CUT/SEW

Time for an unecessary, last minute project so I can show off to @heycutsew senpai at Anime Boston this weekend

Senpai notices you <3

Me as Taako at Anime Boston! Patterns for the cape, shirt and hat by @heycutsew. No idea who the Ango or Johann are, please let me know if you do they were delightful!

I’m finally done embroidering my Taako cape and putting the lining on and neatening the entire thing up and I am so proud of how this is coming out, my dudes! The embroidery took ~hours~ over the curse of a few weeks, but really I could have had it all done in one very uneventful weekend. It took three episodes of Freaks and Geeks, four of Party Down, three matches of the Overwatch League finals last night, an entire DnD session (I concentrate better when I have something to do with my hands), and a couple of slow hours behind an artist alley table at con.

The fabric is stretchy, so I messed up the first few swirls, but after that I put a layer of fusible interfacing on the back and it went so smooth and nice. =D

And the lining is a truly obnoxious iridescent fabric that reminded me of the voidfish. Also, if you read What’s Lost, that’s exactly the lining I imagine in Taako’s cloak.

The pattern I’m working off of is by @heycutsew and I love them a lot and highly recommend their patterns. Especially if you’re new to sewing or clumsy and bad and keeping your tissue paper patterns in good condition.

I also have an informal poll for what variety of sparkly sparkly sleeves I’m going to put on Taako’s shirt (right now sheer purple with unicorns is winning) on This Post, so if you want to throw me your two cents, check that out.

And, if you’re a fan of this exact content or want me to embroider more costumes or are very excited about how much work Padme will be or enjoy reading What’s Lost (And honestly guys, Reaper Taako AU. What’s not to like?), consider Buying Me A Coffee. I’ll write you a drabble or thank you very loud and send internet hugs and also keep making all of this in my basement. Which is like… Pretty great.

And on that note, I am putting myself directly to bed. Goodnight, all! Thanks for checking this out!

Chao Kigurumis WIP

This weekend was full of busy, but I did a lot of great drafting for BOTH the Hero Kigu and the Dark Swim Kigu for myself. The pattern was a @heycutsew kigu but it required edits for my liking. the hood was not nearly big enough, I added 3″ to the front. We’re not using elastic on the arms, and instead making mittens! On top of that the legs are REALLY tight (and the short for my almost 6ft husband) so I added like another 6 inches all around to the bottom so that I feel like my legs had more room.

The other edits were done to make space for the different pieces that dont match the original pattern. New eyes and mouths made on the hood so that I can digitize my embroidery machine for them. Tummies were moved about, a back pattern added for his, and I made little horns for my hood! I actually used packed and molded saran wrap first, covered it in tin foil as a cover, and then another layer of wrap with painters tape to give me a pattern I can cut and figure out how to flatten out for my hood. I did that also for his ears and my tail as well.

The weirest thing I did was try to figure out how to do the spike ball. There wasn’t a fur fabric that matched my color, so I decided to try to brush out some yarn to make a poof ball I could spike like hair. The first issue I faced was that the yarn I picked out was fragile as hell, and the first ball I made was 3X too large. Making little spikes too ended up being a pain, so I have a ball I’m happy w/ for now (even if its still a little large) Maybe in the future I’ll revisit it. 

The universe is telling me that I need to get back to work on my Taako costume with these perfect sparkly boots on clearance that match the embroidered cape I was working on.

You are hand embroidering the edge of an entire cape?! holy crap dude that’s amazing!!  What size cape is it, is it like a full cape, or a half cape, or a capelet?  i cant tell if there already are beads on there but have you considered adding some to add even more extra magic sparkle? Dude how are you keeping it even, I wouldnt be able to do that if i had a grid there.  maybe if i had outlined where i needed to stitch before hand.

What kind of fabric is that, it looks fairly thing but not transparent, and i love that sparkle.

Those boots will look amazing together with that cape too, do you already have a plan for the rest of the outfit, or are you winging it with whatever fabulousness you happen to find?

are you going to add anything onto the boots?  like i’m kinda imaging some silver rope or chain or something making a tied anklet on the boots themself, with a few beautiful purple beads hanging from the knot.

are you gonna line the inside of the cape with something to keep the underside of the stitching from showing?

Ok! I’m going to try to answer all of your questions, if I miss one let me know. =D

The pattern is this:

So it’s not a super long cape and it’s only one shoulder. Luckily not a whole lot to embroider, I’ve just been lazy but I need to get my hand sewing chops ready for my Padme Amidala mistake I’m starting after Taako is done. The pattern is by @heycutsew and it’s licensed so it’s official McElroy stuff and I’m pretty sure Justin wears this costume on stage at live shows. They also have a hat pattern that I’m going to use for my Taako hat. (I talk a LOT about how much I love this company and one of these seasons my application to be a rep will be accepted….)

The fabric I’m using for the cape is that sparkly purple outside with this voidfish looking monstrosity on the inside:

It’ll be a lot and I plan on looking like a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper that somebody found at Good Will and covered their body in.

I’m also using this fabric:

For probably that apron thing and part of the hat. It’s kimono fabric that my good good friend brought me home from Japan literally 12 years ago and I never used. It’ll be loud and too much and perfect.

For the shirt I’m thinking a plainish color with sheer sparkly sleeves?? No idea for leggings yet. I sort of like the ones in the picture and I could make something like that, but I used a similar legging for my Lup costume and I dunno, they’re very different characters despite how similar they are? I guess we’ll see.

I also have a Taco crop top and giant sunglasses for when I don’t want to be in full costume but don’t want to peel off my ears and it’s time to party at DragonCon.

I’m keeping the embroidery straight by….. Not. It’s guesswork and swirly so when I’m off it’s ok. But I do draw the design on before I start stitching so I have a road map.

Annnnd it’s a stretchy fabric. “Hey Meaghan. Don’t embroidery stretch fabrics. That’s a bad idea.” Yeah, I know that now. But I’m committed now so I’m gun a throw some fusible interfacing on the back and hope for the best.

This looks amazing and we demand photos when you’re done.

Photos from wearing Nils out in the harbor at MAGfest last month!  That’s right. IN, as the harbor was still frozen out a bit Saturday, so we walked probably ankle-deep on the slush and ice for photos with the amazing Maison Hikari 

My favorite part of this costume was making the tunic.  I used @heycutsew‘s Tunic + Hood, and just lost the sleeves and hood, making the already super easy and clear pattern… even easier.  All my work in progress photos for Nils are on Instagram

I made this sweet sparkly space wizard hoodie for Cut/Sew’s ( @heycutsew) rep search contest, so keep your fingers crossed for me! My next Too Much™ project is their Taako pattern. He needed an embroidered cape. Obviously.

Pssssst we have a kigurumi pattern and it’s made for beginners!

I made a hoodie from a @heycutsew pattern I got for a gift!