Construction Details:

I picked this one initially on a lark, because I wanted another cosplay where it didn't matter if I couldn't conceal the dark circles under my eyes completely. Helps that Koumyou is awesome, though. :D

Easy stuff: tabi and zori were purchased. Sash is a tube of black fabric. Veil is three pieces of edge-hemmed white fabric. Jeans were an old pair hemmed up.

Shirt and armwarmers are black nylon/lycra swimsuit fabric, which gives the sheen Minekura seems to draw that stuff in. They were my first experience in sewing stretch fabrics, and in that respect I'm rather pleased. They're also very, very warm. T_T

Robe is cotton/linen (the same stuff I used for chemise!Kanzeon, actually), lined with the same. It is ridiculously comfortable and surprisingly heavy. There are magnet pockets invisibly sewn in on the upper chest for affixing the rakusu; the magnets can be popped out when it's not being worn. I went with standard kimono-style sleeves rather than the weird ones Minekura uses to match D's Ukoku.

The rakusu was one of the more time-consuming (but interesting) pieces. My objective was to make something that would break down so I could take it out of state, and this one breaks down quite small. Each dangle was cut from craft foam and had a hole punched into it with a leather punch before being heat-shaped; the crosspieces those assemble into are also punched craft foam, with a piece of wood glued on to stabilise them. The top band also has a piece of wood on it. They attach to vertical bars (also craft foam) with industrial velcro; the verticals have a metal plate on the back to affix to the magnets. All craft foam pieces received multiple layers of Modge Podge Hardcoat and a single coat of wood glue to stiffen them prior to gesso/paint/sealer.

Sutra is ghetto because I didn't have time to try calligraphy. It's printed cotton bleached paler and green cotton sateen, with handmade bias binding sewn closed by hand.

The crown is probably one of my favourite parts; it's made from resin, five panels cast and shaped while still not fully cured. One cured, the panels were bevelled and then attached to an inner band of craft foam before being painted and sealed. It attaches with a single comb through the wig mesh, though I need something else to keep it from rotating when I bend my head.

Wig's a Godiva in 24, cut down severely in front for the bangs. (The bangs themselves need clean up -- they wound up frumpy -- but I'm otherwise happy with it. Ukoku may be blamed for the hairtie used.)

Sorry, you must be a registered user of and logged in to view and add comments. Either log in or register now!