mdb
Sr Member
OK so I have been a member here since 06 and for a while lost my password, then found and and never really introduced myself. With these show off threads (nice term 
) starting I figured I may as well do one too seeing as I pipe up with ideas from time to time and rarely create posts for my own work- I figure I have a website to use up people's data allowance anyway
I am pretty much self taught in all this. I will use snippets of information from all over and assembled them to figure through a particular problem. So to all those who have shared information here I thank you. I have definitely been inspired by works here and have had light bulb moments reading through I've also found information that was pertinent on model plane forums and doll customisation forums It's amazing what overlaps there are in many fields.
Sewing was something I didn't really grow up with, my mother did knit and my great aunt did crafts so I did get encouragement, just not guidance I did get all the Golden Hands books which I adored.
So, the good bits; all the thumbnails link to more information and images on my web site. I have heaps more but I figured these were of the most interest here. I recently found my very first costume too. Awww, bless. No pics as it requires fixing.
2009:
Slave Leia:
All resin parts sculpted, molded, cast and painted by me.
http://glittersweet.deviantart.com/gallery/#details for a look at all the details until I get them on my website
The Vibro Axe was assembled and sculpted from all plastic parts (including bondo and resin). It breaks down into four parts to fit in my suitcase. OK five including the inner stabiliser which I got right the second time I wore this
Returns Catwoman
Only two parts were not made by me; the boots and the whip- and I very nearly made the whip too I wanted the right plait but this whip was a bargain and with a bit of polish will be even better.
This costume has had several upgrades and I am about to make another I bought some rare earth magnets and will be putting a few little ones in the cowl straps and back of the cowl to attach it to my catsuit. Not sure if I'll make little pockets or glue them in yet.
I like making gloves and corsets so this was an ideal costume
The PVC is from MJ trend and I highly recommend it. I will not use anything else because this just cuts and sews like a dream, is very supportive, breathes(!!!!!) and is very comfortable to wear. I understand stretchhouse and/or spandexhouse also has good quality 4-way PVC so I may check them out sometime too
Mara Jade:
All leather, faux suede, PVC, metal parts made by me. The shin guards were TK shins I heavily modified with styrene strips and styrene glue.
Borrowed sabre, but I have been looking at making my own. It might happen
Admiral Daala
My first foray into tailoring and it won't be the last The tunic is fully interlined and has padding and facings and linen lining to keep cool during the summer.
http://glittersweet.deviantart.com/gallery/#Progress-recreations--2
As an idea of how much work went into this. Seams are functional as well as decorative and trying to get them to match the screen used uniforms and mod them for a woman was an interesting experience.
2008
Human Huntress
AVP human hunter. I was really inspired by the Hot Toys figure of Machiko. Leather armour, faux suede bikini, dreaded wig (four wigs rewefted into one) and even shoes built by me.
Padme Light Blue
A joy to drape. Frustrating as all heck because it is not a simple pattern. Not by a long shot, not if you are doing it right Most of it was draped on the stand rather than drafted, if reminded me a great deal of the Grecian influenced gowns of the 30s-50s of Holywood movies. And the draping really reflects this.
Cleves middle class gown
Just throwing in a few historical items to show the kind of research and detail I apply to everything This was the end result of about four years image hunting, translating modern German research articles and also translating a 16thC journal from Cologne. And then comparing the texts to the images.
This style is completely mental. And I don't just mean the hat The skirt wraps over and the sleeves pin on and the whole thing is able to be worn about four or five different ways.
Wool and silk patterned using historical methods and all the black velvet was sewn on by hand.
Witchblade
My friend got me hooked on the artwork and I was intrigued to work out how to make armour that is so organic work in real life. I knew Latex casting would work but I am unable to wrangle large molds. As you can see above I can sculpt and mold and cast, I just can't work with large pieces due to joint damage.
The armour is silicone over various support with a PVC catsuit underneath.
Leia- animated style
Just some fun and games and a chance to be fairly relaxed in costume. The wig is actually made from two long hair wigs wefted onto one base, the centre part specially woven and 8 shortish ponytail hairpieces sewn into the doughnut shapes. It's quite heavy. I did weigh it but has conveniently forgotten.
