The Birth of the Witch
In 2023, I attended a festival in northern France. Although itâs called the Witch Festival, itâs more of a medieval gathering â you wonât see many people dressed as witches. My mother joked that I should make a witch costume for the following year, and I took the challenge without hesitation. Almost immediately, I knew what I wanted: a forest witch, with a green dress, a corset, leaves, and horns.
I began looking for a dress pattern and remembered one from Burda that I had seen some time ago â one I had always wanted to try. This was the perfect opportunity. In fact, I loved the pattern so much that I later used it again for my Dragon Queen costume.
I made some modifications to the original design, like adding pointed shoulders. Once I was happy with the mockup, I went on a quest to find the perfect fabric: green linen. But linen isnât cheap, and despite checking multiple stores, I couldnât find the shade of green I had in mind. Frustration grew â until I found the fabric. Except… it was brown. I didnât understand it at first â Iâve never liked brown. But somehow, it felt undeniably right. I wasnât going to be a green witch anymore.
As I began sewing the dress, I decided to add small crisscrossed fabric bands on the bodice sides â inspired by a costume I saw in The Witcher. They added a lot of charm, but they also meant I couldnât wear a corset, or they would be hidden. So I needed a new centerpiece.
A witchy, pagan embroidery â that would do it! I searched through endless images until I found two perfect designs: one for the sleeves, one for the bodice. It was my first time trying satin stitch embroidery, and I immediately knew that embroidery would become a major passion.
Once the dress was complete, it was time for accessories. I started with the dreadlocks, rolling wool after boiling it, then used the leftovers to create a necklace base. I sculpted a bird skull to use as a pendant. I also wanted horns, a wand, and more skulls â so I experimented with EVA foam and Worbla for the first time. Instantly, I saw the incredible creative potential these materials could unlock.
Though this isnât technically my first costume, itâs the first one Iâm truly proud of â and one Iâve worn to several festivals. This witch costume became the face of Artis Salander, and a turning point for me. With it, I learned how to build a character, how to work across different mediums, and most importantly, I discovered that I wanted to make many, many more costumes.
