Doctor Schnabel

April 6, 2020: Minor Update:

Have roughed out a paper pattern for the mask. Will need to transfer to EVA foam sheets and assemble. Likely will need some tweaking / tailoring, especially around the eyes. And then will have to cut air holes, too.

Went shopping this morning. Did not find a decent heat gun :(

Found an OK ‘pirate hat’ at the party store, which will do for the base of my plague doctor hat, I hope. Gonna start on the mask & hat today.

Tried the ‘invisible’ cuff stitch again, to no avail.

I did manage to put a small plastic clip at the top of my cloak to keep it secure.

Went to the bank and picked up some ‘golden’ dollar coins for the ren fair.

Sewed in the other pocket. Both turned out pretty well. They’re slightly below  where my pockets usually are, but the size is fine, and the sewing seems sound.

Spent some time sewing. Reinforced the back center seam. Attempted to make some pockets, without really looking up an instructions. Which was a mistake. Ended up wasting some material trying to make pockets first, then sew them into the side seams. Which I couldn’t quite accomplish. Then I cut some new pocket material, sewed it to the side seams first, and then closed up the pocket. That went much better. Took forever, and the machine jammed on me a couple times. Ugh.

Got out my black gloves for this and messed with them a little. Tried to sew the wrists a little bit tighter. Trimmed some little bits of junk off the inside. Tried to shrink the hand area by getting them damp and then heating them. Little to no noticeable effect. Finally rubbed them with a little Huberd’s leather oil.

Got out my cloak and ... uh ... looked at it... Still too wide in the chest area, methinks, but I can probably live with that.

Took a couple photos of my head, and superimposed the plague doctors from Solomon Kane on top of them. It gives me a good idea of how big the mask & hat have to be. Bigger than I thought.

Found my pack of EVA craft foam sheets. I should have plenty for the hat and the mask, I hope. Bought a can of contact cement some days ago for gluing foam to foam. Should also work for cloth to foam, etc. Also have a roll of black tulle for blacking out the eye holes & air holes in the mask.

Spooky bird skull ‘mask’ / face of the third angel, from “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” 1995.

Impulsively started a new costume project yesterday, so my Plague Doc is on pause for a bit.

I did take in the sides a few inches, and it’s still annoyingly wide. I may simply leave the width at that. I feel like I want to reinforce some more of the seams (front center and back center).

All four pieces of the body have been staystitched. Front halves and back halves were sewn together. The top arm & shoulder seams have been sewn together. The sleeve ends have been hemmed (but may need cuffs added). The under arm seams have been sewn together. I’ve put together a buckle thingy to keep the top of the neck closed.

The top of the neck and buckle thingy will have to be hidden by the hood. The body of the garment is still very wide, and I want to take that in when I sew the side seams : /

Ordered some black leather gloves for this as well.