Sango Preparation – Weapons and Accessories

Sango has a lot of accessories.  She has her infamous Hiraikotsu, wakizashi, dagger gauntlet, mask, rope, chain, salve, as well as demon slaying poisons, smoke, and paralyzing salve.  Her Hiraikotsu is carried across her back with a strap fastening while her wakizashi is tucked into her belt on left side.  Theses are the two prominent accessories.  Her lesser known accessories are usually hidden away in her outfit.  Her dagger gauntlet in hidden under her right sleeve.  Her rope is tucked away in her right shoulder armor while her healing ointment/salve is in her left shoulder armor. 

Sango holding her Hiraikotsu.

Sango preparing to draw her wakizashi.

The dagger gauntlet in her right sleeve

 

Sango’s mask flying through the air.

 

Sango preparing to throw her rope.

 

Sango releasing a chain to trip her enemy.

Sango’s antiseptic ointment in shell case.

I want to make as many accessories as I can.  So far I’m planning to make her Hiraikotsu, wakizashi, dagger gauntlet, mask, rope, and salve/poison containers.  I’d really like to have a working Hiraikotsu.  I’d be so much fun to play with, but I have no idea how to accomplish that task. 

As for the other props, the wakizashi is easy enough.  I just have to find a convincing sword and decorate it, or I can make my own or commission it.  The dagger gauntlet is the same as the wakizashi/sword.  I might commission this one since I want it to be able to spring up.  I’m planning to make the mask out of craft foam, and I can get the rope at a store.  I don’t know where to get the grip yet.  The salve/poison containers aren’t hard either.  They are simple shell cases.  I’d like to use real shells, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen.

I still have to get most of the supplies for her weapons and props.  I’m thinking of commissioning her Hiraikotsu and dagger gauntlet if I can get the money.  I don’t have to have the dagger gauntlet this year, but I’d definitely want to have the Hiraikotsu.  I’ll know in the next month or two if I’ll make the Hiraikotsu or not. 

Sango Preparations – Fabric and Armor

I found the perfect fabric for my Sango cosplay.  It’s a Milliskin Matte (Tricot), Four Way Stretch in black that can be found here.  It’s taken me a long time to find the fabric I wish to use.  I want to get my Sango cosplay as accurate as possible, even with the sheen.  It’s a very hard sheen to match since it changes from picture to picture.  Sometimes it looks like a matte while other times it looks like a gloss.  Personally I like the matte look better.  It won’t glare so much and will have a better effect in photos.  I’m going to send in for a test swatch of my top three fabric choices to double check my decision.  I’ll the fabric know for sure in about a week or two hopefully.

Now that I’ve found the fabric, I have to focus on the rest of the cosplay. I intend to use the same fabric for her boots as the leotard so I just have to get souls for the boots.  As for armor, I’m thinking of using pink vinyl atop craft foam.  Craft foam is easy to use as well as inexpensive while vinyl should have the right feel and look to it.  I don’t know what I’m going to do for the silver/gray edging around the armor yet, but I’ll figure that out as time goes on. 

I haven’t decided what fabric to use for her ties and collar edging.  I was thinking of using red satin or silk, but I haven’t priced that idea yet.  I also need to get the pattern for the leotard.   Overall, I think the pattern is going to cost the most.  I’m planning to use Kwik Sew 3052 as my base pattern.  Kwik Sew patterns almost never go on sale and cost at least $9 for one pattern.  Yikes!  The pattern is worth it though because I can use it for other spandex related projects in the future.

Whom to Cosplay

The vexing question of whom to cosplay ever looms in the cosplayer’s mind, of which I am no exception.  The more I cosplay the more difficult I find it to choose whom to cosplay.  My most recent dilemma is between two of my favorite characters.  I adore both equally and am having a very hard time deciding which one to cosplay first.  It is inevitable that I will cosplay both. 

I am forced to choose between Raven and Sango for my fourth cosplay goal for 2011.  Raven is from Teen Titans the animated series while Sango is from Inuyasha.  I must either choose Raven in her white outfit from episode 52 or Sango in her Demon Slayer outfit.  To make it worse, I like both of the outfits as well.  Though Sango is winning a bit more, I am in a quandary. 

To help with my dilemma, I have created a poll.  It is on the right hand side of my blog under my profile and will be in effect for a month (until February 11th).  You, as the reader, can vote on which option you would prefer.  Now like any good cosplayer facing the huge decision of whom to cosplay would, I have included pictures of both characters at the bottom of this post. 

