For those that don’t play Fortnite, Emma Frost is a character in the X-Men comics.

Albeit, my daughter didn’t know anything about her until Chapter 5: Season 4 came out. When it did, she played through, gaining this character before anyone else in our family. By the time September rolled around, she knew she wanted to be Emma Frost for Halloween too. Originally, she set out to be the one in white:

Ideally, it would have been fine. I could have gotten white fabric and been off to the races. Somewhere within a week, she told me that the black outfit would be better, that way she couldn’t really get it dirty. Talk about a proud mom moment! The laundry machine thanks you, child!

Anyway, if you’ve read or even simply scrolled through my last post, Do it Yourself: How to Create Costumes By Hand, you’ll know that I’m a novice. This was my first time creating a costume around a form, which I really suggest doing for anyone that is looking to sew. This was also all sewn by hand. It took me about a solid two and a half weeks to complete.

To save you from scrolling, I’ll add my story about what happened during this creation. It can be found here.

Without further ado…

How to Create An Emma Frost Costume:

First you’ll need to find references. References are pictures of the subject matter that you’re working on. Therefore, to create this character, I needed pictures of Emma Frost. Side, back and front views were all very helpful. If you play Fortnite, finding the screen that showcases her on her own was helpful. The downside was that playing the game only showed her back side. Trying to determine how the outfit really looked or fit together was tough. It’s toughness doubled when I realized the placement of her arms across her body too. I couldn’t see exactly what her top looked like. Therefore, I had to guess.

Research of the initial X-Men related Emma Frost character showed her in a slew of different outfits. It made my initial decision of how it was designed a little more concrete.

It wasn’t until I decided to write this article that I found out I was wrong:

Who knew emotes and dances would be so helpful? I didn’t!

Unfortunately for me, I realized this too late. The bodice and the cape were meant to be a long, sort of open dress. Again, oops.

Therefore, going forward with this post, I’ll be showing you how to do our version of Fortnite’s Emma Frost, the Black Queen.

How to Use A Form

A form is another word for mannequin. I purchased one from Bonnlo that isn’t currently showing their 7-8 kid’s model for whatever reason. Again for a novice, this form worked out well for me.

The form gives you an idea of how the fabric needs to be cut to hang correctly on the body.

Since I really had no prior experience with really seeing the fabric, to be able to cut it accordingly, I used packaging paper to create stencils.

Packaging paper is generally long so that’s helpful. I didn’t buy mine. I simply recycled it from Amazon orders. If you don’t have any, you can always tape paper together to get the size(s) you need.

Once your paper is ready, decide where the “fabric” is going to go and pin it to the form.

Use a marker to sketch out where you want to make your cuts. If you mess up a line, get a different color marker and try again.

Remember, it’s easier to sketch out designs than to cut the stencil wrong and go back to fix it after.

How to Work With Your Stencils

Your stencils are your best guides for these types of intricate designs. This is especially because you’ll have to do your sewing elsewhere.

Let’s start first with the cape.

Cape Stencil:

First dress your form with the paper you intend to make your stencil out of. Here you can see that I am already cutting into it. This is ONLY because I had an extra five inches hanging off of the form. Do not cut unless you know there’s too much there.

Next, draw out where you expect to see the cape.

Again, had I known it was like a long dress, or showy tunic into a cape, this would have been easier. This cape, however, needed to be pressed around the sides of the form to make sure that the body of the cape would curve forward.

Once you have your lines, cut your paper cape.

After cutting both sides and remeasuring what I had, I picked the side that looked right. Next, I cut up the middle of the paper, starting at the bottom as shown above.

This paper becomes the left and right side of the cape.

For reference, I cut the cape’s sides out as the single parts of the stencil. This was originally because of the X made in the middle of her back. I wanted to be sure the fabric would completely line up. Looking at it now, it helped a lot to do it this way while stitching by hand. You can always skip this method and draw out the entire cape if you’d rather.

Remember to use one side of your stencil, then flip it to the other to get the other side of the cape.

If you don’t flip the stencil, you will get one side right and the other side wrong. You can see both of mine are right because the second shape underneath is the reverse side of the silvery cloth.

