Well, we were s'posed to do research and relate our projects to that. It was s'posed to be something that people would buy. I did lots of Tolkien research, and I even included lots of writing in tengwar so that I could make a care label in elvish. My teacher wasn't impressed!

The shop that I mentioned earlier with the lovely fabric has all the simplicity patterns too. I'd completely forgoten though.... Thanks! It would be much easier than making my own pattern. I shall no-longer be tempted with thoughts of cheating! I promise!

Lalwendë, I don't suppose the "cheat" was in [b]davem[/]b's size, was it? Or will you make a matching one for him? :D

No, the one I made myself is more his size with him being tall, as it's actually far too long for me, but I doubt I'd ever get him to wear a cloak anyway, but if I do I shall be sure to get a photo! Now he will be very scared! :eek: :p Especially being spoken about in this way...I can expect retribution later! ;)

Celebuial, that pattern pack also has a pattern for a Gandalf hat! I've not tried that one yet, but it looked like fun to make.

Subtlety, Lalwendë, subtlety. IMO, forget "costumes". Go for "Garments" that have the flavor/ style you want and he will like. No arm-twisting needed. For instance, how about garments that remind you of the professor? Start with one garment at a time, with many compliments along the way. Just keep telling him how sharp he looks.

I talked my husband into buying a lovely tan-heather henley shirt, which strikes me as very woodsy, and country.

It also strikes me as very middle-earthy and hobbity. I didn't tell him that, of course.

How come nobody told me about this??? There's a LOTR section under the heading "Licensed Goods", and you can get Frodo's cloak for a reasonable price... and check out all the Aragorn stuff!

http://www.museumreplicas.com/

Sewing machines will be the death of me, but I did manage to weedle my mom into making me a Galadriel dress once, and I'm hoping for a decidedly Hobbit-like dress soon. I'm taking Clothing 101 next year, and for the Prom Dress section, I'm going to try to make something similar to the coat/dress thing Eowyn wears during the funeral of her cousin. It's so pretty!

I must say i'm impressed with everyone who finds the time (and talent!) to make those clothes.

My friend and I, (The illustrious Megan Le BoogerBeans) made hobbit coats last year...

Only problem is, I was too big for mine. She wore Frodo's green coat, I was stuck with Merry's. In the end, she had both, and I was called a stupid Elf... :( But, she did make me a head orniment out of clay... :) It hurts when you wear it for any extended period of time... Which in this matter, is about five minutes...

I'm planning now, to make an Elrond outfit and hold up my title... Since I have also been noted to be rather moody sometimes...

~ I'm listening to the Pope of Mope - Morrissey! Ka

Me, I just make cloaks. And since capris have been in style for awhile, it makes finding short pants very easy. Nothing I have made is 'authentic' but I did buy a leaf brooch like the ones given to the Fellowship at Lothlorien. It's very pretty.

Me too. It cost me £80 so I can't wait untill my cloak is finished so it's in it's proper environment!

Are you making an authentic one? I think it had been mentioned before, there is a website that has the patterns used in the movies. I have the cloak pattern that Galadriel gave the fellowship, but I haven't made one of those yet.

Actual patterns for the ones in the film, and not just ones that look like it??!!!??!!! Where? Do tell!

I'm sorry I took so long, had to dig through all my papers.http://www.alleycatscratch.com/lotr/

Aha, I've made the Fellowship cloak from that pattern! I actually wrote about it in this very thread. There's a couple posts, right in the middle of the 2nd page. I've got a few pictures (not very good ones, I must add) in my second post.

If you want specific tips for making it, just ask! :D

The wool you used is so beautiful! I myself have just begun LotR costuming. I taught myself to sew and made a quite lovely Eowyn "Shieldmaiden" dress. I used Simplicity 4940 and created the sleeves myself along with various changes to the vest/corset part. I very much don't like the neckline though- it's way too high. besides that it turned out lovely- especially for my first work! :D I'll try to get pictures soon!

My next plan is to make Fellowship cloaks for my sister and myself. (of course using alleycatscratch's pattern)

About the Fellowship cloak, when making the hood, did you find it neccesary to alter the pattern for more room around the face as suggested on ACS? I have been wondering about that and have not yet made a muslin of it...

Elentari - I've had that very same pattern for a few weeks now, but I've not yet started on it. The only thing which has put me off is that the amount of fabric needed will cost quite a bit and I was hoping to find something ridiculously cheap to have a practice run with. Was it very difficult to make? If not then I may just go for it anyway. Did you try the one with the extra bodice?

-Lawende
I unfortunately had terrible fabric (brocade satin i believe), but if you wanted something cheap I would reccomend a muslin of sorts. For my first time sewing anything on my own, it was very easy. The instructions were clear, and I made the cream dress part in 3 days. I don't like the pattern sleeves though...

-Yes, I did make the one with an extra bodice, which was also simple to make :)
The one thing I don't like about this pattern (for making the shieldmaiden dress) is the yoke/neckline, it's far too high up. (I plan on cutting it shorter)
As for the bodice, it's just a thin costume vest/thing without a lining.

Are you planning a "shieldmaiden" gown also? If you are I'd love to share details on anything :D

Happy sewing on this one!

p.s. Alleycatscratch.com was a great blessing for tips, inspiration, and pictures!

Haven't bought anything yet. I want a sword...Anduril or Glamdring would be nice. I saw a nice shirt online with the White Tree of Gondor...and I saw Aragorn's flag which is nice too...

Heck, if I had the money, I'd buy a full suit of Gondorian armor and a horse and ride around waving the Gondor flag shouting "For Gondor!" and "Stand Men of the West!"
Please tell me I'm not the only person to want to do that... :D

*immediately becomes rabid* Where???

