This costume is based on the Monty Python characters the Spanish Inquisition: Cardinal Ximininez, Cardinal Fang and Cardinal Biggles. Unfortunately, there were only two of us, so we decided to dump Biggles.

We quickly decided that I was Cardinal Fang, and my husband Bryan was Cardinal Ximinez. This marked my first ever group costume, and my first real drag effort, as I wore a false mustache and beard.

The costumes are hand sown by myself after a simple priest pattern I found in a fabric store. I followed the pattern pretty closely, and designed the hoods and the sashes myself. Unfortunately I could not find enough fabric for both costumes, so they are made in different fabrics, mine being the more expensive, and unfortunately also the warmer.

I had intended on buying the hat, as they are hard to make, but due to an inability to find a good hat in the right color anywhere, I actually ended up sewing the Ximinez hat out of the same fabric as Bryan's robe. Some wire ensures the rigidity of the brim. I did end up buying the gloves and crosses, which I had planned on making myself, as I ran out of time. Sewing two complete outfits is really too much to do in 2 weeks, I am glad we didn't have a Cardinal Biggles!