Eveningarwen
Well-Known Member
Man I need me some of those. One day....one day I'll be big enough to have minions. I can feel it! Lol!
Evil Queen from Mirror, Mirror
- Thread starter Eveningarwen
- Start date
Man I need me some of those. One day....one day I'll be big enough to have minions. I can feel it! Lol!
Bizarro Lois
Sr Member
I would have called them the exact same thing. See, every time I visit the RPF, I learn something new!
I know, right??? Those shoulders will be stewing around in my head for some time.
TeresaMRoberts
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys now I'm obsessed with getting a laser cutter! I'm like "OMG I can use one of these on fabric and leather... " I have to have one of these things. I'm looking at different ones online I'm justifying it with, My sewing/embroidery machines cost close to the same amount... You guys suck for putting the thought in my head now... So can I blame you for my purchase in a few month with I have to break the news to my significant other.... He's going to be pissed...
I'm feeling this dress.. the embroidery looks fun
I'm feeling this dress.. the embroidery looks fun
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Eveningarwen
Well-Known Member
So I've started working on my "inspired" piece. Right now I just want to make sure the embroidery part will work out. I don't have an embroidery machine so I will just use a buttonhole zig zag for the stems and outline and then hand embroider with embroidery floss the inside of the "feather eye".
In this picture I know it's a bit rough but I had a few tester stitch lengths in there. The bottom part is a narrow zig zag, the right side at the top is the widest zig zag and the top left stem is in between. That's the one that I'm leaning towards. Also it got uneven because I no longer had the stabilizer underneath so the machine would pull it through nicely and ended up bunching a bit at the tips of the stem. Also the crystals are the only ones I had at home which happen to be light blue but the real ones will be clear. I'm still unsure of the size. I actually like this size so it will probably be either this size or one step up.
Again, this ^^ was just a sample that I wanted to test the different ways to make this design. I will eventually do a stencil so that everything is even and try to follow the markings a bit better so the stitching doesn't swerve around to much. But overall I'm liking how this is turning out!
In this picture I know it's a bit rough but I had a few tester stitch lengths in there. The bottom part is a narrow zig zag, the right side at the top is the widest zig zag and the top left stem is in between. That's the one that I'm leaning towards. Also it got uneven because I no longer had the stabilizer underneath so the machine would pull it through nicely and ended up bunching a bit at the tips of the stem. Also the crystals are the only ones I had at home which happen to be light blue but the real ones will be clear. I'm still unsure of the size. I actually like this size so it will probably be either this size or one step up.
Again, this ^^ was just a sample that I wanted to test the different ways to make this design. I will eventually do a stencil so that everything is even and try to follow the markings a bit better so the stitching doesn't swerve around to much. But overall I'm liking how this is turning out!
TeresaMRoberts
Well-Known Member
Looks Great, especially for hand done. That's going to take you forever. I love my embroidery machine. You have the grommet press don't you? I have a little hand one, but wouldn't trade anything in the WORLD for my embroidery machine. The hardest part is digitizing the design on the machine which can take you a few weeks. But then you can sew it perfect as many times as you need.
Do you have any closer shots of the embroidering on the real dress? I looked at the pictures you posted and so hard to get a good look at the feathers!
Do you have any closer shots of the embroidering on the real dress? I looked at the pictures you posted and so hard to get a good look at the feathers!
Auryn
Active Member
You guys really are ambitious
but from what I have seen of all your work I am sure you can pull it off.
As far as the big cut out shoulder pieces- I don't think they are made of fabric
it definitely looks like its either laser cut or molded from a single piece and then painted to match the dress.
The cut is easy- I can cut that in my laser in about 60 seconds (not including the computer design work).
edit
I went looking for different high res pictures and found this one
http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Mirror_Mirror_i19.jpg
if you look on her left shoulder- it looks like there is a seam on the side of the shoulder piece
so it very well could be covered in the same fabric.
Don't forget that with cgi magic and photoshop, it very well could have a seam that they remove in post production
oh and I think the peacock feathers are appliques- that would be a much faster route than embroidering them individually.
but from what I have seen of all your work I am sure you can pull it off.
As far as the big cut out shoulder pieces- I don't think they are made of fabric
it definitely looks like its either laser cut or molded from a single piece and then painted to match the dress.
The cut is easy- I can cut that in my laser in about 60 seconds (not including the computer design work).
edit
I went looking for different high res pictures and found this one
http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Mirror_Mirror_i19.jpg
if you look on her left shoulder- it looks like there is a seam on the side of the shoulder piece
so it very well could be covered in the same fabric.
Don't forget that with cgi magic and photoshop, it very well could have a seam that they remove in post production
oh and I think the peacock feathers are appliques- that would be a much faster route than embroidering them individually.
Eveningarwen
Well-Known Member
You whaaaaa????? Uh yea....yeah.....this is happening.
