Yuuko Ichihara - Shawl #10

selfie on the way to the Cosplay Photoshoot
(no lipstick yet)

On February 18th, 2020, I went back home from my friend's place, knowing I wouldn't have time to finish Hokuto's Mad Hatter costume on time for the Cosplay Photoshoot, so I needed a back-up plan. I was making this Yuuko costume, as a more casual and comfortable costume, in case I have a job at events, and need to move around a lot. So, I went to Caldas da Rainha's street market, held every Monday, and bought a black length of fabric to make the outer skirt for this costume. The seller didn't have anything I really liked, but I got a sort of grosgrain in black, way too thin and too shiny, but very cheap. It will have to do. Back in Lisbon, I quickly went to Domingos & Nogueira to get the D-rings, and my mom gave me a button, for the closures. My mom is my button supplier :'D she has boxes of buttons, both from old clothes and from my granddad's store.

February 18th to February 20th, I spent hand sewing the skirt.
First I cut the purple fabric in half, still half painted, then I finished painting the "front" half, and added the black butterflies. Then I sewed the side seams (salvage to salvage) with a running stitch, and folded the top to make an elastic casing. I didn't hem it. I would, if I had the time, after I finished the black skirt, but I didn't.
Then I cut the black skirt (I had previously made the patterns), sewed the side seams with a running stitch, made a folded hem all around with an invisible stitch, sewed on the waist and tie (all one piece), and the D-ring loop, added a button hole and the button, and there it was.
This is a two layered asymmetrical skirt. The inner purple part is a simples rectangle skirt, gathered (maybe in the future it will be pleated) at the waist. The outer is a narrow A-line in the back, but the front has two asymmetrical panels, they are a wider and a narrower rectangles, only tapering a little at the waist, where the waist band doubles as an overlapping closure. The inner part, attached to the narrower panel, buttons on the opposite side, and the outer part, attached to the wider panel, has a long tie, which ties at the D-rings, about 10cm lower than the waistband, on the side of the narrow panel.

The costume is definitely very comfortable and easy to wear, although I was always fixing the shawl. I'll have to pin the shawl to the sweater.
I don't have any decent photos from the Cosplay Photoshoot meet. I'll take some when the costume is properly finished.

+ I managed to hand sew a calf length double layered skirt in 2 and a half days!
- naturally the result is sloppy, I didn't hem the purple skirt at all, and had to pin the skirt to my underwear so it would stay in place.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Keep searching for a nice fabric for the black skirt and redo it. Properly finish the purple skirt and find a way to attach it to the black skirt. I'd also like to find a nice ribbed turtleneck, to add the lace to the collar and cuffs. The one I wore is very old and worn.

[written in 30.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #24

wide satin ribbon for the waist elastic casing

I folded wide white satin ribbon in half, lengthwise, I cut it the width of the waist, plus seam allowance, and top stiched it at the border, encasing about 1,5cm of the skirt's waist in between.

+ A quick and easy way to make an elastic casing.
- Using this method, there's a risk of the sewing machine not catching the back half of the ribbon, especially if you top stitch near the border. But it didn't happen here, all fabrics are thin and stiff.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Thread the upcycled leggings elastic inside the casing.
Make a scalloped embroidered hem.

[written in 30.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #23

marked the frill, and gathered

I marked a line at about 15cm from the bottom of the skirt, where the frill is going to be. Then I gathered it on the line, to almost the same width of the waist.

topstitched satin ribbon on top of the gathering

Then I top stitched narrow white satin ribbon on top of the gathering, trying to have even gathers.

+ It's a skirt and frill 2 in 1, with no additional seams.
- I was a bit sloppy on the frill gathers, one of the sides looks nicer and poufier.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Take the elastic from old leggings and repurpose it for the skirt.

[written in 30.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #22

glued the fusible interfacing to the collar and cuffs

I ironed the fusible interfacing to the collar and cuffs. I hate this stuff, I don't know why I opted to use this, maybe because it's the only woven interfacing at the store, and because it's quicker. Still, I made a huge mistake, I cut the collar in the taffeta on the bias, and I cut the interfacing on the straight grain... I just hope the collar won't get wonky in the end.

sewing French seams

Then I started sewing the skirt, with French seams, which, in Portuguese, are called 'English seams', haha!

I also started sewing the shirt. First I sewed the bosom darts, then the side seams, with French seams, the same for the shoulders. Then I start the sleeves, the seam with French seams, and the cuff. For the cuff, first I sewn bias tape, from the same fabric, where the opening will be, and cut the opening. Then I make a small pleat on the opposite side, and then I sew the cuff to the sleeve. Later I'll finish the bias tape at the opening by hand, for a neat finish, and sew the inside seam of the cuff also by hand. I could do an invisible stitch at the machine, but I prefer doing these by hand. If it were a more casual shirt, I'd probaly top stitch it. Finally I sew the sleeves to the shirt's body, and make a zig-zag stitch on the hem, so it doesn't fray.

