Day 386

Last night, after I blogged, I worked on my Link ears a little more, messing with the makeup. I didn't get any allergic reaction today, and it's been more than 24 hours, so I plan to use them for AOD. I made them darker, since they were way too light anyway, and put more shading and highlighting. They still need a little work, but I've got over two months.

That's about it though, I haven't worked on anything. I haven't really wanted to. Just want to get out of the house.

Elf Ears (Days 384 & 385)

So I tried on the elf ears that I plan to use for Link today. I'm a little worried about them, though. Most obviously, they're not accurate. While Link's ears point more outward and downward, the ears I have point upward, and they're about the same size as a normal human ear, so they don't point outward very far.

Most importantly though, they're latex. I wasn't allergic to latex when I bought them a couple of years ago. That's part of the reason I decided to try them on today, to see if I get an allergic reaction. They didn't bother me when I was wearing them. Well, the back of my ear itched at one point, but that could have easily been the wig. I freaked out when inside my ear started itching, and I couldn't scratch it. But that was just a random itch.

Anyway, I also can't hear very well out of the elf ears. They cover my entire ear and have no ear hole to hear out of. When i wear them, it sounds to me as though I have a head cold and my ears are all stuffed up. But conventions are loud anyway, and I like my quiet.. Then again, I said the exact same thing about my Chi ears, haha.

Of course, they're not the exact same color as my skin. Even with makeup on them, they're a lot lighter than my face. I'm considering using a slightly darker makeup on them to see if it matches my face a little more. I had to shade and highlight the ears with makeup to make them look more realistic as well.

The ears also don't match each-other. The left ear (the one I wear on my left) is thinner and wrinkled in weird places, and it looks like it's been cut, so the ear lobe is closer to my face than the one on the right. The left ear also doesn't have some of the structure that the right ear has, so I had to create the illusion that it did using makeup. It needs some work, but it's mostly covered by hair anyway. I also need to put makeup on the backs of the ears.

Anyway, if I do end up getting an allergic reaction, even a small one, I know of an online tutorial for making custom elf ears. They won't be as convincing or comfortable, and they probably won't stay on as well, but I'd rather take the hit than risk my health over it. Also, I'll get to make them into the exact shape I want, so they'll be more accurate at least.

Days 382 & 383

Couldn't think of a creative title for this one. I changed the detailing on the Link hat, and I'm still deciding if I like it better or not before changing it on the dress. If I decide I don't like it, I'll have to make an entire new hat because of what I did. Instead of using thread for the visible stitching on the hat, I used super thin strips of the same fabric that the hat is made out of. The reason I'd have to make an entirely new one is that when sewing the strips of fabric in, it made holes in the hat so that the fabric would actually fit through. If that even makes sense. (pictures to come when I have time)

And that's really all I did in the last couple of days. I've been rather depressed lately =/ Which makes me lazier than ever. Bleh. I need to go OUT somewhere soon to make me less depressed. xP

Link! (S)he come to town..! (Day 381)

Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay! I made tons of progress on my Female Link cosplay! It's all thanks to determination, it being a simple costume, and nine hours of working on it! Funny, it didn't feel like nine hours.

My boyfriend was nice enough to take me to JoAnn's, where I bought two yards of what is quite possibly the most expensive fabric I've ever bought. But I've been absolutely in love with this fabric ever since I saw it several months ago. It's 95% rayon and 5% spandex, so it's really stretchy, but also super comfortable. I'd like to attempt making some sort of comic book hero outfit out of it, but now that I've learned how it sews, I'm less than excited about it.

We also took a trip to Micheal's, where I used a gift card from my birthday (back in September) to buy some pieces of craft foam for our Magikarp cosplays, and some material to (hopefully) make my Master Dagger out of (yes, instead of a sword).

The first thing I did was completely forgo the dress pattern that I bought and attempt to make a pattern out of a dress that I already had that was pretty similar. That failed. Horribly. I cut out the pattern and then tried to make it symmetrical, and, yeah, I just threw it out.

So back to the pattern it was! Originally, I was going to alter the pattern. I didn't want the darts in the front, and it was a size 6. However, the darts aren't so bad, and the sizing must have been way off because it fits really well! (Though I may make it tighter later, it isn't quite as form-fitting as I had originally hoped.) The only thing I altered was making slits up the sides of the dress, which really only meant not sewing all the way to the bottom, and then using a no-sew-hem tape to finish it off. The sleeves gave me the most trouble, they took five tries. I can't really blame myself though, that pattern made no sense! How exactly am I supposed to match Side A with Side B if Side B is twice as long as Side A!? It's madness, I tell you! Madness!

I have yet to detail the dress at all, but considering I have a ton of time to do this, I intend to do as much detail as possible. I also need to alter the neckline. The picture I'm going off of shows diamond cutouts on the chest, but I'm starting to lean toward a simple V-neck instead, to better mirror Link's tunic.

The dress is also technically not finished in that it's not hemmed. At all. Well, the slits up the sides are hemmed because they had to be in order to match up with the seams. Currently, I'm kind of linking the unfinished look, and it doesn't look like the edges will fray, but I don't want it to look like I was lazy either. If I do hem it, I'm going to use the no-sew-hem. Not because I'm lazy, in fact the no-sew-hem can actually be more difficult sometimes, but because I don't want a bunch of stitches showing. At least not non-decorative stitches.

