Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #7

knit, knit, knit

When I already had knitted about one skein, I realised the shawl was becoming too pointy... As usual with knitting, I unravelled it and started all over. This time, instead of increasing one stitch on each side of each row, I increased every other row. Now I'm happy with the proportions.

And I finished it! Lookie!

me, as Yuuko, wearing the shawl and brooch,
with Mokona and Mugetsu

+ I'm increasingly very happy with the result, this colour palette looks very Yuuko. It's taking shape!
- I wish I got one more skein to have a bigger width. The fringes took me one whole yarn skein!

THE CUNNING PLAN
Find the perfect skirt fabrics. Cheap.

[written in 27.11.2020]

Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #6

fuchsia thick wool

A while ago, I started following Knitted by Macho Men on social media, a Portuguese guy who knits in public. He made, I think, a scarf, with this bago-de-arroz (seed stitch) stitch. Initially I always thought I'd like to make the shawl in fluffy fuchsia fleece, but it's a bit hard to find it locally, not the chapest fabric (this is supposed to be a low cost, low maintenance and practical costume) in the world, and I kept postponing ordering it online. So, I went to my regular wool shop, Tricots Brancal, which I already knew doesn't carry many thick fluffy yarns, but they didn't have any hot pinks, and a large shawl like this would cost me... a lot. Then I remembered seeing the colour at a "Chinese" shop nearby. I went to the shop, the colour was perfect, a very hot pink with blueish hues, but it's not a nice texture. And it's plastic. What convinced me was that it's not that expensive and if I don't knit it too tight, it will look very nice and fluffy. It's my first time knitting for a cosplay (no the Doctor's scarf doesn't count, I just don't wear it much because it's HOT!).

+ it's the right colour I had in mind and I can make it work. Also looking forward to knit something.
- I'm not a fan of the texture and, in the end, it's not much cheaper than the nicer yarns in the yarn shop.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Knit, knit, knit!

[written in 27.11.2020]

Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #5

pretty butterfly brooch!

Glued the top beaded butterfly to the plain black one and, with a small scissors, trimmed the sides so they're even. Look at it sparkle!

+ I enjoyed this little project very much, it was a good start of the year. I'm glad I didn't go on with the laser cut perspex butterfly!
- It's a bit wonky, and because it's big, it's not the easiest brooch to pin, but I love it.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Still thinking about the shawl... and the skirt (but it's been hard to find a nice black twill and even harder a silky, but not very shiny purple. Ideally it would be kimono silk, but murasaki (purples) are rare and the probability to find some with the seigaiha (waves) pattern, is very unlikely. Not that I don't prowl eBay like a hawk.

[written in 27.11.2020]

Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #4

moar beading, almost done!

Kept on beading, filling the felt with as much gems, beads, seed beads and sequins as I can, matching the background colour. Also sewn the pin to the back of the black felt butterfly, and glued a small felt circle on top to secure it further and give it a neat finish.

+ I enjoy beading a lot, this was fun
- because I eyed the butterfly design, a few parts are a bit wonky

THE CUNNING PLAN
Finish it and enjoy the sparkle. Thinking about the shawl...

[written in 27.11.2020]

Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #3

anttenae, big gems & small beads

Started to sew on the bigger gems and filled the lower wings. Also made the anttenae and sewn on a big black gem for the body.

+ the fuchsia gems look really pretty, I'm liking the effect
- I didn't make the butterfly drawing with the gems and beads in mind, some had to be squeezed in place.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Keep beading!

[written in 27.11.2020]

Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #2

cut butterfly pieces

top cutout layer glued onto the fuchsia layer

I cut three butterfly shapes, two in the black felt, one in the fuchsia. One of the black butterflies has the "eyes" cut out too. I glued the cut out lacy black butterfly onto the fuchsia one, sandwiching some bent in two dark wire, in the top middle part of the butterfly. Let it dry well, until tomorrow.

+ the brooch is big, and it's not a complicated shape. It doesn't need to be very well glued, the beads will be embroidered through both felt layers.
- cutting the butterfly's "eyes" was a pain, precisely marking felt isn't easy neither.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Start beading tomorrow.

[written in 27.11.2020]

Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #1

Yuuko Ichihara, xxxHOLiC vol.3
by CLAMP

COSPLAY ID
CHARACTER Yuuko Ichihara
SOURCE xxxHOLiC manga, by CLAMP
COSTUME shawl outfit from vol.3

 

 

COSTUME BREAKDOWN

• big puffy shawl (fuchsia)
• butterfly brooch (purple?)
• black turtleneck with lace at the collar and cuffs
• belt (haven't decided the colour)
• black asymmetrical skirt, with (purple) underskirt with seigaiha and butterfly motifs 
• black high heel boots (my overknee suede boots are OK)
  

I was in the mood for some small crafting, so I bought black and fuchsia stiff felt, a variety os fuchsia, purple and black beads and sequins, and decided to make Yuuko's butterfly brooch. Most beads were bought at a "Chinese" store nearby and the big one in Martim Moniz. Initially I was planning to make it in sparkly purple laser cut perspex, but I changed my mind. Made the paper pattern for the butterfly.

fuchsia felt, black felt, pink, purple
and black beads, crystals and sequins

Coming from a black and white source, I decided this outfit palette should be blacks, hot pinks and purples, with silver highlights. It matches Yuuko's palette and feels very Anna Sui.

+ it's something I can quietly craft while watching TV, and enjoy the beading.
- felt can become ugly after some wear, I'll need to get a box to store the brooch, and take good care of it.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Spend the next few days beading.

[written in 27.11.2020]