I don't see the seam but I'm definitely leaning back towards painted or dyed foam to match the dress again. I just don't see how that is covered in some form of satin fabric at all. Those edges are to thick and to perfectly molded. I think it's better to have foam that matches color wise as close as possible then to have stitching everywhere and possibly saggy fabric that's half way molded or pulled apart from either foam, leather or stiff interfacing etc. Then it's just a matter of figuring how to attach the foam in the seam.
Also ARGH! Those feathers are 1) way more shiny then I realized so there's some kind of metallic thread or more crystals used then I can tell and 2) do look like appliques.
Unfortunately it's easier for me to faux "embroider" onto the fabric at this point then to make appliques which usually still require you to embroider the design first onto applique fabric. For my inspired piece I'm making right now too I think I'd feel more comfortable being embroidered directly onto the garment. For the real dress maybe I'll have access to an embroidery machine.......amanda....cough cough.....so then I might be able to do the applique route.
mdb
Sr Member
Yeah they are definitely self covered. The easiest way would be:
make the rigid base, it is a good thickness but I'm not sure just how rigid it is. Maybe foam over some very thin styrene.
Cut out the tear shapes
Shape to the curve (heat possibly or pin to dress form) and then pin fabric shell following outside edges.
Sew outside edge, slip back over the shoulders.
pin the fabrics at the tear shaped cut outs and trace the shape either side. Pinning helds keep the tension to help in this.
Unpin and release the fabric shell.
Slash inside each tear and cut out leaving a minimal seam allowance and clip the curves.
Carefully pin and press the seam allowances. unpin.
Turn right sides and slip back over the shoulders.
Ladder stitch the seam allowances with tiny perfect stitches.
Sewing Stars: well, holidays, you win!
That really is the easiest way. The two layers of fabric are sewn around the outer edges of the shoulder support as well as in the cut outs (can see the seam line and possibly a very very tiny seam allowance.) You could machine one or two cut outs depending on your abilty for spatial reasoning and love of mobius shapes But you still couldn't then slip the shell over the base.
Sewing from the outside is really not that hard just fiddly and time consuming. You can hide all hand sewing stitches from the outside too.
Pretty sure the feathers are not appliques. The design is too open for it to be. The very tops may be but the delicate lines are not. they actually shine like bullion in some shots too.
I'm guessing the press that has been mentioned a couple of times is press that does grommets, eyelets, snaps and spots? Yeah.....Best. Tool. Ever. I have to check that my friends don't try to sneak out with mine. Seriously the most indespensible tool I've ever bought next to my sewing machines and the Dremel.
I'm seeing the shine now on the feathers. Ugh. More work. Hahaha
I'm seeing the shine now on the feathers. Ugh. More work. Hahaha
TeresaMRoberts
Well-Known Member
I don't think they look like appliques, At least not the bottom part of the feather. The Top might be but doubt it. It looks like fill stick to me and the bottom look like satin stitches. Plus look at the way the fabric puckers in-between the bottom parts of the feather. That happens to a lot especially when I embroider satin type fabrics. I really think these are directly embroidered onto the dress. I agree about being metallic thread. It actually looks like two different colors to me, A white metallic and light silver metallic in the circle right below all the crystals. Also if you look at the vine part of the feather wear the two side pieces meet in the center the stitching is heaver. I just really think they're embroidered right on the dress. Beautiful... If I wasn't in the middle of moving this month I would do a test feather my self. Just for fun I'll work on a digitized design and when I movie into our new house I'll sew a tester onto a scrap piece and see what you think. It probably wont be till mid January. If you like it I'll email you the design.
Eveningarwen
Well-Known Member
Ugh. I had an influx of orders come in that I have to work on and I'm also delving into a new area of sewing with plushie making. I'm trying to get those and my orders done before working on this again. I'm desperately trying to get my "inspired" piece done by no later then the endish of Dec. So hopefully I'll have more to show soon.
aeryn
Well-Known Member
For the cutouts, depending on what fabric you use you can always burn them. i saw a GORGEOUS piece done by a girl for an anime costume - instead of embroidering, she simply burned the synthetic fabric with a soldering iron/wood burner to create cutouts for the collar and sleeve and skirt, then layered fabric behind it. the burning prevents fraying and you don't have to worry about seeing seams.
your only worry then, is getting the shoulders to stay upright.
your only worry then, is getting the shoulders to stay upright.
For the cutouts, depending on what fabric you use you can always burn them. i saw a GORGEOUS piece done by a girl for an anime costume - instead of embroidering, she simply burned the synthetic fabric with a soldering iron/wood burner to create cutouts for the collar and sleeve and skirt, then layered fabric behind it. the burning prevents fraying and you don't have to worry about seeing seams.
your only worry then, is getting the shoulders to stay upright.
That sounds like something I need to test out! Do you happen to remember where you saw it?
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