Last night (early this morning?), I posted up the WIP thread for my husband's Hawkeye costume. Today, I've pulled together most of my WIP images so far for my own Black Widow costume. I've not gotten as far, but I'm hoping to gather some steam in the next couple of months...when I'm sitting still long enough, anyway.
Like everyone else, I started with a lot of reference photos -- mainly high-res and BluRay screen caps. I've also really appreciated the work done on here by Aeryn and Stretch, whose WIP threads have been really helpful as I've plotted my strategy.
There were two patterns to consider: Kwik Sew 3052 and Jalie 2800 (which then requires Jalie 2916, altered). While the Kwik Sew would be fairly easy, there would be a lot more work involved, adding seams and seam allowances, and reworking construction methods. Jalie 2800 offers a lot of the correct seams to start with -- including the princess lines -- and would require a lot less tweaking. So I opted for Jalie 2800, and ordered the companion pattern, 2916.
Then comes the matter of fabric: It seems no one can find *the* fabric for reasonable cost. So I set out to find something with stretch, reasonable body, and without too much of a sheen. I ended up finding some stretch crepe at the local fabric store that seemed to fit the bill, along with some herringbone fold over elastic (FOE) to use for the trim. Here, you'll see where I tested the fabric finishes together with the "drape" of the FOE:
I've gained something like 15 lbs since we moved up north, owing to a little less exercise and a lot less healthier food options. As a result, I've been reluctant to start on the suit. I finally decided I could start on the top, as the weight gain there hasn't been quite as bad as other places. I cut the pattern to the appropriate size, then started testing it out on some of the stretch crepe in a grey/blue. (Apologies for the grainy pic!)
I ran into a snag as I tried to install the zipper -- the stretch of the fabric made it virtually impossible to get it sewn in evenly. Since this portion won't be stretching, however, I decided that I'll be using strips of interfacing to stabilize the area before trying again.
Three other revelations came out of this:
1) The stretch crepe, while nice, is likely not suited for the purpose. It is a bit too lightweight to provide the necessary body to the twin-needle stitched seams, such as the princess lines. I've opted for a "high performance knit" I found a while back at Hancock Fabrics. It has a bit more body to it, and I've worked with it before, making yoga pants. It has a bit more sheen than I'd like but it's as close as any, I think.
2) The 1/4" seam allowance on the pattern are not long enough to accommodate the twin-needle stitched seams. Seam allowances will have to be extended.
3) The stretch crepe may not be suited for an Avengers-style Black Widow, but the blue/gray version would work perfectly for an IM2 variant. (Which I've now added to the "to do" list...)
This week, I've put the soft products aside and went to work on the props. First up, the cartridge pouches on her belt. I'd originally thought to use the floss boxes, as Stretch did for hers, but soon found that those didn't quite have the right flap on them for my use. So, using the floss box as a model, I then developed a pattern on brown paper. I used transferred the pattern on to a sheet of craft foam...
...and knocked together a quickie prototype with some hot glue.
My gluing skills need some work, but overall, I was pleased. Building with foam means I'll need to seal it before painting; I'll also need to figure out what to use as cartridges on the inside. I'd love to find some lighter weight caster wheels, but so far what I've found in the right size would be too heavy to be supported by the foam or on my belt. So, I'm still on the look out.
That's it for the moment. I've ordered 3D prints of the Black Widow buckle (courtesy GraphicJordan), and a prototype Widow Bite, both of which I plan on casting with the loverly Smooth-On products I just received. It will be my first experience dealing with molding and casting, so I'm a bit nervous about it...Doesn't help that I'm going to need the Newfoundland weather to cooperate. (Hah!) This costume -- and my husband's Hawkeye -- will be pushing me well beyond my comfort zone. Here's to learning new skills!
Like everyone else, I started with a lot of reference photos -- mainly high-res and BluRay screen caps. I've also really appreciated the work done on here by Aeryn and Stretch, whose WIP threads have been really helpful as I've plotted my strategy.
There were two patterns to consider: Kwik Sew 3052 and Jalie 2800 (which then requires Jalie 2916, altered). While the Kwik Sew would be fairly easy, there would be a lot more work involved, adding seams and seam allowances, and reworking construction methods. Jalie 2800 offers a lot of the correct seams to start with -- including the princess lines -- and would require a lot less tweaking. So I opted for Jalie 2800, and ordered the companion pattern, 2916.
Then comes the matter of fabric: It seems no one can find *the* fabric for reasonable cost. So I set out to find something with stretch, reasonable body, and without too much of a sheen. I ended up finding some stretch crepe at the local fabric store that seemed to fit the bill, along with some herringbone fold over elastic (FOE) to use for the trim. Here, you'll see where I tested the fabric finishes together with the "drape" of the FOE:
I've gained something like 15 lbs since we moved up north, owing to a little less exercise and a lot less healthier food options. As a result, I've been reluctant to start on the suit. I finally decided I could start on the top, as the weight gain there hasn't been quite as bad as other places. I cut the pattern to the appropriate size, then started testing it out on some of the stretch crepe in a grey/blue. (Apologies for the grainy pic!)
I ran into a snag as I tried to install the zipper -- the stretch of the fabric made it virtually impossible to get it sewn in evenly. Since this portion won't be stretching, however, I decided that I'll be using strips of interfacing to stabilize the area before trying again.
Three other revelations came out of this:
1) The stretch crepe, while nice, is likely not suited for the purpose. It is a bit too lightweight to provide the necessary body to the twin-needle stitched seams, such as the princess lines. I've opted for a "high performance knit" I found a while back at Hancock Fabrics. It has a bit more body to it, and I've worked with it before, making yoga pants. It has a bit more sheen than I'd like but it's as close as any, I think.
2) The 1/4" seam allowance on the pattern are not long enough to accommodate the twin-needle stitched seams. Seam allowances will have to be extended.
3) The stretch crepe may not be suited for an Avengers-style Black Widow, but the blue/gray version would work perfectly for an IM2 variant. (Which I've now added to the "to do" list...)
This week, I've put the soft products aside and went to work on the props. First up, the cartridge pouches on her belt. I'd originally thought to use the floss boxes, as Stretch did for hers, but soon found that those didn't quite have the right flap on them for my use. So, using the floss box as a model, I then developed a pattern on brown paper. I used transferred the pattern on to a sheet of craft foam...
...and knocked together a quickie prototype with some hot glue.
My gluing skills need some work, but overall, I was pleased. Building with foam means I'll need to seal it before painting; I'll also need to figure out what to use as cartridges on the inside. I'd love to find some lighter weight caster wheels, but so far what I've found in the right size would be too heavy to be supported by the foam or on my belt. So, I'm still on the look out.
That's it for the moment. I've ordered 3D prints of the Black Widow buckle (courtesy GraphicJordan), and a prototype Widow Bite, both of which I plan on casting with the loverly Smooth-On products I just received. It will be my first experience dealing with molding and casting, so I'm a bit nervous about it...Doesn't help that I'm going to need the Newfoundland weather to cooperate. (Hah!) This costume -- and my husband's Hawkeye -- will be pushing me well beyond my comfort zone. Here's to learning new skills!
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