Oh yeahhh...

So I basically failed with this project really early on. I thought I might have the time for it but its so difficult to work when I have no roll going and I need to be getting back into the school groove. I'm just gonna update when I do something significant.

I think when it comes to cooking I can definitely be fearless like i want to be but sewing, as it turns out, is not quite as comparable to cooking as I expected. With cooking you can mess up and its no big deal, it'll still be edible. With costumes, however, I take it so seriously now that I don't like to mess up at all and therefore I don't take many risks. I need to know that I can do something before I do it. I'll continue to be fearless in the kitchen but I'll just have to get focused in my workshop/bedroom cause its not working out this way.

Road to aod: Day 3

I started out today's work session with Alyssa on skype!! We haven't seen each other for a few weeks so it was pretty nice to see her smiling face.

Then, while on skype I finished the top part of my pants pattern. Looks like its going to work out nicely. I just need to draft the bottom part with the stirrup and then I will be done with the pattern...


...which is why the third thing I did today was get my serger set up! once I heat'n'bond the gold strips to the front pant parts its all serging from there on for the pants!

See y'all when I'm hungover!

Road to aod: Day 2

Heyo,

Today i didn't do much either but I began cutting out my mock-up for my underpants. I am altering Simplicity pattern 3707 and using a black lycra knit. The idea is that it should be super comfortable since It will be touching my skin.

I also learned how to use my new old serger. It is basically brand new but from the ninties or something. The instructional video was really helpful but the lady on it looked like a supernintiesstickupherass kinda girl. She wore a scarf while sewing and made cute little kids clothes with sweatshirt fabric. It was a good time.

I am still having trouble getting adjusted to my daily schedule. I should really utilize this weekend to get everything in order. I am free basically all afternoon tomorrow so I should make significant progress on my pants. They really aren't that hard. I can probably finish them if I try hard enough.

Road to aod: Day 1

Omg, this is so much harder than I thought it would be. I got out my fabric and pattern today. That's pretty much it. I guess it kind of counts. Since I don't really have progress to show my photo for today is going to be the reference pictures I am using for this project.

THIS is DATE MASMUNE:

Here's another view:

These are his swords. I am doing the purple set like in the reference photos.

Sorry for my incompetence. I will make up for it tomorrow.

Lagging already

Hey everybody,

I know I said I was going to start with my costume on Monday but due to unforeseen events I have been a bit distracted. Everything is fine. I have just been getting accustomed to being back in Berkeley and have been sorting out a few things about the semester. As some of you may already know I have dropped my Japanese class that I was ever so excited to take. The realization that it was going to be too much for me to handle dawned on me as I came back to my apartment and hung out with one of my roommates for the first time since finals. We only watched a movie together, but it was absolutely wonderful. I think if I am going to be leaving Berkeley at the end of the year I should try to get as much out of the people as possible. its them I will miss after all, not one semester of Japanese education (no matter how good the program is here).

Anyway, I should be starting today once get back from class and meeting up with a few friends, I don't have much class on Wednesdays. Catch y'all when I get my sew on!

From Reference and Recipe to Garment and Garnish

I just watched Julie and Julia for the second time and I just loved it. The first time I watched it I had just finished cooking a delicious meal of mashed potatoes, sauteed asparagus and tuna casserole. I felt so accomplished and the instant feedback from my roommates (not to mention my happy tummy) made it so rewarding. After the movie was over I decided that cooking was a skill that I wanted to develop and so far, I definitely have. This semester I am tackling several Japanese dishes with a special someone and attempting to master the million ways of cooking potatoes on my own.