+ The skirt is easy, and French seams help make a neat finish on delicate fabrics.
- I really dislike fusible interfacing, it tends to unglue after a few washes, and this one didn't want to glue to the fabric. Besides, I cut the collar interfacing on a different grain to the collar, that's a tailoring mistake I hate making. Things tend to get wonky if you make mistakes like this.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Sew wide satin ribbon, folded in half, lengthwise, to the skirt's waist, to make casing for the elastic. Mark and gather the frill, and finish the gather with narrow satin ribbon on top.

[written in 30.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #21

skirt pieces in taffeta

At my friend's house, she has a big dining table, which made it very easy to draft the skirt. Although it's a 1/2 circle skirt, because it's very poofy, gathered both at the waist and above the frill, I simply drafted a large 1/4 circle for the waist, and then adding the skirt length, drafted a bigger 1/4 circle for the hem, using the total fabric width.

I didn't draft the bloomers because, as I feared, I don't have enough fabric.

+ I had a nice dinner table and space to draft the skirt.
- I didn't iron the fabric first, I should have.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Start sewing the white taffeta pieces.
Because I don't have enough fabric for the bloomers, which I also want to be as puffy as I can make them, I'm going to find a similar fabric, even if it's cheap lining taffeta, and make the top part of the bloomers, hidden by the skirt and the petticoat, in another fabric.

[written in 30.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #20

the hat's cut pieces

Without any changes to the original draft, I cut the hat's pieces in the grosgrain. The hat has: 2 pieces for the brim, 6 pieces for the inside head support, a strap, in 2 pieces, 2 big crown pieces, and one top circle.

the felt inner structure
+ brim interfacing in denim

I cut a cylinder out of leftover stiff felt, from Yuuko's butterfly brooch, and interfacing for the brim, in leftover denim, also from last summer's loot.

hand sewn inner cylinder

Then I hand stitched the inner cylinder, which will both be the structural layer, to add height to the hat, and double as a purse.

In a way, Pedro's idea of a purse inside the hat, helped me figure out a structure for it. Definitely a great idea!

+ I'm glad I was able to use leftovers from my stash, for the hat's innards.
- I'm still rooting this will be balanced and work, once I put stuff inside the hat.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Go back to the buttons.

[written in 29.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #19

the hat mock-up

Sewn the mock-up in the burgundy cotton, I put the hat I based the pattern on on the bottom, because there's no inner structure in this mock-up. I also put an empty yoghut bucket between both hats, to give it height. I'm very happy with how it turned out.

+ In times like this, when stuff works out on the first try, I'd like to pat myself in the back. I'm good at this patterning stuff!
- I see no negative point in this.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Take the mock-up apart and use the burgundy fabric for the purse's lining. Cut the hat in the cherry red grosgrain.

[written in 29.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #18

hat paper patterns

Back when I got the grosgrain fabric, I also met my friend Pedro, who works in Campo de Ourique. While excitedly telling him about my lucky purchase and my cosplay plans (it was at a costume party at his place, I debuted as a cosplayer, with Black Lady, from Sailormoon R), looking at the hat, he suggested, "why don't you make a purse inside the hat?" I've been thinking about it since, and I figured out how I'm going to make it, because it's a great idea!

The hat base pattern I took from a hat I own and actually wear a lot. The inside of Hokuto's hat will be built like my hat, in a six part dome, with a zipper in the middle. The brim will be wider, and turned up, of course. Maybe I'll add some wire to keep it in place. Then the crown is a big upside down cone, gathered at the top. There will be a stiff felt structure inside, to add height to the hat and will be the "purse" part. I'll also add some ribbons to the side, to double as ties and a purse strap.

+ I think it worked fine, we'll see when I make the mock-up.
- I really hope all this weird hat-purse will work out in the end.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Make a mock-up ASAP.

[written in 29.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad Hatter #17

cut gloves on the bias, in the burgundy satin

Busy day, but I still could cut the gloves, which is something easy to do on a small table. Besides the previously patterned pieces, I also cut a number of strips, also on the bias, to go between the fingers.

+ I cut the glove pieces on top of my table, and used a white marking pencil to trace them. This is my usual method for doll clothes.
- I didn' do much more.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Draft the hat next.

[written in 29.11.2020]

Hokuto Sumeragi - Mad hatter #16

shirt pieces in the white taffeta
+ the collar and cuffs interfacing

Meanwhile, my friend Elsa invited me to spend a few days at her place near lisbon, in Caldas da Rainha. She offered her brand new sewing machine, so I can finish the costume. I don't think I'll have the time, but I'll try.
So, facing the possibility of having a sewing machine available for a few days, I decided to draft and cut what's missing, , except for the shoes, I can take care of the shoes in about one day.

I cut the shirt pieces in the white taffeta, and also the fusible interfacing for the collar and cuffs.

+ It's a pleasure to mark and cut things in a stiff fabric like taffeta. I'll have a sewing machine for a few days!
- I don't think I'll have the time to finish everything on time for Carnival.

THE CUNNING PLAN
Draft, mock-up and cut everything else, finish making the buttons.

[written in 29.11.2020]