AbiSueCosplay
New Member
Finished sewing up the boot covers. I decided not to cover the heel area since it's already black. I cut the pattern out of pleather then cut slightly larger pieces out of the stretch pvc that I am using for the suit. Then I folded over, pined and hand stitched around the outside of each piece. Then I overlapped the pieces and hand stitched them all together. I then attached a rubber sole that is sticky-backed to the bottom. I find square sheets of the stuff at harbor freight. For more stability I stitch around the edge of the sole as well. I also made the grommet holes by punching with a grommet puncher and then sewing around the edge as you would a button hole. I hate how grommets always fall out so this is how I do them now.Hi, I'm a bit new to these forums and I finally decided to post some of my cosplay progress to completion.
I always loved Michelle Pfeiffer's version of Catwoman, a little crazy, sewed her own costume, so I wanted to make it, and I didn't want to have to spend a lot of money. I gathered my reference photos, a lot of the good ones I found in these forums!
I decided I wanted shiny look without the expense of latex, so I bought Black 4-way stretch PVC fabric from a store on Ebay. I already had my pattern figured out, having done quite a few bodysuits before. I later realized that I hadn't accounted for the less amount of stretch that PVC has vs spandex, so I had to hid some fancy addition of fabric under the corset, but oh well, learned for next time. I also bought all the rest of the parts I needed. Spiral steel bones and canvas for the corset, felt for the cowl, thimbles in three different sizes and worbla for the claws. I already had a pair of heels that I would make boot covers for, time to begin!
I started with the boot covers, I really wanted boots that matched what she had in the movie and didn't want to pay $60+ for them. I wrapped my leg in plastic wrap while wearing the heels then wrapped that in duct tape. Then I used a sharpie to mark where I wanted the pattern to be and cut along those lines.
My boot pattern all flattened out:
I decided not to cover the heel area since it's already black. I cut the pattern out of pleather then cut slightly larger pieces out of the stretch pvc that I am using for the suit. Then I folded over, pined and hand stitched around the outside of each piece. Then I overlapped the pieces and hand stitched them all together. I then attached a rubber sole that is sticky-backed to the bottom. I find square sheets of the stuff at harbor freight. For more stability I stitch around the edge of the sole as well. I also made the grommet holes by punching with a grommet puncher and then sewing around the edge as you would a button hole. I hate how grommets always fall out so this is how I do them now.
I actually changed the fit of the top of the boot to have a more swooped look like her boots later on.
Next I moved on to the cowl, I looked at the officially licensed one, but decided not to because I wanted to make everything myself
Pattern for the cowl. I pinned it on my own head so that it would fit properly:
Pattern laid out to cut out of felt:
Cowl pinned together:
Felt cowl sewn up:
Finished cowl with PVC sewn over the felt, I added the white stitches later. I kinda pieced the fabric together in the form the white stitches took:
Using my previously created pattern I made my bodysuit, which as I said did not fit my torso, so I ended up piecing bits of PVC together and sewing a torso piece right inder where the corset goes. Corset was created by draping fabric around my duct tape dummy and pinning in place on the sides. I then sharpied where I wanted the bone channels to be and where I wanted it to fit under the bust and at the waist. I left a bit open in the back to add a lacing piece. This was the first corset I had ever made, not really the best out there, but I love how it ended up looking so much like the one in the movie.
I cut out the pieces three times over, first out of canvas, then out of the PVC, finally out of the lining material. I sewed the canvas and PVC pieces together using a zigzag stitch, then sewed the pieces together to create the corset. I cut the spiral steel in the right lengths and created channels using my seam lines to put them in. I followed what the movie corset seemed to look like.
I added the lining and the lacing panel, then sewed on strips of PVC to finish the edges:
I always sew my own gloves, one reason is because they will match all the rest of the costume, the other is gloves are always too small for my big hands. I have a pattern that I made for gloves, they are a pain, but fairly easy since I've done so many.
Completed cowl with white yarn stitching following reference pictures for placement of stitches. I also put a strip of wire in the nose area so it would fit on my face better and there is a chin strap to keep it all in place:
Stitched white yarn on the bodysuit and corset using reference pics, that was a bit hard to find all sides to figure out where to put the stitches, but I did my best:
I decided on worbla the thermoplastic for the claws, less chance of getting kicked out of a con, or accidentally scratching someone! This was my first time using worbla, but I ended up liking it a lot and have used it in other projects. I cut the claws, heat formed them, then sealed with Mod Podge. I had my husband drill holes in all the thimbles so I could sew them onto the tips of the gloves. I glued the claws on, wrapped them in wire, then spray painted and sealed them. I later came back with black acrylic to weather them up.