A while back I realized the similarity between cosplay and cooking. They are both physical projects involving raw materials (fabric and food), instructions (the reference and the recipe), and the end product. With cooking you don't have to be motivated for very long because there is gratification as soon as the meal is ready! Cosplay, as many of you know, is almost opposite. Why work on a costume that won't really fulfill you until months later? Why you know, I think I will just spend time on facebook stalking album after album of someone's trip to the Netherlands! I know some people can do the whole making things early thing but its just not in the cards for me unfortunately. I guess what I am getting at is that I want to rectify my inability to get down to business by adding in a source of daily gratification. I tried to do this on facebook with a cosplay progress album but it is not enough. I need to be held accountable. I need to conquer my fear of difficult work and start practicing the fearless lifestyle of Julia Child that Julie Powell undertook before me. I want to make progress every day and have people watch and give me feedback. I think I am going to take inspiration from their story and make things happen in my life. I am going to start a series of entries in this blog about my adventures with each costume I make. I will post photos and text daily and I highly encourage comments and questions. I'll sort the rest of the rules out when I actually start next week.

Please join me on my quest to develop good habits and ACTUALLY GET EVERYTHING DONE I PLAN FOR by reading my blog or, better yet, making a progress blog of your own! I'll read yours if you read mine!

I suppose its lame that I am 22, a Berkeley student, and still have trouble with motivating myself to work but whatever. I am doing something to better my life because I am fed up.

Are you?

(oh PS it was one of my new years resolutions to be an ACE pick of the month this year so that's part of my motivation for all this shenanigans)

I feel better today!

So I felt really overwhelmed yesterday, thinking about the amount of work I had to do and how I think I am going to have no time at all, but I really am going to have time. I only have to take one of my classes this semester for a letter grade so I will try in the other but if i happen to have to miss a few readings it'll be no biggie.

Also, I thought back to Anime Expo when I won the ACP Gurren Lagann contest. That was such an amazing feeling and it was just with my Leeron costume. Its not even up to my current standards of craftsmanship! I can do so much better now and I will. People told me my cosplay of Leeron really brought the character to life for them. A friend even said that during the second movie screening people cheered loudest for Leeron. She speculated that it was because of their newfound love for everybody's favorite tranny! If I can make people love all of the characters I cosplay like I apparently did for Leeron I will be a super happy camper. I just have to keep that goal in sight!

What do you guys think about this? A friend of mine is doing mermaid melody cosplay and I want to do it with her but there are basically only 2 guys in the series. Kaito the goody guy and Gaito, his evil twin brother. Both costumes are cool and neither present any problems that I won't be able to handle. Which should I do first?

Kaito?

or Gaito?

What's in Store

So in case you didn't know I don't work on cosplay during the fall since I have a ton of Cal Band stuff to do all the time. I was lucky enough to be able to make a few Halloween costumes for some friends and myself, but I didn't buy any materials or work on any cosplays. With the lack of activity came a lack of thought on the subject of cosplay. I really missed having this blog to empty my brain of thoughts.

So the title of this post has to do with a few different things. First, my reservations regarding buying fabric online and second, the curtain of uncertainty blocking my view of my future.

I love fabric shopping. It is one of my favorite parts of the cosplay process. When I buy fabric I really need to touch it, hold it up to the light, wave it around, stretch it, and do many other diagnostic actions. Buying fabric online is so scary for me since I can hardly do any of those things. This time around I have checked all of my usual places for some very specific fabrics and I can't find what I need. I am going to have to order stuff. AHHH! Thank goodness for free swatches. Ok I guess its not that scary, but I am proud of myself for broadening my horizons or whatever.

So, the future. I am graduating from Cal this year and as excited as I am to not have homework or reading to have to do all the time, I have never been so uncertain or terrified about the future. I have no idea what is going to happen after my lease ends at the end of June. I have no guarantees. The only thing I really have as far as the future is concerned is cosplay. As long as I have money I am going to keep doing it. But even then, I don't know when I will have a job to make money. I am really upset that I have to say, depending on how long it takes me to get a job, I may not be able to cosplay for a while. This spring/summer could be my last hurrah for who knows how long.

I don't think I can write on any more today. I'm too depressed now. :(