A Maid Costume? or An Anime Cosplay Fix

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

This next craft project is part of the preparations for a special event,  Phoenix Comic Fest (formerly known as Phoenix Comicon).

It’s next week and it’s fun to wear something special for conventions, cosplay or otherwise.

That brings us to the costume.  This costume came from another lucky pack.  It’s sold here at Bodyline and it is supposed to be a maid café uniform from the anime series, Love Live. 

It is kind of both a lucky and in-lucky piece, here’s why.

Underneath the gold necktie (which is a little too gaudy for my tastes) is only two buttons.  You should be able to unbutton the collar and pull it over your head, but even when unbuttoned it is too small to fit over most heads.  That includes mine.

And beyond that issue, there is the matching headband with the large gold bow, also not quite my taste.

And this odd pair of gloves.  They are intentionally designed to fit only part of the way on your hands.  It probably looks cute on an animated character, but not so much in real life.

Anyway, you’ve seen the before…

…And here’s the after.

It looks so much better, mainly because now I can actually put it on.

Here’s how I did it.

First, obviously that collar had to go, because the convention is a family event.  Top-less maids are not appropriate.

After cutting of the entire collar part, I also temporarily removed the sleeves.  I found that the top was a little big on me at the shoulders, so I needed to take off about an inch.

After re-sewing the shoulders and sleeves, I added lace to the new square-ish neckline.  Then I added pink grosgrain ribbon along the edge with little matching bows. 

I added ribbon neck straps too, these look so cute when tied around the neck.

I also added some ribbon on the cuffs of the sleeves.  Everything matches!  :)

Now for the skirt.  Obviously, with all the pink used on the top the gold trim on the skirt had to go, so I carefully removed it with a seam ripper.

This revealed the odd way they hemmed to skirt.  They folded the fabric on the right side and used the ribbon to cover the raw edge.  I’m not sure what to think about this.

Anyway,  I just went with the flow and covered that raw edge with my pink ribbon and added lace along the edge of the skirt.  Now the skirt matches too!

Now on to the headband.  Obviously the first thing to do was remove the bow using my seam ripper again.  But that left it a little too plain.

I just added two rows of lace across the headband with a row of pink ribbon in between.  All that was left was to add a pink bow.  Much better.

And the final change was to add some pink ribbon to the apron to help tie it in with the rest of the outfit.  I thought about adding some small bows too, but for now I’m okay with this.

Here’s the updated list:

• Dress makeover
• Doll undies
• Cameo and Hearts
• Blouse makeover
• Phone case
• Outfit
• Mother’s Day
• Costume fix
• Jammies
• Bonnet

Seven down, three more to go.  The next one may go up later than expected thanks to the convention and certain other blogging issues.  But it will be really cute, so look forward to that!

Read More »

Sailor Moon Gashapon Toy Unboxing

It’s up a little later than I had planned, but it’s finally ready.

My Sailor Moon gashapon unboxing!

For those who don’t know, a gashapon or Gachapon is a capsule toy from Japan.  Like the tiny toys you see selling for 25 or 50 cents in those little machines at grocery stores. 

Kind of like that, only much better.  They are usually better quality and with a wider variety to choose from.  For more information about them, check this video from Only in Japan.

Anyway, as you saw in my Comicon haul video (see Phoenix Comicon Shopping Haul and Grab Bag Opening), I received several gashapons from my grab bags, all Sailor Moon ones. 

Since opening them was so special to me, I chose to make it a separate video.  And now you can finally see for yourself.  Be prepared for a couple of surprises.

Enjoy the video!

Read More »

Phoenix Comicon Shopping Haul and Grab Bag Opening

Continuing on from my Phoenix Comicon 2017 video, here is part 2.  The shopping haul!

All the cute and/or unusual stuff I bought at the vendors hall.  Mostly grab bags, I can’t resist them.  One part surprise, one part bargain and full of fun.

Enjoy the video.

Here’s links for some of the items:

• Victorian Folly
• J-Box
• All About Books and Comics

I will be posting the next video soon for the Sailor Moon gashapons.  Look forward to it!

Read More »

Phoenix Comicon 2017, Yay!

Well, it’s been well over two weeks since I went to Phoenix Comicon. 

I was busy with other stuff (work, that darn craft list, etc.),so I couldn’t quite find the time to post this.

But finally, I finished making this Comicon video.  It’s short and sweet.

Enjoy!

And I will be posting more related videos soon.  Look forward to it!

Read More »

My Trip to Phoenix Comicon 2016

I know I mentioned that I was going to Phoenix Comicon this year (see Sailor Moon? No, Just a Uniform), but I never did say anything about how it went.

It’s hard to put such things in words, so I actually made a short video of it.  Here is just a small taste of what it was like.

Now that you finished that, I thought I should give a few more details, at least about what I brought home.

You saw the grab bag I got at J-list in the video…

…and the random stuff that came out of it.  Now what will I do with it all?

The train shaped food tray will probably be fun for lunch and stuff.