The hat took about half an hour, including making the pattern and cutting the fabric. It was quick and fun to make, and my machine actually cooperated with me throughout it, which was a pleasant surprise. The part that took the longest was hand-stitching the details onto the sides.

The shoes, tights, wig, and boots were all things that I already had. I also have a fairy in a bottle, which I made for a friend a long time ago and he never used. The wig is the wig that I bought for Pikachu about a week before Kin-Yoobi Con, but never used. I decided to tie it back into a ponytail so that people would be able to see my elf ears (which I'm not wearing in this picture).

I haven't really tried on the elf ears yet, and they're just some cheap ones from the Halloween store a couple of years ago, but if all else fails, I'll cover them some with the hair and it'll be alright.

I'm not thrilled with the boots, but as I mentioned before, I don't have money for new boots right now, so unless I find something better for cheap, this is what I've got. They're basically wannabe Uggs in slipper form. But they're so comfy ^-^ Actually, this whole costume is super comfy. If it weren't for the wig, I would swear that it was pajamas, not a cosplay.

Link Hat! (Days 379 & 380)

I have a Liiink hat! I have a Liiiiiiink hat! *dances* It was pretty much a practice hat, though it is for sale for $10. When I make the one for my Link cosplay, it'll be a little different, mostly longer, lol.

I wanted to get fabric yesterday, but it didn't happen... Then I was hoping to get it today, but that's already not going to happen. So if I don't get it tomorrow, I'm gonna throw a fit! T_T I want my Link fabric. I've been in love with it for months and now that I finally have something to use it for, I can't go get it! RAWR!

Day 378

So, of course, I'm back to not working on anything. I really do want to sew, but I don't feel well =[ Tomorrow I have to go to the California School for the Deaf on a field trip for my American Sign Language. But it's only in the morning, so maybe, just maybe I can work on something tomorrow.

I'm Not Dead! (Days 362 - 377)

Despite my lack of blogging, I'm not dead. I don't know why I've been disappeared lately, but Ah well.

So I went to Yaoi-Con (review coming soon), and it was way better than last year. I did indeed finish my Franziska cosplay before then (at 3 in the morning) and I'm really glad that I did. I got a lot of recognition and a lot of praise. Not to mention one of the funnest photoshoots I've ever had. =] I don't wanna say too much 'cause it should be in my convention blog soon.

So now I'm preparing for AOD and Fanime. (Mostly Fanime) Yes, I've decided to go to AOD, but I'll probably just lobby-con it. Unless my boyfriend and I manage to pull together the panel that we want to do and it gets approved. 'Cause we ain't payin' to get in.

For AOD, I'd like to cosplay female Link (Legend of Zelda). I found an adorable design on VeryDemotivational.com, but I have no idea who the artist is, and I'd like to credit them, so if anyone knows where the picture came from, it'd be great if you linked me to it. I feel a little hypocritical, because, no, I don't like over-sexualized female versions of male characters. I have felt that tinge of disgust and looked the other way when I've seen them. But cosplay is definitely still a learning experience for me. I've learned about so many things, and I've learned to accept and respect so many different and new things, this is just one more thing that I'll have to learn to respect. Yes, the fact that I want to do this is making it more relevant for me to respect, but if that's what it takes, so be it. At least I'm learning to respect it, instead of judging forever.

That being said, I still probably won't like super over-sexualized versions of characters (regardless of gender). There will probably always be a limit, and that's just something I'll have to learn to deal with.

I'm tweaking the design quite a bit, starting with lengthening the dress. I'm going to make it to about mid-thigh, so still short, but not short enough to show my booty >_< The slit up the side will probably come up about as high, to just below the hip. I'm also going to wear white tights under it, for several reasons, mostly accuracy. I'd also like to get some type of gloves, but I'm not sure which kind. I'd like them to be brown and leathery-looking, but the actual design is totally up in the air. I may or may not make the sack shown, it would be nice to have to hold my ocarina in. I don't have money for new shoes, so unless my mom has some that I can borrow (which she just might >_>), I'll end up wearing some little brown Ugg-looking slippers, which are so ridiculously freaking comfortable OMG! I also don't have money for a new wig, so I'll either end up wearing the wig I originally bought for Pikachu or my Chi wig. Either way, I'll pull the long air back into a bun and hide it (and the showing netting) under the hat.

I have some elf/fairy ears that I can wear, even though they're not super accurate (they point upward instead of downward), but unless Spirit Halloween Stores are still open, they'll have to do. For some reason, I really, really want the sword to be a cute little dagger, but that's up to debate right now (let me know what you think!). I will be wearing a bra, though there clearly isn't one in the picture, and so the cleavage-revealing diamonds will be moved up a little higher. Originally I wanted to find and buy a dress, but, haha, pain, green, short-sleeved dresses don't exist (especially in Winter), so I am going to end up making it (bought the pattern today).

I think I'm most worried about the hat, though. I'd like to make it more detailed, like the Twilight Princess version of Link's hat, but shorter. People are already teasing me that I'm worried about making a hat, what with my hat-making business and all... But I've never made a hat like this, there's no pattern for it, and quite frankly, it intimidates me.