04-MAY-2012 These are the steps that created a commissioned MS. MARVEL costume based on an animated version. Ms. Marvel has a couple of great looks that I always found appealing visually. The black with gold bolt and red sash is simplistic and resonates more fear (color theory as done for sports teams says so). This version is a lot like the costume when the troubled villain/antihero Moonstone became a Dark Avenger. I always had trouble figuring out if the dark parts were incredibly deep blue or black. Most people seem to vote black. My customer Panda Valentine helped me decide which type of black to go with then. I know from experience that PVC jams my sewing machine. She wanted shiny so that meant the rubbery spandex I used for Modesty Blaise and Black Widow wouldn’t work. That left high quality milliskin tricot spandex which comes in 60″ width for around $9/yard. When you’re calculating shipping I find that rounding $9 up to $10-11/yard works pretty close.

I like to break up the process unless I’m under a really tight deadline.  One day on design; one day on cutting; one day on initial construction then build up from there. This pretty much keeps me from making more mistakes than I normally do. I have done marathons, making suits over a two-day stretch and it’s kind of fun but exhausting. I definitely get punchy and delirious doing marathon sewing.

COSTUMES BY AMBER LOVE
COSTUMES BY AMBER LOVE

The initial designing and pattern making took 2 hours; 1 day for cutting; 2 hours basting stitches; 2.5 hours one day just on the chest logo, sleeves and collar; 1 day spent 1 hour to install the zipper; next day 2 hours to put the elastic around the leg holes. Final sewing was making the sash one morning.

1. I had previously done the design before on a separate day. I began laying everything out for the suit on April 6, 2012 using muslin for a pattern. I based it off of Kwik Sew #3502 and had to create custom modifications.

2. Began the layout and cutting.

3. The pieces all cut and laid out.

4. Phase I sewing is basting stitches on the main parts to see if the design works.

5. The chest emblem – the biggest problem and mistake I made was because of this logo. I used Wunder Under as fabric stabilizer and then forgot to peel off the paper backing. I sewed the paper INTO the suit! But don’t worry, I figured out later how to fix it.

6. I did three passes of zig zag stitching around the emblem to give it the best embroidery look possible. The first pass was with all purpose thread in a gold color but the final two passes were with some expensive metallic gold thread. It give it such a better “pop.”

7. By April 20th, there was a lot of progress. The sleeve may seem “unfinished” but there’s a reason. The customer is going to make the gloves and stitch them in place. I hate making gloves!

8. On May 3rd, I had an epiphany for how to fix the logo with the paper trapped inside. I cut into the suit from inside carefully not to go through; only the body suit part needed a slice in it; I could stick my hand in and peel off all the paper; then I loosely hand stitched the suit back together, not too tight because I didn’t want a bumpy seam and I want it to be flexible.

9. I tested the suit to make sure there weren’t any glaring problems with it on a real body instead of the dress form.

10. On May 4th, 2012 I fixed the logo as I thought of the night before and it actually worked well; then made the sash. The scarf was free form. I cut two lengths of spandex 14″ across; stitched them together; checked where it would fall when tied around my waist & worked on it that way before realizing it was a scarf not a sash like the black version of the costume!; trimmed and did the final stitching. The ends are cut on angles and top stitched.

I’ve made 4 different Ms. Marvel themed costumes! (Black & Gold Carol Danvers 2011, Ms. Marvel Animated 2012, Captain Marvel Carol Danvers 2012, and Dark Avenger’s Ms. Marvel 2015).

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6 Comments on Costume: Ms. Marvel animated

  1. Takes a lot of guts to cosplay like that which you have in abundance. (pun intended)

  2. Very well done costume! I agree with DTD, and that you handled P Bear appropriately. Nicely done all around.

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