Tutorial: Dwarf boot covers

You can find this tutorial in Norwegian here. 

Someone asked me about how I'd made my dwarf lady boots, so I documented the process when I made new show covers. The construction is super easy, but I'll explain everything in case there is anyone who haven't worked with foam before.

This is the second time I'm making new covers, so be aware that since they are made from foam, they won't last forever. But they are cheap and pretty easy to make. My last pair lasted four days through intense wear and tear, and if you're careful with them, they'll last longer.

I found my base shoes second hand, so I can't tell you where to get them, sorry.

Before you start, stuff your boots with newspaper or something so they keep their shape while you're working. Put masking tape where you want the cover to go. Draw your design (or just copy mine). Try to get it symmetrical.

This is my pattern. You can cut it out in paper or cardboard if you know you are going to make them more than once. As for me, I appreciate the masking tape pattern that sticks to the foam while I'm cutting it.

Cut out your pattern in foam. You might want to add some "seam allowance" to the parts that will overlap. You can always trim it later. Try your pattern on the shoe to make sure it fits.

This was my first pair that died really quickly. Boo, pink foam.

Notice that I am using BLACK FOAM. I am a clutz and I know that I will mange to scuff the paint off them no matter what. But when the foam is black, the scuff marks show less and the shoes just look like they've been trekking through Middle-Earth (authentic!) and I don't get bullied by nasty Elves for having neon pink spots on my shoes. 

Dwarves seem to like geometrical details. Create interest with texture and patterns. I have carved details into the foam with a pen. It's also possible to add raised detail with puffy paint or extra foam parts.

The pattern I've used on top of the shoe is from Thorin's dwarven sword. The sides are decorated with norse bindrunes. There are loads of Dwarven patterns to take inspiration from.

Glue on a clean surface - clean the shoes if they've been used outside. Scratch the surface of the shoes with f. ex. sanding paper to give the glue extra purchase. There are loads of different glues to choose from - if you're using contact adhesive, do yourself a favour and choose the less toxic kind that doesn't give you cancer. If you're using hot glue, make sure to use only a thin layer of glue so that it doesn't show through the foam. Here I've used school glue 'cause that was all I had lying around.

Foam is too porous to paint, so you'll have to seal it with watered down glue.

If you haven't used black foam, now is a good time to paint the whole thing black, just to have an even primer. Dwarf-boots usually have covers in metal or leather, so that's what you want to mimic. When painting props I usually paint the whole thing in a base colour and add shadows around raised details before I distress/age it.

And this is what they look like after a day at con.
(Exhausted dwarf cosplayer not shown.)

Paint until you're satisfied, let dry and then you're ready to kick some Elf butt! (Though, be ready to run away from offended Elves. Mahal, it's a good thing we Dwarves are natural sprinters.)

Questions? 

Elven crown

Taking pictures two minutes after getting out of bed is a genius idea.

I have no idea what it's called, but anyway, I found this table decoration... thing at Goodwill and have used it as an Elven crown at a few occasions. It's been decorated with some flowers, leaves and string to look more like a crown and less like whatever-it-is.

Mad Baggins

It's become tradition to sew by hand every Christmas. 'Cause I go home to my family, where the sewing machine is cruelly banished during the festivities, and if I don't have anything to do I get testy.

The Christmas Project of 2013 was not a costume, but clothing, which doesn't happen often. It's going to be a loosely fitted morning gown made from scraps, inspired from the one Bilbo Baggins wears while the dwarves invade Bag End. I also took inspiration from this antique piece from 1935, which I suspect might have also inspired the costume designer of the Hobbit.

I've seen Bilbo's robe criticized as an example of bad worldbuilding, but I love it to bits, pun not intended. The way I see it, Hobbits take pride in tradition and family, and it's not a stretch to imagine that there are some memories sewn into the garment.

My morning gown solves a few problems I've had. Finally I have a use for the fabric scraps I can't bring myself to throw away because they could be used for something, , and in addition I get to practice different embroidery stitches on the crazy quilt. And maybe, just maybe, getting up will be easier if I get to wear this every morning! (I don't think this is likely, but I can hope.)

To my joy, it's not turning out as dark as I expected. When I'm finished quilting, I'm going to find a nice flannel to line it with. Sorrowfully it's not going to be finished in a while, because I've two big outfits planned for a convention in April, and this project is put on the back burner until I'm finished.

