Skirt Making the skirt

Yikes... you're making me go back through my piles of stuff! ;) I wrote down my base coloring on the back of one of the scraps of leather - but it's kinda hard to read now. It was fairly close to ZIA's if I remember correctly.

1 1/2 tsp Cordova
1 1/2 tsp Red
2 1/2 tsp Blue
2 tsp Purple
4 TBSP Solvent

I know it seems like a lot of blue/purple - but there is a reddish/yellowish tint to the leather used on the skirt. I did end up altering it some more as I went along, but I dont' remember exactly what I did... I'm sure I added more solvent as I went along though - and probably a bit more Cordova ???? Be sure to check the tone of the dried piece against a scrap of the fabric - nothing can clash like purple tones if they are off! Once you find a color you like you can vary it by applying more or less to each piece of the leather, several layers or whatever.

I'm gonna have to get some pics posted of the pieces I've finished to show you what I mean on that.

Also I used an airbrush to apply the dye - but I think it could be done with daubers or dunked and still look good. Just be sure you mix enough dye to do the whole skirt... not that I would know about having only 1/2 a skirt done or anything... :lol:

Edit:

This is a picture of that piece of leather (complete with other dye splotches) next to a piece of the fabric and a sample of the vest color I was trying to use on the lambskin.

zamorigdyecolors.jpg


This picture shows what a difference you can make by varying how much dye you put on the leather - it's all from the same dye batch, just with the darker ones I went over it heaver with the airbrush and perhaps a second or third time.

zamskirtcolors.jpg
 
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Thanks so much MaulMaus! Hum, I'm not sure if I will want to mess with airbrushing. But if that is the only way to get them to really look good then my husband is going to have to stop babysitting his beloved airbrush!

I will say one thing, not having enough dye mixed the first time for a Zam skirt isn't as bad as not having enough dye mixed for 20 yards of fabric that must all look like they came from the same dye lot! At least the skirt has a patchwork feel to it!

I hear you on the testing, matching, letting things dry - etc. Although mixing leather dyes is slightly new for me, I've been mixing dye for fabrics and mixing paints to match them for a few years now - so I feel pretty good about this! I Can't wait for things to fall in place for this costume and work on it.
 
I airbrushed most of my squares but to get a variety I dunked some of the squares and I dobbed some of the squares as well with the cotton applicator.
 
I made mine 2 1/4" tall. I think you said you'd make them 2 1/8" tall if you were to do it again. I measured how long I wanted the skirt to be on me... and divided it up (rounding it out of course!). I figure if it's a little on the long side, I can just tie it higher on my waist... if it's too short, I guess I'll add another short row on the top and hide it under the cumberbun. :)

I think that 2 1/4" should be the correct height. I know mine is too short on me, and there is a problem of "not long enough" due to overlapping squares I don't think I considered the first time. Anyone care to comment? If you take from cumberbun down, you can see where it "ends" on her, which is right at/below the knee, anyone want to comment/ by how much? or how long with overlaps vs. without overlaps?
 
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I was having problems with the daubers causing streaks and so I ended up using an old t-shirt to apply an initial coat. Then I went over it with the dauber to get the variations in color.

K
 
IMO, It's best to airbrush it first, to get an even coat, then dauber to get the variations. If t-shirt works- then awesome! Or, you can just dunk it and sit the pieces up in a way that lets the dye bead up on the bottom correctly. Kinda like how there are certain skirt squares with an extra amount of blotches on the bottom from MoM photos. FUN with tools~if ya have em.
 
I measured how long the skirt should be on me and we divided it up and i must have the shortest legs ever. It works out my squares are LESS than 2"

Did you find there was much of a problem with overlap on the length after it was constructed? Should i make it longer than needed or go for the right length straight off the bat?
 
No, there is a big difference in overlapping. That's why my skirt is too short. I forgot to add the overlapping. I just divided it up like you did, and it ended up being too short. How tall are you? I am 5'5 1/2" Almost 5'6" like Leeanna.
 
Kathy is 5'1" and I made here first skirt with 2 1/4" squares. It hangs a little lower but it still looks good. I just finished cutting another batch of squares for her new skirt and I made them 2 1/4" tall again :)
 
Kathy is 5'1" and I made here first skirt with 2 1/4" squares. It hangs a little lower but it still looks good. I just finished cutting another batch of squares for her new skirt and I made them 2 1/4" tall again :)

What's your overall length, bound up without the belt?
 
IMO, It's best to airbrush it first, to get an even coat, then dauber to get the variations.

Yeah, I didn't have an airbrush at the time. I have a feeling that the new jumpsuit is going to dictate that I make new everything to match...so I'll be experimenting with the airbrush this time around :)
 
Yeah, I didn't have an airbrush at the time. I have a feeling that the new jumpsuit is going to dictate that I make new everything to match...so I'll be experimenting with the airbrush this time around :)

Isn't it fun to try new tools?
Color coordination stinks though. I still haven't gotten that right. I just use the standup a reference. But, matching paint and leather dyes including wet look vs dry and what's already "given" is so terribly painstaking to a point that you almost don't care if you do it blind folded after so many trials. Waiting for something to dry or cure, that's THE most annoying part.
 
No, there is a big difference in overlapping. That's why my skirt is too short. I forgot to add the overlapping. I just divided it up like you did, and it ended up being too short. How tall are you? I am 5'5 1/2" Almost 5'6" like Leeanna.

Im exactly the same height as you :) I think i have short stubby legs tho lol!!! :lol:
 
What's your overall length, bound up without the belt?


I'm not sure. I didn't measure it and now it belongs to someone else. I can let you know when I get the new one assembled... although I'll probaby wait a bit so I can dye everything at the same time.
 
I keep on forgetting that you are doing zam 2.0 also!
I guess I have to measure an overlapped piece and multiply it by row and then subtract it to the total of a column of 2 1/4" pieces.

Let's see 2.25" x12 (rows)=27"
Overlap = .5625 (9/16") x11 (rows)=6.1875"
Actual size (Cardboard cut out) = approx 20"
27"-6.1875"=20.8125"
20"-20.8125"=.8125"
Hmm, off by almost 13/16" of an inch. That's ok I guess. If you have a little more overlap on some pieces, it would even out?

At 2" squaress I was shorted by 2 inches and all I ever hear from my hubby everytime we do an event, is "It's too short" Ugh.
 
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Ok guys i was looking for a punch and it seems quite hard to get them here but i found this, now im not sure how good it will be or even if it will work but i thought it was worth a try :) It was on Ebay as " FISKARS Hand Punch - 1/4" Rectangle " Ill see if i can fit my leather in it and how well it punches but im thinking it might break pretty quickly, anyway we shall see *fingers crossed haha

Just thought, if it breaks ill pull the punch off and stick it on something else and use it as a hand punch with a mallet :)
 
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Ok due to the squares overlapping and everyone being same height or smaller than me and making squares 2 1/4 im gonna go with that. So just before i try out my strap cutter for the first time .... all strips that you cut first should be 2 1/4 inches? Is that right? Im scared to cut it LOL :lol:

Ok i couldnt wait i just HAD to try it!!!! lololol Its like a hot knife through butter!!! I cut a 2 1/4 strip - im wanting to cut more!!! LOL


HEALP!!! Where has the lacing diagram gone to ?! I cant find it anywhere and ive tired searches :( Im sure i saw it yesterday!
 
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Yeah they get wider but the height stays the same. Im just getting really stressed because i can see my lines for the widths arent perfectly bang on straight. Driving me up the wall,:angry what did you guys use to cut the strips into sections?:lol: :wacko
 
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