Gondor Shirts
 

Here ya go...

Gondor shirts

eBay - Gondor Shirt

You're not the only one. I'd probably swap the armor for a gorgeous Gondorian gown, but I'd be right up there on a horse, shouting encouraging words to the soldiers.

I'm planning an attempt at a new gown, something blue and Elven/Medieval, with drape sleeves. I fancied going to a few special places this summer, gatherings and such, and I decided I would look the part.

If only they'd had ebay in the early 80's, and then my mother would have been spared me 'customising' my best coat. ;)

I'm glad you've said it was easy! The cloak I made was simple, and I even hand stitched it, so it sounds as though I ought to be able to tackle this project! I wasn't too keen on the neckline either, but I thought this effect could be had by simply tucking a chiffon scarf into the neckline, so it would be removable. I do like those mad long sleeves though!

Good luck on the project! It should turn out beautiful :)
The sleeves I made myself are really neat- when tied up nicely they hang below my knee while I'm standing. Not quite as long and awesome as the one in the films, but still great :D

I'd say I should go make a cloak or two! I'm glad they were also simple.

I was thrift store frodo over halloween if i can get a scanner i will shopw you all the picture :p

C'mon, Morsul, where's the pic? I wanna see.

I just found dark-brown linen Frodo-breeches at wElf-mart. I thought they were all burnt out on LOTR... guess they saved the best for last.

I finally finished sewing my red Arwen-style dress, which I will wear in Birmingham at Tolkien 2005. I have a picture to prove it, but I need to upload it somewhere before I can show it here.

How about the new barrow-downs photo album? We could use an Arwen pic there.

I've sent the picture to Tigerlily, but I don't know when she will have time to put it up.

I've been making a staff today. We went out to the woods and I found a nice long piece of Beech wood lying in the undergrowth. It has a fork at one end, handy for resting my thumb on. Then we went off for a walk and finally sat down by a stream up in the hills (where I saw an enormous dragonfly) to have our dinner and then we whittled all the dry bark off. I think this gave the passing hikers something to talk about, but I don't care, it was a most pleasant afternoon :) . I've now started to sand it down, and it's looking great - lots of nice woodgrain patterns coming through. All for the price of £2 to park the car. ;)

Istari, Istari knight, is that Wizard Blue or Grey.
 

This has just reminded me to get on with my costume for 2005 at Aston. I have attended Oxonmoot as my hero The Witch-King, but this time I am going as Pallando. The Staff is half done, just got to put the orb on top.

Interesting choice of costume subject, narfforc. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone dressing up as Pallando before.

Feel free to post pictures of yourselves in your costumes here, or link to them. I'm sure we'd all love to see your handiwork!

Once The 2005 celebration is over, I will send one to the picture page.





In The Lord of the Grins, Palindrome (Pallando) and Avatar (Alatar) each become a Dog God.

I'm planning on making a t-shirt. I want either hobbits, Aragorn, the White Tree, or elven script. I can't seem to find a pic that I really like. Any help?

Nim :p:D

This isn't a movie cap or anything, but it's a really great version of the White Tree.

I was quite impressed by some mad head gear I saw online but alas was daunted by the prices (over £150 :eek: ). I thought "psht, I can make those myself" so today I've been making a mad head-piece 'thing' out of various thicknesses of twisted silver plated wire, little bells and beads, all worked into little spires and tangles and things. I might bring it along to Birmingham once it's finished, though I may have to wear the thing on the train so it doesn't get squashed...

Oh, my goodness!

Lalwendë, if I saw someone wearing a hat like like that, after my experiences on Brit Rail (Well, mainly from Newcastle to York), I would assume you were part of one of those "hen parties". I saw three of them on the way down, and in fact, when we were leaving York, one of the parties was preparing to return North, so I got up the courage to enquire of them their pursuits. Well, not anything in any great detail mind now, but enough to get the gist of this very English ritual. Will you be having a Middle earth hen as preparation for your wedding with davem?

Hats, of course, are a particularly English form of costume, as I also learnt last summer. I wonder, was there an especially hobbitish form of haberdashery? Or were only the wizards noted for pointy things?

Thanks Enca! I will consider using that one. Elfwood, eh? I have a good friend (also a Tolkien fan) who has drawings there. :)

:eek:

You are a very brave woman. Approaching a hen party is fraught with danger. And it sounds as though these were Geordie girls, which is even more scary. Now seeing as I don't really drink (I can only handle a pint) and I find gangs of party-hungry women truly frightening, then you can safely assume that I shall not be getting up to those kinds of antics.

Oh no, the thingie I've made is rather random and strange, almost as though it had fallen apart and had to be put back together agian, or as though it has been found in an attic, all in bits. It's not the kind of thing a traditional girlie might go in for. At least I hope not... ;) I had to get davem to model it for me so I could see how it looked, and it didn't look girlie on him anyway (he'll kill me now...).

I was going to make LotRs joke shirts for people but that requires money... which was what I wanted to get out of the shirts, but that kinda...no-go'ed.

Anyways, I HAVE made one shirt which simply reads: BOROMIR FOR PRESIDENT

Why? Well, I've said it in several other threads when we got a little off track... Who can't admire a man who gets shot repeatedly in the chest but continues to finally die AFTER a deeply moving (nearly five minute) monologe. There was even a debate saying that it was Aragorn's kiss that killed him. ; )

I have made a elven-warrior cloak and tunic useing everything else I could find to finish it off. I also just recieved two beautiful cloaks from a friend as a gift. One of which looks EXACTLY like the Fellowship's Lothlorien cloaks. I am making a Gondorian peasant costume though it looks like a pile of fabric now.

This May for my prom a friend of mine helped me make an Arwen dress. It turned out really nice and I love it so!