Last Halloween was really my first attempt at sewing anything that wasn't a lopsided curtain or pillowcase. I understand the general idea of using the sewing machine for making seams, so I figured I was ready to take my skills to the next level and attempt to make a costume.
Definitely a logical conclusion, right?
So I was pretty obsessed with the show Vikings at the time, particularly with the show's leading female character Lagertha, a shield maiden who proves that being feminine and being a complete badass are not mutually exclusive, and everything looks better when you do it in eyeliner and chainmail.
Halloween was around the corner, and I thought it would be fun if I could cobble together a costume that though it maybe didn't look exactly like one of Lagertha's costumes, it would at least suggest the general idea of being a Viking. Here is what I came up with - you be the judge of how "period accurate" it really is.
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| Viking-inspired Costume, Halloween 2015 |
I didn't have a pattern, just a vague idea of wanting an underdress, a bodice/corset feature, and a wide leather waist cincher. To make it fun, I had to spend less on materials than I spent the previous year on a ready-made costume, which had cost around $40.
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| The initial fabric purchases |
I started first with the dress, since it was the only part I had a reasonable idea of how to make. Since I basically wanted it to be a nightgown under the bodice, I made some trial and error patterns on newspaper (hey, at least I was thinking of patterns!) using a dress and long-sleeved shirt I had. The suede fabric was terrible for this project, of course, and I had no idea how to hem it delicately at the bottom. To keep it from being so heavy-looking and not flowy, I cut slits up the side and immediately regretted it. Now you could see my terrible hemming job from multiple angles! I also completely butchered the neckline (can definitely NOT sew curves), so I did loopstitches in thick brown cross-stich thread to make it look like I did it on purpose.
The sleeves, by some miracle, came out looking fantastic, but I had not allowed enough room for me to lift my arms above shoulder height. Oops.
I next took on the bodice. I had a princess seamed dress that fit me as tightly as a corset style top might, so I used it to trace out some separate sections for the bodice on newspaper . I figured since I was going to be doing a waist-cincher belt, I didn't need to make the bodice go all the way down my torso, so I just made it stop right at my natural waist. In retrospect, I wish it had been longer, but for my first project it was serviceable.
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| Bodice front |
I realized quickly that this material was awful. It kept unraveling at the ends, which I thought might appear charmingly "rustic" and perhaps "old looking", but really was just kind of annoying. You also couldn't iron the seams to help because the miserable junk was made of some kind of plastic that melted and burned whenever it caught hint of the iron.
Then I had to figure out how to close the bodice. Back to the craft store for some grommets!
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| Bodice back (yes, I know my grommets are uneven!) |
Grommets were brand new for me, and I actually didn't believe my husband when he explained how to install them (since he, somehow, had at one time installed grommets?). I used a heavy weight-lifter weight as my "anvil" and then used the little hammer to help pound the grommet in. It was so flipping easy I think I will try to find an excuse to put grommets in all of my projects!
I used my leather string to thread my woefully uneven grommets together. Ta-da! Even if it wasn't pretty, at least it fit me.
Putting the bodice over the dress part actually started to look pretty good! I threw on some brown leggings and could actually imagine the costume coming together.
I next had to decide how to make my waist cincher. The tablecloth vinyl was fabulous because it was extremely lightweight but also very substantial-looking. The color was just right for what I was looking for.
Using this type of belt as inspiration, I cut the vinyl into an undulating line that dipped in at the sides and went wide in the front and back. I tried it on, recut, tried it on, recut, etc. until the belt lay flat around me. Now I needed something to close the belt. I originally wanted it to close in the back, but I realized if the ties of my bodice were in the back as well that might look a little lopsided. So I went back to the craft store for something that would look really ornate since it was going front and center.
I settled on these toggles since they were big and matched the vinyl perfectly! They were probably the most expensive purchase besides the fabric since they were around $8 each. My project was quickly tallying up the cost...
I had difficulty attaching the grommets because I didn't have a needle strong enough to punch through the leather sides (is that even how these are supposed to attach?) so I ended up using the backside of the leather, grabbing a bit of fabric with the needle, and then attaching it to the vinyl that way. It's not very secure, so if I gain any weight and put any pressure on the belt I doubt those toggles will keep it together!
The costume was complete now except for accessories! For shoes I put on a pair of Ugg boots, even though my historically-aware self was screaming at me that these looked entirely wrong. But hey, I was running out of time and they were convenient.
All in all I was pretty impressed with myself for making this, even though I exceeded the budget. Next time I hope I've learned enough plan ahead and cut down on last-minute costs!
Time spent: One weekend
Total cost: Around $65
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