Misao costume

Need help with sewing techniques, or making a 10 ft sword? Seek help from other cosplayers here!
Post Reply
User avatar
kantari
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Washington

Misao costume

Post by kantari » Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:55 am

here's the deal,.,.,.
my friend really wants me to go with her as Misao (from rurouni kenshin) for sakuracon 05.
the only problem is that i have no idea ow to make a Misao costume...

I'm pretty sure i can figure out the obi, shorts, and leg wraps but the top and the arm guards look hard...

any suggestions???
any??????

Laura92
Posts: 1079
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2004 3:37 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Post by Laura92 » Wed Aug 25, 2004 10:28 am

there's an armor help thread here, i think. Try that, they might have ideas.
See me at: Kamecon '04 (Feb28, NH) ~ Anime Boston '04 (Apr9-11, MA) ~ PortconMaine '04 (June 17 only, ME) ~ Connecticon '04 (July 18, CT.) ~ Arisia '05 (Jan 16?, MA) ~ Kamecon '05 (Feb, NH) ~ AnimeBoston '05 (May 11-13, MA) ~ PortconMaine '05 (June24-27, ME) ~ Connecticon '05 (July, CT)

|c|o|s|p|L|a|y| is my anti-drug!

User avatar
Dark_Tiger
Posts: 215
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 2:27 pm
Location: Tampa, FL

Post by Dark_Tiger » Wed Aug 25, 2004 2:48 pm

*looks for pic*
Waaaaay too much hentai
*stops looking for pic*

Could you link me to a good pic of what you need help with please? When she's wearing more then the armbands by perference? :oops:
Real men sew!

Tigerye Productions: Props, weapons, and much more. I can do that!
"Ebay is the best bet as they are unfeeling there and cold. " - Hemuloki

User avatar
kantari
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Washington

Post by kantari » Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:43 pm

here's a link for many pics
http://twilighthush.com/sora/misao.html

User avatar
Tia
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:15 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Contact:

Post by Tia » Thu Aug 26, 2004 4:37 pm

Damn. Who would've thought Kenshin would have so much hentai 0.o
Anyways, it appears to be a variation on a standard kimono. Actually, I'd say the armbands are pretty easy, maybe the easiest part of the costume, but none of it is really that difficult. Take the fabric you're using and sketch out what it would be if it covered your whole arm from the elbow and to your wrist, allowing 1 1/2-2 " for the seam at your elbow and 1/2-1 " for the seam that goes all the way down it.

You'll need somebody to help you with the next part. Ball up your hand into a fist very hard so that it your knuckles just barely hit the fabric and center your fist on the piece you just sketched out, having the wrist touch the line you made before where it would fall. Then have your friend trace around it. Then trace around that parallel to the line you just made about 1/4-1/2 " from it. Also, make a line parallel to the other part of the end of the arm that is left exposed when you traced your hand that is 1/4-1/2" from the wrist line. The most complicated bits of this will involve a lot of white bias tape, a little bit of white velcro, and 1/4 " elastic. I like 1/4 " for arms because it is effective, yet it won't get nearly as annoying on your elbow after a while. You'll want to buy single fold, and I think you're going to need two packages. Possibly three, I'm not sure. But you can always use extra bias tape, right? You'll also need a hot glue gun and some of the fabric glue that you can wash so that the holes for the finger won't fray. Or you could sew them like a buttonhole if you know how (this is the method I would use).

First, cut out the piece you just sketched on the outer seam lines and make sure you cut two identical copies of the piece. It's sometimes easy to just keep the fabric you're using folded over like you buy it and then you just have to sketch it once, cut, and presto, two copies. You have to draw in where to make the seams on the second copy though, or else you might get confused. Sew the long seam so that they are in the shape that will slide onto your arm. Then sew a 1/2 " seam under on the edge nearest your elbow and trim your excess (be careful because sometimes you can trim too closely and cut stitches). Fold this over a half inch and stitch again, making sure there is at least 1/4 ", maybe a tiny bit extra between the edge of the fabric and where the stitch line is. This is very important for the elastic to thread right.

