A little place to share the mayhem which is my life. Welcome to the madhouse, please enjoy your stay :D

Friday, May 16, 2014

Mad Alice is in the House....



The Teen and I attended our local Comiccon  and I decided to attend as Mad Alice. The Teen introduced me to American McGee's Alice and Madness Returns a couple of years ago. I have always loved Alice in Wonderland and have to admit I was mildly disturbed when he first showed me the game shots online. 

I did discover there was something about the game that I loved. Maybe that it contained a darker element to it. It wasn't a typical flowery version of Alice. It was darker and more intense and I was drawn to that. So when tossing out ideas for costumes I fell on Mad Alice. 

This is my first foray into the world of cosplay, not counting Halloween. I wanted to make as much of the costume as possible. I am funny like that. So I started collecting pieces over the last few months, some of which I have posted already as teasers. I have been very fortunate to find awesome deals on things. I scoured the net looking for things to bring this costume together. Buying what I wasn't able to, or didn't have time to make myself. 

I made the dress myself, not using a pattern because I am risky like that. I had purchased a pattern for an Alice in Wonderland costume but I didn't have the time or patience to sit there and work out math to enlarge the pattern. So I decided to wing it using my sewing know-how and muddling through. I have always been told I tend to do things the hard way and this probably is a good example of this. 

It was an interesting experience, to say the least. My sewing machine died a couple of weeks before the con so I thankfully was able to borrow a machine from my co-worker. 

I basically traced a tank top I had (of course not calculating that the tank top was jersey, which stretches, and my dress material was not) and then made a full circle skirt from what I have learned making a 50s dress years ago. The sleeves I did use a pattern for since no alterations were required for those. The apron I pretty much whipped up. 



I had made stencils for the pocket symbols and used fabric medium with black acrylic paint to apply to the pockets. Sewed them on, reaching back to high school sewing class in pocket making, I might add. 

I had a bunch of fun splattering the red paint all over the pristine, white apron in my living room. Normally I cringe at messy clothing but how can you have a Mad Alice without a little blood splatter. So I laid out a drop cloth and got to work splashing droplets of red paint all over. By the end I was giggling like a little girl. It was fun to get messy. I had lost touch with that childlike wonder many moons ago. It was good to get back in touch. 

I also got back in touch with my childlike state of playing with clay. A statement piece of Alice's dress has to be her skull bow in the back. She also wears an Omega necklace around her neck. I knew I could make both so I set to work. It was good working with my hands and shaping things. 










The Teen would regularly check in on my progress and nod his approval. He seemed impressed and I got a few "that will work" as I went along. 





All in all it was an amazing experience. There was some blood, sweat and tears along the way but totally worth it and I am looking forward to next year and seeing what I can come up with. I do think I might give the steampunk outfit a stab *pun totally intended* 

I will be posting about the actual con in a day or two. Until then, Hugs and Smoochies from Mad Alice in the Madhouse 


<3 Arawynn <3

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