Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

[theCryptofishist]

I've just been looking at some Catrinas... I find the outfits remaniscent








Which doesn't solve anything, I know, I just think that if you solve the problems, you could use it to do Catrina, and I think that would be cool.

[Ratty]

The first problem I see is it would be too hot in the day and to cool at night.. So. Make it for the daytime. (Other wise it'll be covered up with a coat.)

I would make a two or 3 piece outfit out of it.

The bottom has enough fabric and character to be a very sexy skirt. Make a short skirt out of the bottom portion and attach the rest to it as a kind of raggedy petticoat underneath. Just cut it, fold under and run some elastic through the tube. Nothing finished or fancy.

The cuffs and sleeves could be wristies. It the cuffs fit you, just scrunch the sleeve down towards your wrist. Or sew a bunch of seams in it to tighten it up a bit.

If it's the same on the back as on the front with that wonderful lace cape, I would wear it backwards and lace it up. Remove the zipper. They don't work welll in the dust anyway.

With only a bra and panties and sunscreen you should be comfy.

[Ratty]

OK. Here's another thought. Go to page 4 of this thread. You'll see a satin wedding dress size 5. (I'm a 10). I slit the sides all the way from the hem to the elbow. I wore it last year to 'The Brides of March' with leopard pants and a matching bra. It just hung on my shouders and wrists. That would be a good, easy remake. With the right underthings and a warm coat you could wear it at night.

[Ratty]

Working on making a long fur vest. I miss the one that disappeared last year. I layed down a coat and drew on the back side of my fabric. It's an old fur bedspread that I brushed out. I want it to be very full at the bottom so I made it 'bell' shaped. The easy part is done. Now, to make it fit me and make it MINE.

[tattoogoddess]

Didn't even think about using fur bedspread! Bet it's alot cheaper then ordering fur

[GreyCoyote]

Ratty, that's very cool. Would be ideal at night, too.

Unfortunately, if I tried to wear it, I'd look like an albino Cousin It from the Addams Family.

[theCryptofishist]

Not if you used colored contacts to hide your pink eyes.

[MyDearFriend]

Ratty, that's very cool. Would be ideal at night, too.

Unfortunately, if I tried to wear it, I'd look like an albino Cousin It from the Addams Family.

I say go for it.

[tatonka]

I want to bump Ratty's marvelous thread with this amazingly catchy ode to Thrift. (Odd premise, but give it a chance).

NOTE: some profanity.

[media]

Sry I posted the same vid after you in the same thread , should read all the pages 1st I guess

[Earthwalker]

That's awesome Ratty. Seriously.

Does anyone have any good links for getting faux fur (or real fur, but it has to be sustainably harvested from roadkill, and preferably with no blood stains)? Everywhere I look the prices are insane

[tatonka]

That's awesome Ratty. Seriously.

Does anyone have any good links for getting faux fur (or real fur, but it has to be sustainably harvested from roadkill, and preferably with no blood stains)? Everywhere I look the prices are insane

lots of fake fur at goodwill stores . Full fake fur coats 15.00 .

[Earthwalker]

Wow $15??!! Ok, I'll keep looking. We have a ton of those flashback stores and clothing buyback stores, but the prices are ridiculous

[Drawingablank]

That's awesome Ratty. Seriously.

Does anyone have any good links for getting faux fur (or real fur, but it has to be sustainably harvested from roadkill, and preferably with no blood stains)? Everywhere I look the prices are insane

lots of fake fur at goodwill stores . Full fake fur coats 15.00 .

That depends where you are - here they are more than you can buy them for new.

I get my faux fur at distinctive fabrics. It is a burner run business that offers monthly coupons and iirc, is also listed in the BM buyers guide.

[tatonka]

We have a goodwill in almost every town , and another called value village , they have discount days like on weds anyone over 55 gets 40% off .

[unjonharley]

Shelter for this year.. Limbs from the apple tree and laurel tree.. Cut and put in a staked form on the ground to dry.. This will make the frame of the shelter.. There are a bunch of old paint tarp in the shed.. When the frames is dry.. I will set it up and fit the tarp to it for a 10 X 13 X 7h, Hope to do this with no grommet. Tie stone where the grommet would be.. Have designed a roof vent that will open to let the wind out.. Then completely close to keep the sun out..can't wait to try it..

[Savannah]

Wow, Unjon!

[Earthwalker]

That's awesome Ratty. Seriously.

Does anyone have any good links for getting faux fur (or real fur, but it has to be sustainably harvested from roadkill, and preferably with no blood stains)? Everywhere I look the prices are insane

lots of fake fur at goodwill stores . Full fake fur coats 15.00 .