Raven

Sango

Cosplay Goals for 2011

Every year I set goals for myself and my hobbies.  Cosplaying is no exception.  A day ago I realized that I forgot to outline all of my cosplay goals in my previous post “A New Year, 2011”.  So I’m going to go over the goals I mentioned in the previous post and add the rest of the ones I forgot.  Mind you, these are not New Year’s Resolutions, these are just goals that I hope to accomplish for cosplaying this year. 

First on my list of goals is to make at least three new acquaintances this year.  This can be at cons, the fabric store, or on my way to a photo shoot.  Either way I want to meet more cosplayers and costuming enthusiasts.

My second goal is a singular goal with multiple sub goals that correlate to whom I will cosplay this year.  Granted some of my cosplays will not fit into one of the sub goals, but the goal of this goal is to make new cosplays, learn new skills, and have fun doing so. That said, here’s the next goal, its sub groups, and possible cosplays that correlate to each.

Second on my list of goals is to make at least four to five new cosplays.  Notice I said at least.  Knowing my love for sewing I will probably exceed this goal by the year’s end.  To make this goal easier to attain I made sub goals for each cosplay.  These sub goals will make it easier to choose cosplays as well as help me learn new sewing and cosplaying skills. 

My first sub goal is to make a cosplay that utilizes at least four intermediate to advanced sewing techniques.  I chose this goal because I want to learn more about said sewing techniques.  I want to get better at sewing since it is the basis of most, if not all, cosplaying.  I already have my cosplay chosen for this sub goal and have gathered most of the needed materials.  It is Maria Ross from Fullmetal Alchemist. 

 

My second sub goal is to make a cosplay based on a literary character.  I chose this goal because it is an adequate challenge.  I don’t know for sure who I’m going to cosplay, but right now I’m planning on Countess Meliara Astiar from Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith.  It’s one of my favorite books and Mel is one of my favorite characters.  Since there is no artwork in the book, I’ll have to design an outfit for her if I choose to cosplay her.  I only have tentative plans on this goal, there are no pictures to share at the moment.

Third, my sub goal is to make a cosplay that incorporates some kind of armor.  In addition there have to be two types of armor used.  I made this goal more complicated because I want to try my hand at the new armor techniques I’m learning.  I’m anxious to see how I’d do at making foam armor though I haven’t got the second type of armor making process worked out yet.  I’ll decide the second method to use after I choose the cosplay to base it off of. 

Fourth on my list is to make a cosplay using fabric with a moderate to high spandex content.  This is were Sango and Raven come in.  I have to decide between the two for whom is going with this goal.  Though now that I think about it, I could just use Sango for goal three and Raven for goal four.  That’s perfect! 

So for goal three I’m going to make Sango from Inuyasha in her Demon Slayer outfit.  I’ll use the foam armor for the body armor and shin guards and a different type of armor for the shoulder, elbow, and possibly knee guards. 

 

I might even make her kimono if I have the time and money. 

For sub goal four, I’ll make Raven from Teen Titans Animated.

Now that sub goal three and four are taken care of, I’ll continue.  

Sub goal five is to make a cosplay with a newly learned skill that does not apply to the rest of the sub goals.  I chose this goal because I wanted to use one of my new sewing skills I’m learning, machine appliqué.  For this sub goal, I chose to make Akari Mizunashi from Aria the Animation.  I’m working on her currently. 

My last sub goal is to make a cosplay from a modified or self-drafted pattern.  Knowing how to draft patterns is a very helpful skill to learn since most cosplays don’t have prescribed ready-made patterns.  Right now I know how to modify pre-made patterns.  For this project I chose to make Sophia Forrester’s Vice Captain Uniform from Last Exile. 

 Depending on how long I have till cons and fair, I might use Vorfeed from Lost Universe for this project.  I’m already working on Vorfeed, and most of what I’ve made is from a modified pattern.  It will be a while till I am able to make fully original pieces without the aid of an outside pattern source.

Now that my second goal with all its sub goals are fully explained, I’ll move on to my last goal.

 

Third on my list of goals is to attend at least one new con.  It is an ongoing goal that will continue till I either I stop going to cons or run out of new cons to attend, which ever comes first.  Either way, I am excited to see what cons I’m able to attend this year.  There are three local cons that I know about so I’ll stick to the local cons this year.  It should be really fun.  I can’t wait to debut my new list of cosplays too! 

Thank you so much for reading this humungous post. 

Costume List Update

Lately I’ve been watching a few new anime and of course my cosplay to do list grew, a lot.  Hehe.  What can I say, I like to sew!  ~^_^~  I’ve been watching Inuyasha, Sailor Moon, and the new Gundam Seed.  There are lots of awesome outfits and dresses packed into those animes.  So expect to see additions to my already long list of cosplays for the remainder of this year and the rest of next year.