I have two best friends, Deb lives in New Orleans and she hosts a BFF retreat for Cathy and I. The last few years have been during Mardi Gras and we joined up with a krewe and actually march in the Fat Tuesday parade! This year we decided to make some new costumes inspired by the masks created by Deb for the three of us.  Mine had Steampunk elements so that inspired my costume.

I designed a leather corset for the costume that would have lots of metal gears as embellishments. As a focal point on the front of the corset I wanted some buckles. I did not like the leather tabs that came with the buckles so I cut some of my own in gear shapes out of a contrasting leather.

Materials

KNK Zing/Zing Air/Maxx Air Thick Material Blade

KNK Zing/Zing Air 12″ x 12″ Extra Sticky Mat Set (Green Grid)

Leather– garment weight 2.5 to 3 ounces

Heat and Bond Fusible

Buckles

Metal Gears

Rivets

Maxx Air Settings

Blade Offset = .35

# Passes = 5

Velocity = 250

Force =190

Blade = Blue Blade

Blade height = 25

• After measuring the existing buckle tabs for length and width I designed a new buckle tab in Make the Cut!

• I ironed the Heat and Bond fusible to the back of the leather, and then adhered it to the mat paper side down.
• Cut the leather tabs and removed from mat.
• Threaded the tabs through the buckles and ironed the gear portion to attach to the corset until I could apply the rivets.

• Added gears and attached with rivets.

My costume was a big hit at Mardi Gras and we were quite the trio at the parade!