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The Agony of Dragon Con

The Agony of Dragon Con

September 10, 2015 /

I call this, “The Agony of Dragon Con”

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I have a few more dragon con pics to share. Wore w

I have a few more dragon con pics to share. Wore wedding Princess Leia for a short bit saturday - always love a photo of the back!

My Costume History, Day 204: The Mothman, for my b

My Costume History, Day 204: The Mothman, for my birthday party 2019

Remember in 2019 there was that whole “Storm Area 51” joke? Well it was supposed to be happening September 20, which was my birthday, and it was a milestone birthday for me, so I decided to have a “Storm Area 51” birthday party. The theme was come as your fav alien, cryptid, or FBI agent. We had themed food and music, and I still find little glow in the dark aliens around the house occasionally LOL

Anyway, I still had a whole bolt of this black fuzzy fabric from my Amidala Post-Senate costume - I WAY overbought fabric. I decided I could make a quick little Mothman outfit for my party with it.

The dress is literally just two rectangles sewn together with openings for the neck and arms - I didn’t even hem it since you couldn’t really see a hem anyway. I did get it a littttle short so I have to wear black shorts under it LOL. The cape is just 1 long piece of the fabric, cut in half and sewn onto some black elastic loops, which go on like a backpack.

I made the eyes/antenna around a black headband - used some floral wire for the shape of the antenna and covered it in the black fabric. The eyes are just two LED light discs that velcro onto the headband so I can take them off easily and replace the batteries when needed. Wore it with some black tights and boots.

My party was so much fun and I loved this silly little costume - so much so I decided I’d take it to Dragon Con as my late night costume the next year - though of course, that didn’t happen. I DID bring it to dcon in 2021, unlike so many other 2019/2020 costumes that never got to go anywhere because I mentally moved on from them! It was a lot of fun to wear at Dragon Con - comfy and easy and fun photos.

Haven’t worn it since, because I managed to lose the remote for the lights. I need to just order some new ones I bring this back out again.

My Costume History, Day 203: Padme’s Lake Dress, V

My Costume History, Day 203: Padme’s Lake Dress, Version 5 from Star Wars, made for Dragon Con 2019

At last we come to my 5th & final Padme lake gown. Originally that year, I was going to remake the Loyalist gown, but decided I didn’t have the energy after a moving earlier that year. I decided I’d finally make lake dress 5, which I’d been wanting to do since selling version 4 in 2008.

I started out by modifying a Vogue pattern for the underdress - I made it out of spandex, adding in extra insets into the lower skirt to widen it and darts for shaping in the bust. IF I were to ever revisit this project, I’d like to remake the underdress out of something nicer!

I made the outerdress out of silk chiffon - I still had panels from my version 3 that I used a basis to make new pattern pieces. Got my fabric cut, gathered it as needed, and made all of the trim out of silk charmeuse and got the edges finished.

Then it was dye day, and I was soooo nervous! I dip-dyed the underdress, which got a little messy. While that was drying I decided I was not dip-dyeing the outer dress - so I put a garbage bag on my dressform, pinned the outer dress to it, loaded up dye in a fine mist spray bottle and just started building up the colour in light layers. It took about 3 hours — I stopped and let it dry in the sun for a bit then touched it up. In the end I was very happy with the dye job here! I got the dresses sewn together once it was all dry and pressed.

Chase made my necklace — it’s a cast of my version 2 necklace, with mother-of-pearl veneers. I added a necklace closure to the back. The armbands were a file from thingiverse and 3d printed, and Chase 3d modeled and printed the hairbands for me. The wig is from Arda - I built it out with foam and hair extensions, then sewed the hairbands directly onto it, except the first one which I put on last.

I am really happy with this last version. Debuted at Dragoncon 2019, and I brought it back a couple of other times too. Did TWO white backdrop shoots. I’ll never make a version 6 — but I may revisit this one day, just to do some clean up and maybe remake the underdress. A project for a weekend when I’m bored...

My Costume History, Day 202: Dr Crusher from Star

My Costume History, Day 202: Dr Crusher from Star Trek TNG, made for Dragon Con 2019

I had wanted to make a TNG uniform for years! Technically a TNG uniform was my very first costume - mom made herself and me one back in like 90, 91, and I wore mine to MidSouthCon back then. So I always wanted to revisit, and I decided this year’s dragon con was the time.

I used Obsessive Costuming Dude’s TNG uniform pattern which was an amazing pattern and I highly recommend it! My only hiccup was my own fault - I cut it too big, and had to take it up quite a bit both during construction and after it was technically done.

