Home
blog
costumes
Videos
tutorials
my art
About Me
Shop
site history

Home
blog
costumes
Videos
tutorials
my art
About Me
Shop
site history

kelldar.com

The Agony of Dragon Con

The Agony of Dragon Con

September 10, 2015 /

I call this, “The Agony of Dragon Con”

Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug

cosplay life dragoncon dragoncon2016

You May Also Like

when i made wedding plans

when i made wedding plans

December 14, 2003

when i made wedding plans

when i tried to talk ash into a costume

May 11, 2004

I’m not dead yet

I’m not dead yet

August 3, 2015

newest costumes

Current Projects

Endor Leia Remake
Disneybound Leia 3

Follow Me

Instagram Feed

kelldar

My Costume History, Day 188: Lucy’s Showgirl costu

My Costume History, Day 188: Lucy’s Showgirl costume from I Love Lucy, for Dragon Con 2017

I wanted to make a Lucy costume and I thought this would be a fun one. First up I made the bodice as a base - then I decided I needed some little pocket hoops to achieve this skirt shape, so I made some using scrap materials.. Got the skirt shape figured out by draping my satin over the hoops on the dressform - cut it off into a high-low skirt and now it was ruffle time!

I bought a ton of pink organza, cut it into strips, hemmed & added my silver sequin trim to one side and gathered the other. Then I started layering it onto the skirt. As I moved down from the waist, I cut the organza strips a little wider each time, so they ended up pretty big at the bottom.

Next i made the two silver sequin appliques out of sequin fabric - sewed them onto the bodice, and also sewed some of my sequin trim around the edges of them. Added the straps & sequin trim to the neckline, & the little “puff” of organza on one side.

The headdress was a source of drama & did make me cry at least once. I started out with a giant stuffed novelty crown as a base, deconstructed it, added an interior structure made of hooping, and covered it in my satin, organza, and silver sequin fabric. Added the big pearls to the side and draped off the top. The feathers I bought online - I had to link them up together to make them long enough, and I added some white floral “branches” that have more pearls linked between them. All of these things insert into a floral foam base in the top center of the headpiece. Bought my shoes and painted them.

I made a mistake at dragon con. I had stuffed the inside of the headdress with batting, but at the con, I decided I didn’t need it and took it out. So my headdress was listing the entire time I wore it! I put it back in as soon as I saw photos LOL It was fun to wear anyway — but I did the white backdrop as soon as I could (with the headdress looking the way it should)!

I haven’t worn this since. The headdress really is just a lot... like, I get it Lucy. I did think about bringing it back to dcon this year, but didn’t have the energy. I’ve GOT to wear it again one day.

My Costume History, Day 187: General Leia from Sta

My Costume History, Day 187: General Leia from Star Wars, for Dragon Con 2017

It was time to start doing Leia’s sequel costumes. I started with the blue dress for one good reason — I got this incredible wig from @custom_wig_co ! My husband helped me make a little plastic wrap/duct tape dummy of my head, we got it sent off, and a couple of months later I had this AMAZING wig in my hands that fit my head PERFECTLY. Literally it has spoiled me on all wigs before or after.

So onto the costume. The outer robe is a linen - and this is fabric number 3 after multiple dye mishaps, including accidentally setting my dyed fabric it in a puddle kitchen bleach cleaner on the counter!!

Wasn’t super happy with it but by that point I was fine with good enough. I got it lined in a scrap satin I had in my stash - I did the star shape at the neckline by having Chase make a pattern for me, traced it onto the (interfaced) lining, stitching over my traced lines and cutting away the excess. Turned out ok.

Now time for the inner dress. And more dye mishaps! My first fabric ended up being one of the oddest dye outcomes I’ve ever seen. I had panels that dyed perfectly, panels that didn’t dye at all, panels that dyed perfectly half and half like one end wasn’t even in the dye. That was at the 11th hour, so I had to scramble to find new fabric to get this project done in time for Dragon Con. (I was SO over it at this point!) I ended up with a silk that was WAY too lightweight and shiny, but I scrambled to get the dress made... only for it to end up too tight. I had to awkwardly add another panel in the back (out of a different fabric, because I was out of the silk!) and just go with it. I think it was literally the ugliest thing I have EVER made LOL

I wore it that way at dragon con, and for my white backdrop shoot, because despite the outfit issues, I still loved it thanks to that WIG! Not long after I did remake the inner dress, out of a much better fabric and I made sure it actually fits right his time! I threw the first dress AWAY!