Don't completely finish this seam. Leave about an inch or two at the end unseamed. It's always easier to leave more than you think you need for threading because there's really not much difference between one inch and three inches when you start the new line of stitches to finish the seam. Take an elastic threader (you can buy these at any fabric store), thread the elastic through it, and push it gently through the pocket you made with the last seam until it is all the way through. Try it on to your arm and pull it so it is tight. Set your sewing machine to the smallest stitch possible and stitch the ends together. Then pull the fabric taught so the elastic vanishes and finish the seam. Do this on both armbands.

Take your bias tape with the longer end underneath the fabric as you would wear it and put the edge of the other end of the fabric inside of the fold, making sure it hits the back of the tape so it's definitely going to get the stitches. cover the entire edge, even the straight part that is on the back on your wrist. Change the thread in your sewing machine to white now. This is a very difficult part to get exactly right, so make sure you sew very carefully and slowly now. Stitch as close as you possibly can and still make the seam reasonably straight to the edge of the bias tape. Make sure you keep it so that the edge that people will see is on top, or you won't be certain to stitch all the way through the bias tape. You don't really need to seam it any way at the edge where the seam in the armband is, since it won't fray and it's going to be covered anyways.

Cut four very small holes where the band is attached to your middle finger and either sew them like buttonholes or use the no-fray glue stuff. If you use the glue, make sure you understand how long it takes to dry and that it can sometimes bleed through light fabric. Take two identical pieces of bias tape that will wrap around your finger once, criss cross through the bias tape and then wrap around your finger again. Put the bias tape like this through the holes and have the two ends sticking out next to each other. Then take your hot glue gun and make them into a loop by gluing the very edge at the end together and kind of pull the tape apart and glue it so the little edge is hidden in the folded part of the tape. Then fold it back together and hot glue the two edges of the tape together. Be careful not to use too much hot glue at once, you burn yourself the easiest that way *knows from experience*. Also, go a little bit at a time, gluing a bit and then pushing the fabric down on it nice and hard so it will sit flat. Do this with both pieces of bias tape.

You're almost done at this point. Cut a piece of bias tape that will tightly fit around your wrist, allowing a bit of overlap, 1 or 2 inches, for velcro. Cut another identical piece. Take the two pieces and unfold them and iron them so they aren't all wrinkled. Center each piece over the wrist area and hot glue only the part that is behind the piece on that covers your fist. Do this on both armbands, and you only really have to glue down the very edge on both sides. Work in one direction at a time, on one side of the bias tape. Sew the velcro onto the end of the bias tape so it hugs your wrist tightly, and you're done. I really hope this helps you. ^_^
It's not love that makes the world go 'round; it's fanboys and fangirls.

Laura92
Posts: 1079
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2004 3:37 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Post by Laura92 » Fri Aug 27, 2004 7:49 am

hey, who doesnt love kenshin hentai?
See me at: Kamecon '04 (Feb28, NH) ~ Anime Boston '04 (Apr9-11, MA) ~ PortconMaine '04 (June 17 only, ME) ~ Connecticon '04 (July 18, CT.) ~ Arisia '05 (Jan 16?, MA) ~ Kamecon '05 (Feb, NH) ~ AnimeBoston '05 (May 11-13, MA) ~ PortconMaine '05 (June24-27, ME) ~ Connecticon '05 (July, CT)

|c|o|s|p|L|a|y| is my anti-drug!

User avatar
Tia
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:15 pm
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Contact:

Post by Tia » Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:54 am

uh, me. 0.o;;
It's not love that makes the world go 'round; it's fanboys and fangirls.

inusarekawaii
Posts: 64
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:00 pm

Post by inusarekawaii » Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:16 pm

Tia wrote:uh, me. 0.o;;
And me.

User avatar
Hemuloki-sama
Posts: 1478
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 10:08 pm
Location: So.Cal
Contact:

Post by Hemuloki-sama » Tue Sep 14, 2004 2:24 pm

I love Kenshin....yaoi...
A mouth full of popcorn will only get you so far in life~

My Lj also features various Wig tutorials now!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/hemuloki_sama
Please be sure to visit my ACP store!
http://www.acparadise.com/display.php?a=10454&t=1

Post Reply