The circus arrives without warning.
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
Ten years ago I made one of my first cosplays. The first where I had to create the design based purely on a written description, and my second large build. This year, I had the opportunity to attend the Wimmera Steampunk Festival, and knew immediately that it was time to bring Poppet back, with all of the skill I now had. A remake to see how far I have come, and return to a world that I have loved since I first entered it. Part of me never left the Night Circus, and walks its twisting pathways of dreams eternally.
The design was inspired by my original look, but elevated. Fully making the skirt and coat, a more extreme silhouette, just getting that overall circus feeling into it. It’s largely remnant fabric, a doona cover and a hell of a lot of lace trim, and I could not be more thrilled with how everything came together. There are several references to book things included, and I got to wear the original with one of my oldest close friends as Widget, then this with one of my newest. She’s very special to me, and absolutely a showcase of how far I have come in the last 10 years.