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Create your own Confessor costume
Many thanks to AngelConfessor for allowing us to showcase her beautiful Mother Confessor costume (images at the end) and then for the instructions on how to make your very own!How-to Instructions
Hi! Here is some instructions on how to make the Kahlan costume! Before you sew anything, please read through all the instructions, as it will save you a world of heartache!
I used a McCall's Pattern to create most of it, and tweaked it. The pattern number is M4491. It's a costume pattern and I bought it at JoAnne's Fabrics. You need to use pattern D out of the set, however, you want to use the back of the dress as the front, because it is made to lace up the back. This is not really hard to fix as the back is nearly the same as the front.
I used off white crushed velveteen, but if you have the cash to spend, use a light weight velvet. The hood, the sleeves, and the lining were created using satin, because it is light weight and "flutters" like her sleeves. I used a looped trim for the front lacing loops, and a thick string for the lacing. Don't forget your silver trim for the sleeves too! Total cost for me was close to $75. The package will tell you how much fabric you will need for each.
Cut your pattern out to your own size. I used size 8 even though I could have used a size 6. Going bigger is ALWAYS more forgiving. Lay out and cut your pattern. BASTE STITCH EVERYTHING. I cannot stress this enough! These are very delicate materials, and if you want to machine stitch it (I hand sewed everything for authenticity's sake) if a pin gets caught in the machine or the material catches, you will RUIN everything.
Work on the outside of the dress first, then work on the lining. This will save you a lot of heartache.
To make the sleeves, I tweaked the pattern to make it longer, folding it to look like half her sleeve and laying it out on the edge of the folded satin so that it would come out as one single piece. I saved attaching the sleeves for last.
To make the low V in the front, you have to fold down the front until it's low enough for you. For the hood, measured the V from end to end then used a hoodie to trace around the shape, making sure the bottom part which connects is an inch over HALF the length of what was measured, because when the middle seam is sewn together like in a hoodie, you will have the correct length down to the V. Do this again with your satin. These MUST BE hand sewn back to back with a loop stitch. Fold and pin your edges inward before you do this. Pin your hood to the dress, hiding the edges until you get it to fall exactly the way you like it.
CLICK TO VIEW EXAMPLE
At this point, you can make the fake opening in the back of the dress which you can see in the above picture. I simply folded the material a wee bit in the inside, then loop stitched by hand from the outside with doubled thread until I reached the small of my back. This is why you want to go an extra size up! When you attach the lining, you may have to repeat this, however I only had to do it for about 2.5 inches because it was too tight.
Attach your looping to the front for the lacing the way you like it. I had to sew it, then cut the extra loops so there weren't too many.
Sew your lining together minus the sleeves (it will be too tight), then turn your dress inside out and attach it. The lining will cover over the ugly looping edging!
Attach the sleeves by first putting the dress on, and pinning one edge of the satin to the velvet next to where the crook of your elbow is so the sleeve will split where Kahlan's does! The one pin should be enough for now, so take off the dress and pin the rest of the sleeve up and sew it on. I hemmed up the sleeve afterward with a loop stitch. Add your silver trim (I hid the ends by folding them and stitching it at the split. I think it hid the edge pretty well.)
For the leather corset, I actually ordered one off of Ebay! It laces up the back, and waist cinches the front, leaving the chest exposed. I wore a black bra and that really caught what her corset looked like, which was mostly leather and a different material for the front (see the episode "Revenant" for the best shots of the corset).
CLICK TO VIEW EXAMPLE
The black underskirt was a good will find, so you can use pretty much any floor length black skirt. I also bought black leggings at Target (See the pilot episode for those.) The boots were some black leather lace ups I had (See pilot episode again). I also bought a dagger to slip in the boots, lol!
CLICK TO VIEW EXAMPLE
Put your under costume on, and lace up the dress. I recommend putting it on when you have the corset on because you won't have to adjust the lacing afterwards. Lace it from the top down. I KNOW it looks like she laces it from the bottom up, (Episodes "Revenant" and "Mirror") but this is impossible, and I believe it is simply shown that way for theatrical purposes!
The costume should slip off over your head so you don't have to lace and unlace it! I always take it off so that it's inside out.
And there you have it!!! You can see the below link to follow how another gal made hers. She really helped me! Her name is Taeriel, just follow her posts about her Kahlan dress! She has great pics too!
Happy sewing!
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