Wing Construction?

[bellevivre]

I am in the very beginning musing stages of perhaps a faerie godmother type (or other species of 'fluffy' faerie)

I can figure out all aspects- except wings... i know I can figure some way to attach them to my bodice, but what are some construction techniques? I particularly love the twig-style iridescent ones, and I have a feeling it is some sort of film heat-shrunk to a wire frame... i just dont know how, exactly... advice?

[Zaubon]

Contact Volans through ren-mail.
She and Lucretia Borgia made sets for Sacrby this year, and I'm sure she would be happy to help you get started.

[Elennare]

Try this thread:
http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=7329.0

Lots of good info there.

[Trillium]

Also, check out the links here:
http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=378.0

You can also contact Oblivious for help.  Just tell her I sent you.

As for attaching them to you, there are several options depending on the wing construction and your garb.  Mine are attached directly to my bodice.  The wings are connected to a base (not exactly sure how, I didn't make them) and then I glued it to my bodice and covered it with matching fabric hand-sewn tightly to the bodice.  Another option (I've been told) is to tie them on using ribbon, I believe wrapped around your torso.  Then there is also the elastic or ribbon around the shoulder/arm.  The last option that I'm aware of is designing your wings with hooks to go into the back of your outfit and lean against your back (all the way down to the lower back would make sense to me for more stability).

[Kate XXXXXX]

Have you tried my wing recipe?

http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk/KatePages/Sewing_Projects/Fairy-Wings/fairy_wings.htm

[bellalye]

I know several fae who have used this tutorial to great success,

http://www.freewebs.com/faeriemuse/constructiontutorial.htm

Some made using a version of this technique...


toodles!

[Jademozingo]

This looks like the place for this question.  I have seen some fairies wearing wings that didn't have to be attatched by elastic over the shoulders and was wondering if anyone would know how those worked.  Also  does anyone know of a design that allows for sitting?

[Kate XXXXXX]

My wing pattern could be attached by a method other than elastic, though I have yet to do that with it...  Would need some working out. 

Titania lay down as well as sitting on boxes, chairs, and the floor in her wings.  They are hung from the top, so have nothing at the bottom to stop you sitting.

[Elennare]

The designs I've seen that don't require elastic over your shoulders have a large "U" shaped piece of wire that runs down the back of the bodice/other clothing.  Not sure it'll work unless the clothes are tight.  Suppose you could always have them hook over a bra.  Not really sure what you'd do if they're for a man. 

If you don't want to take the wings off, you can always sew them to the costume.

As for sitting, what do you want to sit in/on?  In your car...probably won't happen unless you make really tiny ones.  On the ground...just make them short enough that they don't go past your bottom.  In a chair...keep them pointed out to the sides rather than behind you and as long as they don't hit the ground when you sit you should be good.  If you wanted to get really crazy, you could make some that hinged, so they could be moved depending on what you were sitting in.

There's lots of options, just poke around at the various tutorials until you find something that looks like it'll do what you want.

Bellalye, did you make the wings in that picture?  They're very pretty!

[bellalye]

Thanks Elenarre, I did make those wings  , they were the 2nd pair I ever made (and surprisingly simple).  My biggest obstacle was wrestling the dumb wire into the frame  . Nowadays I do custom wings.. if anyone is interested .

The ones in my previous post *do* lack shoulder straps, however they  have a band which goes around my waist (for stability without a corset).

I build my frames with an open rectangular back piece which feeds straight down between corset/bodice and chemise, then wrap it with a soft fuzzy yarn or fabric tape under which I occasionally add some thin foam to cushion the wire.  I have also  been considering wrapping the frames in sport tape (the kind used on tennis racket or baseball bat handles) because it adds grip and is already cushioned.  If you want a lot of stability, you might want to add 2 ties, one under the bust and one around the waist, to this back frame, which will keep the wings from shifting too much underneath a looser bodice.

This design requires the builder to create the back brace as an integral design element, although I know some wing builders who can soulder individual wings to separate braces (not within my ability). 

wing               wing
       \            / 
        \          /    <---stands out of corset
         l         l
         l         l
         l         l   <-- sticks into corset   
         l_____l     

I will try to take some photos to post more clearly my technique if I can. 

toodles!
         

[bellevivre]

Was looking at wings this weekend- insect wings, the real thing, lol! I think my plan for this first set is to go with dragonfly style cellophane wings, folded along my back- this will cut down on the space I take up, as well as being more logical- just like insects fold their wings when not flying, wouldnt a faerie as well? They will be down, but slightly flared out, so from the front, they would only really be visible from under my arms...