I used a black jumbo spandex for the main body and a teal spandex for the chest - I couldn’t find a teal I liked out of the box (I don’t know how many swatches I got...) so I ended up just dyeing the one that was closest. I am really happy with how that turned out - I also dyed my piping and was pleased with how close I got it to the spandex colour.

It has a zipper back and a magnet closure at the collar - my badge and pips are from XScape Props. I changed the back of the badge to a magnet so I could move it between my jacket and the uniform easily - both have a little pocket sewn into the wrong side holding the receiving magnet for it.

My lab coat was made of some linen I got at Joann, and I used a house robe pattern for it. Added the big pockets and some darts in the back, but it’s nothing fancy or particularly accurate; I’d love to remake it one day.

Bought the wig online and cut, curled and styled it. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, so after I debuted this at Dragon Con 2019 and did the white backdrop shoot, I restyled it completely when I brought her back for Dragon Con 2022, and I was very happy with that tighter curled version - it was what I had wanted from the start.

I did debut this at Dcon 2019, and wore it a lot that weekend because it was very comfy - came home and took it up a bit before the white backdrop shoot. Brought it back to Dcon in 2022, and to HSV Expo in 2024 for a pic with Gates McFadden. She was so sweet! I plan to keep this in regular rotation over the next few years - it’s fun and comfy and easy to pack. Plus, pockets!

My Costume History, Day 201: Hera from Lore Olympu

My Costume History, Day 201: Hera from Lore Olympus, made for Dragon Con 2019

As soon as I started reading Lore Olympus, I wanted to make SOMETHING from it - when I came across this Hera outfit, I knew this was the one for me. I loved the combo of the deep blue with her yellow skin & hair!

I patterned this jacket - I took some scrap fabric & draped it on my form and just cut and pinned it until it looked how I wanted. I wrote all of my notes and gathering guides directly on the scrap fabric pieces, & used them as a pattern to cut my real fabric.

I used a thin blue crinkle fabric for the outer fabric - it’s lined in a cotton through the body and a taffeta in the sleeves/skirt area to add some stiffness. It has a built in waistband to keep it snug to the body, then crosses over & closes at the side with hidden snaps. It’s gathered in a series of tucks on the sides of the torso and up the sleeves, and gathered at the waist for a full, drapey effect while still maintaining the structure of the jacket. I added the cowl collar last & some beading at the shoulders/upper sleeves.

For the gloves, boots and belt, I used a navy blue stretch pleather, which I ended up spray painting (with flexible floral spray paint) to a more saturated blue. I used my Ms Marvel boot covers as guide to make these, to fit over a pair of heels I bought. I really didn’t want to make gloves, so I took a chance and bought a pair of navy blue pleather gloves online - and got VERY lucky that they matched my fabric exactly! So I only made the upper section - I made them tiered to give them a little more pizzazz.

I misinterpreted her arm in one panel as a belt, so I made a belt. I realized my mistake later, but I liked the belt at that point, so I kept it LOL I bought the leggings, the wig is from Arda, and my face paint was Ben Nye. I made the tiara out of some blue flexible wire with some blue crystals glued to the center.

I was really happy with how this turned out! The Lore Olympus photoshoot at dcon was so fun. Did the white backdrop shoot later and put it on for a few videos in 2020, but otherwise haven’t done anything else with it. I need to bring it back out to something sometime soon.

My Costume History, Day 200: Misato from Evangelio

My Costume History, Day 200: Misato from Evangelion, made for Anime Blues Con 2019

Gotta be real with yall here, I’m a little irritated this costume got the treasured 200th spot LOL Oh well!

My first Misato costume from 2002 had suffered pleather death. I had managed to do a quick white backdrop shoot with it before it became unwearable in 2017. So I had in my mind since then, wouldn’t it be fun to do a remake?

Of course that idea didn’t come back to me until 2 weeks before Anime Blues Con in 2019. I never make anything that fast anymore... but I apparently lost my mind, so I went to Joann, bought fabric and got to work.

I made the basic black dress using a black double knit ponte — LOVE that fabric - and the same Vogue pattern I’d just used for Jedi Leia, just obviously shortening it and taking it in to fit. I changed the collar shape, and trimmed the edge with some leftover Jedi Leia fabric.

Making the new jacket was the part I was most excited for - I altered Vogue V8301 for it, which was a good starting point. I flat-lined my red fabric with some cotton to give it a little more body (my red fabric was a little too thin), and a lightweight taffeta as the lining layer. I made the orange shoulder sections out of orange cotton, and the black detailing on that and in the front was very carefully cut out black pleather hand-sewn on. (I would’ve done that in HTV now — but was still a few months out from getting the silhouette.)

