Angel Wings

Recently, I am designed and created costume pieces for The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at John Jay College. Two of my characters wore Angel Wings. I had bought some inexpensive angel wings online, but it was clear that those wings were only going to work for rehearsals. I did not want the wings to be much wider that the ones they had already been using. I tried to find some commercially available wings that were taller, so they would be seen above their bodies, but no luck (at least within our budget). I made a decision to make my own.

I started with making a rough pattern on my actress using poster board. I pinned it on her during the fitting and marked how tall and wide I would like the wing to be.





















I used my rough pattern to draw out a shape that I thought that would work. I made a new paper pattern of the shape.




I decided to use buckram and millinery wire to make the base of the wings. I cut two pieces of the buckram for each wing. I then sewed millinery wire around the entire wing using the widest zig-zag stitch on my machine. This has to be done slowly and carefully. If you are not an accurate stitcher, you will end up breaking a lot of needles.



To add stability, I sewed diagonal pieces of millinery wire across the wing.



Next, I started to sew feathers on. I purchased 15 bags of white turkey feathers from ESKAY Novelties here in New York City. I alternated sewing the feathers on the front and the back of the wings, once again using a zig-zag stitch. I started from the bottom and worked my way up. I just had to be very careful not to hit the millinery wire as I was stitching.







I just kept layering feathers, till I made my way all the way up the wing. The top layers once again laid over millinery wire, so I had to be very careful. I was very happy with the end results. The wings were extremely lightweight. I wish I would have made a few more cross bars, especially at the top of the wings, just to add a bit more in the stability department, but really they worked quite well.



I cannot stress enough to be very careful when dealing with the millinery wire and sewing on a machine. Broken needles can fly off and can cause injury.

Quick Tip: Blood Removal

You all are going to think I am a morbid person. Really I am not, but blood has been a constant problem in my costuming life. Whenever I am working on a white dress/costume, I always poke my finger and bleed all over it. It inevitable. I don't mean to sound disgusting, but we deal with sharp objects and needles, and as careful as costumers try to be, accidents happen.

So, If you are working on something and this happens to you - spit on it. No, really. There are enzymes in your saliva that gets out your own blood. That's the key - your own saliva and your own blood. It does not work if it's someone else blood with your saliva.