The Main Mane

My mane arrived from CosWorx this afternoon! I can't find my camera though, so pictures will have to wait till tomorrow.
For now, have a swatch.

Picture Update, 9/28/08 - 56K, run away.

Kilowords, etcetera. Too busy working, trying to catch up. Pictures. Have some. A bunch.


Album has more here.

Picture Update, 9/20/08

Descriptions not necessary.

Yes, I can walk in them. Yes, I have the Tauren walk down.

Picture Update, 9/6/08

Okay, yesterday was my QQ day. Today was a "okay, get back to work, you slacker" day.
So no QQ. Just pictures. Also, I need a new digital camera - I'd like a sort-of basic model, unless someone has something that takes Canon F lenses with or without an adapter under $500. Please send me recommendations! (All my friends with suggestions are pro or semi-pro, and I do not want an EOS 10D or whatever the $1500 body was.)


The #2 most expensive part of the costume; the gloves. Why #2? The boots came in at $$$$$, and did finally ship, it looks like. Was starting to get worried! Pictures next week, with luck. But the gloves? That's real suede and real Springbok there. Gloves just chew up usable fabric because of the complexity and shape of the cuts - I get two glove tops from half a Springbok. That puts the tops alone at $35 of material. Then, they chew up time and expensive thread. Dental floss, waxed thread, 12#, and they devour leather needles. I get a maximum of 4-5 feet of stitching out of one Schmetz 80/12 Leather needle at M1/2 on the 210. By comparison, I've gone through entire spools of thread on a single Universal or Stretch typically. The Evolve can't even touch this with the cutting blade down. The head is #4, as it uses scraps and remainders from the Springbok primarily. The slipcovers for the hooves are #3, as I get nearly to my knee from each Springbok, with a lot left over and almost zero waste.
In the meantime, take a look at some of the prototypes on my hands. They really feel quite nice, and they're amazingly functional - I'm typing in the all suede prototype #13, pictured after prototype #12 which was the final for pattern.

Picture Update, 8/23/08

I was struck by a pattern I found, which uses abuses quarters to make a jacket. So I found some quarters I'd picked up just because, ran out for a lining, and should have it done later this evening. This may eliminate my need for a neckpiece, which would save me a ton of time. More importantly, it DOES save me from the bracers, which were going to account for a whole week of work. So a good chunk of leather may end up going to waste, but I'll live. If there's time, I'm definitely doing the neckpiece.
The picture really doesn't do the fabric or the lining justice at all, it's badly overexposed. The reds are darker, and the lining is barely-transparent shimmery black. Very showy.

Picture Update, 8/17/08

Today's photo covers some of the accessories and accoutrement of the costume. Many shiny beads and the like will be hung from braids and horns. Yes, those are real steer horns in the picture; Tandy Leather just started getting them again about two weeks ago. I couldn't have been happier when I found them in my local store.
If anyone is knowledgeable about sources for bulk horsehair, please leave a comment here or email me at yetama -at- error404 -dot- nls -dot- net; I need help constructing the mane.

Picture Update, 8/16/08

My Baby Lock Evolve, one of the primary tools of the trade. Threading was set up for 3 thread Wave stitch.


Materials. Going from left to right..
Springbok hide (1 of 3), genuine Suede, Alligator hide, Zebra and Leopard dyed rabbit fur, 8oz Tooling Shoulder (1 of 2.)

Sorry for the poor quality, I can't find my good camera, so had to take these with my Q.