WIP Disney's Frozen Elsa Snow Queen

[Twananas]

I started a few months ago with finding materials to make the most perfect costume in my vision. It's taking time and money, need to save some again before I can go on. However I got quite far with resourcing! It's my first "big" project.

I finally made a few decisions on my fabric choices for Elsa! I am going for a more blue pallet as in all merchandise and art work it is closer to blue than turquoise. And the art team describes her colours as blue and it is all ice.
Still waiting for a few fabric samples, however if they are not right, I am almost there!


The main dress will be made out of 3 layers of fabric. A silk georgette top layer with an ombre dye, a polyester hologram layer under that for sparkle effect and a trophy blue/regal silk dupion for the lining.
The bodice will have canvas supporting on the inside and a net layer on the outside with hand cut sequins and rhinestones glued on.
The undershirt will be made with silk georgette or chiffon. However georgette has a more organic feel and is less shiny. This depending on the samples to come as there was a nice looking mesh cotton which is close to what she wears in the movie, though it needs to have the right feel. Also the sleeves will be ombre dyed.
For now I will use small crystal beads for the snow pattern.


Finally the cape will be made with a net mesh. For the snowflakes I will seal crystal organza with a layer of glue on the back before cutting to prevent from fraying. I will also add glitter for an extra sparkle. Then I will glue them onto the cape and finish it with crystal beads mainly in the top part of the cape where you see more snow. I want to use magnetic fasteners to attach the cape to the dress, as this seems to be easier to attach and remove it if you happen to be on your own. Some testing would need to happen first to see if it holds the weight of the cape.
In the meantime I will continue cutting sequins with the smaller puncher!

Here are a few pictures. More pictures and WIP updates can be found here: Twan Lentjes
The main fabric for the dress is a little too green and this is a polyester. These sequins are just hand cut by scissors, a test before I got the puncher.

 

[Twananas]

Snowflake test, not glued down yet. The fabric I used is a crystal organza. I added a layer of Mod Podge with glitter to seal the fabric. I will add glitter to the glue to stick it to the net to make it even more sparkly. You can't see the sparkle very well in a picture.
Depending on the eventual net for the cape I might go for white or a blue tone for the snowflakes. For now it's white for sure! I took a picture with some crystals as well to see what it would look like. I want to use 3 colours in total. The net I used is a little greenish, I am waiting for samples to come in.

 

[Twananas]

I finally made my choices! I put the samples on this blue folder as the lining is close to this colour and the white is a little see through. It gives a better idea of the final result.

Dress: Iridescent silk top layer, poly hologram under layer and silk lining.
Bodice: Canvas support under the lining and net layer with sequins on top.
Shirt: Cashmere & silk mix
Cape: Crystal organza in 2 colours.
Finishing: Crystal beads, rhinestones and glitter!

Since some are nearly sold out and not recordable I will have a look for similar fabric found in the UK.

 

[azuredivina]

can't wait to see the finished product! when are you hoping to finish by? good luck!

 

[Twananas]

Ooh... haha I think somewhere in the next 3 months. I need to make some costumes for Cabaret which we are performing this summer.
It is so much work to find the right fabrics and usually it takes like 4 days before I really receive the samples I order. However I keep on punching all those sequins I need. I also have the fabric to make a mockup, so I will start with that as soon as I can!
I did order some glitter I found cheap

Little update:
I received some new fabrics. The crystal organza is very soft and has a very nice texture. Together with the original organza, I think it will have a nice contrast and a very nice effect for the cape. It is a pale blue colour, not as blue as in the movie. I also received a tulle which I will use to glue the sequins on.
This company can dye silks for you in any colour you like. Since it costs a little bit more and you have to order a minimum of 10m to do so, I ordered the standard colours first. The blue is way too blue, so I will ask them to dye it closer to the colour I want. For the shirt I will try to dye it myself with China colour from Dylon.

 

[Twananas]

I started on the shaping of the bodice and the bottom of the dress will follow now I have more time.
Some good news, all the fabrics I really wanted are actually back in stock/soon in stock. Especially the Sky Chiffon was my favorite for main colour of the dress as it matches perfect with the sequins. However I have to wait a month before I can buy it. Please let it still be there!
I have also made up my mind, after looking at the artwork and movie stills again, that I will go with SS16 (right) as a size for the bodice rhinestones. I thought about going from smaller to bigger, however from what I can see it is all one size.

I finished the concept snowflakes design for the cape. After moving house I will start working out the final shape of the cape with the dress dummy and muslin fabric. After that I will rework the artwork and finish the seam line design too, as I will make a "frosted" seam line.
For most of the design I took placement of the snowflakes from movie stills, however I finished it up with my own touch and looking at the artwork.

 

[Twananas]

Finally I found replacement organza for the cape as this company I used sent me the wrong fabric after first receiving a sample and they are not very helpful.
So finally all elements are complete!
The house is a mess after moving but as soon as all is clear I will start on a full draft in white cotton. Some of the fabrics I will take with me from NYC when we are there as postage is outrageous.

