Susan Sto Helit – Discworld (Paul Kidby art)

Made for: Dragoncon 2003

Background: I thought this would be fun to make – I started on it as soon as I got home from Dragoncon 2002! I based this on Paul Kidby’s artwork.

Journal Entries: Read more at my Susan Sto Helit tag

Patterns Used:
None

Skirt/Bodice:

I bought the skirt on ebay and altered it – cut the bottom off at an angle and cauterized the edges. The corset I also bought online. When I rewore this in 2007, something was wrong with the original corset (I think some of the eyelets on the bottom had torn out? I’ll have to go back and look, it’s been a while since I had it out), so I wore another underbust corset over it to keep it on, since the top part was still functional.

Wig:

The wig I bought online from Amphigory and painted – I added the black streak, and added white highlights since the wig was more blonde than I wanted.

Accessories:

The gloves I already had, and the boots are my Morrigan boots. I got the scythe after Halloween one year, and painted it. The cape I made without a pattern, it’s just a rectangle.

Death of Rats:

Death of Rats turned out kind of goofy, but I like him. I made him of various bits and pieces… a styrofoam base for the head, covered in friendly plastic and sculpey and painted. He has a wireform body covered in batting to give him shape. The little cloak I made of leftover material. His tail was a wireframe with sculpey bones. His little scythe I made of a straw and some sculpey, and painted. I attached fishing line to his head so I could carry him next to me.

History:

In 2007 I decided to rewear this for the first time since Dragoncon 2003, since Terry Pratchett was Guest of Honour at MidSouthCon that year. Besides the corset debacle I mentioned above, I also wore new boots because I couldn’t find my Morrigan ones, and had to borrow the cape from Chase’s Vader costume because my cape got loaned out and never given back. Also had to repair parts of Death of Rats. But it was nice to wear it again! Got my book signed.

As of 2025 I really need to get this out for a backdrop shoot sometime soon. If the eyelet issue is what I remember I think I can fix it so I can shoot the costume as close to original as possible. I know I’ll have to make a new cape and do some Death of Rats repairs, last time I saw him his little sculpey tail had crumbled into nothing!

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Please note that none of these costumes are for sale! This is my personal portfolio.