Cardboard Tube Samurai v2: Work in Progress

The costume I'm working on at the moment is for PAX 2009. It's actually a revisit of a costume I did in 2006, but it was so popular (and comfortable and fun) I just had to do it again...

The costume is Cardboard Tube Samurai from Penny Arcade. Appropriately, PAX is the Penny Arcade Expo. I've been reading Penny Arcade (penny-arcade.com if you're amazingly oblivious) since I was 16. For anyone who's counting that's about to be 10 years.

reference pic:


my 2006 iteration:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2504/3695750031_bec1bfd835_o.jpg (hint: I'm not the Gundam.)

It's a simple costume--I'm using a basic karate gi pattern right now with gold ponte for the main. I'd bought black ponte knit for the bands and pacman(s) but it somehow looked really cheap so I've cut out JUST BARELY enough from the black suiting material I used for Lina Inverse's cape. The good news is if it's not enough, black suiting fabric is easy to come by.

I bought an L/XL pattern and have cut out all the fabric. I sewed the gold part of the pants together yesterday, and then discovered that somehow it was not only weirdly short (and I'd added an inch or two to the bottom anyway.) but the CROTCH was INSANE and yes I want Project Runway, shut up. If I haul the crotch up to where it should be the top of the pants is, like, under my boobs. WTF?
So I took the sides in tonight, and tomorrow I'll either cut the waistband down or sew the shirt instead and wait to figure out what I'm going to do about the pants. I think I can cut down the waistband and that'll make them a bit short on the bottom but I'm attaching huge black cuffs anyway, it'll be easy to add an inch or two to the bottom and no one will ever know.

Except you, but you'll keep my secret, right?
~Raiphin

Where to Begin: Rock Star Haruhi

posting about my old costumes got kinda hung up on the one I'm least proud of. We'll get there.

But I'm starting to brainstorm how I'm going to do Rock Star Haruhi for Sakuracon 2010....yes, that's a while from now, and it's a whole lot of design work I'm not familiar with at all. YAY.

The costume looks like this:


I'm using the figure as my reference because it's got the best, most consistant 360 degree view.

Hard parts:
making the guitar look realistic
getting the top to fit right, and possibly comfortably.
making sure the skirt has volume, bounces, and possibly lets me sit down.
finding the perfect tights
finding the perfect jewelry

Hardest part:
keeping enough track of my weight/exercise to minimize belly jiggle.

Already accomplished:
got the wig! looks awesome! But a bit long in the back.
Got the shoes! Need to be red-ified, maybe not as comfy as I need. Look cute though.

more as I think about it!