2007
Ever After
This dress was stalled for the longest time as I could not fine the right silver crepe chiffon anywhere. I finally gave in and bought some in purple and stripped the dye out myself. I then assembled many antique and modern trims (tea dyed or otherwise antiqued) and built the dress over a bodice and skirt I sewed from cotton and silk charmeuse.
1560s Laureling gown
For those of you in the SCA I was laureled for my work in German Women's costume, mainly the research and sharing of said information (Mistress Willemyne van Nymegen). I had just started to specialise in dress of the North Rhine- Westphalia area and this was a gown I had wanted to reproduce for a long time.
It is red silk taffeta with hand sewn stripes of black velveteen. The caul (haube) was hand dyed and sewn with faux pearls and gold bugle beads. This type of dress is never seen without the shoulder jacket (goller) so I had to extrapolate a lot of information. I was pleased to find an image after I made this that supported my theory. Hurrah!
For those not in the SCA: this is a group of over 30,000 (paid?) members worldwide who participate in medieval and renaissance recreation. The minimal requirement is to make an attempt at costume from pre- 1600 but a few of us go a *little* further than that
A laurel is the highest award you can get for arts and sciences.
2006
Cleves gown
Anne of Cleves did wear something similar in a recently publicised image of her. More of that SCA mental reaserch here. All undrpinnings and patterns and embroidery by me. The girdle is made of chains of bracelets I put together. I do eventually want to sculpt and cast my own parts but I want them to be brass ratehr than soft white metal and so need a little more time to work out what I can do myself.
Wishing Gown from Phantom of the Opera
Not from the travesty of a movie (it is now my personal drinking game) but from the stage production. The Australian production to be specific as I prefer many of the costumes from that production over others.
My waterfall drapery has been used my others and a very skilled woman recently won an award at Costume Con for her gown featuring drapery that utilised my online pattern Love being able to help others
2004
Satine, Black Diamonds
My first foray into hat and glove making and I fell in love with both Not my first corset but it also helped in the desire to make more. The beading I could have done without It took me two years on and off to bead this.
) starting I figured I may as well do one too seeing as I pipe up with ideas from time to time and rarely create posts for my own work- I figure I have a website to use up people's data allowance anyway I am pretty much self taught in all this. I will use snippets of information from all over and assembled them to figure through a particular problem. So to all those who have shared information here I thank you. I have definitely been inspired by works here and have had light bulb moments reading through
I've also found information that was pertinent on model plane forums and doll customisation forums It's amazing what overlaps there are in many fields.Sewing was something I didn't really grow up with, my mother did knit and my great aunt did crafts so I did get encouragement, just not guidance
I did get all the Golden Hands books which I adored.So, the good bits; all the thumbnails link to more information and images on my web site. I have heaps more but I figured these were of the most interest here. I recently found my very first costume too. Awww, bless. No pics as it requires fixing.
2009:
Slave Leia:
All resin parts sculpted, molded, cast and painted by me.
http://glittersweet.deviantart.com/gallery/#details for a look at all the details until I get them on my website
The Vibro Axe was assembled and sculpted from all plastic parts (including bondo and resin). It breaks down into four parts to fit in my suitcase. OK five including the inner stabiliser which I got right the second time I wore this
Returns Catwoman
Only two parts were not made by me; the boots and the whip- and I very nearly made the whip too
I wanted the right plait but this whip was a bargain and with a bit of polish will be even better.This costume has had several upgrades and I am about to make another
I bought some rare earth magnets and will be putting a few little ones in the cowl straps and back of the cowl to attach it to my catsuit. Not sure if I'll make little pockets or glue them in yet. I like making gloves and corsets so this was an ideal costume
The PVC is from MJ trend and I highly recommend it. I will not use anything else because this just cuts and sews like a dream, is very supportive, breathes(!!!!!) and is very comfortable to wear. I understand stretchhouse and/or spandexhouse also has good quality 4-way PVC so I may check them out sometime too
Mara Jade:
All leather, faux suede, PVC, metal parts made by me. The shin guards were TK shins I heavily modified with styrene strips and styrene glue.
