Green top

Is done!  

Not that you would know from these pictures :P

So here it is all cut out with the rather...creative sleeves. 

The tattered sleeve was made by drafting a normal sleeve, then cutting it off about 1 inch or so below the underarm line. I then drew in the ripped look.  I cut out 2 pieces for it and then steam a seamed them together. I learned from the red dress to not do the steam a seam in the seam allowances, it just made for a frustrating sew. I did have to adjust the tattered sleeve once it was in, I wanted it to flip up a bit like the characters did and my pointed down like a regular sleeve.  So I actually cut the tears right up to where it attached onto the sleeve (and then shortened some of the points as they now looked really exaggerated). I plan on ironing them again around my sleeve roll ham with the iron to get the pointed up flip look they have in the cartoon.

The next step after the sleeves were in was binding the front.  Which I did by making a strip and attaching it on. I made sure the strip stayed the same width the entire way around with a hem gauge.

   The top is now completely bound and hemmed and sitting on a chair.  The next step with this costume is to make the holsters for her Sai's and the green strips that go around her lower arms.

Oh also, like I have said, I saved time by going out and buying a belt at Walmart. I did have to take it in (it was a L-XL sized one) but that seam will be hidden by the box in back that holds her collapsible katana's. Anyway, It had silver studs allll over it and a silver buckle.  And hers is all black. I was going to paint them over with my brothers old model airplane paint, but then I read the label that said it contained a chemical that was know to cause birth defects and you know CANCER! D:

Well I wasn't too worried about the birth defect thing, but the cancer part, that runs strong in my family and I didn't want to push it.  I ended up painting them with a bottle of black nail-polish :P  Much less deadly and useful for later!

 I'll update with pictures of the now hemmed coat later, once I am sure the hems are straight and not bubbling :)

Every female Ninja needs a little black shirt?

With the exception of the green banding on the arms, (which will be done once I cut out the green top of the costume to make sure I have enough fabric) Cheshire's undershirt is done!

Yeah, that green banding.

Ouch?

Here are the basic pieces, front back, sleeve and collar. Of course there are 2 sleeves, but my board is only so big.

I did things a bit different this time.  I've been losing my marks and seam lines due to rubbing of fabric (chalk lines) or ironing (tailors wax) and seeing as she has so much detail on her arms and chest, I actually tailor tacked/basted my marks and designs before I sewed it together.  This one is for the center front of her shirt.

I'm not sure the point of these lines on the chest, my guess from an anatomy point of view, is to give the illusion of a collar bone? But whatever....

I must be getting tired, cause I swear this image just blinked. D:

Anyway, these are for the designs on the sleeves.  The three pink dots along the top are to show me where the back of the sleeve is since it looks almost exactly the same front and back. And the lines are my guide for the gray cord.

Tailor tacks are something I learned in tailoring, you just run a few basted stitches in an obvious colour where your notches are to make sure they don't rub off or iron off (depending on what thing you use to mark the pattern on the fabric). Once you are done sewing the garment, you just pick them out with a stitch ripper.

The shirt is all together and awaits the silver/gray lines.

A few hours of hand stitching later with the TV on to keep me sane, we have a shirt!

 I stitched all the cord on with invisible thread, which is a wonderful product, if a bit maddening when trying to find the thread to snip with your scissors. (Its like very, very, very fine fishing line. And in poor light, near impossible to see!)

Now I am going to sleep.  Tomorrow I make the green kimono style top!

We're all mad here. Cheshire from Young Justice progress

I'm starting to get backed up with photos! My goal for this weekend is to have this costume sewn and near completion so I can work on props and my two commissions the rest of the month. So far, so good.

The green waist obi is done.  And the knee guards are done.  And I've saved myself some time by finding a belt  at Walmart that (once I paint all the silver studs black) will work for her belt.

To make the knee guards, I took measurements above my knee, around my knee and below my knee and made a 20cm long tube.  Which I then pulled on my leg:

And pinned it in tighter, since I was using stretch it was of course looser then need be and I needed this to stay over/on my knee with nothing but think thigh-high black socks underneath.

After I carefully slid it off my leg (pins are sharp m'kay?) I adjusted the pins so they were straighter.  Then it was just a matter of zigzag (or stretch stitching) the new seam line and finishing my edges.

The black part (what is that a hole? and applique? I dunno. Some sort of knee armor I guess) I could have done 2 ways: I could have actually just cut the shape into the gray material and used the black of the sock underneath it to form the shape, but that has been done, and I didn't like how it looked.

So I cut out the black shape from some black stretch fabric and with Steam-a-seam I attached it to the gray band for my knee.  I then zigzag stitched the edges around so it wouldn't come loose or look messy.  An easy fix.

I ended up digging out my gator pattern (God, I love how useful this pattern is!)  traced and shortened it to make the gray boot covers she has.  They close on the inside seam with velcro and  I'll be wearing them over my black doc martins for the costume.  I couldn't find a gray in a non stretch fabric that matched the gray I had for the knee guards, so I took a chance and interfaced it with some very stiff iron-on interfacing (use an press cloth!!).  And it worked out great, if perhaps maybe a bit too stiff.

Pictures once the polish on my boots dries. :D


Next update: The black undershirt.

On to the next!

The patterns for Cheshire are done! Now to begin on Sailor Jupiter!


The pile o' paper...is much smaller then normal.

Plus i found a belt at Walmart, which after I paint all that silver black and attach the holsters for her Sai's and Swords will work well for her belt (and save me time!)

Cheshire from Young Justice Progress

Two mock ups down, (the green kimono top and black undershirt for Cheshire from Young Justice) one new sleeve ready to go (the fancier,cut open sleeve for Cheshire from Young Justice) and now on to the collar for the black undershirt. Then time to take in the (much too big) Kimono style top, mock it up again (to make sure it fits/can be sat in).

And here is a goofy picture of me in the mocked up undershirt for Cheshire. I had to test my fancy sleeve.

Pretty good for a gray Thursday.


Oh and gloves and body suit for Sailor Jupiter have been started. I could only find gathered gloves, so I had to unpick the gathering and elastic and sew them back up again!

The Red dress event and wedding are over and so con season begins!

The Red dress event and wedding are over and so con season begins!  Which means I spend my week of vacation hoping for sun and getting a jump on costumes and commissions for the summer conventions!

  First up, Cheshire from Young Justice.  I already have her wig, black socks and Sai's.   I have drafted the green top, the sash and the start of the black undershirt.  The part that scares me the most is the mask.

For a client, I will be making Sailor Jupiter.  I just need a neck and waist measurement and then I can make the costume.

And  also for a client, Red Arrow from Young Justice, actually the brother of the Sailor Jupiter cosplayer.  I am waiting on measurements due to the fact that this fellow is working out to get Roy's body here and he is almost there!

The Heart Truth Fashion Gala 2013

Marlene going down the runway.

 Shows over folks!  The ladies line up on stage to get their thanks and gift.

The very tired designers and models group photo at the end.

Photos (as far as I know) by: Denis Duquette, Denis Duquette ~ Photographer

For more go to  The Heart Truth fashion Gala facebook page!  Or stop by the Fredericton NB  Fabricville to see some of the dresses on display!