Record of Lodoss War

Hello to the one or two people who might actually read this! :) It's been a crazy year between Senior Project and Graduation, but here we are: 4 weeks to Otakon!

I think I mentioned this in my last post (almost a year ago!), but we ARE doing Record of Lodoss War for this year's cosplay costumes. I will be dressed as Deedlit, and Krell will be Slayn. Deedlit is one of those "dream costumes" for me - Lodoss was one of the first Anime series that I watched, and it holds a special place in my heart.

For reference:

I will hopefully make a progress post tonight or tomorrow sometime. I spend so much time working on the costumes that I leave little time for anything else - even eating. :( Sorry!

Otakon is over, and I apologize for not making any updates since... ::looks:: July 12! So sorry about that... things got crazy, then the con came and went, and then my health just started degrading faster than before. As such, I've spent a lot of time in doctor's offices or lying around feeling sorry for myself.

Anyway, the costumes DID get done in time!!! It's amazing, I still don't really know how it happened. I was up until 3:00am the morning of the con working on Ellen's headgear, which ended up falling apart about 10 minutes after I put it on Friday. I ended up going to the con without it, then attacked it with hot glue and wire later that night at the hotel. I'm happy to say after that it lasted the remainder of the weekend!!

Note to new cosplayers: always, ALWAYS bring your toolbox! We've been doing this for 3 years now and inevitably I have needed my tools at least once a weekend at every con. Stuff inevitably breaks, and it's awesome to have your supplies at the hotel.

If you want to see them, head over to the Gallery page!

Overall, these costumes were mostly comfortable to wear and a few people actually recognized us. Hooray for Folklore fans!! ♥

Progress updates have been delayed because I spend every possible minute working on the costumes... sorry for that! I made a lot of progress Friday and the first half of Saturday (or so I thought), but Sunday was a complete bust as far as I'm concerned. Woke up feeling tired, depressed and just plain not in the mood to put in my third long day in a row. And of course, it showed in the work I got done.

Keats' coat is together, for the most part. Shell and lining are done and joined. However, I apparently am an idiot and the lining is a bit longer than the shell, so now has to be ripped out and re-hemmed, then tacked to the shell. It still needs the decorative leather bits, epaulets and buttons. Sigh.

I managed to get a mockup done for Ellen's skirt. Once I had it on and looked again at the OC art, I realized just how bloody short the thing is! D:

Still on the list:

• Doctor Keats' boots once they arrive
• Finish Keats' coat (buttons, epaulets, hem)
• Finish Keats' vest (buttons, close side seam)
• Do mockups for Ellen's coat, skirt and top
• Make Ellen's coat
• Make Ellen's skirt
• Make Ellen's top
• Boot covers for Ellen
• Style Ellen's wig
• Super style Keats' wig
• Make buttons for both costumes (17 total)
• Make Ellen's headpiece and hair tie
• Make Ellen's "collar"
• Make Ellen's belt buckle
• Doll up Ellen's gloves

... 18 working days to go before Otakon - which breaks down to 6 full days and 12 evenings. My back hurts, my wrists are inflamed and I'm already tired of looking at Keats' coat. But I shall prevail! The Cosplay Demons will not win this battle if I can help it...

Ugh. Progress is not going so well. I hit a speed bump with Keats' pockets, as I have never done inset double-welt pockets. And the more I read about putting them in, the more confused I get! I did find a video on YouTube about sewing in the welts, but nobody seems to discuss how to put the pocket in after that is done. I managed to do a mockup that came out passable, but it's definitely not the quality I wanted. But with only 22 days to go, I have to make it work. At this point, the only thing done is Keats' vest - sans the buttons.

Still on the list:

• Find boots/boot base for Keats
• Doctor Keats' boots or do boot covers
• Make Keats' coat
• Finish Keats' vest
• Do mockups for Ellen's coat, skirt and top
• Make Ellen's coat
• Make Ellen's skirt
• Make Ellen's top
• Boot covers for Ellen
• Style Ellen's wig
• Super style Keats' wig
• Make buttons for both costumes (17 total)
• Make Ellen's headpiece and hair tie
• Make Ellen's "collar"
• Make Ellen's belt buckle
• Doll up Ellen's gloves

Yes, crazy me decided to make buttons for these costumes. Ellen's buttons have a very specific design, so I will be casting them from an original I will be making later this week (I hope...). As usual, my timeline and the timeline that life hands me do not correspond. It will truly be a miracle if these get done in time for Otakon, since I have been feeling like hell for the past 3 weeks (and still have to wait another 10 days to see a doctor). Sigh.

Time to start progress posting!  ^^;  (I won't post photos unless it's something complicated, interesting, or an awesome process.)

Today I managed to finish the mockup for Keats' coat and vest. I got frustrated and didn't sew in the coat sleeves on the jacket, but still got a good idea of how it will fit when it's finished. Thankfully, it doesn't look like it will need any alteration. Yaaaaay!!

Tomorrow's goal will be to try and get a good start on the final vest, then it's off to shop for the fabric for Ellen's Cloak of Midnight Sun. Fingers crossed that I find something this time!!