Itching to sew...

[ladyofthethread]

Yesterday, ngmaster posted an enhanced version of the photo shoot he did for my formal Terra at Otakon 2006: http://ngmaster.livejournal.com/306611.html I like how nice and bright the colors on my dress came out. ^_^

I’m still helping my mother paint the basement. It feels like it’s taking forever and it would probably help if there weren’t so much stuff down there. -_-

Since that has been keeping me busy, I’ve been lazy and haven’t been working on any little crafty things or getting my stuff listed for sale. I want to get to work on the new Count D costume but I need to buy more fabric first. I might just move stuff around the living room, unroll the rug in there (the room has been messed up since my parents had the windows replaced over AnimeNext weekend) and go back to cutting stuff on the floor. Because we still haven’t worked out the damned cutting table situation for the sewing room. >_<

Might go look for more supplies tomorrow since I need to check more bead shops and one that I’d like to visit isn’t open Saturdays during the summer. I’m still not sure what I’m doing about those pearls. I looked through a bunch of sites yesterday but I’m still not finding any large resin pearls in color; everyone just seems to have the Swarovski pearls and glass ones. There aren’t as many colors but I found these glass pearls which are much better than the Swarovski price-wise. I’d be able to get enough of them to do the long strands for around $20 but there’s still the weight issue since they’re glass.

I also came across something known as shell pearls, which are made from ground up shells. I was wondering how they’d compare weight-wise but they seem to cost twice as much as the already expensive Swarovski pearls so that wouldn’t be a realistic option.

Maybe, I’ll go back to Toho Shoji and ask if they can get other pearls because I was looking at their site earlier and noticed they have like 70 colors of resin pearls pictured although I’ve never seen nearly that many colors in there. o_o Their resin pearls are nicer than others I’ve seen and I’ve used some for jewelry before.

(I realize that the quick and cheap way to solve this bead problem would be to go find some huge bead garland for Christmas trees but I refuse to use something that cheap-looking on this costume. >_>)

Maybe, if I can get some materials tomorrow, I’ll actually be able to start soon. Since the costume is floor length, I’m kind of tempted to make the length adjustable somehow. So I can wear accurate slippers for things like craftsmanship judging and then cheat and wear heels when I’m just wandering around a con because I’m so short. *remembers the photo from Anime North with the pets towering over D* ^_^;;

On the bright side, I did get my purple and yellow theatrical contacts ordered so I should finally have visibly mismatched eyes the next time I cosplay D. The regular color lenses I have now are so unnoticeable that I was able to wear a mismatched pair out on my last fabric shopping trip without any strange looks. And that just confirmed my suspicions about how hard to see they are.

Comments

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

The enhanced pictures are neat! ^^ The dress colors did come out very striking.

Maybe it would be best to see if that store can get the other pearl colors in, and then if they can't, try some of the glass ones on that site?

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Thanks. ^_^

I went by that store to ask about their resin pearls and they only have them in color up to 8 mm when I'm looking for 10 or 12 mm. I normally like glass pearls better but I'm trying to avoid them for this part of the costume because they weigh much more and I'm afraid that so many of them would break my thread. ^_^;;

[novaraven.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad someone is working on cosplay stuff! I've been so lazy lately and my sister is moving out for school so everything is everywhere here! ><

I was also thinking of cheating with heeled boots for my new sofu robe. (won't be starting it till after xmas)Leon is so much taller than me, it's so not fair! But then again, the main reason I keep making D robes is because the slippers are so comfortable for walking around a con all day in. I think I might just live with being vertically challenged. ^^;

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Ugh, it's annoying to have the house all out of order. It feels like it's been that way most of this year with contractors coming in to remodel some parts and all the painting we've been doing. I want this place back to somewhat normal so I can sew again! >_>

Yeah, slippers would be more comfortable. I usually cheat and wear heels with the peacock dress and sometimes the vacation outfit. For the new one, I'm a little worried I'll seem even shorter than normal since I'll have the large collar sticking out past the shoulders on top of my large bones and wide shoulders. ^_^;;

[novaraven.livejournal.com]

That is a good design point. The wider shoulders do make that costume look kinda top heavy. The eye really stays there and it's kinda designed to be a platform to draw attention to your face. I don't know if being taller would do anything to balance that effect tho. All you can do is try to make the shoulder points not much farther than your real shoulders.

There are very few details at the bottom part of the outfit, noone will be looking there so I doubt they'd notice you're wearing heels.

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guess I could make the collar less exaggerated and only have it go an inch or two past my shoulders, like on my Renrin costume. Hmm... Or would having the collar wide make the rest of me seem narrower in comparison? I don't know. I guess I'll have to figure it out when I start working on the thing.

[nerdraeg.livejournal.com]

Photos are lovely, as ever.

Please show us your contacts soon?

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :-) My lenses were delivered yesterday so I'll try to get a picture taken and posted when I have time.

[thimbles.livejournal.com]

The enhanced photos came out so nicely, I love how vibrant the dress looks.

Good luck finding the materials you're looking for!

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :-) I managed to get the rest of my fabrics but I'm still looking for beads.

Cute icon, by the way!

[novaraven.livejournal.com]

This is totally random, but I just learned worldcon is going to be in montreal in 2009. I need to think of something good for it, I'll have a year to plan for both my art and costuming. Any ideas? Their masq literally has the best entries from all over the world.

This year it's in Japan so there's no hope of going, but montreal is at least doable by bus.^^;

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Ooh, not sure. For a big competition like that, I would think something really elaborate and detailed like your sister's Queen Esther gown.

Hmm... Are Worldcons themed? Maybe, you could get an idea from that if there is a theme? Costume Cons seem to be although I assume you're not actually required to follow the theme unless you want to. Costume Con is supposed to be in Baltimore in 2009 so I'd like to go to that since it's finally within reasonable distance from NY. I've read the theme for that year is supposed to be "Vampires, Vixens, and Villains."

[novaraven.livejournal.com]

Costume con always sounds like so much fun. I have no idea how I'd get there tho or what I'd take. It's harder to pack stuff when I have to take a bus, I don't know anyone who'd drive down there. It's kinda discouraging putting so much work into a costume and then not being able to take it anywhere because it can't be packed.

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's definitely more challenging to take costumes somewhere on a bus since you have to be able to fit them into a suitcase and some things just won't do well being crammed into one. I've been discouraged from working on some costumes like that poofy gown I wanted to make because of the transportation issues. -_-

I've never looked into Costume Con that much since there's never been one close enough for me since I started cosplaying. I looked up a list of past locations and the last time it was even in the northeast was 2000. So, I'd like to make it in 2009 since it could be a long time before it'll even be near me again.