Wonder Woman

  The eagle which spans the bust on the Wonder Woman costume has a total of 32 feathers along with the center eagle which is perched on a pedestal.  You all probably realize by now that I am creating the pattern using a great deal of reference material which was sent by our wonderful client.  It still required a surprising amount of trial and error to determine all of the correct shapes as there are 16 unique feathers on each side.  I have a sad bag filled with rejected feathers that didn't make the cut.  It has been an interesting process.  A slight change in one feather would require changes in the surrounding feathers.  You just keep at it until each change becomes slightly less then the last one and then POW it's right! 

The feathers are made by fusing a woven gold lame onto felt.  Then a very narrow zig zag stitch is done around the edge.  Next each feather is beaded around the edge with a opalescent bugle bead and additional beads are place down the center in two colors, a gold and a bronze.  After making and beading all of the feathers I place them across the bust while the costume is on the dressform and carefully baste around each feather shape.  Below you can see them pinned into place.

POW.......I told you!

Next they need to be permanently sewn down by hand.  This isn't a bad project to be working on while the weather is so miserable.  Most of the beading took place in my comfy chair while listening to old movies.My eyes have gotten an extreme workout though and I will admit to my shoulders being so tight,  they are impairing my hearing.  I should get back to it, but thought you all might enjoy another look at the progress.