I attached the claws to the gloves using heavy duty sewing thread like they did for the movie. Less chance that I will lose one that way too.
I did my best to imitate Michelle's makeup and viola! Catwoman is here! I also bought a whip on Ebay to complete the look.
I always loved Michelle Pfeiffer's version of Catwoman, a little crazy, sewed her own costume, so I wanted to make it, and I didn't want to have to spend a lot of money. I gathered my reference photos, a lot of the good ones I found in these forums!
I decided I wanted shiny look without the expense of latex, so I bought Black 4-way stretch PVC fabric from a store on Ebay. I already had my pattern figured out, having done quite a few bodysuits before. I later realized that I hadn't accounted for the less amount of stretch that PVC has vs spandex, so I had to hid some fancy addition of fabric under the corset, but oh well, learned for next time. I also bought all the rest of the parts I needed. Spiral steel bones and canvas for the corset, felt for the cowl, thimbles in three different sizes and worbla for the claws. I already had a pair of heels that I would make boot covers for, time to begin!
I started with the boot covers, I really wanted boots that matched what she had in the movie and didn't want to pay $60+ for them. I wrapped my leg in plastic wrap while wearing the heels then wrapped that in duct tape. Then I used a sharpie to mark where I wanted the pattern to be and cut along those lines.
My boot pattern all flattened out:
I decided not to cover the heel area since it's already black. I cut the pattern out of pleather then cut slightly larger pieces out of the stretch pvc that I am using for the suit. Then I folded over, pined and hand stitched around the outside of each piece. Then I overlapped the pieces and hand stitched them all together. I then attached a rubber sole that is sticky-backed to the bottom. I find square sheets of the stuff at harbor freight. For more stability I stitch around the edge of the sole as well. I also made the grommet holes by punching with a grommet puncher and then sewing around the edge as you would a button hole. I hate how grommets always fall out so this is how I do them now.
I actually changed the fit of the top of the boot to have a more swooped look like her boots later on.
Next I moved on to the cowl, I looked at the officially licensed one, but decided not to because I wanted to make everything myself
Pattern for the cowl. I pinned it on my own head so that it would fit properly:
Pattern laid out to cut out of felt:
Cowl pinned together:
Felt cowl sewn up:
Finished cowl with PVC sewn over the felt, I added the white stitches later. I kinda pieced the fabric together in the form the white stitches took:
Using my previously created pattern I made my bodysuit, which as I said did not fit my torso, so I ended up piecing bits of PVC together and sewing a torso piece right inder where the corset goes. Corset was created by draping fabric around my duct tape dummy and pinning in place on the sides. I then sharpied where I wanted the bone channels to be and where I wanted it to fit under the bust and at the waist. I left a bit open in the back to add a lacing piece. This was the first corset I had ever made, not really the best out there, but I love how it ended up looking so much like the one in the movie.
I cut out the pieces three times over, first out of canvas, then out of the PVC, finally out of the lining material. I sewed the canvas and PVC pieces together using a zigzag stitch, then sewed the pieces together to create the corset. I cut the spiral steel in the right lengths and created channels using my seam lines to put them in. I followed what the movie corset seemed to look like.
I added the lining and the lacing panel, then sewed on strips of PVC to finish the edges:
I always sew my own gloves, one reason is because they will match all the rest of the costume, the other is gloves are always too small for my big hands. I have a pattern that I made for gloves, they are a pain, but fairly easy since I've done so many.
Completed cowl with white yarn stitching following reference pictures for placement of stitches. I also put a strip of wire in the nose area so it would fit on my face better and there is a chin strap to keep it all in place:
Stitched white yarn on the bodysuit and corset using reference pics, that was a bit hard to find all sides to figure out where to put the stitches, but I did my best:
I decided on worbla the thermoplastic for the claws, less chance of getting kicked out of a con, or accidentally scratching someone! This was my first time using worbla, but I ended up liking it a lot and have used it in other projects. I cut the claws, heat formed them, then sealed with Mod Podge. I had my husband drill holes in all the thimbles so I could sew them onto the tips of the gloves. I glued the claws on, wrapped them in wire, then spray painted and sealed them. I later came back with black acrylic to weather them up.
I attached the claws to the gloves using heavy duty sewing thread like they did for the movie. Less chance that I will lose one that way too.
I did my best to imitate Michelle's makeup and viola! Catwoman is here! I also bought a whip on Ebay to complete the look.
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