Borrowed sabre, but I have been looking at making my own. It might happen
Admiral Daala
My first foray into tailoring and it won't be the last
The tunic is fully interlined and has padding and facings and linen lining to keep cool during the summer.http://glittersweet.deviantart.com/gallery/#Progress-recreations--2
As an idea of how much work went into this. Seams are functional as well as decorative and trying to get them to match the screen used uniforms and mod them for a woman was an interesting experience.
2008
Human Huntress
AVP human hunter. I was really inspired by the Hot Toys figure of Machiko. Leather armour, faux suede bikini, dreaded wig (four wigs rewefted into one) and even shoes built by me.
Padme Light Blue
A joy to drape. Frustrating as all heck because it is not a simple pattern. Not by a long shot, not if you are doing it right
Most of it was draped on the stand rather than drafted, if reminded me a great deal of the Grecian influenced gowns of the 30s-50s of Holywood movies. And the draping really reflects this.Cleves middle class gown
Just throwing in a few historical items to show the kind of research and detail I apply to everything
This was the end result of about four years image hunting, translating modern German research articles and also translating a 16thC journal from Cologne. And then comparing the texts to the images.This style is completely mental. And I don't just mean the hat
The skirt wraps over and the sleeves pin on and the whole thing is able to be worn about four or five different ways. Wool and silk patterned using historical methods and all the black velvet was sewn on by hand.
Witchblade
My friend got me hooked on the artwork and I was intrigued to work out how to make armour that is so organic work in real life. I knew Latex casting would work but I am unable to wrangle large molds. As you can see above I can sculpt and mold and cast, I just can't work with large pieces due to joint damage.
The armour is silicone over various support with a PVC catsuit underneath.
Leia- animated style
Just some fun and games and a chance to be fairly relaxed in costume. The wig is actually made from two long hair wigs wefted onto one base, the centre part specially woven and 8 shortish ponytail hairpieces sewn into the doughnut shapes. It's quite heavy. I did weigh it but has conveniently forgotten.
2007
Ever After
This dress was stalled for the longest time as I could not fine the right silver crepe chiffon anywhere. I finally gave in and bought some in purple and stripped the dye out myself. I then assembled many antique and modern trims (tea dyed or otherwise antiqued) and built the dress over a bodice and skirt I sewed from cotton and silk charmeuse.
1560s Laureling gown
For those of you in the SCA I was laureled for my work in German Women's costume, mainly the research and sharing of said information (Mistress Willemyne van Nymegen). I had just started to specialise in dress of the North Rhine- Westphalia area and this was a gown I had wanted to reproduce for a long time.
It is red silk taffeta with hand sewn stripes of black velveteen. The caul (haube) was hand dyed and sewn with faux pearls and gold bugle beads. This type of dress is never seen without the shoulder jacket (goller) so I had to extrapolate a lot of information. I was pleased to find an image after I made this that supported my theory. Hurrah!
For those not in the SCA: this is a group of over 30,000 (paid?) members worldwide who participate in medieval and renaissance recreation. The minimal requirement is to make an attempt at costume from pre- 1600 but a few of us go a *little* further than that
A laurel is the highest award you can get for arts and sciences.
2006
Cleves gown
Anne of Cleves did wear something similar in a recently publicised image of her. More of that SCA mental reaserch here. All undrpinnings and patterns and embroidery by me. The girdle is made of chains of bracelets I put together. I do eventually want to sculpt and cast my own parts but I want them to be brass ratehr than soft white metal and so need a little more time to work out what I can do myself.
Wishing Gown from Phantom of the Opera
Not from the travesty of a movie (it is now my personal drinking game) but from the stage production. The Australian production to be specific as I prefer many of the costumes from that production over others.
My waterfall drapery has been used my others and a very skilled woman recently won an award at Costume Con for her gown featuring drapery that utilised my online pattern
Love being able to help others 2004
Satine, Black Diamonds
My first foray into hat and glove making and I fell in love with both
Not my first corset but it also helped in the desire to make more. The beading I could have done without It took me two years on and off to bead this.
Last edited:
