Padme mummy

Uhoh, a new pregnancy cosplay has been researched! As we are attending an Anime Convention I tried to avoid movie costumes but as news of Natalie Portmans baby boy spreads I find it hard to resist!The beautiful steel blue night gown is stunningly simple with pearl details and a waterfall back - I've fallen in love! A lot of the techniques (draping, home made accessories) I have used and the details such as the heirloom faggot stitching and the hand made broach will be challenges for me. I also like the idea of not having to wear a wig, my hair is naturally long and curly.

One of my costumes requires a bright scarlet wig which would itchy and un-comfortable for the day, the other -despite being only cotton - is a rather warm Victorian dress with layers. Perhaps I can wear the wig gown to the ball and wear this Padme costume during the day? Its Grecian inspired floating looks really comfortable :) There is a dress pattern but it is now out of print and costs a small fortune.

Its all very exciting and for me planning and researching, sourcing and sewing the costumes is the best part. Now I have given up looking for work I have plenty of time for a new project, the only issue is with so many other things demanding money that we simply don't have costumes are on the bottom of our list. I already have 2 anime costumes and a sci-fi TV show, would adding a movie one be too much for a Japanese convention?

Ponyo's Prequel

I haven't worked on it recently but now I have booked the convention I am bringing out all the costumes that have been on hold. Its a relativity new anime but the famous master Miyazaki's newer movie "Ponyo on the cliffs by the sea" has had a massive fan following since its realise in 2008.

I have a nearly finished "Ponyos Mother" costume, she is a stunning sea goddess with long red hair who can change her shape and size, wearing various versions of her pale blue dress. The biggest challenge is pinning down what she actually wears! Interpretation is a key factor in my cosplays and gives me some originality. I already have a dress that will fit my bump but I still need to add some long sleeves and buy a nice long wig. Her hair is mega long and bright red - there is no way I would dye mine like that, hair like mine doesn't get that long without lots of care and attention! I have made some jewellery, a necklace and tiara similar to those worn by the mysterious and serene sea goddess.

Finance allowing Dave can match me as Ponyo's father. He is not too keen so it and has others he would prefer so its on the side lines at the moment. He already has a white jacket I can modify, I only need to add stripes, buy a wig and cravat for David to wear, and we are done. Neither are particularly challenging and its a pair of costumes that can be used for years to come with the little ones in tow. Imagine a baby Ponyo in a cute onsie and a toddler dressed as Sosuke with a bucket - it would be adorable ^_^

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!

Rei Hino / Salior Mars

The legend that is sailor moon! I initially got into this cosplay as joint project with a friend of mine, I would be Mars and she Jupiter but we are not gong to any conventions together this year and as far as I am aware she hasn't even started hers yet!

I had a hard time making a leotard so in the end I had to buy a custom one from a cosplay company in china, which was very disappointing as every other piece of this costume was hand made by me. It is so far the most accurate and well made costume this year, and I am very happy with it. With my hour glass figure I'm quite aware of these skimpy costumes and I did feel a little exposed but once at the convention among other cosplayers I didn't feel at all daft :)


I made the collar and bows de-tachable so I can interchange different Sailor Sensei and despite the defeat on the leotard I'm still very proud. It took a lot of work to get this difficult costume up to scratch and is probably the most challenging one to date, (probably because I was being so anal with the stitching) it was literally made with blood sweat and tears sewn into the hems! Despite being only 5"3 tall with short legs to match I love being Sailor Mars, its not often I get to be so dainty and delicate :)

It took 36 hours (yes I know 36!!) over 6 months to finish, and I'm glad it is finally done, literally my blood sweat and tears went into this costume.

And the hard work paid off, I won 3rd place in the copslay championships at Alcon 2010 in Leicester this year so am dead chuffed! I got 34 out of 40 and felt on top of the world, woop woop!

Star Trek

This weekend there is yet another costume night at the Adj -our home towns rock venue- for a friends birthday : ) With all my costume making and lack of full time work this year I already have several pricey projects eating up my expenses so I needed something cheap and easy. . .

How to Make a Star Trek Mini Dress

Volia!
Easy peasy and will only take an hour! I'm going to Primark on Monday which is ideal for cheap gents tee-shirts, and I can buy ribbons in a number of places. In TOS blue was worn by medical and science personnel (my Starfleet allocation) but also by security which is also my current job description so its win win! I'll post a model photo once I have finished : )

London fashion week

London fashion week Autumn/Winter 2010 runs from 19th – 22nd February this year.

