Perhaps starting this thing up riiiight before the holidays started wasn't my best thought ever.
Oh well, here's what I've been up to;
Thor: not a whole heck of a lot.
Husband's been working and gaming (jeeze, like he has a life or something) and I'm at a stopping point until I can get him into his mock-up vest for some basic starting alterations. That should happen this week. (YAY Christmas!)
Bought some plastic child-size frisbees (4" and 6" across) and a plastic sphere for test molds of the iconic domed chest armor segments.
Thinking about using a paintball vest for the actual chest armor undergarment. Looks about right, and has the necessary structure. Have to finish mockup tests before I can decide on that.
Been thinking hard about keeping him cool, and looking at Blue Ice flexible cooling pack sheets for layering inside the vest. Pros: extra bulk, no heat exhaustion. Cons: fiddly little plastic (leaky?) baggies, hotel rooms don't have freezers.
Also looking into various pants materials, and ways to fake those stupid little diamond-shaped armor-platey bits on the legs. (He's going bare-armed.) Thinking about thin faux leather for the pants, and painting/sewing gridlines onto silver metallic stretch poly to form the diamond panels (needed for Loki also, dammitall.)
Loki: more fabric, lots of hardware.
Loki is going to be my undoing, I just know it. For some reason, although I know Thor's vest is going to be a true beast in construction, I'm more worried that all of the fiddly little bits of Loki's costumes are going to destroy my perfectionist self. It's like professional costumers don't even CARE that cosplayers don't have interns!!
Lots of various fabrics picked up at Goodwill for materials tests and (hopefully) actual costume bits - some really thick poly faux leather, stiff upholstery fabric for insets, a lovely brown silk satin I'm eyeing for the long jacket lining.
Bought two sets of cheap plastic "irons" cuffs (not handcuffs, but the old-fashioned pirate-y "clap him in irons" style) to use for hands and feet to base the construction of the full cuffs on. (Much alteration/addition needed.)
Sourced plastic chain links from 3/4" through 5" links. Thinking now I'm going to go for the 3," but it might be the 4" depending on how the proportions work out (I'm about 6" shorter than Mr Hiddleston is, and have to take that into account). The chain links will still need to be individually altered with Bondo or epoxy to get the right ornamental shape.
Sourced rubber training knife for cosplayer safety (I don't actually want to cut my husband's hand off...) : either this one, or this one. Again, either version will need to be worked over with Bondo or epoxy to get the right final shape to the hilt.
Jane: nada.
Waiting on Christmas holidays to take the dress apart and re-assemble it. Hardest part is going to be switching over to a side zipper, and deciding if the over-draping at the bust is going to be permanently attached or a separate piece.
Still no clue about her shoes.
And that's all she wrote!
Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and Happy Cosplaying!
