Poison Ivy Bodysuit

Poison Ivy, also known as Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley, is a brilliant botanical biochemist and a DC comic super-villainess. She has the power to control plants, is immune to their toxins and is an all around amazing character. She can quickly be spotted in attendance at many Cosplay and Sci-Fi conventions, as she is a loved character by many.

I have had this idea of a bodysuit floating around in my head for sometime now. I did some research to see what other people have made for their costumes. Here are a few links to other instuctables that I came across: Poison Ivy Cosplay, Poison Ivy Costume, Poison Ivy Costume from Scratch and Poison Ivy. I spent hours sifting through pictures of Poison Ivy and mother nature (due to her awesome abilities and close connection with the plant matter) and decided to give it a whirl. I decided to share this in an instructable, since it was different enough from many of the other costumes out there. It is simple to make and doesn't require any master skills. I hope to complete some heels and a clutch in the near future to coordinate. I will share a link here, as soon as they are done, in case you are also looking to accessorize.

1 Nude Body Stocking

1 Nude Underwear

1 Nude Package Soft Molded Bra Cup

1 Nude Package 1/2" Covered Raglan Shoulder Pads

1 Spool Nude Ribbon

1 Spool of Nude Thread

1-2 Sewing Needles

1 Package of Floral Accent Wire

1 Tub of Clear E6000

1 Roll of Duct Tape

1 Pair of Scissors

1 3/4 or Full Mannequin or Homemade Body Form

Start by putting the underwear and bodysuit on the mannequin. Make sure that the bodysuit is setting properly on the mannequin and that it is not twisted anywhere. Remove the right molded bra cup from its packaging and test it to yourself. Mine was a little big as shown on the mannequin. They come in a few cup sizes. Try to get the closest match to your bra cup size. Since mine was a little big, I trimmed it down removing a small amount from all edges. If yours does not need trimmed, I would still recommend trimming of the piece that is meant to go up to a bra strap. It will help round out the cup for easier coverage later on.

Place the molded cup underneath the bodysuit and situate it to the placement you feel will work best for you. Keep in mind the stretch of the bodysuit when you place it. If you plan on adding items that have some weight to them, you may want to put it just a smidgen higher. No need to go crazy, just a small adjustment likely a cm or less to account for some stretch of the bodysuit.

Cut a piece of nude thread. I like to use a piece that is from my finger tips to my nose or approximately three feet. Thread the needle and then match to two ends up and tie a basic knot. Use a basic running stitch to go all the way around the molded cup. You can use a different stitch if you like but a running stitch will suffice. As you may have noticed in the pictures, I did not follow the same distance all the way around the edge. I followed along the edge until the bodysuit was not naturally making contact with the molded bra cup. To not disturb the way the bodysuit natural lays on the form, I followed the line of contact between the bodysuit and the molded cup. When you return to where you started, tie a knot and trim away the excess thread.

You can repeat this for the opposite side if you would like.You can also stitch in a nude bra if you would prefer more coverage and/or support. Should you go with the one molded pad on the right, I would suggest a good adhesive nipple cover for the left side. Unless your comfortable with a wardrobe malfunction, it's worth the few extra bucks to get a good pair. It never hurts to give them a trial run before your big day.

Use the same method, as the molded cup, to attach the underwear to the bodysuit. You only need to do two seams, one down each side of the hips. By only going down the sides of the hips, you can maintain full stretch in all the places you need it most.

If you plan to attach a bit of weight to your shoulder, you will want to build a shoulder support. If you will just have some greens, like the ferns I used, you can skip this step. If you plan on attaching something heavier, you will want to build a support. I had originally planned on attaching an owl with the ferns which is why I build the support. This support is also removable so you can always switch it up if you desire.

Starting on the backside of the shoulder, run your wire over your shoulder and about 3-4 inches down from your collar bone. Loop the wire around and head back over the shoulder. Create a loop on the back of the shoulder similar to the front. Run the wire a few inches past the starting point and trim away the extra.

Take a strip of duck tape and wrap the wires where they meet each other. Wrap about 1/2 an inch past each side to be sure the ends are enclosed in the tape, as they may be sharp. Once taped, press the wire against the mannequin molding it to it's shape.

Remove the wire support from the mannequin. Pull a few feet of nude ribbon off of its spool. Starting at the top of the shoulder in the duct tape section, add a small dab of E6000. Place the end of the ribbon over the dab of E6000 and hold for approximately 45 seconds. Start wrapping the ribbon around the wire. You will want to angle the ribbon as you wrap it around and around. When you return to your starting point, add another dab of E6000 and wrap the ribbon around it and hold for about 45 seconds. Trim away any extra ribbon and then continue to hold for 1 minute.

Place the wire support back on the mannequin and check its shape as it may have gotten bent during the wrapping process.

Remove from the mannequin and attach it to the shoulder pad by separating the Velcro adding the wire support and re-securing the Velcro.

Place the shoulder pad (with wire support if you made one), on the mannequins shoulder, underneath the bodysuit. With your nude thread, stitch along the outer edge of the shoulder pad securing it to the bodysuit. You can use just a basic running stitch for this or another stitch if you like. When you return to your starting point, knot of your run and trim away the extra thread.

