21st February 2012: Braid Oh...my...god after this is finished I am NEVER doing a braid for Rapunzel AGAIN! Seriously... dont even think about asking me to do one again... haha!

I've started work on the braid for Saturday and for Disney on Ice/future princess parties and I'm NOWHERE near completing it in my opinion. I keep looking at it and thinking "oh god it could be so much better" but considering how short the foam is I've done my best.

I still have more wefts to add to it to cover the foam some more, and then I gotta hot glue the wefts onto the foam so its well covered, then I gotta hot glue the flowers onto it. Because the foam is so short the braid has become a mix of the film version and the park's version of it. See photo attached.

Seriously.. I'm needing so much luck with this, to make it look good enough because right now I'm not entirely sure if I like it.... I'm just hoping that once it's finished it will look better than it currently does. The photo at the side shows the disneyworld park Rapunzel and the way the braid is and the images on the sides is my wig... so I'll be going with the film version of the braid (hows its braided up top) and going with the park version with the longer bottom and shorter braid... hope this makes sense!

20th February 2012: wig Oh my... so I've entered Rapunzel into Hyper Japan's COSParade and as I wanted to braid the blonde wig for Disney on Ice and the foam batting arrived the other day, I've decided to spend the next three days braiding the wig in time for Hyper Japan and Saturday's COSParade.

I found all the flowers I bought for when I wanted to braid the wig today and found the rest of the spar wig I bought for the extra wefts, so I'm going to get some skin colored tights, cut the foam into three pieces, roll it up, put them in the tights, sew them about half way down the wig and braid the foam with the main wig. Then with the spare wig I'll use it to cover any gaps there might be, and to wrap a few wefts round the bottom of the braid and to thicken up the little bit that you get when you've finished the braiding... i guess you can call it the little ponytail bit??

WISH ME LUCK!!!

18th October 2011: Cape So something I totally didnt plan to do, but when I found great velvet for really cheap in a market today, I decided to buy 3metres of it so I can make a cape with a hood for Rapunzel, so I dont have to worry about trying to find a jacket at home that will remotely go with my costume for travelling and when I get cold outside.

The velvet is gorgeous quality considering the price (£3pm) and with the 3 metres I got, I have plenty to make a cape and a hood whilst having the fabric doubled over so its velvet on the under side and outer side. I'm not going for the coronation cape she wore with the faux fur trim, but going with my own design as I think Punzie wearing a hooded cape would be utterly adorable, and also its historically more accurate (think Mother Gothel's cape).

10th October 2011: outfit complete!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!! *lets off streamers and poppers and fireworks and lanterns* HAPPY DANCE!! *Boogie*

Oh yeah, this project is now complete!!!!! I'm so happy- cant ya tell!? LOL! There's two TEENY TINY little bits that I need to alter but they're so minor its like a 5minute bit of work that isnt too bad to be honest. Though I do have to sew up the hole thats somehow appeared in my left sleeve over night. But its all on the seam line of the sleeve so its a case of just re sewing it up.

But yeah, I'm so proud of this costume!!! Now I'm uber excited to wear her with my contacts and wig and my little Pascal safety pinned to my shoulder!! I still got the other side of the flag to finish off but again, its minor... lol

Now to buy some lanterns!! BUt the costume is complete..so its being moved from in progress to complete!

6th October 2011: shoes So after finding my dark pink shoes I decided to use for Rapunzel to save on money, I still ended up buying new shoes today for her. XD go figure!!

I wasn't going to bother though, but considering they ended up being in the sale for £3 in Primark and they are pretty much the same shade of lilac as the shoes Rapunzel wears in the parks (just a matte mesh instead of shiny) I thought I'd get them.

So the picture in the 'gallery' is the picture of the shoes I will use for Rapunzel when travelling to expo and walking around inside. I did also buy some toeless skin coloured tights to wear for photos so I can still be shoeless and "accurate" whilst being comfortable too.

30th September 2011: wig Okay... wiggy wig wig!!

