Dyeing Real Fur, Test 1 fabric colour in the microwave

So I was checking my Koakuma wings for dressing up as her for the Next Animecon 2012 (in Kuopio). But I noticed that the tape I've used in the wings shows quite ugly when I wear it so I decided to enhance them a bit with adding some dark fur.

I've got two real mink furs from my both grandma's  but I left the not so good fur to my flat in Rovaniemi. But as a savior I had third fur coat which wasn't mink. I didn't want to demolish the other mink coat because it was in much better condition than my other mink coat. So the only option was to dye the other unknown fur. It might be fox fur, but when petting it it felt quite "loose" and not as good as mink so it was chosen to be used as materials.

The first step was to rinse the piece with lukewarm water and vinegar and salt for about 15 minutes. For about a liter of water two teaspoons of each.

Second step was to squeeze the extra salt-vinegar-water from the fur, gently.

Third step was to lay the piece on top of cling film (no other, this is the best) and smudge the fabric colour to the fur thoroughly. After that you wrap the cling film around it quite tightly and place the package into a microwave secure container with a lid only placed on top of it so the fumes can come out. 

How much dye? I didn't have any black so I mixed it from four others. Couple of milliliters each. These are quite strong colours.

Fourth step (like in the title says) was to put the package into microwave. Four minutes with full blast, then flip it and another four minutes does the trick.

Fifth and final step was to rinse the fur with water. I did this several minutes until the colour stopped leaking from the fur.

And let it dry.

And the results (it's a bit darker in the real life).

Don't be afraid if it bubles and pops in the microwave, it did it with me too. And the smell that comes from it is similar to the baking of polymer clay in an oven. Quite plastic like scent.

Pro's and cons

+ easy to do

+ quick

+ doesn't require special equipment

+ the microwave secures that the colour will stay in the fur and you don't have to iron it or anything

- the fur shrank about 2/3 so it was tiny after I dyed it but the fur was more firm now

- the smell isn't pleasant, but not strong

- the fur also comes quite stiff because it shrank

This method was adapted from dyeing yarn.

Later on I noticed I forgot to bring my skirt from Rovaniemi with me home. So no cosplaying this time but this was a good experiment anyways :'3

Someday I'll try to boil the fur. The heat is needed to attach the colour into it.

And I hope the fur will not shrink so much :'D

If I left something unclear, please just comment on here ;3

I'll try to clarify it as much as I can.

Cheers!

Randomness

Random update of randomness

I've been doing some research and sword patterns, just for fun :'3
Feel free to use!
But it would be kind, if you credit be, alittle bit yes? I do not claim the design as my own, but it would be nice if you mention me as you helper in your posts :3

Dark Excalibur (or is it Caliburn?) from Fate/Stay Night

Well well well

'Cause I don't have anything better related to my projects (wich have been on hold for quite a long time) I decited to update some cosplay dreams and plans I'd love to make some day :3
Thou I'll have some work with my body to get into shape and look better, these are my top wishes and dreams <3

First:
Saber Alter from Fate/Unlimited Codes
'Cause she is awesome and her armor looks awesome <3
And her armos looks waaaay better thab the original design :'D
Plus I have her as a figma figure so it'll be easier to look all the details and stuff from different angles than just from pictures. Thou her pointy armor hurts my fingers when I pose her ;___;

Second:
Momohime from Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Thou I'll have to lose some weight for her (but that's a goal anyways x3 To lose some weight and get into better shape I mean ;D)
Her design is cute :3 Also I like her kimono (thou it's pink!) And there is quite large chanse to accidentally moon everyone who is standing behind me :'D

Third:
Princess Nuala from Hellboy II Golden Army
I really loved the contrast between her pale skin and dark dresses <3 (Thou in the pic she has the last dress she wore in the movie and it isn't so dark :'D..)
Also her outfits are glorious (and might be hard to make)...

These are the top three in my wishlist :3
The pics are from the internet (two first from Myfigurecollection and le last.. Google :'D)
So the copyright isn't mine (thou I have some pics of Saber alter, but nothing that goog to show her in her glory :'D)

Someday I'll make these to be true!

Koakuma - The Wig

Edit
The wig turned out to be too dark red (and a bit too short) so I am going to use it with Koakuma :3
This weekend it shall be... shaped xD


Wohoo!
After the long search (an a pause from bloggin) I finally found a nice wig for my Hong meiling cosplay!

At first I thought I would order Keiko red mit Pony (Keiko red wig with forelock) from MyCostumes.org (there's british flag to klick, it turns the text from Germany to English), but it did't look as "natural" (and was too expensive for my taste) than this one, Pitkä burgundy peruukki from Markku Purho Ky (in Finnish text only, sorry!).
So I ordered it and it turned out much, MUCH more affordable than the wig from MyCostumes :3

I'm thinking of adding more red with colouring hairconditioner :3
What do You think?
Also I have to cut her forelocks, but that's not a huge mission to do x)

There were lots and lots of nice wigs on other webstores too, like CosplaySupliers.com,  DHGate.com, Annabelle's Wigs, Wigs US  and some auction sites like eBay and Huutonet.fi (a finnish auction site).
Yup, I made my research ;)

I'll post an image after I get it from the snailmail :3

Edit:

Whee, some soty of trimming done :3
Where we started :

And here is the result:

Maybe still some little trimming to do on the lock, but I like it also this way :3
The wig is really thick xD

Thanks, Tiina, for the trimming <3
And Photographing :3

Walking With Wings

Just a video showing how the Wings act while walking around..

Koakumas Vest

Is ready n_n

I bought a vest from H&M an cutted two slits so the Wings would fin nicelly under them :3
Also I sewed some lace so it would look neater :D
And I added some extra buttons, so it would look nice...

I thought it would look a bit stupid, if I fastened the wings over the vest..

Koakuma's Skirt

So, I finished making her skirt.
It was quite a challenge, because I made the sewing patterns right out of my head, with the limits of the fabric I had... I chose flax because it was pleasent feeling in my hands.. And also the fabric is quite heavy, so the skirt's hem will settle down nicely :3
I also added some tulle under the hem so it would rise the hem a bit up :3
It was hell to sew xD

The corset part of the skirt was quite a challenge too, because I had to measure some perts to the sewing pattern while waring the half made skirt and installing some needles to hold it on it's place! This time I managed not to sting myself with the pins xD

The sail rings to the corset part were quite annoying to aplly, bacause the fabric fas so stiff  at the border.. I also accidentally firts applyed the first sail ring wrong side up, so I decidet to put every other wrong side up and every other the right side up...
The hem is quite triangular due to the lack of real sewing patterns...
And looking a bit hefty in that skirt I am xD