Crafty Tuesday: The Missy Project
Posted By Kathleen David on September 22, 2015
I do get asked a couple of questions that I can now answer with this project.
This one is photo heavy so I am putting the photos behind the cut.
This project starts with some bad behavior by fans towards Michelle Gomez who plays Missy on Doctor Who. Apparently some people can’t separate the role from the person and she got all kinds of weird hateful messages.
Fast forward to about a month ago when Peter got an email from one of our BBC Cymru Wales buddies to keep date clear if he could with more information to follow.
About two weeks later through a BBC America tweet, Peter figured out what might be in the pipeline.
The week of we got conformation that Peter was to be on the guest list for the BBC America preview of Doctor Who and Michelle Gomez would be introducing the episode.
“So do you think you can do a puppet by then?” came the question.
“Sure,” said I.
I looked at Missy’s costume and figured out what I needed to do. A trip to my local fabric store and I found all the fabrics I needed. While looking at the photos, I realized that the shirt was not white but lightly striped. I debated and decided to go with the detail. I found something to use for the cameo and something to use for the trim.
And in about a 48 hours period, I assembled Missy the puppet. The final touch was the hat that I went back and forth on about half a dozen times and then decided that she really needed the hat.
Peter went to the event and managed to get the puppet to Ms. Gomez who, by all reports, adored it.
Onto the Photos
So I start where I always start with photos and video of the character I am creating.
(For the VI: This is the actress as Missy. She is seating on a set of steps. She is wearing a black hat with fruit on it, a dark purple jacket with black trim, a lightly striped shirt with a white collar, and a cameo. She has brown hair and very blue eyes)
(for the VI: Same actress and costume sans hat)
These were the materials used to construct the outfit.
(For the VI: This is a mess of materials and notions that I used for the costume. Behind the white bodyform is the green foam I use for the structure of the puppet. In front is the fabric and notions in a pile with the buttons on top)
Where I was by the end of the first day of work
(For the VI: this is the Missy puppet. She has her purple skirt, striped shirt with white collar and cuffs, and a cameo at the neck. She has brown hair and blue eyes.)
The finished puppet
(For the VI: She has her purple jacket with trim and her hat with fruit on top)
And Michelle with the puppet
(for the VI: This is a picture of the actress with the puppet.)
I am grateful for these sorts events.
That is really cool. And I am grateful you were able to do that for her.