E6000, Clear

1 Roll of Wax Paper

Wire Cutters

Scissors

Ferns

1-2 Bags of Moss

Leafy Greens

Ivy

1 Package Small Butterfly

1 Package Large Butterfly

Flowers

Bark Pieces

1-2 Needle

1 Spool Nude Thread

1 Spool Green Thread

Moss comes in a variety of colors and varieties. Since many of them are colored, I would suggest looking for one that says it wont bleed the color. I got one large bag of plain green moss and a medium variety bag.I still had a lot left over to go towards making shoes and a purse to coordinate. I personally liked the look of having a mix of mosses. There are many ferns and other leafy greens you can use. I really like ivy and it is particularly fitting for this bodysuit. One thing to look for in the ferns are wired stems. It makes it much easier to get them to stay just were you want them.

Start by placing a sheet of wax paper under the area you wish to start. The wax paper will keep you from gluing the moss through the mesh bodysuit and onto the mannequin. I have made this mistake once before and would not suggest it. The wax paper will allow the E6000 to bond the moss and other greens to the bodysuit and wax paper. Once the E6000 is no longer tacky, the wax paper can gently be separated and discarded just leaving the moss/greens bonded to the bodysuit. It is pretty much magical.

Set the mannequin so that gravity will be working in your favor and not against you. Squeeze E6000 onto the bodysuit in small patches ranging from approximately 1-2 square inches. Take a piece of moss and gently press it into the E6000 and hold for 30-45 seconds. It does not take a lot of E6000. Once you complete an area about the size of your hand take a break or work on another area.

Periodically go back to the sections you have completed. Apply gentle pressure with a hold for around 45 seconds. After about 30 minutes, you should be able to carefully remove the wax paper from the first section. I would recommend removing it before 3-4 hours have passed. I have still been able to remove it after sitting over night, it's just a little tougher to remove.

When applying ferns or vines, set the stem in the desired location. Look to see where the stem and leaves make contact with the bodysuit. Remove the stem and add E6000 to the locations that were making contact. Wait about 60 seconds before placing it back onto the bodysuit. Select a few glued locations that it makes contact and gently apply pressure for 60-90 seconds.

Continue this process until you are satisfied with the coverage. I think it works best if you take a day for each side.

Hint: Don't glue all your leaves flat onto the bodysuit. Use the stems to adhere them to the suit allowing the leaf to stick out. It will give your bodysuit a better dimensional look.

Snipe a few fern fronds. Hold the fronds around the cup area until you come up with a configuration that you like. I preferred three fronds swoop downwards. Remove the lower couple inches of foliage with a pair of scissors. Taking one frond at a time, stitch it to the molded bra cup. Go deep enough to catch the bodysuit and the top layer of the molded cup but not so deep to go all the way through the cup. I found from an earlier project, having the stitching across your boob can be rather irritating and is best to just stitch through the top layer of the cup. If your ferns are plastic, like mine, you will need all the patience you can summon. The thread will likely get caught and tangled in the ferns with every pass for the last few stitches that go around the lowest leaves. You could skip going around those leaves and just go around the lower stem, but the attachment will be so much more secure. To me, it was worth the headache.

Once all the fern stems are attached, you can apply E6000 and moss or whatever else you dream up. I applied a piece of tree bark from my yard and also added an orchid stem and a leaf cluster. They were all adhered with E6000.

Caution: Sewing the ferns onto the cup may cause the following: cursing, pulling your hair out, stomping, crying or other unprofessional behavior.

Continue to add moss and leaves wherever you like. I even added a few little pieces of bark. You can cover as much of the bodysuit as you like. Don't forget to put a new piece of wax paper under the area each time.

Option: If you have concerns about the adhesion of the moss in any area, you can also use green thread and put in a few stitches here and there to better secure it. The butt is an ideal place to do that if you plan on a large amount of sitting or getting in and out of a car frequently.

Sew the shoulder ferns on the same as the ones attached to the molded bra cup. After a few ferns are stitched on, you can start weaving them through the ones that are stitched on. This will help hold them in place while you stitch them. Weaving them through should not replace stitching it, simply a helping hand while you work. I used ferns of a few different lengths and with wires.That way, I could bend them to my will.

One you are happy with the greenery on your bodysuit, you can add the butterflies. They are best left for last since they are somewhat fragile. The butterflies I purchased were wired. If yours are too, remove the wire with a pair of wire cutters or scissors. Place wax paper under the bodysuit at the location you wish to apply the butterfly. Place a line of E6000 down the belly of the butterfly. Wait 30 seconds and place on the bodysuit. You may have to place your finger under one of it's wings to keep it setting balanced, unless you don't mind it leaning one way or the other.

Now you can relax and feel accomplished. You just created your very own Poison Ivy bodysuit. Best of all, no one will have an exactly identical costume. I really hope you have enjoyed this instructable and have found it to be useful. Feel free to comment if you have any questions. It is always fun to see how people use the instructable and I would love to see how your project turns out.