That depends where you are - here they are more than you can buy them for new.

I get my faux fur at distinctive fabrics. It is a burner run business that offers monthly coupons and iirc, is also listed in the BM buyers guide.

Thanks for the recommendation. I think SoCal is like NY in that these sorts of things (vintage clothes, faux fur, etc) are in super high demand so even at the goodwill they' are not cheap at all. At least that's what I've seen the couple tiems I went.

[Savannah]

The bigger the metro area, the bigger the markup. Large decrepit old stores in the suburbs or small towns lying between bigger cities tend often have lower turnover and more realistic prices.

[Drawingablank]

I actually stopped thrifting when I came across something brand new for less than I paid at the thrift shop. I have yet to find one with decent prices here in the northeast.

[Savannah]

I actually stopped thrifting when I came across something brand new for less than I paid at the thrift shop. I have yet to find one with decent prices here in the northeast.

I actually go thrifting less than I used to, for the same reason. I am not in the 'burbs much.

Coats and furniture are still worth looking at, though, if I happen to be near a city store.

And on the upside, while not dirt cheap, some of the trendy thrift shops can be replied upon for a good selection of specific items . . . train cases/suitcases/briefcases, Hawaiian shirts, brooches, full-length slips, and sometimes, a selection of new stuff--tutus and stockings.

[Ratty]

I decided to make a very plain long fur vest. No collar. No lapels or trim. This way I can change the trim to match my outfit. How about this animal scarf? I unstuffed each one and then put in a small amount of fluffy, lightweight stuffing. the 2 kittys sit on my shoulders. Behind my neck is a hanging clump of beanies. (With the beans removed).

[RosieTahoe]

You guys inspire the hell out of me! Especially you Ratty, I follow your pinterest board and this thread and you have given me such a gift before I have even arrived on the playa for the first time by inspiring my creativity So... I finally took some pictures of some of the costumes I've been working on over the past few months: First, I made two embellished bra tops. They both came into being because I bought an entire freezer bag full of mardi gras beads at Goodwill for THREE dollars. For the first sparkly one, I cut necklaces in half and hand sewed them all onto a pretty sturdy bra that I had also found at the thrift store. It was ridiculously tedious to hand sew in between each bead on the cup...but well worth it for the end effect! For the second one I just draped the pearls around a pretty bra cup (also thrift store found), hand sewed the ends onto the bra, and then hid those ends under a lace trim that I had bought for a couple bucks at a local fabric store.

[RosieTahoe]

The Second thing I want to post is my unicorn hoodie, kind of my pride and joy of all the costumes I've made. I spent many hours on that baby I made the mane with torn up t-shirts in rainbow colors tied onto gridded matting (basically the underside of a carpet). I also used a peice of the gridded matting to make the structure of the horn and then I wrapped that in twisted tshirt rope also in rainbow colors of course. The tail is long strips of tshirt on a small peice of gridded matting and the wings are from an old angel stuffed animal I dissected for it's parts . I then sewed the shit out of the entire thing on a hooded vest I had found at - you guessed it - the thrift store. Hope you enjoy! (sorry the post is so long I can't figure out a way to get the pics to post side by side...)

[MyDearFriend]

Awesomely beautiful, Rosie Tahoe! And your smile says it all. Thank you!!!

[Ratty]

Rosie Tahoe! Time well spent. All 3 of those came out great. There is no replacement for hand-made. They are beautiful and will last forever. Good job. Take a bow.

[RosieTahoe]

Thanks so much MDF and Ratty! I can't help but smile ear to ear when I put on that unicorn hoodie... in fact, I have it hanging in the crafts corner in my living room, and every time I even look at that craziness, it makes me happy. I can't wait to wear it in just a few months... YAY!! I hope I have an opportunity to meet you guys in person there too

[Drawingablank]

Thanks so much MDF and Ratty! I can't help but smile ear to ear when I put on that unicorn hoodie... in fact, I have it hanging in the crafts corner in my living room, and every time I even look at that craziness, it makes me happy. I can't wait to wear it in just a few months... YAY!! I hope I have an opportunity to meet you guys in person there too

Take the plunge! - Wear it grocery shgopping.

[FIGJAM]

Here here!!

You made it!

You're proud of it!

Wear it!!!!!!!!

[Ratty]

Yes. Wear it shopping. Keep a straight face and no explanations please.

[RosieTahoe]

You guys are so fucking awesome I don't know if I'm ready for grocery shopping in my quiet mountain town, but there is a yoga & music festival here next month during my 30th birthday and I think THAT might be the perfect time for my unicorn to see the world outside my living room! I hadn't even considered wearing it before BM, so thank you lovely eplayans for the inspiration and "push" :p