So As you most of you know, I WAS planning on doing her mega braid for practicality, yet when I was doing a dummy run braiding it today after I wefted half of the wig I really hated how thin the braid looked and when I placed the flowers on it, the braid got rather hidden and well.. MEH!

Also, the smaller braids I bought to sew into it have ended up being a completely different shade of blonde to the wig and dont go what so ever! So I can't use them, and I hate the thin-ness of the braid once the wig braided. It just doesn't look right for my liking. Also it's beginning to be really darn heavy, so with the braid it would have left my head before I knew it!

So with all this in mind I have decided to not do the braid for the time being and leave it long and flowing! I'll just have to make sure I got my wide toothed comb with me and gently run the comb through it throughout the day. On the up side though, the bangs have come out PERFECTLY!

30th September 2011: Contacts arrived So my contacts have arrived!! I love the colour! Although they're a one tone coloured contact, but as I got a lighter shade of green compared to my Yuna contacts, I think over my dark blue eyes they will still look quite natural and animated at the same time. Which if it looks how I see it in my head- will look great!

29th September 2011: Petticoat and contact lenses So this morning, I managed to get a pretty good white petticoat with a lace trim already sewn on at the bottom for £5.75 and free postage, so I figured whilst I have the funds, I'd buy it. It also means I dont have to panic about getting one at last minute and it possibly not turning up!

I also bought some green contact lenses from www.coloured-contact-lens.co.uk with a case for £12.43. I've bought from the before (i got my Yuna contacts from them) and though they are really cheap, they're REALLY comfortable for an all day wear. I wasn't expecting to buy them out this pay, but I ended up anyway lol. At least I dont have to worry about them now I guess!

27th September 2011: Polystyrene Head!!! I got a polystyrene head today!!! And for a cheap £2.99!!! Well okay i Lie.... the truth is.. Mom got me the polystyrene as she went out to Penge and found a shop there that specialises in everything wig and hair! So I'll have to add that to the rest of the cash I owe her haha!!

I drew on her and named her Mika after my OC hahaha! Yes I AM that sad! LOL! But it means now, that me and mom have set ourselves Saturday for Punzie wig wefting!!!

Then on 9th October I shall be going to Concertina's place for punzie bodice work to get the grommets put in, and I'll be helping her with her wig(s)! Woop I'm now really looking forward to getting this finally finished!!

21st September 2011: Bodice re work Sooooooooooooooooo because I'm a perfectionist, I have decided to re work the bodice front. ^___^

So I cut out the hook and eye 'panel' fastening and replaced it with a lilac panel to which I sewed in, on the right side and fastened with poppers on the left. So I can put the bodice on a lot more easier now, without so much faffing around with hook and eyes. ^____^

So because of this now, it will be easier to now add in the grommets (when I eventually get to Concentina's place or vise versa) and will be A LOT easier for the lacing to sit in the front whilst looking A LOT more accurate!!

I also managed yesterday to get the sleeve motif completely finished! WOOP WOOP!

19th September 2011: shoes So I was really debating with this, but I decided I will wear shoes for walking around inside Expo as it's super busy on the Saturday and will take them off for outside and photos.

Now I did think about looking to buy lilac shoes but to be honest, I'd rather plough my money into the wig, SOOOOO as I was doing a clear out in my room the other week, I found my old vibrant pink flats I used for Princess Ai (as a backup pair for when my feet hurt!) and decided as a way to save money I will use these shoes.

Now I know they're not perfect by means, but at the moment the saving of money is a lot more important to me than accuracy.

14th September 2011: braids and flag (aka prop 5) So I managed to buy some blonde braids today from Primark! I got 5 braids for £4.50 which was good me thinks!! I figured it was easier to buy already made braids and sew them into the wig, than it was try and make several small braids in a 60" long wig as well as the big main braid!!

I also started the other day, a flag (the one she gets in the Kingdom Dance scene!) as I was bored and thought it'd be a cute little prop to have around for photos! I just stitched two pieces of fabric together (makes it look like a pillow case!!) and I've drawn free hand the sun logo onto one side (will do the other side after I've painted the first side)!!