I’d still like to remake the outer dress one day — it’s in the back of my mind for a lazy project one day.

I cannot wait to get some more pics of Morticia so

I cannot wait to get some more pics of Morticia soon. I really wish I’d carved out time to wear her twice at dragon con - but having to redo my makeup is always a big ask for me 😹

Also if you missed out on my dragon con stickers, I have them up for anyone now! You know the usual places to look.

I also only wore Belle for a short time at dragon

I also only wore Belle for a short time at dragon con - I wore her for around 2 hours Saturday morning before it got too crowded. Sat and Sunday mornings are my fav time at dragon con to wear big costumes - yeah it’s early but the crowd levels feel more like “old” dragon con!

I wore my Padme lake dress/Taylor Swift lover body

I wore my Padme lake dress/Taylor Swift lover bodysuit mashup for a short stint Thursday night at dragon con. I had planned to wear it longer but I did not get the front comb of the wig pinned in well and it was flipping directly into my scalp 😹 but at least I got some good new pics of it before I changed.

My Costume History, Day 186: Mon Mothma from Rogue

My Costume History, Day 186: Mon Mothma from Rogue One, for Dragon Con 2017

During Rogue One, I leaned over to Chase and said “I’m going to make that Mon Mothma costume” and he said “You have to finish Bespin Leia first” — so as soon as I finished Bespin Leia, I started on Mon Mothma LOL

I made the brown dress first - it’s made out of a heavy brown linen I found at Joann, and I used a medieval-style dress pattern. It’s such a great basic piece, I’ve always wanted to come up with another use for it, it would look cute with like a blue surcoat over it and a belt. But still haven’t! One of these days when I need a ren faire look.

For the white top, I made it as a full sleeved thing instead of a poncho. It was a ongoing discussion on the RL forums on sleeves vs poncho and I went sleeves unfortunately. Oh well. For the fabric I used some I had - it was a natural white crinkle fabric. It was actually my fabric “pattern pieces” for the lake dress - it had notes written on the sides, which I cut off. I decided I was probably never going to get around to making a new one (which of course meant I made a new one 2 years later LOL)

The front and back are just big rectangles with a neck cut in - I made the sleeves as very long and full, and tacked them up on the front. The whole thing is lined with some white taffeta.

The chain is some silver trim with some metal pieces Chase made for me, and the pendant I sculpted. It’s unfortunately very delicate and has broken since last time I wore it - time to replace it with a 3d printed one. It all velcros on at the shoulders. I bought the wig and my friend Frankie thinned it out and trimmed it for me.

I was happy with how this turned out, and had intended to submit it to the RL so I had another costume besides Leia to troop in... but then it was boiled down to a poncho and I wasn’t reconstructing this, sooo yeah. I wore it to Dragon Con and did the white backdrop shoot, but that’s all I ever did with it.

I do want to drag it out for something sometime, fix the pendant, and get some photos with a friend as Jyn Erso. It’s here whenever the time comes...

My Costume History, Day 185: medieval Princess Lei

My Costume History, Day 185: medieval Princess Leia from Star Wars, for Dragon Con 2017

I had a different, more complicated medieval-themed project in mind that year, and I realized as Dragon Con drew closer, I just wasn’t going to have time. But while I was thinking it over one day, I realized I could pivot the whole project to being a medieval-inspired Princess Leia costume - it would be much easier since it would be all white, and I felt like I could probably get it done pretty quickly.

So I got some white fabric ordered, and when it came in, I dug immediately. I frankensteined two patterns together and thankfully they worked together great, so this went even faster than I expected. I made the train extra long because that’s just me. I would’ve made the sleeves bigger but didn’t have enough fabric! For the fitted sleeves I used the same white fabric as the dress, but did a layer of some white sequinned netting over the top. Is that time period accurate? Hell no but I liked it LOL And I never say no to extra sparkle on a Leia costume.

I decided to do the belt as a ribbon belt, and got this silver and white metallic ribbon on etsy. I backed it in some leather belting and it closes with a hook and eye - I took the excess ribbon and draped it down the back.

For the crown, I took 2 silver headbands and glued them together, and then glued a couple of large metal beads I had along it. I added the veil onto the back - just some fabric I had in my stash. My buns covers are just big circles of the sequin netting, with elastic in the hem. It was very difficult to get the buns, bun covers and tiara to all work together correctly and NOT give me a migraine!