I’ve gotten a lot of use out of the travel mug.  I fill it up with green tea for early mornings.  Nothing like tea in a cute mug to brighten the day.

I haven’t yet used the leek pen, but it will come in handy.

I’m afraid the DVD titles aren’t very appealing to me.  I may give them away or take them to Bookman’s.

I’m sure this clock thing will be useful as soon as I figure out how to use it.  I think it’s really cute, but I kind of have the urge to whip out my glue gun and add bows or something to it.

The bento t-shirt is adorable, one can never have too many t-shirts.  And if I don’t wear it as is, I could turn it into something cute.

Here’s a better look at the tag.

And this is the strangest thing right?  I was surprised it was a Sanrio character.  That’s right, the company that brought us Hello Kitty also created Kirimi-Chan.  A character with a giant salmon filet for a head.

And this is a giant inflatable pork chop for you to wear on your head, because one of Kirimi-Chan's friends is a pork chop.  I’m not sure what to do with it, but I kind of want to keep it just because it’s hilarious.

Now the cute stationery set.  I wish I had thought to ask the vendor for a business card or something.  All the stuff they had were so cute including this set.  I’m still at that stage where it’s so cute that I can’t use this stuff for fear of ruining it.

When that’s over, I will probably use the cute bear pencil like crazy for drawing and designing.  The pen would be great for jotting down notes, especially in the notebook.  It’s perfect for shopping lists and such.  The eraser is perfect because one can never have enough, and I can use the pouch to sort out these and all my other pencils and stuff.

Overall, it was super fun and hopefully next year will be fun too. 

Read More »

Sailor Moon? No, Just a Uniform

Now finally, the last project on my craft project list.  This one was necessary for an event that’s happening this very weekend,  Phoenix Comicon!

I have been going every year for the pass few years wearing some of my pretty dresses each time (see Catching Up - Conventions Anyone?), and I wanted to make something different this year.  What special item did I sew for this year?

A school uniform.

A sailor style one to be exact, seen all over anime and manga and a classic for cosplay.  Plus they are super cute even for everyday wear.  To make mine I used multiple resources.

My main source for inspiration was this video tutorial for making a sailor style top with a t-shirt.  This instantly made my task easier.

Instead of using the pattern from the video, I found a great free pattern for the sailor collar here.  It came with a a sleeve pattern too for a Sailor Moon/Sailor Scout costume.  Whatever, it works great for this.

The fabric I used it a dark blue poly poplin I got at SAS.  I decided to use poplin because of how well it worked for all the purple bags I made before (see Purple and Lace).  I chose dark blue because I thought it was more versatile than my first choice for color, pink.  Still I may try that in the future, wouldn’t that be adorable?

Anyway, the collar is ready to sew!

  I found this cute video tutorial for making a pleated skirt made by the same person who made the first video.  It helped a lot, at least for the pleating part.  I did my own thing for the zipper and waistband.  The piece I cut for the skirt is approximately 14 inches by 60 inches.

Just need to pin the pleats (I had to do it over cause they went crazy on me)…

…and add a zipper, waistband, and hem it…

…then make the collar with ribbon trim…

…deal with the cuffs, add accessories, piece things together and then…

…It’s done!  Looks great all put together.

The bow on the front came out a little bigger than I expected, but I think it still looks good.

Plus if I change my mind about it later there’s no problem.  It pins on.

The collar came out well too.  It is only attached to the top at the back.  The front ends can be unhooked to make it easier to pull on and take off.

The cuffs were tricky because not only did I have have gather the sleeve slightly to sew them on, but I forgot to add the ribbon trim before sewing the cuffs on.  I sewed it on by hand afterwards. 

I couldn’t make up my mind whether I wanted the ribbon along the bottom of the cuff or the top end.  I guess it looks fine like this.

And to complete the look I made simple little bow hair clips from scraps of fabric.  I have a ton of this blue poplin leftover, will they be more uniform style outfits in the future?  Only time will tell.

Here’s the updated list:

• lining
• patterns
• lace
• pins
• scraps
• fabric
• supplies
• uniform

Eight down and out.  All that’s left is Phoenix Comicon and a little surprise afterwards.  Look forward to it.

Read More »

Catching Up – Conventions Anyone?

Last month I went on my usual yearly pilgrimage to that most sacred haven for those of us who are truly passionate about our hobbies and interests.

Phoenix Comicon.