9th September 2011: WOOP! So today I was a busy bee and I managed to get the skirt COMPLETE!!!! Soooo that means now, that a part from the sleeve motif details that need painting (gonna wait until we've used our bog roll so I can use the inner tube to stuff the sleeve whilst I paint it) and the grommets in the main bodice, the outfit is pretty much complete!!

So now it's the waiting game for my wigs to turn up so I can style the beast before expo *fingers crossed*!!

One thing about the skirt though- I'm NOT going to ad the inside panel detail as to be honest it will be too much on my skirt. I had to lighten my purple fabric dye so it would show up on the skirt (see latest photo) and because of this, the inside detail would just look too busy and heavy on the fabric of the skirt. So no inside panel detail for me!

7th September 2011: Stuff! Yay my stencils turned up this morning which I'm over the moon with! One of my mates has already told me when I'm finished with them, she'll buy them off me haha!!

So tomorrow I'm gonna head over to Croydon and buy some purple fabric paint, so hopefully by the weekend I can start painting the skirt design!! I've got to re hem the skirt though, as after I cut out the lining, it took the hemming out, so back to sewing first, THEN I can start painting the skirt! WOOP!!

Ooh the other day My mom found a light tan satchel at her work, that she got me, to use to put my wallet and phone in at expo. It's no where near movie accurate but to be honest, I'm NOT going for movie accurate, but I figured with it being tan 'leather' it will at least blend into the costume enough to pass. ^_^ See photo to the left.

I've also very nearly finished the bodice!! I just got to add the grommets and lacing then it will be 100% complete!! EEEE I'm getting really excited now for this to be complete!! As the sooner I can get the costume finished, the sooner I can work on the wig when they arrive!

4th September 2011: BODICE WIP 2 So I got the bodice like 85% complete now. I've sewn on the two different coloured lace trims around the top and bottom and added the 6 buttons down the centre of the back panel.

With the back panel- Rapunzel's is a sheer fabric but to save on money as I've spent crap loads on the wig and stuff, I've used the same cotton fabric I used for the main bodice itself. Yet I've sewn it on in a way so the main bodice edges stand away from the panel so it looks two seperate pieces.

Now I have the sleeves to draw up and make, sew them on and get a friend to help me do the grommet eyelets down the front as I dont have the strength in my hands to do them myself.

Since trying on the bodice so far, I dont know if its just because i'm not that well at the moment and rather bloated or not but it's giving me a really bad figure and the boning is all over the place down the front centre. So I'm gonna see what I can do to make it fit me better and make me look better- at the moment I look like I have no waist at all which isn't flattering in any way. *sigh*

3rd September 2011: more stuff!! So today has been a good day for material buying!!

I managed to get into Bromley to the Saturday market where there's always a haberdashery stall. So when I went, i first looked at the buttons and they had the perfect pink buttons for the back of the bodice, then I walked round and saw perfect pink ribbon for the puff part of the sleeves, AND all the lace in white and pink for the main part of the bodice!! All for under £3!!! BARGAIN!! ^___^

My two wigs got shipped 2 days ago as well, so I got a tracking number for them so I can keep up to date with them and hope they arrive with plenty of time to have for styling the beast! Also my stencil for the skirt pattern from Kiggi from cosplay.com also got posted out today!!

UPDATE: I'm also looking and watching on a petticoat with lace trim on ebay but Im waiting to hear from the seller on how long it is as it's hard to tell the length from the picture

Will update with a photo of all my its tomorrow ^_^

16th August 2011: Stencil for skirt pattern Oh my gosh, I'm really proving lucky with this costume I can barely believe it!!

Not only have I got someone on CI doing my crown for me, but a lovely girl called Kiggi on Cosplay.com is going to make a stencil of the pattern on her promo skirt for me and ship it to me!!! All because I cant get the right one already made or afford to buy all the materials to make my own stencil!! She has the stencil plastic stuff already and she is going to help me out by making it for me so all I need to fork out for is the fabric paint!!

She's from the states but I'm so lucky to have met (virtually) such lovely disney cosplayers from over there that they would help me out with this costume!


