Alyss – The Looking Glass Wars

Made for: Dragoncon 2010

Background: I based this on the artwork from the book – I thought this would be a fun project.

Journal Entries: Read more at my Alyss tag

Patterns Used:
McCalls 2645 (altered)

Dress:
I started out by picking up some champagne coloured taffeta at the fabric store. I used a pattern for most of it – I ended up going back to add a panel in the waist, and changed the sleeves, and added the collar. But, that was my base (Ignore the Supergirl boots in the pic, haha!).

I was originally going to finish all of the chiffon edges with my serger, but after making a few ruffles I decided it looked a little heavier than I wanted, so I ended up cauterizing the edges instead. I’m not sure how much chiffon I went through – it was a lot! I dyed them all pink and peach, then just started sewing them all on. I sewed most of them on with the machine, a few towards the hip I started hand-sewing because it got too difficult to get it into the machine. The angles of the ruffles was really hard to get – they angle up in the skirt and at an angle around the waist, but I’m not sure it shows up as well as I wanted.

Collar/Neckline:
I covered the collar area in the chiffon and attached it to a neckpiece I’d made of the taffeta. The stand up collar I made out of interfacing covered in the chiffon, and it snaps onto the neck similar to my Snow White collar. For the drapey fabric on the collar I dyed some silk gauze pink and peach, and just stitched it in a few places. (I had originally planned to make large Arwen-esque sleeves out of the chiffon on the dress. After I made them and pinned them on I felt it made the whole thing look too shapeless, so I decided to leave the sleeves plain. Once I had the dress on, I decided to drape the ends of the silk chiffon from the collar around my arms, so that it sorta-kinda looked like the reference, but without the added weight of the sleeves.) The “loops” going over the collar were plastic tubes I just handsewed into place, and attached beads to.

Accessories:
I bought several different red stones & beads and sewed them all over the collar, down the front in stripes, and along the top of the ruffles – also made some into bracelets.

Wig:
The headpiece I made using a cosworx wig, built up with foam for the shape. I lost the tilt and shape a little once I covered the foam pieces with hair, but it’s still kinda there. The tiara I made of copper wire and various beads and gems and things – technically I can take that tiara off the wig, but I’d rather not try!

History: I was really pleased with this, it was surprisingly comfortable. I wish I could have worn it longer at Dragoncon- and I really need to do a photoshoot 🙂

                       

Visit my FAQ | Contact Me
Please note that none of these costumes are for sale! This is my personal portfolio. Thanks!