[bellevivre]

another question RE: wire

so you buy the spool 16 gauge wire like from a hardware store, or floral wire and splice together pieces?

[Kate XXXXXX]

We bought steel rod of about the same thickness as coat hanger wire.  We got it from an engineering supplies place rather than a DIY store.

[Beautiful Dreamer]

I use 16 gauge multi-purpose wire from Lowe's.  Then I wrap it in floral tape.  I've used the same frame for cello wings and nylon ones.  I do the frame in the back  w/ties as well.

[Pascal]

I wanted to toss in a technique my brother-in-law and I used several years back.

We were walking through Academy Sports and noticed a small air pump for footballs, etc.  It was basically the bulb from a blood-pressure device -- it fit in the palm of your hand, had the screw that released or secured the air flow, and used a standard needle.  We noticed the needle mount was the same size as a piece of aquarium tubing ... hmmmm!!

So, we made some "blow up" wings.  We made them of mylar, glued in channels for air and an aquarium tube, ran the tube a couple of feet to the bulb pump.  We made some belt pouches to hide the pump -- and our little fairies could now inflate and deflate their wings by pumping on their belt pouch!

Here are some photos -- in hindsight, we could have made the wings much bigger.  Since they were so light (weighed about as much as a mylar balloon), mounting them on a garment was easy ... just a couple of safety pins.


You can see the belt pouches on their waists -- the pink and blue fairies are holding their pouches -- the purple fairy is leaving her's alone.  The air pump is inside the belt pouch!


You can kind of see how light these are in the back.  Two safety pins attached them easily.  The wings themselves weighed practically nothing (they're pretty much just flattish mylar balloons.)  You can see how it's the "channels" in the wings that get inflated -- this gave the wings some stiffness.  Purple fairy has her wings pumped as much as they'll go.


Side view of the blue fairy.  You can see the wings at medium inflation.  The pump is in the belt pouch at her waist.  The girls could twist the release valve on the bulp to deflate their wings and tighten it to hold the air in.  They pretty much inflated/deflated their wings about 90 times an hour -- but that was by choice.  Once they tightened the air screw, the wings would stay inflated.

[bellevivre]

that is a SERIOUSLY brilliant idea!!!

you could take that the opposite direction and do a big set, and the channels thinner, like veins, with larger spaces glued together- when pumped, wings would go from folded to expanded- AWESOME!

[Trillium]

That is an amazing idea!!

[LadyShadow]

Wow, wonderful wings.  I want some now.

[Hoowil]

Where does one get large sheets of mylar? I would love to (eventually) play with this idea. Or maybe with a pearlescant vinyl (absolutely no idea where to find that either, or if it exists). I do have almost an entire bolt of clear vinyl....

[Pascal]

My brother-in-law came up with the mylar.  I think he got it at a hardware store (like Lowe's or Home Depot) -- not sure, though.

My original idea was to go to a model airplane hobby shop and buy some rolls of Monocoat.  This is a mylar-like material, but comes in all sorts of colors and finishes.  RC modelers use it for their airplanes (don't use tissue and dope anymore).  Neat thing about Monocoat is that you can "iron" it to seal it ... you don't have to glue it.  I had planned on ironning in the "channels" ... but never got to try it because of the mylar.

If I did it again, I think I'd seriously give the Monocoat a try -- It comes in really wide rolls (like wrapping paper), so you could make some nice proportioned wings.

[bellevivre]

This monocoat sounds like it could work with the cellophane wing construction method? Going to have to investigate that!

[Pascal]

One thing about monocoat that may or may not be helpful -- it shrinks when you apply heat (like from a strong and hot hair dryer) ... kind of like shrink wrap.  If your frame is firm enough, this would be a great way to get a tight and wrinkle free fit.  If you shrink it too much, it can warp your framing, so just be careful when you do it.

[Beautiful Dreamer]

Dunno about mylar, but cellophane can be found in rolls @ Hobby Lobby.

[Pascal]

Just realized I mis-spelled "MonoKote" as "MonoCoat".  MonoCoat is some kind of wood stain -- "MonoKote" is the mylar-like material used by airplane modelers and would be a good material for wing construction!

You can see the colors and finishes available at http://www.monokote.com -- most airplane hobby shops carry this material as well.  Check out the transparent and pearl finishes as well -- I think they'd work really well for wings.

[CatAshtrophy]

Pascal, what a great idea. Thanks for including the link. I hope to try this some time.

[gypsylakat]

is there perhaps a plastic spray on that is pearlescent? youd need something that could be folded etc. without cracking