Progress images

I've been radio silent for a while, but that's because nothing much has happened. But now I'm on vacation for two weeks and trying to catch up with everything.

So, here's fitting the petticoat and bustle on Fluttershy:

Nothing much has happened with this cosplay. I still need to fit the corset properly, but I have a growing fear that I might have to make it again. I'm not happy with the quality of it and it does not fit properly around the bust. I'm still trying to save it, but I'm not sure if I can. Le sigh...... Oh, and feather's arrived for the train. These might cover 1/4th so I need to order more, but I'm happy about their quality so I know where to find more.

Today the lovely Elena came to fit her Rainbow Dash dress and she's utterly gorgeus in it. The fit of the chiton does not need alterations, but I need to make the himation a tad bit longer.

Rarity has progressed more in these past two days than the other two. I have managed to make the corset and the bustle and today I made her a petticoat.

Funnily enough, I didn't take pictures of the finished petticoat....

Until next time!

Rainbow Dash's himation fabric open for sale!

I opened the rainbow patterned cotton voilé on Spoonflower for sale.

I did not alter the colors, because I need to order more of the same fabric for my project. I might do it later.
PLEASE NOTE that the orange and the red are REALLY close to each other, mearly a few shades appart so in bad light the colors blend and look like one shade of red.

Rainbow Dash's himation fabric arrived!

And of course I had to make a test try.

Mostly I'm happy with the fabric. Only things that bother me are a) the red is not very bright, but rather dull brick red and b) I ordered too little. So when my pay comes next month, I need to order a few more yards to actually get it trailing.

Oi, it's Twilight time

Just giving an update.

- Rainbow Dash's tiara has arrived.

- Still waiting for my fabric from Spoonflower.

- Rarity's purple dress fabric has been purchased.

- Corset pattern for Rarity arrived today from Mantua Maker on Etsy.

And the biggest update:

WE HAVE TWILIGHT SPARKLE! REPEAT, WE HAVE TWILIGHT SPARKLE!

Another cosplayer wants dibs into our pony party, and picked Twilight, so it's time for the designing again. Oh joy!

Rainbow Dash's headband

Yesterday I was doing some searching and came across this:

Image from seperwar.

It's pretty close to what I wanted with Rainbow Dash's headpiece to be, except that it's silver. Bronze or copper would have been my choices, but you get what you find. I'm still waiting for it to ship, so I'll make another post of it once it comes.

And yes, I know that in the show Dash wears a laurel, but I just couldn't find a laurel that would please my eyes, so I'm taking an artistic liberty on this. And I did draw the costume plan with her wearing a stephane instead of a laurel. But it has leaves in it? So maybe it could be just said I'm bending the rule a little bit? Yes?

And every girl wants to be a princess in a tiara.

Fabrics

So, I've been spending on fabrics lately. I found a nice bright yellow cotton for Fluttershy's petticoat and I discarded the original idea of tulle, when I found gorgeus white chiffon on sale.

I also used spoonflower to make the himation fabric for Rainbow Dash. Once it arrives and I review the quality, I'll open it up for sale, so everyone who wants to copy it can get it.

But now, onto the canary yellow petticoat! Whee!

Also, I'll be making the final draws on Rarity today so expect those to upload during the next few days.

Chiton progress for Rainbow Dash

I found 3m of thin linen at a ridiculously low price from our local fabric store. The cosplayer has sensitive skin, so I hope the linen I found is soft enough not to irritate her skin. This is also why we decided against wool. There is soft wool in existence, but linen was a safer choice.

Anyhoo, I have gotten the chiton nearly finished. I ran out of thread and need to get some more.
Here's piccies.

The neckline is rather wide, but looks fabulous. I haven't gotten the proper girdle yet, so cotton cord is shown in the pictures. Also I think I need to think a proper way drape the sleeves to the shoulders for the sleeveless look.

Backview. The draping is in the sides. Also, I had to shorten the chiton a little after the picture was taken.

Another front view and detail of the collar. I kinda like the way it's draping over the bossom.

That's about it until I get more supplies.

I also did a few tests on the decorative border of the himation, but no pictures yet.

Finished plans: Rainbow Dash

So, I got the Rainbow Dash plans ready. Probably because it's the easiest one design wise, but I'm sure I'm going to shoot myself in the hand while doing the decorative border for the himation. I will probably never learn to do this so that I don't put in amazing details that that forever to finish, am I?

