Cosplaying NYR

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I'd like to take a break from cosplaying this year, which is actually ironic seeing as I've only started late last year. However, after attending two anime cons, buying a cosplay and cosplaying, started making my own, I realised the effort and money put into this. On the first and only time I cosplayed, I immediately fell in love with it and I'd like to continue this but not this year. I'll spend 2013 saving money to buy materials for cosplay, tickets for cons and airfares for interstate and overseas cons.

Of course, I'll still continue to work on Project Asuna this year but it will be a slow process. 

Project アスナ || Stockings hunting

So yesterday, when I went out again I spent an hour looking for white leggings/stockings to no success. I prefer with reinforced foot but even even without I didn't find any at all. I have a feeling I won't be able to buy one, unless I buy it online, until winter when they become 'trendy' again, or probably when fall comes. I'm truly  regretting not buying the very pretty one I saw at Forever New a couple of months ago but that's Pre-SAO Era so nope, didn't buy it.

As for any progress... Actually, I can't find the red skirt I've been (or rather, supposed to be) working on @_@.

Anyway, I just realised I haven't posted any picture of what exactly I'm trying to recreate so here:

screenshots from SAO episode 2 (Floor 1)

hmm, these days. Honey-coloured contact lenses are the closest thing I think.

credits to crunchyroll.com

Project アスナ || the Wig

I finally bought a wig! and it's pretty cheap too (well, in my opinion, it is cheap). I'm expecting it to arrive on my Parcel Locker next month. So excited.

However, I still haven't made any more progress with the skirt as life likes throwing things at me literally.

じゃあ！

Cost spent: $14.99
Total cost (so far): approx. $50

Project アスナ || Materials

• red fabric (skirt)
• pins
• red zipper
• red thread
• skirt clasp
• buckle
• white fabric (shirt)
• red bias tape
• gold/ dark yellow-ish bias tape
• chalk
• dark red/maroon fabric (bolero/cloak)
• red suede/velvet boots
• white leggings/stockings
• white thread
• ...there's more to this list and I know it T_T

Project アスナ || First Interlude

So yesterday, I went to the city to get bubble tea and sun block (braving the raging hot summer of 39 degrees Celsius). Not wanting to waste the forty minutes I travelled just to drink my beloved drink that I've missed so much, I decided to look for bits of Asuna's cosplay--red suede/velvet boots and white leggings/stockings. Guess what? Not a single store I've been to, not Target, not BigW, not Forevernew and any shoe store had white stockings (it's either black or skin tone) nor boots, the latter being understandable as it is the middle of summer here in Down Under. I just hope by the time I finish Asuna's overall cosplay that I've acquired the appropriate footwear.

Contact lenses, I might order it soon but I still have to confirm the color of Asuna's eyes though I'm almost certain it's honey. 

As for the wig, I'm going to order it from eBay next year before Animania or GC Supanova (whichever happens first)

Unfortunately, I haven't done any progress to Asuna's skirt at all.

Added to materials list: gold bias tape

Cost spent: $0

Project アスナ || Days 3 - 7

November 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 2012

Technically, contrary to the title, I've been working on Asuna's skirt for two weeks (give or take). Sadly, I don't have the luxury of time despite being in summer vacation and being jobless. I am still a pretty busy person, not to mention, easily distracted. There are fanfictions to write/read, friends to catch up with, house chores to do, tumblr, Facebook, etc.

I can probably also blame my lack of sewing skills and the fact that I am hand-sewing the skirt from start to finish to the slow progress of Asuna's skirt.

As I feared, the skirt was too long and too big and numerous adjustments had to be made. And adjustments are annoying, especially after sewing the hems by hand for hours. I watched several how-to-make-pleated-skirts tutorials in YouTube and reviewed Sword Art Online episode 2 twice (not that it helped much as the skirt is just plain) to make the pleats. 

Pleating was not as difficult as I thought it'd be but I did pin and iron as I went (even slightly burned a finger by carelessness). The pleat sizes are measured but they are not perfect. 

Then I managed to stop by Spotlight to buy skirt clasps and zippers (bought two, just in case). $11 in total, making the total expense to so far to be ~ $36.

After pleating was the waist band, and it was a little shorter than supposed to be but I'll manage somehow ;) [you know, my optimism and confidence astound me sometimes]. The front part of the waist band has been sewn before I randomly decided to apply the zip, seems okay so far and I hope it will continue to do so.

Anyway, as of the moment the skirt is nearly finish. All I need to do is to finish sewing the waist-band and make the waist adjustable, insert the clasps and strengthen the stitches.

Here's a picture:

Project アスナ || Day 2

10月　14日 2012

Garment: skirt

Cut the fabric for the skirt today but I think it might be too long. The two fabrics didn’t match by width too, but I’m not really worried about that.
I’m worried that it’s too long so I might have to do it high-waist.
Pinned them together and sewn them. Hand-sewn and it took me twenty minutes to finish the whole 25 inches. Gah. I don’t think I’ll be finish my March at this rate.