As for the skirt, I've managed to stitch the elastic into the waist band so it fits MUCH better in my natural waist where it's meant to now, so I'm quite happy with the progress. I'm just going to have to cut out the lining as it's caused the bottom edge feel a bit stiff and kick out now I've hemmed it with wonderweb. Ho hum!

9th August 2011: continuing work and crown So I managed to get my thread through the post today and at 4:12pm I began sewing the bodice up!

I managed to get the edges sewn up and 2 panels done on one side, which took me a grand total of 2 hours hand sewing *sigh* Now I'm sitting here on my laptop, watching Tangled on it XP! I just want this costume finished already so I prance around in parks and stuff hahahaha!!

Oh! I also bought for 50p in Primark today a braided hair piece made out hair extensions to be one of the smaller braids in the wig, it may not match the wig but really looking at Punzie's hair its very multi-tonal so it will work for my liking ^_^ Also it was 50p so I thought "why not!?"

Oh! Also a lovely kind soul (katsarayuki) has agreed to make me her crown for October Expo FOR FREE! I'm so thankful to her I really am! ^____^! If she attend october expo I'll be sure to buy a drink at least for all her hard work!

UPDATE: Just bought some costume kids tights for her sleeves for 3.99 as its the best I can find as I looked EVERYWHERE today and couldnt find anything in stores...

17th June 2011: work has begun!! So I cut out a panel from the base bodice so it's accurate and hemmed it up so the boning would stay in place. Woot!!

I only began Rapunzel properly now because after finishing Ariel today, I got bored and still in the mood to sew like a mad woman! I couldn't find where my mom had placed the lilac bed sheet for the bodice, so all I could do was get the back done which took me like 15 minutes lol. I'm hoping I can get moving with this over the weekend or something so I still have something to focus on. ^_^ It all began when I watched Tangled yet again today and I reaaaaaaaaaally wanna prance around in this costume doing the kingdom dance lol!

Piccies will be up shortly!

23rd May 2011: Bodice So I was talking with mom earlier today whilst watching Tangled (yes I got it today on blu-ray! HELL YEAH!) about what I thought to cover my base bodice with. And she turns around and tells me I can use her flat sheet from her bed covers as they're the perfect and accurate shade of purple and she'll buy herself a new one so it saves me money on materials!!!

WOOOO! So it looks like I'll be able to make a proper start on this costume a lot earlier than I originally thought I would! *cue Flynn style "YAY!"* I've decided also that as the base bodice will be covered, I'll have no way of getting the top on and off SOOOOOOOOO to make it wearable I'm going to put in an invisible zip in the back of the bodice so the front lacing is purely for decoration so to speak!

Oh the ideas are flowing now!!

x

28th April 2011: Pascal! and costume I finally got my hands on the rare plushie Pascal!!! I am one very happy person! So now when my costume is complete I will feel it's properly complete due to having my little Pascal the chameleon! XD!

Also, when I've finished my Ariel wedding gown I will be making a start on the skirt part at least of this costume as then I will have the time and patience to work on it without worrying about any other costume XD

11th February 2011: Base dress The base dress I bought the other day has a lighter purple lining underneath it and I only noticed DOH! But I will use that for the middle panel of her skirt!

Also, as it's backless I'm thinking of keeping the top part of the dress on it and just make the bodice to go over it so it creates a back for it, and I get that gorgeous darker purple panel showing through the lacing in the middle of the bodice just like Punzie's!! Cant believe I didn't think of this before really! XD!

9th February 2011: RapunzaHair I figured out how I'm going to do her 70ft of hair into that thick plat!

I found a 48" wig from cosplaydna on eBay for £20.50. So when I get round to it after my holiday I'll be buying 2 of them, and use one for the wefts of hair and add them into the other one (the one I'd be wearing) which will hopefully extend the wig and give me more wefts of hair to do individual smaller plats, then I'll be platting the whole thing together into the huge plat! Then I'll have to add fake flowers into the hair and hey presto! RapunzaHair!!