to wear nonetheless. Since the whole costume is kinda big and baggy on me I opted for some meatier whiskers, but they're kinda like little swords waiting to stab people sticking out from either side of my head. I'm going to see what I can do to un-sharpen the ends.

Also, in the pic of the back it looks like the tail is too high, but that's because the bagginess of the suit makes my legs look deceptively shorter than they are. The tail is in the anatomically correct position.