29th July 2013: Scarf 100% Here is the scarf in daylight with the LEDs sewn into place! Since this photo it has been sewn onto the cloak - I was intending to have it detachable via sew on poppers, but they aren't terribly big and due to the heaviness of the LEDs and battery pack, I could see it coming off =__= so it's sewn on permanently more or less which will make packing fun XDD

I've kept the edges frayed, as the tutorial said to do so, as the scarf is supposed to show some wear and tear from the journeyyy
haha I made a funny

29th July 2013: Scarf - 99% 99% because I still have to sew the LEDs in place and sew some snap on poppers so it can be attached/detached from the cloak! (unless it's too heavy then I'll just sew it on)
Will get better photos when it's daytime but for now, have a nice test shot in the dark of the LEDs inside the scarf. I wasn't sure about them showing up through the satin as well as the glyphs, but my friends on FB gave the opinion that it looked fine as it was so I'm sticking with it, can't afford to spend more time finding a different method anyways! :P

29th July 2013: Scarf - 60% This was taken earlier today! After cutting out the various lines, and glyphs, and then cutting out the glyph shapes into the base shapes...and then ironing them all onto the satin using heat n bond....

It looks really pretty, especially far away XDD up close you can see how uneven the lines are, whoops

28th July 2013: Bodysuit - 100% shoes - 100% scarf - 20% So yesterday while I was at Hyper Japan Stiltzkin-ing it up, mine and MangaGirl's bodysuits arrived! I've tried mine on and it fits alright and does up at the back, yaay! Always a bonus XP
The bodysuit has covered feet, but no head or hands, which will be useful as you won't see my hands anyways under the cloak but it means I can hold things easily, and my head won't be covered :D of course I don't really want to run about barefoot, even with the suit covering, so I got some plain white shoes that blend in well, they only had labels at the back which I've cut off XD
So the final stretch is in sight - all that's left is to make the scarf with the LEDs inside and then make or buy a tiny pouch/backpack for the battery pack of the LEDs to go in!

26th July 2013: Cloak and details at 100% After a lot of satin, heat n bond, bias binding and patience (SHE SAYS) and swearing at the sensitivity of the sewing machine foot pedal, the cloak is done! Hooray! All that is left is the scarf, and I am excited to play with that :D :D

25th July 2013: Cloak at 80% Here's the cloak details so far - I've done everything as the tutorial said and will be expanding on the symbols above as per my reference :) I have cut out the gold satin needed for the scarf and I have more than enough.

I am also incredibly happy that I had enough bias binding for everything. THANK GOODNESS I did not want to have to buy more.

The symbols that aren't bias binding are heat 'n' bonded to the fabric. It was peeling off a bit in places but a blast with the iron seems to be keeping that under control. I don't fancy topstitching it all =___=

Next will be the rest of the symbols for the cape, and then the scarf with LEDs! *__* also my bodysuit has been dispatched along with MangaGirl's red one, so I will be able to do a full test shot soon!

24th July 2013: Fun with symbols *gibbergibber*

Ok so this afternoon I sewed another line of bias binding onto the cloak, and then reached the point where I had to use the heat and bond.

I have some gold crepe-back satin, it's not the same shade as the bias binding, but oh well. I ironed some heat n bond to one side, and have been cutting out the symbols that will be ironed on. I'm hoping I won't need to topstitch these on as there are 34 little buggers and I can't bear the idea of topstitching them all....but we shall see. I started cutting out the squiggly symbols and will finish cutting them out tomorrow then hopefully will get most of the cloak details done! :D

24th July 2013: How I made the mask The main mask template was used from the tumblr blog I got the symbol and hood patterns from (link is further down journal), and MangaGirl had resized it for her own mask. Luckily it was the perfect size for me, so I used it to draw on some Worbla, which I then shaped with a hairdryer. It was my first time using Worbla and I am very impressed!

I had some thin black cotton which I then stretched over the mask. I smothered the edges with PVA glue as was reluctant in using too much hot glue, and then stuck the cotton over so it was smooth and no wrinkles at the front. Then glued the edges round the inside of the mask, as well as cutting and gluing round the eyeholes. I then hot glued some white chiffon into the eyeholes, as well as some gold bias binding into the circlety pieces. I then sewed some elastic onto the edges to go round my head securely when under the hood!
(yes you can sew through worbla, although I used a leather needle to keep it safe so I would advise that)

17th July 2013: Cloak at 30% I've cut out the cloak, it's a 3/4 of a full circle skit (this is only half, the quarter isn't pictured - I'm doing the triangle details before I construct it together.

The cloak is made of white cotton (so it will wrinkle like a bitch, yay) and the triangles are made of grey polycotton so since this photo I've pinned it all to the cotton so the edges aren't shown. sobbu

16th July 2013: Working out the hood Such joy such joy

I'm using this: http://turnonred.tumblr.com/post/22304756914/okay-that-took-forever-im-sorry-heres-the
Which is a resource post containing a tutorial and PDFs of patterns for the cosplay. It's come very helpful especially with the symbols, which I have cut out ready to use as patterns once I get to that stage.

So I foresaw the hood being the difficult part of the cosplay, so I started that first. I have a ton of scrap material so made some mock ups. The first time, the pattern was weird and it was too narrow and didn't fit me right, so I reprinted out the pattern but bigger, and it fits a lot better. In fact, once I've made the mask and seen how it fits with that on, I will probably be taking it in a bit as it slips back really easily atm XDD;;

Once I've made the cloak, I'll cut the hood out for reals so I know how much fabric I have left.

28th June 2013: In progress! This is technically in progress now, as I bought some gold crepe-back satin for the symbols which arrived today! I also have some bias binding leftover from Dilandau that I intend to use for the trim and symbols :) I also have some black cotton and white chiffon to use for the mask, which will be made from Worbla provided by my Traveller buddy MangaGirl.

We will be wearing bodysuits under the cape to keep the illusion |D