24
votes
I need an alternative to leather
What you're looking for is EVA Craft Foam sheets; these are the typical choice for costumers who want to create leather or metal-look pieces without using leather or metal. They're widely available ...
- 4,074
15
votes
I need an alternative to leather
Wikipedia suggests (and I remembered it from school) that a lot of Hoplite armour was made from "linothorax", a composite made from layers of cloth.
So for this you could use actual cloth (...
- 253
14
votes
I need an alternative to leather
While working with leather can be difficult, it's a skill you can learn.
New, pristine leather is indeed costly, but go try going through local flea markets / second hand shops. It's likely you can ...
- 451
13
votes
Making thin brittle sand design that holds together
Fascinating project. The solution was right in your question; make it like a cracker — flour.
You're essentially making a sturdy paste instead of a glue. I mixed:
3 parts sand
1 part all-...
- 1,314
9
votes
Accepted
Corset making: which material should I use for the boning?
The most important question you need to answer is: How much strain does the finished corset have to withstand?
If you want a drastic waist reduction via tight-lacing, the entire corset will be under ...
Elmy♦
- 13.8k
8
votes
Crafting "fake potions"
For a few reasons, I'd go with holiday ornaments. These are available in clear plastic, rather than glass, which is less of a breakage worry. They're also cheaper and lighter than glass jars. And they'...
- 4,376
8
votes
Accepted
Does washi tape stick on skin?
This is washi tape. I often keep some on hand.
Ha ha, let’s test it on my hand.
It stays on for a while, but doesn’t bend like adhesive bandages. So, once the edge pops up, it is compromised. ...
- 1,659
8
votes
I need an alternative to leather
A material made specifically to imitate real leather, with similar properties but for a much more affordable price is 'faux leather' (a.k.a. artificial or synthetic leather).
It is still pretty pricey,...
- 11.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Crafting a sturdy, not heavy mask for shows
Plaster that is thick enough to be reasonably strong and rigid will probably be too heavy.
Masks are often made from papier mache, essentially building up strips of paper soaked in paste over a ...
- 1,989
7
votes
How can you make a costume with opaque eye covers?
For this Lego Batman costume, we covered the eyeholes with white gauze (ok, actually patches cut from some old pantyhose). Vision was only very slightly reduced -- much more so by the small eye ...
- 4,376
6
votes
Accepted
How can you make a costume with opaque eye covers?
In theatrical use on a larger scale, scrim is used for this sort of thing. It's a fairly open-weave fabric. Unless black, it reflects light when illuminated from the same side as the viewer, but ...
- 6,959
6
votes
Accepted
Captain America suit's raised surface pattern?
There are a number of ways to do this and still keep the material flexible. Here are a couple that lend themselves to low-quantity, low-cost applications:
Start with a sandwich of foam rubber, like ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
How can you make a costume with opaque eye covers?
The concept being used in this example is the same as that which is used for perforated vehicle window wraps, frequently used for advertising on buses and business vehicles.
According to this web ...
- 7,679
5
votes
Accepted
Suggestions to Make PVC-Like Suit
I believe the closest analog you'll find for human sized PVC pipe that wouldn't be PVC pipe is called concrete form tubes, sometimes under the brand name Sonotube. The Home Depot version is called ...
- 7,679
5
votes
Accepted
Can wigs be made by hand?
You totally can make your own wigs
Are cosplay wigs generally handmade, or bought and then customized?
Yes and Yes or a combination of both.
When you need to get a certain style of wig for a ...
- 11k
5
votes
Making a telescope for a pirate costume
A retracting telescope typically has 3 or 4 segments that retract into one another,
although the insecure pirate may feel the need to get a longer one.
The key features of the section diameters is ...
- 4,376
5
votes
What fabric can I use for these clothes?
I'm not really going to address your question, but the underlying problem.
The fact that costumes usually look like costumes and not like "legit" outfits, is because they are produced for temporary ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
What fabric can I use for these clothes?
A "costume" looks like a cheap costume because it is made with cheap, unsuitable materials using quick assembly techniques with minimal finishing; if you want it to look "legit," you have to approach ...
- 4,074
5
votes
Accepted
"Set-in" vs "Flat" sleeve sewing -- is there really a difference?
To be absolutely honest, the difference is marginal in most (but not all) cases.
You probably won't even notice any difference in:
short sleeves
wide or baggy garments (like a tunic or pirate blouse)
...
Elmy♦
- 13.8k
5
votes
What is the shirt collar Ray Liotta wears here called?
Depending on the length, which is a little difficult to eyeball in this open position, it can be a long-point or a spearpoint/arrow collar (the latter is more informed by the fact that Goodfellas/...
- 11.5k
4
votes
Transparent paint to change color of diffused acrylic sheet?
Rather than paint, which might peel weirdly on you, another option is to use inkjet transparency film and print the color you want on it and then affix it the acrylic. Walmart sells, and there's ...
- 3,423
4
votes
Can wigs be made by hand?
My daughter is also an active cosplay ((anime) costume play) artist. She buys her wigs on eBay, usually for $10 or so. A quick search there on 'cosplay wig' brings up many alternatives. They tend to ...
- 785
4
votes
How can I make this costume mouth open and close?
As a basic strategy, you might consider having the elastic/spring hold the mouth open, and use something controlled by your mouth to close it when you close your own mouth. That way you could make him ...
- 785
4
votes
Crafting a sturdy, not heavy mask for shows
My go-to materials for something like this would be craft foam or Worbla. These two materials are easily heat-formed into lightweight, reasonably sturdy pieces. For craft foam, a gas stove or heavy ...
- 1,275
4
votes
Crafting a sturdy, not heavy mask for shows
While papier-mache is undoubtedly the easiest way to make this type of 'plague doctor masks', the originals were made of leather and if you have the skills/tools/patience to do so you may find that ...
- 2,325
4
votes
Accepted
Crafting "fake potions"
for the bottles consider perfume or liquor bottles for home bottling they come in a wide variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. Make sense toys in the UK has some plastic play potion bottles on ...
- 281
3
votes
Crafting "fake potions"
Just for the filling, why not use jelly (Jello/gelatine)? It's available in a wide range of colours (or get plain and use food dye) and won't leak.
You can take this idea a bit further:
Bubbles ...
- 6,959
3
votes
What are the pros and cons of wearing a robe vs a cloak (sleeves vs sleeveless)?
I used to larp and always opted for coats/jackets rather than cloaks whenever feasible. Here are the considerations I used to make frequently about outerwear, listed from highest to lowest priority ...
- 269
3
votes
Can wigs be made by hand?
If you don't mind the slightly "Raggedy Ann" look of the finished product, yarn wigs are pretty easy and fun. Here's how I make a yarn wig:
Tie one end of the yarn to something (I use a slat in one ...
3
votes
Advice on sewing bandages?
For a reusable costume some kind of support underneath the 'bandages' would be a prerequisite. It could be a neutral color that matches, or something sheer if you want to show skin under wrappings. ...
- 3,974
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