And 9 To Suffocate Us.

September 14, 2009 1:51 PM

[HalloweenFilter] I would like to dress up as one of the rag dolls in the animation movie "9." (this one)

I have no experience in tailoring/crafting but I have a friend who does and is very excited at this idea. She has told me that stitching up the costume is not the problem - it's that the fabric will make the costume extremely hot. I am more comfortable with hot temperature rather than cold anyway and also willing to endure the heat/poor ventilation as long as it's a decent costume. My major concern is the details of the costume - particularly the eyes and the hands.

1) How hard would it be to achieve similar quality of the goggle-like eyes? Right now I am thinking cut-off Pringles cans. I am fine with the pupils fixated at the center of the eyes and not moving at all - perhaps use spectacles from sunglasses?

2) The hands of the rag dolls look delicate and complicated - mostly made of metal with leather (wood?) outside. How can we achieve similar look (without going broke or taking too much time)?

Bonus: How would you make the cane/lamp stick?

We would probably spend a few hours each week so looking at around 40 person-hours. I would like to keep the budget around $50. (for good quality $75, no more than $100)

Thank you very much in advance and if you want to take this idea and make other rag doll costumes (number 9 or not) I'd love to get together and take a picture on Halloween night!!

posted by jstarlee to clothing, beauty, & fashion (4 comments total)

Maybe leather driving gloves with metal buttons sewn to the sides of the knuckles (for the hinges) would work for the hands?
posted by lucidium at 2:04 PM on September 14

I would love to be one of the ragdolls as well. I want to be 7! I think a human-head sized bird skull is going to be difficult to fabricate. I would say, as far as the lamp stick goes, that I would try and modify a backyard tiki torch. However that is PROBABLY dangerous territory.
posted by d13t_p3ps1 at 2:12 PM on September 14

Do a search a flickr for dragoncon 9. There was someone in a "9" costume there. Check out some of the photos 1 2.

Ah, a little more searching found the costumer answering questions over at reddit.
posted by fings at 2:15 PM on September 14

I don't know if you saw this post about the Big Daddy costume, but you might be able to scrounge some tips and tricks from it.

Partially hoping to help, partially a shameless placeholder as I plan on making a 9 costume as well.
posted by lekvar at 3:07 PM on September 14