 

[KayleeJade]

I'm looking forward to seeing this dress. I'm in the process of making one for my 5 y/o using dresses I found at GoodWill, but seeing an accurate one will be awesome.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Twananas]

So, well it's taking forever! I know!

I got cast as Genie in our Christmas Pantomime Aladdin. So I got to create costumes for that of course. As this Genie is a rather Fabulous Camp Girl, I can go crazy on them and I will.

I have almost punched all sequins in the main blue colour (thank the lord...). I am also sourcing cheaper fabric for a full polyester version of this dress with a easier to make top layer of sequins.
I will create this lux version for my portfolio and not for sale (for now).

This week I am off to New York so I am hoping to get a few of the fabrics I really want or something close to it. I got my list all made up. I can't wait to go to Mood. So hopefully before Christmas I will have at least one of the versions finished!

I also got a few more different colours of beads for the shirt decorations, White Opal and Crystal Matt next to Crystal & Crystal AB (Iridescent). I think it looks very nice as it's not all as shiny and the Matt ones give a but more of a frosty touch to it all.

I also hope to find some nice fabric for a few GhostFace - Scream costumes to sell as first pieces in my store.

For more updated follow me on FB:
https://www.facebook.com/twanlentjescreations

 

[Twananas]

It has been an while since I really worked on 'Elsa'. Aladdin keeps my busy, however I did buy some of the fabrics, so hopefully early 2015 it will be finished. I bought a less sheer fabric for the top. A very nice silk georgette with a hint of spandex for some stretch to make a good fit. It is sheer, but it is not a sheer as a chiffon and has a slight luminescence to it. I found this fabric at Mood Fabrics in October and I really thought is was perfect in colour and feel. I have also got the net for the sequins and finally the top layer chiffon I wanted really bad, is on it's way. They didn't have it in stock when I was at Mood, however it was on sale today, so I ordered it straight away.
I have also been looking a fabrics for my less luxe version of the costumes and I ordered sequins. This version will have hand sewn round sequins on the bodice in the same colours as the deluxe version.

 

[Twananas]

Ugh, I finally got my Mood Fabric in and as I walking up the stairs with the package I was thinking 'Hope it's the correct colour.' and of course it wasn't.
The girl I spoke to on the chat said they will send me the correct colour. Let's hope so. It's not very obvious in this picture but the actual fabric is more a mint green than a sky blue and it doesn't match with the sequins at all.

Also the layer with 'sequin foil' is no longer being stocked. So I ordered a lot for this 1 dress and I never received it. Waiting to get my money back as the shop is not responding to my emails any longer.
I did find a company who can print this exact print (must be where the fabric was coming from?!) so I hope they can do this for a good price and on silk!

 

[Twananas]

I hope my man is coming back with some fabrics next week. I gave him samples of what I need so I can only hope they sell what I want.

So I returned to wrong fabric and the courier company told me the correct fabric was back in stock and they were waiting for Mood to send it to them. Mood told me before already they did not have it.
A week later indeed I got a refund.

The company who would have the white fabric with the sequin foil seems to be out of business. So either I (my partner!) have to find something similar or I will paint or bead fabric to create the same effect.

I did a tambour beading course a week ago, which will help a lot for all the beading on the shirt. In a few weeks I hope to do the 2nd one which should include vermicelli beading which I need for the cape
I really hope to pick this project back up soon again. It's taking too long now

 

[Twananas]

Small test I did for the design on the sleeves. I ran out of these beads (just bought for colour test). I know it's a lot of work (however if you got the technique down it's way faster), however I really don't like the look of rhinestones for the shirt (and cape).

These are Crystal, Crystal AB and Crystal Mat. This is not on the right fabric. I will test that later.
I ordered some 3mm White Opal AB and Sky Blue Opal. Not sure it the blue will work with this. And I am not sure if I want to use the mat, or if I can find them mat AB would be nice perhaps.

 

[Emmalouwho2]

Wow, beautiful design so far. Really excited to see the detail on this dress!

 

[Twananas]

No fabrics came back with my man. Oh well.

The beads I believe were not from Preciosa what I thought the were. The sky blue opal was way too blue. The white opal could work.

Finding the right colour of sequin to replace the hologram fabric layer. I'm am gonna tambour bead the white layer with stripes of 4mm cup sequins.
I got 6 different ones in total, 6mm. They are from s company in France. I think I'll go for the middle one from these. It's hard to tell but in real life they sort of blend in with the rest so you just see the shimmering.

 

[Twananas]

I have done a bit more test beading for the sleeve design. I will make the final design slightly larger and of course with the right colours of crystals. Maybe I will change the flow of the beads as well.
The sequins are on their way and some more samples for the lining fabric.
Also I got some very close matching solid chiffon to what I originally wanted. Unfortunately they didn't have enough at the time, but I hope I will get this around July (I don't think I will get everything beaded and bought before then anyway.). It's would be coming from abroad with family-in-law.