The owl costume is complete, but for now you get a peek at the final mask. I’ll be wearing the complete costume this weekend at our first Halloween party of the season.
Extreme closeup |
The mask has gone in various different directions. Initially I was planning a feather covered mask with a basic ‘mardi gras’ frame. After scouring the internet for more ideas and inspiration, I was most inspired by the recent Cirque du Soleil mask link combined with the idea of thick rimmed glasses. My cape itself is all ‘feathers’ so I decided to skip the actual feathers and maybe use them as accents elsewhere.
First round of materials |
Construction of the mask was very simple. The materials I used included:
Sheet of felt
Various lace trims - depending on your design, less than a yard of each
Ribbon trim
Ribbon to attach the mask
Second round of materials. All of the lace is black, it just looks purple in the light. |
I wanted a sturdy mask so I folded the felt in half before cutting it. Then I positioned it over my face making note of where I wanted to cut and what shape I wanted. I outlined the idea of my shape, but when it came time to cut, I did so slowly, trimming only when I was sure it was still within the range. I didn’t want to risk taking off too much, though depending on your trim, it can help cover any mistakes.
When I had the mask in the right shape, I attached the ribbon to tie the mask and I began playing with various ways of layering the lace over the top of the felt. Once I was satisfied, it was time to hand stitch. This method made it very easy to change the design as I saw the mask come together.
In the end, I only used two types of trim. The mask is very comfortable, unlike the original mardi gras mask. I can’t wait to see the costume as a whole this weekend!
I was thinking it was very Cirque Du Soleil inspired :)
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