Oh well, to the plans.

Here's the finished plan. I might have to fix the himation on better, but this is how it's going to look. I asked the cosplayers of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash and they wanted the wings so they were added.

Originally I had only thought about wool and linen for the material, but I'm not sure if the cosplayer can wear those materials. I did find a mention from Herbert Norris's book Ancient European Costume and Fashion, that silk and cotton were imported in small amounts after Alexander the Great's conquests and expeditions. There is also mention to samet being imported from which the nobles paid fabulous sums for it. So, if the cosplayer cannot wear wool or linen, I can use cotton or silk and still be period accurate. More or less. Like I could be period accurate of an ancient Grecian fashion in 2014.... How silly of me.

Anyway, back to the topic.

I did two designs for the decorative border. I have to say I like the #1 better than #2. Both I based from actual designs I found in period style books and flew from there. Rainbow Dash's color sceme is repeated on the border with the addition of black in the #1. Which probably makes me like it. And why is this going to drive me nuts? To cover the entire lenght if the himation, I need to make nearly 6 metres of it. I might need to teach one of my little elves embroidery.

Well, as you can see the pattern for the ionic chiton in very simple. Just a rectangle piece of clothing. Nothing much, simple as heck.

On the himation I took a small liberty. Normally himation is a rectangle piece of clothing, but since in the design the himation is shorter on the other end and sort of trails on the floor, I had to make the lower and sloped. I still feel that I might have to make the short end even shorter. Maybe 110cm will suffice, I don't know, I need to adjust it at some point.

That's it for tonight. Nighty night children! Allons-y!

Planning progress

I haven't scanned anything, but I've gotten the design for Rarity together. Cosplayers of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash have confirmed and accepted the plans, now it's just defining the details and colors, plus hairstyle for Dash and Rarity. Fluttershy is more or less finished and waiting for fabrics.

I'll try and update today or tomorrow. I've been horribly lazy lately and the allergy season is terrible. There's still not that much pollen in the air, but it's just starting here. I might need to double my medication in some point.

I also made some preliminary drafts of Applejack and Twilight Sparkle. As with Pinkie Pie, they are not on the list of dresses that need to be made for the Gala, but I might someday make all ponies and wanted some preliminary plans to start with. Probably another forever project, but it's still a nice though.

Early plans; Rainbow Dash Grand Galloping Gala gown

I thought I'd get this done nice and easy. The period for Rainbow Dash is ancient Greece/Rome, so my first thought was to make it easy as hell. Just a plain white chiton undershirt and rainbow colored himation.

But this plan didn't meet the acceptance of the cosplayer. She wanted something more in the lines of an actual dress. So I did a test try for an victorian bustle dress, because the drapery looked like a pony's tail.

It was a good plan, I just was not happy with it nor was the cosplayer. It was not the correct timeline for Rainbow Dash and it just didn't feel right. So our friend doodled a dress that was more on the lines of what Dash's dress would be.

And since I wanted these gowns to have an actual existing garment to base on, I was happy to stumble onto this dress while doing research. It's along the general lines of the accepted doodle and more-or-less period accurate. So I made more doodles on this design.

I'm still waiting confirmation on wether she wants the long rainbow train or the short.

Getting back to bussiness

Winter is slow and practicly nothing happens in terms of sewing for me. Even with my D-vitamin everyday, I'm still very tired during winter due to the lack of sunlight. But spring is here and summer sewings are about to begin.

What you will be seeing at some point are:
- Abaddon

I found a beautiful wool/rayon blend material to make this dress. Too bad that since the fabric is rather high quality, I'm not gonna pour fake blood on it. So if I want to make the bloody version, I need to find a cheaper fabric.

- Meg Masters

Season 5 Meg. I love this costume and how it suits Meg. I'm gonna go through hell of a time trying to find a suitable leather jacket (because I'm lazy and don't feel like sewing leather).

- My Little Pony Grand Galloping Gala humanized.

I promised a friend to arrange her a big birthday party. Not all the ponies will probably be present, but for now we have confirmation on Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Princess Celestia. There was talk about Pinkie Pie, and I have reference/early scetches of her costume, but then she was discarded. I might publish those aswell as soon as we start making the costumes.