Being a fan of design, art and vintage fashion I am not overly fond of catwalks or the pomp surrounding them, but I do enjoy watching the works of art and trying to guess which features are either already in trend or will be showing up this year and next years high-street looks. Geek Chic or Sci Fi?

PS I have never understood why models always look so miserable and this year decidedly scruffy. Maybe the emo look is spilling into high fashion, I think Russell Brand has something to answer for?

Cosplay plans 2010

I have made some definite decisions regarding this years anime conventions. We are going to Amecon in Newcastle on Lyne and The London Movie and Comic con. I also fancy a look in at the London Expo : ) We might tag along at Alcon again this year if our friends are going anyway - ut David isn't keen.

My costume buddy Laila has picked about 8 quite similar but also very tricky costumes, she is very ambitious so I have decided to stick with some simpler but more thorough costumes. I do like to accurate ; )The final cast list is as follows:

Nanoha Strikers bureau uniform - I've already started modifying a suit and sourcing accessories.
Major Motoko Kusanagei from Ghost in a Shell SAC series - custom jacket and sourced clothes.
Sen/Chihrio and No Face from Spirited away - Ill make both of these from scratch.
Sailor Mars - also from scratch to be partnered with Lailas Jupiter.
Daisy Mario and Donkey Kong - The former will be from scratch and the latter hired from the costume shop.

I'll make posts for them all once they are complete : ) And hopefully this time around I'll get some decent photos to accurately portray my hard work : )

Alcon 2009

I'm happy to say that the wardrobe for Alcon went without a hitch! My dresses all looked fantastic, including Arieths dress and David looked swish and cool all weekend : ) It was a good weekend with friends although I think I will stick to the bigger conventions in the future. Check out my blog for a full review and a few photos of us at the weekend, enjoy : )

Aerith's summer dress

I took the for-action of ordering Mcalls pattern M-5094 for Aeriths dress. Its Panelled so is not 100% perfect but pretty spot on : ) I'll leave out on the panels to keep the skirt straight and sew buttons on the front. When I cut the pieces for this pattern I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew and was disheartened, I couldn't sew it without help. When my mother in law took her sewing machine back I tried to find a tailor who could take the job from me.

The only one who was interested in "having a look" said he didn't have time to make it before the convention but I was welcome to use his extra machine if I had the free time. I explained I was a rookie and the pattern was too complicated and he said he would help me, I was sceptical but after 8 hours solid work I was so happy with the result. It came together beautifully and although the dress is not 100% correct from the game, its a beautifully made lined summer dress!


I have sewn white pearly buttons from just under the bust and Laila has found these fabulous boots. I also had a play with some polyma clay and modified some bangles for her, I still have to paint the plastic bits but I am very happy with the result. She also needed help with Squalls costume so I have bought and modified some belts that I am also very chuffed with, I hope Alex (Squall) will like them as much as I do : )

Ye olden Dayes

Sometimes I wish I had the skill or even the knowledge of how to make things myself. I am a poor dressmaker even though I am creative and enjoy stitching things up and modifying clothes, I like a lot of arts and crafts and would enjoy learning but I’m too much of a flutter brain to specialise! In particular I would like to make costume accessories, as there are so many I want and not enough money to satisfy my desires. Lucky for me a couple of things in particular I have been hankering after for a while has been for filled!



Good for all modest young maidens and country lass' to keep their heads covered and their skin fair. As a married lady I should always have my head covered, even when inside the house, hence the mob cap. Most low class girls wouldn't have bothered inside, but outside it was frowned apon to got out with your head uncovered. These simple designs would have been seen on common girls from the 1800's. In high society the younger more frivolous girls wore small caps and riding bonnets/hats (often very frilly & lacy with ribbons) which they wore to the latests trend and set very far back on their heads so as not to shadow their faces and show of their hair.

I bought supplies for the bonnet with a kit from hobby craft : ) The mob cap I got for free from EBay to which I added a little bit of lace, which was easy enough. I am sure with extra supplies and time I could duplicate both these items, (I would love a floral print bonnet) through trial and error, which is my main dress making approach LOL. I never have much luck with elastic and tend to avoid it, hence my out of character reluctance to give it a go. The elastic on the bonnet wasn’t TOO bad but was still quite tricky and I had to fix several mistakes. The peak and the rest of the bonnet was easy as pie and I scoffed at myself for buying a kit, but in till you try you never know, and now I know : )

I hope that at the Tea Party next month I can make one of the boys wear either one of these, but I do have quite a few great hats to use as forfeits so it will be hard to choose!