Susan Pevensie material help

By sakura_petals. 07/08/13, 06:05 am

So I'm planning on making Susan's green dress from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe including her bow, arrows, quiver and horn but I'm having a little bit of trouble with sourcing material.

The dress is made out of a froest green wool fabric but unfortunately I haven't been able to find the exact colour match so I might end up having to dye some very expensive fabric to the right colour. The only way I have been able to figure out how to dye woolen fabric is on the stove top but is there any way to bulk dye wool? I would rather dye first then cut out the pattern.

Secondly is leather. Where can I buy some to make some sandaly shoes and to make her belt and quiver straps? The straps also have to be quite red with a design stamped (?) onto it - anyway to make my own stamp or a way to get the design onto the leather?

Thirdly is Wonderflex. I'm looking into this to make the horn and quiver but I don't know if the material rolls and bends (ie to make into a cylindrical shape then bending to make it slightly curved). Could anyone help me with this?

Forth is the actual bow. I'm not totally fussed on making a working bow as it's considered a weapon and wont be allowed on stage in the comp but could I use more Wonderflex to cover a mould/shape without it looking stupid? I can't seem to find many tutorials on making a archery bow rather than a ribbon bow. sad

By Highlander. 07/08/13, 10:20 am

In christchurch I would visit all the stores, but start with Fabric vision. They had a wool sale a while ago, so they had a range. Then email/ring global fabrics in Dunedin, and ask them to mail you samples of what they have. You can dye wool in bulk, using a large container/washhouse stainless basin. But I don't know the details. There is an old thread on here covering dyeing. Hands would be able to advise you, as well as stocking the dyes. And Tony at haralds seems to know dying too.

Leather either NZSL or Lapco in Auckland for entire hides. But cost will vary depending on how thick, and how large the hides. $40-60 for 1mm, which is probably too thin and small, $200+ for other hides. You can by belt blanks, and probably strapping. Hands sometimes have assorted leather. But I have three hides, two large ones at decent discounts and a strap cutter. So if you come over one day you can buy some off me. It's probably the cheapest option rather than buying hides. Beware sewing is a mission, although hand sewing doesn't require a lot of costly tools. A speed awl would be useful though about $40. You can do various things to the leather. Lapco can sell you leather dye and sealer cheaper than hands can. You can stamp, carve and burn into leather. Depending on if the design is stock, eg. letters, or if it is custom, then Lapco have stamps as well, and buckles, eyelets, punches, etc. I have some tools. And I have books I can lend you.

If you come and see me I can take a look at the shoes, and we can try and pattern them to your foot, make a last for you, etc. (remember leather stretches).

If you come and see me I can show you wonderflex. It bends totally, but won't stretch. You could also use a real horn (we know people), or brass sheet, thin eva foam, etc. For the quiver you could start with leather, and if you need to stabilise it wonderflex on the inside will do that. PS wonderflex Isn't 100% smooth, and I guess a bit of sealing/sanding before painting is required.

The bow coulds be made of wood bent in a steam chamber, or of laminated wood? Or somehow carve the shape out of wood. Probably several pieces glued together. Wonderflex alone won't do it. If you find something else to make it off do you need the wonderflex?

By sakura_petals. 07/08/13, 11:15 am

I had a funny feeling I should have talked to you about this cosplay. :) I know wonderflex isn't smooth but the quiver and horn both have heaps of detail carved into them so I would have to cover them with gesso or something anyway.

I've uploaded some of my ref pics to my photobucket account so you can see what I mean about the horn and quiver. https://s16.photobucket.com/user/unchainedwings/library/Cosplay%20help/Narnia

If I asked for samples from Dunedin global fabrics do I have to pay? I've looked in all the usual fabric shops here apart from haralds and there isn't anything like what I want. Though there is a wool fabric shop in ferrymead but I haven't heard anything about the. And have tried emailing them a week ago but haven't heard back.

By Highlander. 07/08/13, 01:37 pm

There is a wool fabric shop?

No, samples are free. With no ChCh shop they are trying to support us from DnDn. I asked for a few colors of linen, and got three cards full of about 30 samples, when there was very little left in ChCh. In have seen this shade in the SCA I think.

Now you have a challenge by the looks of it. The level of detail.

Thinking about the colouring for the leather, it may be cheaper to pay the cobber down Aorangi Road than buying dye and sealant?

I trust you are weaving the boarder for the cloak?

The horn looks like two part epoxy resin out of a mould. Because weta answer to 99% of everything is epoxy resin. But carved clay or plaster, etc?

PS. Dad is here till friday if you really want to know how to steam bend wood.

By sakura_petals. 08/08/13, 03:36 am

I'm not going to do the cloak - way too much on top of everything, plus this is for a summer cosplay. Some samples are free. :) I'll ask Global Fabric if they have something similar but I'm in no hurry because I know this project will take me a while and I discovered with my last cosplay that taking my time and enjoying the process makes me less stressed/overwhelmed.

Mum thinks I should just carve the horn and quiver out of wood but I think that wood will be too heavy. I've never used epoxy resin before, is it easy to use? I have emailed Weta about the props but to be honest I'm not expecting an answer. I have also borrowed a book about Crafting Narnia (done by Weta)but it doesn't have much info in the way what things were made out of but it does have good concept drawings of the quiver straps.

I've found tutorials online about how to make a bow from bending wood but seeing it first hand would be great - though not quite sure how to go about it as working tomorrow and have no transport...

Link for the shop: http://www.sbtextiles.co.nz/

NZLS - looks to have a few things of the right colour so I've asked for samples to be sent.

By Highlander. 08/08/13, 11:05 am

The bottom of the quiver looks to be solid, but the quiver curves a little around your back. Which leather or wonderflex will do. Wood would be O.K. for the horn, since you are going to have it on your side, so a little weight isn't going to be bad. Not sure how you get wood to bend as much as the round quiver.

Weta have a room where one side is highly vented, the other side all fans. And they work in positive pressure masks with external air supplies. Hairnets, PPE. So not a safe home epoxy. But there are other epoxies. And other things, like clay, etc. Some people like sylvie and neimhalle have used epoxy, I haven't. Honesty the prop department at Weta uses resin on 99% of stuff, and then they paint it to achieve the finish required (metal/wood/antiqued/rust/organic/brick/etc.).

You can come see me sometime, give you ideas. Or we may try and organise a prop workshop at SANCon?

By thewolfsbane. 16/10/13, 09:11 am

[pops in] With the Wonderflex, you could also have a look at Worbla. You can get it on Heavens Forge, and it is really great [barrel rolls out]

By Leaven. 16/10/13, 12:11 pm

Dress:
http://costumes.narniaweb.com/sugrnarchery.asp - This is a great research source.

Fabric:
Have you looked at http://www.denverfabrics.com/ ? I have bought from them before and they are good.

Horn:
Worbla is a good idea. Though to make the horn's details, re-heating would be needed while carving...

By thewolfsbane. 17/10/13, 03:27 pm

Can you believe I held the actual prop horn used in the films once? Ugh so cool.

Anywho. You could make the base from Worbla or Wonderflex and sculpt the details with other material and attach it on (like dukit sort of stuff). nodnod

Oh and Leaven, thanks for the link to denverfabrics, I found my fabric I needed. Very Happy

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