Category: Craft

Zelda Cosplay part 2

On By CarynIn Craft

I’m still working in the Zonai panel that Zelda wears in Tears of the Kingdom. Once I cut out shapes in the EVA foam sheet and gave them an initial coat of paint, I flipped them over on some wax paper to work on connecting all the pieces into a coherent whole. I used gold-colored, 49-strand cable beading wire inserted into a slit on the back of the pieces that I cut with a ruler and thin knife blade. It helped to use a small screw driver to tuck the wire into the slots. Once the wires were in place, I lifted the whole assembly to make sure everything hung evenly. To anchor the ends, I crimped on metal beads, then ran super glue down all the seams and ends.

Photo description: EVA foam pieces connected with cable beading wire inserted into slits

Once the wire was secure, I painted the back of the pieces, let it dry, then did the finishing coat of paint on the front.

Photo description: final coat of paint on the Zonai beaded panel using metallic copper acrylic paint and simulated green patina using metallic green base coat and light green wash

I absolutely love how this turned out. For cosplay, EVA foam is fantastic stuff. It is light, easily cut and carved, and paintable.

Zelda Cosplay part 1

On By CarynIn Craft

My eldest had a fantastic idea for a cosplay costume and I volunteered to help. (Ok, I may have begged, and “I’ll be in charge of this part” may have passed my lips. I’m definitely a Zelda fan, especially Tears of the Kingdom.) One of the parts I claimed was an elaborate panel that hangs on the front of Zelda’s Zonai dress. The panel has two layers, a silk banner and a copper beaded piece. To make the copper pieces light, I wanted to use EVA foam sheet and paint them. I cut shapes from paper first and laid them out on a banner of green/blue recycled silk.

Photo description: blue/green silk banner with white paper pieces laid out on top of a table with an iPad for reference and scraps of paper on the side

To transfer the paper pattern to the foam, my Mom suggested dusting the pieces. I laid them out on paper on the EVA foam, and used tapioca flour and a cotton ball to dust the surface.

Photo description: black EVA foam sheet with paper pieces covered in a thin layer of flour, bowl of tapioca flour and cotton ball to the side

The flour settled where the pieces weren’t, leaving a dark outline that was more precise than tracing. When I do this next I’ll use a foundation brush or something other than a cotton ball, because the cotton caught on the edges of the paper and did not lay down an even coat of flour.

Photo description: black EVA foam sheet without the paper

I was able to cut out most of the pieces using the flour shadows, and only on a few needed to use the original paper piece.

I’m going to break this project into several blog posts. My apologies to those who are not Zelda fans, I’ll be geeking out for a while. I hope there will be some techniques you will find interesting or useful.

Worry ring

On By CarynIn Craft

I’ve found I rather like a beaded ring as a fidget, especially one made of stone with an elastic cord. the smooth beads have a nice feel and the elastic allows me to switch it from finger to finger. I fiddle with the ring rather than worrying at my cuticles.

Photo description: clear quartz beaded ring, with elastic, knot cover, and bowl of beads

I make them with 4mm quartz crystal round beads, 0.8 mm clear elastic beading cord, and a 4mm silver plated brass knot cover. When making a knot in the elastic, use a surgeon’s knot and pull it slowly tight until the elastic is stretched thin in the knot. Trim the ends then cover the knot with the split metal bead and clamp it shut gently with needle nose pliers. I don’t glue my knots because hard glue makes the elastic brittle.

Throwback Thursday: glass hat

On By CarynIn Craft, throwback

In February 2013 I made a small glass baseball style cap from glass clay and painted it with pearlescent powder before firing it in my kiln. It is a very wee object, measuring at less than an inch in length.

Photo description: small glass hat next to a plastic ruler
Photo description: inside of the hat with my maker’s mark
Photo description: back of hat showing some detail work that remained after firing

Cable ply

On By CarynIn Craft

I did decide to cable ply my angora hand spun yarn to go from a two ply to a four ply.

Photo description: two ply angora yarn wrapped into a nostepinne style ball
Photo description: 4 strand cable ply angora yarn on a wood drop spindle
Photo description: cable plied angora yarn wrapped into a nostepinne style ball

I am going to let time set the twist, so wrapped the final yarn into a center pull ball. This is yarn spun from raw angora rabbit fur, not carded not combed, not washed. I’ll created my swatches for my fiber book before water touches the fibers, just to see what happens.