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The Basics on Creating Your CATS Costume
On this page you will find out how to make your own CATS costume. Check the links page for other pages, when your done, that could be a great help to you as well. I WILL be overhauling this sometime due to the frequent advances in the art of costume making. I do have a party and a wig to get out of the way first though...
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Getting something like this as a result takes a lot of WORK!
This is the Denmark/Londond Jemima Costume. This was a white unitard painted with opaque white, red, and black Jacquard Textile Inks (Versatex was bought out by Jacquard). |
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The LIST!
White or Black Unitard
Black for Japanese Quaxo or any Quaxo (if small details aren't your favorite), but most authentic Quaxo unitards are white and cross-hatched to death.
White for everyone else. (but you can get whatever suits your tastes :) )
You can get a silver grey for Munku, too!
Check out the link, cheapest prices I've seen.
br>OR you can make your own ( if u have a serger)
Mock Turtleneck unitard with a long zipper up the back (use cotton/lycra or the more durable nylon/lycra)
Then buy white faux fur for the hat (I use a bald cap pattern) then I measure my hand to see how much fur I need to twist for the ears.
OR
You can use the yarn method. Check out CATZ Downtown or Idiosylph for that.
OR
You can buy a White or Orange Rubies CATS Kit. Marzi has the directions on how to do this.
For the leg warmers, you can buy some at the dance link above or you can make your own with white plush felt. Just measure around your leg like boot covers.
Then buy some cord thats thick and durable, make sure there is enough to go from your waist to your mid calves.
Then buy some yarn in the colors of your CAT.
To make the tail tie the yarn around the cord in bunches. Short for a sleek CAT and long for a boufie CAT.
Then buy some white elastic for your taill belt.
For the coloring process you can Spot dye with RIT or spray with floral spray. Then after this has dried, cross hatch or hatch with matching fabric markers.
You can use the spray or the dye on the wig.
You will also need feathers/Yarn for the shoulder fuzzies. You can sew these on in short bunches, and if you like you can sew bunches of faux fur in between these feather bunches.
Or if you don't like the look of feathers/yarn you can use organza. Take stips of organze about 3-4 inches wide and color/dye them. Sew them on so they ruffle against themselves. Then use a needle brush to fray them.
** The reason I say white on all these things is because white is easier to paint**
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The Unitard
The body of the CATS costume is the thing everyone will see first. It's the most important part too.
The real CATS use the Nylon/Lycra unitard, but you can use the Milliskin, or Cotton/Lycra.
The Nylon/Lycra will take more work because it tends to suck up the dye. If you use spray or dye on it, be sure to crosshatch in the same color over it.
The Cottoc/Lycra takes less work because cotton will take dye colors nicely.
The Milliskin is nice too because it's affected by dye the same way as cotton.
To color the unitard you can hand paint with Jacquard Textile Inks, spot dye with RIT or use floral spray.
To get the best results wear the unitard and have a friend spray it. Or you can do the reverse. *^.^*
To not get spray all over you, wear an old unitard underneath the one you're working on.
Whichever way you choose be sure to use your lightest paint, dye, or spray colors first. Make sure each layer is dry before you apply the next color, to avoid running.
Spazzy Kitty's Site
The Wig
This is the second most important component in the CATS costume. Without it you'de look like a crazy human running around in a painted unitard and face paint.
There are four methods you can choose from.
The Crepe Hair Method: Buy a braid/curl of crepe hair from the doll section at any craft store. Lay it out on your ironing board and iron part of it. Then take a smalle hanfull of it and comb out the short pieces leaving the long pieces. Then take a darning needle and knot each piece onto the wig cap.
The Yarn Method: This is the 2nd hardest one you could possibly choose to do. I'll just be straight to the point. You'll need Old Nylons and Aunt Lydia's Rug Yarn.
Dye the yarn the colors you need, I hear it takes dye nicely.
OR you can buy it in the colors you need.
You cut the legs off of nylons (save the legs you'll need them later) Cut out the cotton crotch lining out as well. Then sew it shut so it is gathered. Cut the yarn into little pieces, and tie it together into bunches. Then fray it with a needle brush. Then using the knot you tied it together with, attatch it by hand sewing to the wig cap.
The Rubies CATS Hood Method: I got my directions from Marzi, check her site out!
Take a Rubies CATS Hood and cut along the hem that attaches the head piece to the shoulder part. Seperate the shoulder piece and discard for use as extra fur. Cut the UGLY rubber ears out carefully, and then trace the holes and fill them in with matching hair from the shoulder portion. Then take the bottom corners and sew them together going up the back but don't go all the way! Then put the wig (with hole in back still) on your head and figure out how tight you want it and pin it. Then sew the last portion together. The inside seam should look like a T. Then make ear flaps to cover your ears, by measuring the back of the wig to the round point of your jawbone, and the rubber on your temples to the same spot. Then after attaching and combing the wig, you can color it by combing watered down acrylic paints through it. Then shape and fluff, for wear. I also find that putting little squares of scotch tape at the jaw bone corners helps the Spirit Gum stay attached better.
Her link Below.
The Faux Fur Method: I've used this before. I used the bald cap pattern from Simplicity Clown Costume Pattern 9806. It's really big on me so it should fit anyone.
You'll need white, brown, or black faux grizzly fur, a sewing machine, and your hands.
When you cut out the fur, pull the fur away form the area you're cutting in, you don't want a really short edge.
Make sure 2/3 of the fur pieces are mirror images. Then sew them together.
If you need a picture email me, and I'll send you a how to.
Marzi's Costume Forum
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Unitard
This is my Mr. Mistoffelees Unitard. |
