Elsa's Snow Queen Costume: Details, Details...

During my lunch breaks over the last two days, and well into the witching hour last night, I drew up the design details and applied all the crystal to the neckline and sleeves of the Elsa shirt (worn under the bodice).

 The shirt laid over the template and wax paper between the shirt fabric.

This is what I like about working with sheers when having to do applique or surface design;

you can see through it. I know the neckline here looks small compared to Elsa's almost/off-the-shoulder style, ut this is just what mine looks like when it's not on. The edge actually stretches open more and sits nicely on the outer curve of my shoulders. After a few wearings, once the rhinestone glue along the neckline expands a bit, it will fall a little lower on the shoulders like hers.

This picture is not such a good example, and not what I used to get the complete design, but it helped.

After finding a clear enough image of Elsa's arms and sleeve design, I was able to freehand sketch a template on paper to use as a guide. I rolled the final draft of that up with a top layer of wax paper into a tube, shoved it up each sleeve, pinned it in place and began applying the remainder of my crystals. Nearly 900+ Swarovski crystal flatbacks in various sizes have gone into this shirt.

 Early stages of the design.

First sleeve prepped and ready for the sparkle to begin.

This was taken before finishing the sleeves into points at the wrists. I also added clear elastic finger loops so they stay pointed and don't flip back over my hands.

I actually used two different colors of crystal; one was the regular clear crystal with the foil backing, the other was a color called 'crystal shade' and it has a very subtle silver coating on the face of the stone. They are extra sparkly and have a slightly different hue.

I have photos of a finished sleeve, but it's on my camera at home. I'll be posting photos of me wearing the whole thing soon enough, so stay tuned! I might also keep this as the shirt I use for the DragonCon version of this costume, but this is a first draft of sorts. There are a few design details I'd do differently, but if I end up not getting to it by the end of August, I'll at least have this one ready to use.

Now, off to Disneyland!

xoxox