(Please don’t mind my messy room).

Creating Cape Details with Stencils

As you can see the orange paper is being laid out to be taped together. This method works just as well.

A little more than three pieces of A4 (8.5×11) paper and tape made up this stencil.

I then took the stencil and cut out the black 4 way stretch faux leather fabric. Remembering, again, to change the direction of the stencil for each cut piece.

After, I pinned the first cut piece of fabric around the stencil to make sure I retained it’s shape as I sewed the edge down.

I used the simple stitch for all of the sewing of this project.

Stitch Work Tips:

When sewing this by hand I noticed there were some issues with premature knots. Guiding the thread this way helped lessen the issue.

Add the Pieces to The Cape

Next, you’ll line up the X details and pin them to the sides of the cape accordingly.

Sew the halves of the X onto each side, removing the pins as you go. This is tough on the fingers because of the stretchy fabric.

Sew the middle line next, connecting the center of the cape together.

Put cape aside.

How to Create Leg Gear & Stencil:

This is also modified for the need to move at school.

Measure wearer’s leg with packaging paper. Wrap the leg to find the right width. Then cut the paper.

Measure a second time with the paper cutting. You will need to draw out an angle going up the outside of the thigh. You will also need to create an angle that comes back down the back of the leg towards the inner thigh to connect the piece’s edge correctly.

Next, make sure to use both stencil’s sides to mirror the fabric. This is just like the other stencils so far.

After, pin like above, and sew the edges back.

Line up edges and pin together.

Sew the sides together. Once you’re done, knot the thread close to the end. Cut the thread above the knot. Reverse the finished leg gear, so that the shiny black side shows as the front and the flat is inside. Repeat for the other leg.

Once you’re done, set aside.

How to Make the Chest Piece

Since the design favors showing Emma Frost’s belly, we made an alternative. This is so that she could wear it at school. We used a light pink shirt underneath. Hers had a print on the front so we turned it inside out. Instead of sewing the chest piece onto the shirt, I made it a tube top.

Again, we have the packaging paper as a start for our stencil. I used a bright marker to show where the cuts would need to be and then cut it out.

(It’s not a mistake that it’s upside down on my table. This was easier to cut this way).

Cut it out. I pinned the stencil to the fabric as I went that time. I planned on lining this with the anti pill fleece fabric for warmth.

Line up the pinned stencil and fabric up with the anti pill fleece and cut it out. Remove the stencil.

Change the pins as you go. Pin them in the direction you want to sew in. This is so that you don’t stab yourself with the pins as you go.

Fold the 4 way stretch faux leather over the anti pill fleece and sew ends in.

After, cut out the design left on the stencil that was removed. Pin it to the chest piece.

Decoratively sew around the design. Avoid sewing the paper to the chest piece. This sewing is entirely only for decoration in place of adding another texture layer to the chest piece instead. If you’d rather the additional fabric that is up to you.

Next, double check the size of the piece with your wearer. I decided to do buttons on the side of the body under the arm. You can also avoid that by just sewing the pieces together where you need them or at the ends.

Once finished, put to the side.

*The wearer did need an adjustment to this where we added super thin spaghetti straps to the chest piece. It helped the piece stay in place.

Return to the Cape:

Line up your cape on the anti pill fabric. Pin cape to fabric. Leave about an inch of anti pill fabric around the cape and cut out.

Sew the lip up onto the cape’s face. Doing this will create the hem.

You’ll also need another stencil for the grey cotton section underneath the X. This stencil was easier to get since the shape was already there to trace. Make the stencil and cut out the grey cotton fabric. Fold over the edging so that it’s clean and pin it to the cape. Sew the piece onto the cape.

Next, you’ll need a way to keep the cape on. A friend suggested I put straps on the inside, like a backpack. The idea worked like a charm!

There’s one last thing that needs to happen here. The cape will need a collar.

How to Make the Cape Collar

The length of the cape collar is measured against the rounded section of the cape around the neck.

