Rin Vocaloid

From the files of the super adorable!

Here I Come to Save the Day!

Custom Mighty Mouse Hoodie

Who doesn't want to wear a cape all of the time?

What about ears? Who doesn't want to wear ears? 

Green Lantern with EL Wire

No photoshopping or special effects in these photos. It's all the EL Wire.

On.

Off.

On. 

You get the idea......

Blue Beetle

A brief entry this week- some detail shots of the Blue Beetle jacket.

Orange Lantern Larfleeze

Orange Lantern Larfleeze
Originally uploaded by danwall8

Mask by Mask Masters

I am on my way to sewing my through all the green lantern corps and all other colored affiliates!

Blue Lantern

It's been quite awhile since the last post!

One may think that I have not been working on anything- but in fact the opposite is true. I have been sewn an incredible amount of things in June-July and moved to Virginia just recently. 

I will slowly be posting all the projects from this summer, while setting up my new, improved design studio here in VA.

So onto Blue Lantern:

This is based on the Saint Walker character.

Orange Lantern

Finally, Orange Lantern!

Larfleeze translated into a pullover. I've been wanting to do this design for sometime. I searched for awhile for an orange that I liked, and I finally found this.

Captain America

Captain America! This project was a ton of fun.

NCA Convention

The National Costumers Association Convention in Pittsburgh was a great experience for me. Sorry Pittsburgh, but I was there for all of 30 hours so I did not get to check out your city- but I did enjoy the myriad of food choices in your mall-like airport- and the T-Rex on display was cool too.....

Off to Pittsburgh....Let Hawkgirl & the Green Lantern Keep You Company

I'm on my way to go enlighten people on the wonderful concept of dressing up like a superhero. I have been preparing for this for quite some time, but it still feels like it came fast- that and all the conventions and a play I need to costume are all happening in the same 3 week period. Never fear! I've got a coffee pot, and I'll make it through somehow......
Well, let's check out how my friends are doing:
I think he's pleased.
What?! That ring (well, probably the jacket) had more power than I thought!

Let's see what Hawkgirl is up to:

Looking pretty awesome- don't fly away just yet!
And who could this be?
My very own GL Corps?
Not too shabby....
For my other buddies waiting for things I plead your patience. Upon my return from San Deigo things will go back to normal and I'll be locked in my workroom like the sewin' fool that I am.
Wish me luck on my presentation!

San Deigo Comic Con Here I Come!

It's official, I've been wait-listed for the SDCC's Masquerade Costume Contest. I knew while I was working on my costume that the contest was full, but I am traveling a mighty long distance to not at least try. Oh boy, the more I think about it, the more I wonder what I may have possibly gotten myself into. Well, sometimes the best way to do something is to jump right in. I'm still not sure how or when the contact "the ones who wait"- but I'm psyched for my first trip to California! (though- I will only be participating in con activities and nothing else- sorry beaches, the zoo, and other local attractions, maybe next year!)

Kyle Rayner-esque Green Lantern Jacket

Black Interlock- 60% Cotton 40% Polyester
Green Interlock- 100% Cotton
White Interlock- 60% Cotton 40% Polyester
Green Rib Knit- 100% Cotton
Black Rib Knit- 95% Cotton 5% Spandex
1 Green Separating Zipper

The Inspiration: This snazzy Kyle Rayner number. What's not to love? It has the ol' GL symbol is several places and additional detail on the sleeves. I think my favorite part is the near glowing emblem on the chest- I hope to do it justice for an old friend.

The Design: Lots of details and machine work to do. All those symbols and all those bands on the sleeve will take a while to stitch on- Also, trying to keep everything symmetrical.

Hawkgirl Inspired Jacket

Dark Brown Interlock- 60% Cotton 40% Polyester
Yellow Interlock- 100% Cotton
Tan Interlock- 60% Cotton 40% Cotton
Kelly Green Interlock- 60% Cotton 40%
Polyester Red Rib Knit- 95% Cotton 5% Spandex

First, the inspiration, Eve chose Hawkgirl from the Justic League animated series. Hawkgirl has a few different outfits, but this one is cool for a number of reasons, first off its so feminine- but at the same time you know she kicks ass. So I came up with this little number, with wings of course! Perhaps I should have added the mace too huh? No, I think this one is lovely, and understated.


Next, patternmaking! This took a little longer because this was the first ladies version I made, but I assure you, will not be the last. I will be working on one for myself as one of my next projects.

