Starting the Sword (Posted 27th April 2009)

So I have to make the sword within 3 weeks.
NO PROBLEM. :b
I've started with a hollow pole down the middle of two lengths of cardboard. The cardboard has been masking taped together to keep it nice and tight. The first layer of paper mache will be going on tonight, followed by a second covering tomorrow night.

Planning on doing 4 layers. Then it'll be varnish, sand, paint, varnish.
I'm going to use a curtain pully type... thing for the blue bobble on the end. And gold trim for the gold decoration on the handle.

Nearly completed! (Posted 7th April 2009)

So. Now all the painting is done, it comes to the easy parts.

I have to order a wig and make their band once the wig has arrived. ^^ I'm looking forward to doing the final part of this costume. I'm also really looking forward to wearing it and weilding the sword being made for me by Ikkaku-kun! ^^

You can't see on the picture (cause its not from the back) but the back of the shirt is painted with the exact same pattern as the one on the front. HOURS of playing Soul Calibur enlightened me to this detail.

Trousers done - onward! (Posted 25th December 2008)

All the painting is done, they just need some ironing, which won't happen until this costume comes with me in May.
No rest for the wicked though!
Next up is the top. I have to get all the pink lining on the outside done and then paint the patterns. Fun fun!

Pattern painting (Posted 22nd December 2008)

So I've started painting the patterns on.
Started on the trousers as they're the easiest patterns to do. One side is done - three coats of paint and the white is completely white, and none of the blue shows through. So I have to do the otherside now too.
Then its time to finish the shirt and paint the white patterns on in the right places. Which... won't be too hard I think. The patterns are fairly similar on the top and trousers. I'm more concerned about the gold writing on the bottoms of the sleeves. D:

Trousers (Posted 22nd November 2008)

Wow. Doing the trousers was fun.
First I got confused by the pattern, but worked that out fairly swiftly. Then I had to dye them.
I ruined three tea towels and two of my t-shirts in the process, but they look... okay.
The colour isn't perfect, but the dye I wanted to use isn't actually availiable any more. Yet EVERYONE still advertises it. =__= So they're blue-r than they should be. But they look pretty good, as far as I'm concerned.

New top for Xianghua (Posted 19th October 2008)

Last night at God knows what time I started making a new top for Xianghua. The one I had made was made from polycotton and had very little (if any) give in it. I bought some t-shirt fabric from FabricLand a few days before to make boot covers and had a LOT left over, so decided to try making the top from that. I used the same pattern I had as before, followed my typical pattern rules and voila, a new top. Its quite stretchy so it goes on fine. Its off the correct shoulder this time too, and I can make the bottom section and scallop sleeves from left over fabric and re-enforce them with interfacing as they're quite stiff in comparison to the top itself.
I'm going to buy some bright pink t-shirting fabric or cotton for the inside and edge lining.

Shoes (Posted 11th September 2008)

Well, I started painting my shoes last night. Y'know, ten to midnight seemed like a good time.
I've done two coats on the soles of the shoes, and on the edges, and its starting to look okay. I think I'm going to have to mix up some pink and white paint to make it lighter, and it'll probably be about four coats until all the black on the rim and soles is mostly concealed.
Photos soon.