C2E2 Preview post

Hello, watchers!

Here's a little preview of the new project I've been working on for Dragon*Con this year. I decided to make Black Widow from the new Captain America 2 movie. This costume is about 75% done, I had to rush to get it wearable for C2E2 in Chicago this weekend, so I don't have all my props, and the ones I DO have are a little janky. The belt is temporary and the boots I threw together in 2 hours, but they actually turned out fairly decent. I'll post more pictures later, but here's one of a few I got from this weekend.

I also wore my USO Girl from the first Captain America movie (it was a very Cap weekend!) today, which I'm not sure I ever posted on here when I finished it last year. The credit goes to Kathy Kaydee for organizing the group, including the pattern and coordinating all the materials so those of us who make them all coordinate. My grandma pin-curled my hair for me last night so it's pretty authentic! I got called 'adorable' all day, which a girl loves to hear *g* More pictures and info to come later.
My companions are Stacie, Jim, and Beth of the Rebel Legion/501st. Beth, on the right, won 2nd place in the C2E2 costume contest for her husband, Trent's, glorious hand-beaded Ming the Merciless costume :D

I think I'm going to dye...

Hello lovely watchers!

An update, I did finish my Weird Thing (my Katniss Cowl) but we never got another snow and I wasn't able to find a photographer... I don't even have a blank wall to use to take a picture :p I'll eventually get one up, but spring is finally upon us, so no nice wintery shots :p

This post is more for a brainstorming session.  I like to dye my own fabric for my projects, and I use yardage of silk quite a lot. At the moment, I'm using a load of wool for my Merida costume.

To use acid dye for silks and wools, you have to bring it to a near boil and maintain the temperature for the dyes to work most efficiently. I have the largest pot I could find, and I can usually dye a couple yards of silk in it if I use the barbeque to boil the water, but things like velvet and wool I'd have to chop up the fabric into 1 - 1.5 yard sections, and that's a pain as each dye bath would have to be the exact same formula of dye powder, water, and temperature - hard to maintain on a grill. I've tried dyeing in the washing machine, with the hottest setting and adding boiling water, but it's still hard to maintain. I'm trying to brainstorm what I can use as a dye pot that can take heat and large quantities of water. My dad is building me a firepit with something built in to hold a big dye pot. It is best to be steel because iron or copper would react with the dye solution. I was thinking of those big galvanized steel tubs, but I fear those wouldn't be able to take the heat or weight. Does anyone have any good ideas for large dye pots?