For the hat, I started with a beret pattern and modified it until it looked the way I wanted - interfaced it for shaping and used my red fabric for the outer layer. The yellow parts were craft foam.

I was pretty happy with how this turned out - especially for such a fast build! I love how clean, sharp and “animated” it looks. I used a wig and shoes I already had, and the necklace from my 02 Misato. Debuted it at ABC that year, and did the white backdrop shoot in 2020.

Haven’t worn it since, though. I don’t get a lot of opportunities to wear my anime stuff. Need to find an excuse to get it back out sometime.

My Costume History, Day 199: Jedi Leia from Star W

My Costume History, Day 198: Dapper Day Bespin Lei

My Costume History, Day 198: Dapper Day Bespin Leia dress, for Disney Trip 2019

I had had this idea of doing Bespin Leia as a mid-century inspired dress. And since we were going to Victoria and Albert’s that trip to celebrate our anniversary during our April 2019 trip, it was the perfect time to make it.

I’d actually had this idea the year before and bought the materials - I’d wanted to do it for our Dec 2018 trip but didn’t have time. No big deal - it worked better for the April trip!

I’d had this pattern in my stash - Butterick B6094 - that I’d wanted to use for a while, and I thought it would be perfect for my “vintage” style Bespin idea. It had a nice sort of “waistband” section that I thought worked as the belt, the neckline was great - I just needed to add sleeves.

I made this out of a burgundy peachskin fabric, with a burgundy taffeta for the attached petticoat. I did end up having to buy more fabric because the first pass on the bodice did not fit right - had to order more and wait on it to arrive to make a second version. But once it was done, I added the copper trim leftover from my Bespin Leia costume to the neckline.

For the shawl, I used @generalleah ‘s “Princess of the Clouds” chiffon fabric from spoonflower. I just kinda draped it on my dressform, pleating it and figuring out how I wanted it to lay. I added in arm openings in the side seams, and made a sort-of shawl style collar for the top.

I bought the shoes and originally tried to paint them because I thought they were too bright — they must’ve had some kind of protectant on them, because the paint would not go on evenly. I thought I’d ruined them. Decided to try to wash them — and all the paint came right off. They looked good as new LOL So boo to the protectant... but also yay?

Wore this to our anniversary dinner at Victoria and Albert’s - oh my god it was so good. I brought it back to Disney in 2021 for Dapper Day, with Chase in a new matching Han outfit. That was fun - but this is way too hot to walk around in in the parks! That being said... I am bringing it back on our next trip. I have plans for it :)

My Costume History, Day 197: “Comfy” Ariel from Wr

My Costume History, Day 197: “Comfy” Ariel from Wreck it Ralph 2, made winter 2018

@Lindenash and I snuck off to Disney World for a very quick, jam packed weekend celebrating her birthday that December. Of course I had outfit ideas going in - the main idea I had, I didn’t have time to do (but we’ll talk about that one in a couple of days). So I went to idea number 2 - Ariel’s little “comfy” outfit from Wreck it Ralph 2.

I bought the purple knit fabric for the top online. I had a shirt that had a very similar look & fit to the comfy shirt already, so I used that as a guide to cut my fabric. Got it hemmed and now onto decorating.

I created the “word art” for the front, as well as the shell trim in Photoshop - printed them out on regular paper to test the sizing, then printed them on heat-transfer paper. Got them all ironed on - the little tiny shells along the edges were a pain, we got there in the end.

(This was the last thing I used heat-transfer paper for. I got my silhouette the next year and started using HTV instead - that would’ve worked so much better for this. Ah well, that’s just the way things go.)

I bought a pair of shorts online and when they came in they were WAY too big. I had also designed some heat-transfer stuff for them, but I didn’t have time to take them in before our trip - plus, now seeing our forecast for the trip, it wasn’t going to be warm enough for shorts anyway. So I wore my Ariel top with jeans on our trip that year. Alas, my hair did not hold my curls in Orlando humidity!

But that’s ok because a few months later, I brought it back to Disney — this time with the shorts! I had taken them in to fit, but I never did do the “fin” designs on them. Oh well. I finally got to wear the whole outfit and I was satisfied with it.

I did also take it to Dragon Con that year as an easy downtime costume, did the white backdrop shoot with it in 2020, and brought it back to Disney once more in 2021. I still have all the parts around here in case I ever feel like bringing it back on a trip one day.

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