Chris Redfield

Chris Redfield is a S.T.A.R.S operative from Raccoon City from the popular (and my favourite zombie basher) Resident Evil games franchise. I have often wanted to cosplay Resident Evil and have researched a Jill Valentine in her S.T.A.R.S uniform from the first game but can't wear it this year due to the baby incubating in my womb! This year I can just be a preggers zombie and next year will be something to look forward to, and also our German Shepard dog, Monty, (who loves cosplay btw) can join in : D if he's not too old by then he is already showing his age!
So my DH is finally excited about a cosplay, huzzah! He is researching the costume thoroughly, particularly the different versions of costume and is already thinking about where to get items and looking up how to make props and weapons. A lot of it Dave wears for work anyway (he wears SWAT uniform and jumps out of helicopters) but the way computer games go its all exaggerated, plus the fact that its a zombie apocalypse so OFC you need some kick ass weapons.
Essentially its a green waistcoat with combats and accessories. I can make most of those with webbing (have done custom webbing before) and he can borrow many of the pouches and gadgets from friends. Most folks round here are Army Barmy and have collections of body armour, webbing, weapons and survival gadgets, so its a bonus for the costing :)

Kaylee

I have now finished my fabulous Kaylee costume!

I am very please with the distressing and ageing, it took a while to get the oil stains right. My husband dryly commented "why don't you just use engine oil?" Well that might have been a good idea but by then I had spent a long time mixing wd40, vegetable oil and dye to try and make it greasy and permanent, so I had to see it through to the end.
A lot of fine detail has gone into this costume, I hand stitched the patches with embroiders thread and put dirty wear marks on the pockets and high use areas, ie knees and bum :) I have seen several other bear overall cosplays but modest though I am mine is by far the best! There are 2 things I am not 100% happy about but they barely shadow how please I am with the overall result : D

I also made a little bag from some left over materials, its not that large but just big enough to hold my purse, phone, keys and con badge etc.

I hope you enjoy the photos taken by my good friend Mr Abe, he came down especially before I get too big to fit in them any more! I am thinking I might still wear this costume over the summer, I could just leave the top half of overalls around my waist but that would only be funny with my baby daddy dressed as Simon to tag along. Lets see if we can convince him!

Bridesmaid dresses

I had 2 weeks full of stress and hard work but in the end everything worked out beautifully, my mother in now finally an honest women and the whole day went off without a hitch!

I started with the smallest bridesmaid, she is only 10 so I had to totally remodel her adult sized dress, putting in a simpler line than the adult bridesmaids and customising it to her size. At such short notice the dress company only had one size 12 and another size 14 so it took almost as much work to bring my dress down to size. As I am a size 10 and my now new cousin (^_^) was not around for modelling and sizing I changed the 14 to fit me and my little swollen tummy - I was only 13 weeks so it was not too obvious but still my size 10 clothes dont fit so well any more!
It took a lot of work and I was taking up the child's dress the night before the wedding but they came out lovely and everyone adored them.

Bridesmaid dresses

I've had major drama with a Chinese dress making company, which today ended with me basically demanding refund. The past 5 weeks I have been trying to order 2 adult and one child's gold/champagne bridesmaid dresses for my mothers wedding on 11th Febuary. he whole thing is pretty short notice compared to other weddings, they decided to get married in November, went to Australia on holiday for a month and only started planning it 2 weeks ago.

After the pilavour with the Chinese tailors I am left with only 2 weeks to source or make 3 dresses. I am confident I can make a fitted dress with a pattern, but 3 of them with modified sleeves and in less than 2 weeks? I hope that my tailor friend Mr Komadei can lend a hand, he has in the past guided me in challenging projects and has a selection of industrial machines to use. My special lidl machine overheats after an hours solid sewing >_>

A bit nervous about further issues, as the time window is so small. Did I mention I'm 12 weeks pregnant and throwing up every 20 minutes?? I must be crazy to even attempt this but the only other choice is some overpriced cheap nasty dresses from a local bridal shop. That will still be an option if my dressmaking has not been a success by the 5th February.

I have just ordered patterns and plan to buy fabric on Tuesday. There will be plenty of compromises as I can not afford to be fussy with fabric or supplies. I will take photos as I go and post a blog after the wedding, as I sure as hell won't have time before then!