This was my third year attending, and probably the best yet.  Of course this was mostly due to proper planning.  There were plenty of things to do to make this year successful. Some of the things that helped:

• Bringing food and water – My friends and I packed bentos the night before, both so we wouldn’t have to pay outrageous prices for the food there and because it was just more fun.
• A Parasol – This is a must for me. Since this event is always in the summer in Arizona to boot, and since there are some events that are outside, it helps to have portable shade such as an umbrella or parasol.  Plus a parasol matches my outfit well.
• A fan – Because sometimes having shade isn’t enough. It helps to have a portable breeze too.  I found a pretty floral print fan at SAS for about $2 for this purpose.  Works great and still matches my outfit.
• A cute tote bag – Even if you go in traveling light, you probably won’t leave that way especially if you stop by the vendors hall.  I had a cute Hello Kitty foldable shopping bag for this.
• Pen and notebook – It does help to have something to write with or on. Good for jotting down info from a panel or writing notes in the guidebook about what you want to do.  Even getting contact info from new friends.
• A sweater – The paradox of Arizona summers, blistering heat outside, frigid air conditioning inside.  I kept a pink cardigan in my bag just in case, and I did use well.
• A sewing kit – This came in handy the night before, you’ll see why.
• The Padawan Room – This is something I found in the guide. A special room setup for families with small children to relax. My friends brought their adorable now 6 month old baby boy this year, so this room was indispensible for us.

And of course what really helped was extra planning on outfits.  For starters…

…dealing with this one.  My friend asked me to make her this dress to wear.  It’s made with a cute print featuring Super Girl, Bat Girl, and Wonder Woman. Perfect for Comicon.  It ties at the straps both to make it cute and to make it easier for my friend to feed her son.  And of course it has pockets, she loves those.  The problem came when she tried it on the night before.  It somehow ended up a little too big for her.  That’s why dress rehearsals are necessary.  I had plenty of time to take it in for her. In addition to the dress, I made a matching tote bag and…

…accessories! Hair clips and wrist bands.  The wrist bands help with the super hero theme. 

Now here’s what I wore.  It has an A-line skirt made from a pattern I drafted myself and the bodice came from a pattern for a top I really liked. 

It has lace running down the front seams and across the neckline as well as along the scalloped hem.  The look is complete with a wide ribbon sash as the waistline and match ribbon bows.  It was super difficult to decide on a color for the ribbon, especially with the strange color of the fabric.

Funny thing about the dress, it’s known as my “Spring Dress”.  I had originally planned to make it as my Easter dress, but didn’t finish it in time.  I was literally working on it the night before Easter Sunday.  I decided then to just wear something else, since staying up all night to finish was possible but sleep was more important.  I eventually finished it and that’s all that matters.

Of course I had to make some accessories to match.  Here’s the pretty head band made with the rest of the ribbon as well as some eyelet lace and a couple of faux pearls.  I had some trouble because I couldn’t remember how to make ribbon roses.  I managed to figure it out, after much trial and error.  The pearls were a bit of an after thought, but ended up being absolutely essential.

Here’s a worn shot taken in a hotel restroom, classy I know.  You can see that I also made a couple of faux pearl bracelets and a necklace to complete the look.  I layered the necklace with my cameo necklace for a shall we say dressier look.  I actually also added a vintage pearl broach to my headband for the same reason.  Lots of pearls that day.  I was wearing a pair of simple lace gloves too.  I got them at SAS a few months ago and have worn them several times.  All that wear caught up with them and one of the fingers busted on me, which is why I’m just wearing the bracelets in the photo.  It pays to have extra accessories on hand.  It came in handy while getting dressed that morning too.  I had packed a lot more accessories and extra shoes and socks just in case my first choices didn’t work.

Enough about clothes, time for some goodies.  There were tons of stuff to see at the vendors hall.  Of course I didn’t leave empty handed.  From Dark Horse Comics I got a free comic from Free Comic Book Day, a cute poster, a mini-pin and some information about their scheduled events.  Super practical.

There was this artist who made these cute mini-pins he was actually giving away for free while selling his prints.  I actually had to ask because I found it so surprising.  Anyway, his pieces are really cool and some of them are so cute.  You can check them out at his website at www.thebeastisback.com.

One the biggest surprises, while I was wandering by myself I found this booth that had cute baby and kids t-shirts that I knew my friends would love for their son.  I let them know where it was, and while I was waiting for them a woman from the booth just gave me this necklace.  She commented on my outfit and said this would probably match something I own.  It’s true, with a little altering this would look perfect with several of my dresses.  Of course I thanked her and my friends showed up and bought several of the cute t-shirts.  Sadly I couldn’t get a business card or anything from them.  Pity.

Now for stuff I actually bought.  I have a thing for grab bags.  The mystery of what could possibly be inside, at bargain prices no less, plus the surprise when you open it.  It has definite appeal.  Of course they can be hit or miss.  This first one was mostly and miss for me.  Everything in it was orange, orange is probably my least favorite color.  There’s a pair of fake glasses, an interesting crown head band, a panda hat and a duck shaped silicon change purse.  That last one is actually pretty cute. The rest I can either sell or give away as gifts/prizes.  Hmm, do I smell a giveaway?

The second grab bag was a definite hit, it was also the least expensive one so a real plus.  It was wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper and said it was for girls.  Inside was a MLP mini-tote bag, a keychain from an anime series I don’t quite recognized, a MLP pin that is probably fan made, and a tube of Lip Smackers lip balm.  Super cute!
Overall this was a super fun con, and I can not wait until next year.

Read More »