While all this was going on every couple of days the torso got coated with another layer or two of mache. In the end I think it got about 8 layers on the outside and two or three on the inside. Figured I should do it on the inside because (a) it would mean the paper inside and outside the mesh would glue together through the mesh, making a nice composite, and (b) to cover up the spiky wiry bits and protect the wearer.