The Vikings

No, not the inaccurate "History" Channel series. I'm talking about my vikings. In December I found a course where you could learn nalbinding, and met vikings from a local reenactment group. Thirty minutes later I was a member.

My nalbinding has improved a lot. These are only my experiments.
Not gonna use this stuff for anything.

They have workshops every sunday, where you bring whatever you're making (and maybe some cake too) and then there's social sewing and lots of geekery.

It was really last minute, so we went to a second-hand shop for costumes.
I made a tricolore cockade for fun: Tutorial

They're vikings, but their work span over a few centuries. They were hired to stand around the cinema (heavily armed!) in costumes from LotR  for the Hobbit premiere, and we dressed up as tattered revolutionaries for a random showing of Les Miserables. (And then we cried a lot. Oh how, we cried.)

Mjolnir comes from Jelldragon.com
It's a reproduction from Børneholm.

Got some cheap glass pearls when a hobby store in town closed down, so now I sorta have some viking bling. I'm going to build my outfits slowly over time to reduce cost and make it right, so these are temporary, though one of the pearls (top tier, middle) is a reproduction I had lying around. (Guess that's a nice thing about Norway - you just happen to have viking stuff lying around.)

Some pearls were left over, mostly because how did I think this could pass as viking stuff?The scissors come from Jelldragon, and I love them, they're great seamrippers.

WIP: Bracers in foam.

The vikings are guests at the next Hobbit premiere too, so we've started on our costumes already. I will be a lady dwarf, my height and slim build bedamned, with a full beard 'cause it makes the viking lads uncomfortable. I don't want a gown, even though the renaissance-inspired dwarf gowns were magnificent, so I'll just whip up something like what the travelling dwarves are wearing. I'm thinking a jacket in leather, tunic in linen, some fur parts, a bit of protection and a few weapons.

I tried working with foam for the first time. This tutorial just about saved my life.

After forming them with a heat gun I brought the half-finished bracers with me to show the vikings. A few of them were very sceptical until I explained I was going to paint them. (At this stage, they were very colourful. The underside of one of them was bright pink too, I don't think that helped.)

I found the perfect shoes at the local Goodwill. They're way too big even for my gigantic feet, but they're oh-so comfortable! I can't express how much I look forward to wearing costume shoes that won't try to eat my feet.

I was inspired by the shoes worn by Thorin Oakenshield and added some foam details onto them. In retrospect I'm not sure how great this idea was, cause I don't think the foam will survive long, but oh well.

Peredhil

Trying to hide a badge in my sleeve.

This is the gown I made for the Hobbit premiere. Since it's got elements of both Elven and human gowns I've decided it's Half-Elven - Peredhil, for the nerds.

I'd bought some swirly metal elf ears since I am not the ideal pretty Elf and don't like the thought of picking latex glue out of my ears for days afterwards either, but ended up not using them. I have too much hair, and they didn't show. Instead I braided in pearls in my hair - not that they show much either.

The skirt drapes well and it swishes so nicely when I walk. I added two extra gores in the back (cause someone's been doing research into medieval and norse clothing). The gown looks very simple, but there's room for a small circus inside that skirt.

I didn't bother changing into normal clothes after the con and travelled home in costume. The convention was in Larvik and I live in Tromsø. It's quite a distance. So far it was the best travel-home-in-costume experience I've had. Loads of compliments, there were interesting people on the train, security at the airport didn't even bat an eye at my attire, and the driver who drove me home from the airport didn't think me weird for accidentally giving him the wrong address. (Tired, so tired.)

And my best friend waited up for me even though she had work early in the morning after, she's the best.

Plans for the Hobbit

My first costuming crush was Galadriel's gown. Thirteen year old goth me had great plans of a black version of the gown she wears in the prologue - I made a pattern and planned for the embroidery and everything. (When I rediscovered my drawings, I was overcome with the need to invent a time machine and travel back to slap myself. I didn't know anything about sewing.)

I (luckily) never started on the gown, but I've never given up the dream of an Elvish gown. And with the Hobbit coming to theatres, I've a wonderful excuse to get started.

I'm not sure whether it will be finished in time because of exams and stuff I really should prioritize, but I've cut out the pattern already. If it isn't finished for the Hobbit, I could always use it for Banzaicon in March-April.

Despite all I just said about Elvish gowns, is this dress going to be more alike the human designs of Lotr - it's linen, while the Elvish gowns are primarily made of velvet, and the costume crazed (anyone there?) will notice the likeness to Éowyn's gowns.

I just need to survive my exams, and then I can sew.