Lei fang Dead or Alive 4

Cost ¥/$ 57.00

12 June- I started off using New Look Pattern # 6759. Two muslins later I had something that resembled what I wanted. Finding the right fabric was a bit harder. I had 2 yards of a lovely silk brocade that was 1 1/2" too narrow. :(. So I ended up having to go out and buy different fabric. I am not entirely happy with the fabric. Its not a bright red like Lei fang's is and its a poly. Another thing I am coming to find out as I take pictures is it doesn't photograph very well either.

I choose a burgundy poly shun tang for the facings because it matched the dragon pattern pretty well. This color will also be used in the pants and ribbons.

The pants will be made out of a white ribbed material with the tops fabric as trim. The same white fabric used in the pants will be used as piping and trim in the top.

One cool thing about the top's material is it is reversible. This came in handy when trying to figure out what to do for buttons. In the end I decided to use the reverse side as the fabric, to do fabric covered buttons. I figured it would better then probably anything I could/would end up finding around here. It is also great practice for the hundreds of buttons I will end up making for the Autumn Dress. The picture below and to the left is a progress picture of the top. Basically it is just the shell but I had put it on Didi to make sure the button and loop placement looked right so I snapped a picture real quick.

22 June 2008- Since the last update I have added all the trim and piping. I put  the buttons on at first but after they were on I decided I really didn't care for the look. I felt the closures need a little more and they needed to be white like the trim. I feel the Chinese knot closures look a lot better. There was nothing wrong with the buttons they just didn't have the oomph I was looking for.

The closures look extremely crooked in the picture but its not as bad on me. I should start on the mock up for the pants next week but with the movers coming I am not sure how much I will be able to get done.

2 September 08 - This project was finished in one weekend before Comic Con. I saved the hardest part, the pants, for last. I started with a generic sleepwear pant pattern. Making a muslin out of this pattern I had a friend help me with adjusting the fit by pinning it to me. The main thing that needed to be fixed was the crotch line. I knew it would need some changes because it was a mans pattern to begin with but it was hanging down to my knees.  You would think it would be easy to just take the crotch up but I had to adjust for my bum.  After I was able to get a smooth fit there I took in the legs just slightly. The pants are suppose to be loose but not baggy.  The pants pattern called for elastic at the waist. I thought I could just use darts and take in the difference between my hips and waist. This was a clever plan until because it smoothed everything out and allowed me to put in a waistband... until I remembered I needed to be able to get in and out of the pants.... I decided I would put in a zipper but what about the excess fabric on that side? I cut out the extra fabric on that side which sort of put the fabric on a bias. That's when things started getting interesting... and frustrating. Thankfully I was working at a friend's house who helped me ease in the fabric to the zipper. My patience had run out and they would of ended up in the trash... at least for awhile if she hadn't been there. With her help at that stage things went a lot smoother afterwards. I added the waist band and legs cuffs. The leg cuffs also have ties added to them so they could be tied under the knee. The pant leg themselves have a side split. The original design calls for the split to go clear up to the hip. I changed this because of modesty and it only goes halfway up my thigh. With the binding and waist band I used the same fabric that I had used for the tunic's facings. The pants use the same fabric as the white binding I used on the tunic.

I am very fond of this costume. It is very comfy. The shoes I picked are the devil... and I still need practice with the wig but the actual costume is very very comfy.