The Action Man

The Action Man: The Venture Brothers
Materials:
Top and Pants: charcoal poly/spandex moleskin
Turtleneck: dark grey acrylic/wool yarn
Gloves: Red Cotton/poly Interlock
Holsters, Belt and Kneepads: White spandex and Red cotton/poly Interlock
Helmet: purchased and covered with white cotton/spandex twill
Boot covers: black poly/spandex, fusible fleece, and velcro
Red lenses: purchased
Guns: purchased

My dear husband decided only a few short weeks before, that he would like to be The Action Man, for New York Comic Con. We just moved in the beginning of January, so he questioned if I would be able to finish all three outfits for the Con, taking place in early February. I just assured him that all would be finished, but he just needed to decide who he wanted to be, preferably someone simple. After unpacking his black army helmet, the decision was made.

Shadowcat

Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde: Excalibur
Materials:
Mask, gloves and underpants: poly/spandex
Blouse: poly/rayon
Sash and leggings: nylon/spandex
Boots: purchased

Originally when I considered making Shadowcat I was thinking of doing the blue and gold costume, maybe even the old 'uncanny' one with the hood, but then I caught wind of the Excalibur costume. So totally and wonderfully 80's! Love the blouse, I knew shoulder pads were a must!

The decision on which costume to make has a lot of different factors. Sometimes it's driven by a beloved childhood character, sometimes it's part of set. Sometimes it's a suggestion from someone else. Sometimes it is time and money constraints. Sometimes it's based on the materials I have at hand. Kitty Pryde was a little bit of the last two reasons.

Red Lantern

Red Lantern-inspired Jacket:
Red and Black fabric: Cotton/poly Interlock
Red and Black Rib: Cotton/Lycra
Lantern symbol: white Lycra
1 separating black zipper
3/16" Cordage









My buddy Mario, previously asked for a Sinestro-inspired jacket, now requested the another, this time the Red Lantern.

New York Comic Con 2009

Saturday: The Main Event
After battling our way out of the hotel with extremely sluggish elevators Shadowcat, and The Action Man rolled into the Javits Center just about opening. We checked our coats and floated onto the main floor in record time. As opposed to last year with the several hour line up, getting dressed while on that line and running around like lost little children. By now, we were pros. We had a lot of panels planned to see this day, so we modeled our way around the main floor while we had the time. We attended the 'how not to break into comics' panel, not so sure why I went to this one, but I guess I'm a sucker for learning random things. The panels rooms were much much larger than last year, I guess some planners learned a lesson. I was a little disappointed that we were sharing the space with the 'Travel Show', boy were those attendees confused and upset when they ventured to the wrong side of the concourse. (Picture guy in a business suit getting poked in the butt with a giant foam katana, or harassed by a Storm Trooper- no I didn't actually witness such a thing, but it would have been great) I feel like I spent the majority of Saturday in the basement on lines for panels- oh wait, that's because I did. I guess it goes with the territory, but if one wants to attend the most popular panels one must be ready to sacrifice most of their day. Which kind of sucks, but no one seems to have invented a better way yet. Eventually we ran into Mario, showing off his latest anigswes- the Red Lantern jacket he requested. I'm pleased with the way it turned out, and I think it looks great on him.

New York Comic Con 2009

Thursday and Friday:
I've always lived close to NYC, except this year. So in order to pick up our badges early on Thursday, our 5-hour journey began bright and early. It was worth it to get the badges early and just waltz in the rest of the weekend.

Robin

Robins
Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown
Materials: Lots of cotton interlock, spandex

This past year Peat and I were invited to a Brooklyn Halloween party, where we would get to see many of our dear friends. We, of course, decided to go, but that left a big question. What to wear? Peat has always been a fan of Robin, in his many forms, but I am not. But he's beginning to grow on me. Also, I could not resist going in couple's costumes, and making two of the same thing essentially would simplify things for me.

Sinestro
from The Green Lantern

After spending the day with us all tricked out in our rocking Venture Brothers costumes at the NYCC, my pal Mario asked me to make him a Sinestro-inspired track jacket.

Who am I to argue? I didn't know who Sinestro was, but I soon learned. Mario let me know what details of the costume he wanted to include, and omit. Then I came up with a simplified design of Sinestro's costume.

I made this last summer out of cotton (black) and a cotton/rayon blend (gold). I had Mario send me one of his existing track jackets that he liked, so I could make it the correct size. I then used the specs from his jacket, and applied that to a McCall's jacket pattern that I had. I had not used piping much before this project, and it's kind of a pain!

The most difficult part was the symbol, because it had to be split in half, and have a zipper going through it. Also, the goal is to make it match up, and even and all that. Not easy, that, and all the layers of fabric and zipper do not move easily or evenly in the sewing machine. It was also not easy after I burned my forearm on my iron, but that's what I get for not being careful!

As you can see, it came out nicely, and looks just wonderful on the professional model here. But little did I know the beast I had awakened.....there are more lanterns. Therefore, the need for more jackets! Coming soon.......the Red Lantern inspired jacket.