For the shoes I decided to use my Ever After “Just Breathe” shoes I’ve had sitting in my closet since the early 2000s. Might as well put them to use. The necklace was my disneybound Leia necklace with some more beads added.

I love how this turned out! Wore it at dcon that year and did the white backdrop shoot... and then my tiara broke. It would be an easy fix, I just have never gotten around to it, and thus haven’t worn it again. I swear I will one of these days.

My Costume History, Day 184: Princess Leia’s Bespi

My Costume History, Day 184: Princess Leia’s Bespin outfit from Star Wars, for Celebration 2017

The long overdue Leia costume - the only OT one I was missing at that point. I had bought fabric for this way back in 2006 and just never did it. I decided for Celebration 2017, it was finally time.

I revisited my embroidery guide I’d drawn up back in 2006 and updated it. Decided the poly chiffon that had been sitting around for 10 years wasn’t going to cut it anymore and bought a crinkle silk chiffon from mood for the main robe. Printed out my embroidery guide and traced it on and then buckled down to embroider for months.

I only gave myself 3 months to do this, so I was embroidering EVERY MINUTE of EVERY DAY I wasn’t working, eating or sleeping LOL It took 2 and a half months to do. Then I had to scramble to finish everything else.

The lining layer is a silk chiffon from dharma I dyed to match my tunic fabric (I was very impressed with how well I matched them). Got the embroidered layer lined and made the yoke - I made 3 different yokes, wasn’t happy with the first 2 - still wasn’t happy with the 3rd but I was out of fabric at that point LOL. Got the embroidered panel attached and added all of the copper trim.

For the tunic I altered a dress pattern. Made it out of a silk crepe de chine - it zips up the back, and I added the copper trim at the edges. The pants were made using a basic pants pattern - I did add pockets, and made cuffs for the bottom hem. I dyed the flats to match.

The belt is made out leather, cut to the shape. The outer fabric is my silk fabric and it’s backed in some basic lining taffeta in a similar colour. I rolled the leather up to fit into the fabric layers, flattened it out, finished the ends and added snaps.

Got to debut this at Celebration - it was great! But I noticed the tunic was too long so I had to come home and shorten it. Despite that, I was SO happy with how it turned out! I wore it lots more - to several more Dragon Cons and local cons. I’ve done TWO white backdrop shoots with it - wasn’t happy with the first. Still one of my all time favs, I’m so glad I finally made myself do it, it’s such a dream to wear!

My Costume History, Day 183: Dolores from Westworl

My Costume History, Day 183: Dolores from Westworld, for SFCC 2017

The first season of Westworld was incredible. I really wanted to make Dolores’ blue dress - headed to Joann to find something “close enough” and got to work.

I found this lightweight blue cotton to use for the dress, and picked up some trim too. I altered a bodice pattern I had, change the neckline shape and adding sleeves - and I did actually do button holes and real functioning buttons here (if you’ve read more of these posts, you know I avoid real button holes LOL). Used some buttons I had and weathered them.

For the skirt, I started by making a little bustle out of some quilted cotton I had - attached it to some bias tape and it closes with a hook and eye. I draped my fabric over that bustle on the dressform to figure out the skirt shape. Got it pleated the way I wanted and sewed it to a waistband and got it hemmed.

The trims are 4 layers - one of a lace, one of a velvet ribbon I dyed, and two layers of rick rack. So it was a pain to sew on. The belt is from Tandy - Chase dyed it for me, made me a pouch and also made the buckle for me. Bought the wig online and dyed the roots, and wore some boots I had.

I do like this costume. I did get the neckline shape wrong and that bothers me (it comes down too low in the back and should sit closer to my neck over my shoulders), but the big “meh” for me is that I don’t like this wig, and I don’t like how it looks on me. I always thought about getting a new one and trying again, but the interest in Westworld kinda died out, so this costume just kinda got shuffled to the side. I did wear it a few more times, to Visioncon and Dragoncon that year, and of course we did the white backdrop shoot. I still have it, and I’ve had it out for a couple of videos in recent years. But since Westworld kinda fizzled, there’s just not a lot of interest in it. I do still have a photoshoot idea in the back of my head, and if that even comes to fruition, I’ll get this out again and update that wig...

Follow on Instagram

Archives

Archives

SEARCH

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address

SITE BY KELLDAR

Ashe Theme by Royal-Flush - 2026 ©

Home
blog
costumes
Videos
tutorials
my art
About Me
Shop
site history