Figuring it had to be sturdy, I put thick fabric I had from another project in between two layers of anti pill fleece.
(The below image is incorrect. The piece is much longer, but I did not document this part well.)

The silvery fabric went on the inside of the neck piece as Emma Frost’s outfit showed a reflective quality there.

Sew everything together, then sew the anti pill fleece to the rounded section mentioned before. If it flops over too much, feel free to anchor the collar down more by sewing further ahead on the cape’s shoulders itself.

How to Make the Neck Piece

The form has a space for the neck which proved helpful. There I cut a piece of paper to go around the neck at first.

If you look at the reference, the neck piece comes down to a point. To remedy this, I took the paper and folded it into a V point. I then folded the paper on an angle again so that the extensions pointed right and left. One to one side and one to another.

After, measure the neck piece’s stencil again. Mark the sides of the neck piece and cut the remainder of the paper off.

Next, get the anti pill fleece. Line up the stencil with the fleece and cut out your piece.

Get your silver fabric and mimic the top edge on both sides.

Tip: I found it easier to get more than I needed, pin the fabric to the fleece and then make the cuts accordingly.

Sew pieces together using silver thread.

Next, measure the neck piece against the form again. Depending on where the edges fall is about how much felt you’ll need to add a lace. This is not actual lace. The piece will need to have ties added that are long enough to make a bow in the back of the neck. This is for easy application and removal.

You can choose to do a straight one if preferred. I did a curved one so that there wouldn’t be bunching when I tied it.

How to Create Emma Frost’s Belt:

This one I forgot to take pictures of. Perhaps it was more important to finish than document at this point, but the fact of the matter is that the belt is a little tricky too.

Just like the neck piece, there is a dip in the belt that angles downward from her belly. I used the same stencil making procedure here, making a V out of the paper first.

Next, I measured the arms of the V against the form.

After that, I folded the arms down to a help the belt match up with the other side.

Once it was correct, I laid it out on anti pill fleece and cut it out.

Unlike the previous pieces, you’ll need to fold the edges in, sew and leave the edges showing outward to show the texture of the belt.

Take the red felt and make a circle that reaches over the edges of the thickness of the belt. Cut it out.

Next, you’ll need the silver fabric. Using the red circle as a stencil, cut about a half inch extra around the red circle.

Put red circle to the side.

Flip over silver circle.

With a marker, draw four rounded bottom triangles far enough from each other to make a bubble X.

Using your scissors, snip inside of the rounded triangles. Cut the lines out of the space. Be sure not to cut your X or your circle.

Using your silver thread, sew the X to the red felt first.

Second, sew the circle around the X to the red felt. While you’re sewing, try to catch and curve the folded silver cloth behind the red circle. This is so that you don’t have to sew it twice.

Finally, sew the circle to the anti pill fleece belt with silver thread.

Once finished put to the side.

How to make the glittery shoulders…

If it wasn’t for a few purchases, I wouldn’t have gotten this costume done. The bolero I purchased was a great addition to this. I would recommend using it if you need a quick fix.

The last thing I needed to do, besides white colored hair spray, was create another stencil for the shoulders.

After situating the form with the bolero, adjust the packaging paper to somewhat cup the rounded shape of both the shoulder and neck.

Using a marker sketch out the space you’ll need.

Cut out the piece of packaging paper.

Select the silver fabric and cut out the pieces, remembering to flip the stencil over to get the right shape with the right fabric’s side to show.

Pin to the bolero shoulders.

Using the silver thread, tack, not sew. Tacking the corners of the silver fabric means that I can remove the thread and the fabric from the bolero to use it for other activities.

Once you’re done tacking both pieces…

Put to the side.

… Creating Emma Frost’s Gloves, Too?

That’s up to you. I didn’t. We had a hot day for Halloween which meant even if they were made, they wouldn’t have been worn.

If you want to make them, you can simply by either buying gloves and cutting the finger tips off, or making your own. Glove stencils will always need to be a little bigger than the hands that they’re meant for to be correct. Remember, you’ll need to sew them and turn them inside out to use.

Finally finished!

*Note, the leg pieces and the boots are not shown in this picture.