Hat Trick

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled programming here! Even if it won't be, you know, regularly scheduled, I'm still determined to finish showing you all my process for this Taako cosplay. I actually went to the live show last Thursday, and just barely managed to finish in time, so I've got a lot of stuff to catch up on here. First and foremost, let's get that all-important wizard hat finished, shall we?

A few months ago, I rescued a piece of red sequin fabric from the scrap bin of the sewing class I took. It was actually a cast-off from one of my friend's projects, in fact, another TAZ cosplay! I knew I wanted to incorporate it into my costume somehow, since the two characters we were cosplaying as have a very special relationship. It didn't take me long to strike upon the idea of using it as a hat band! I straightened out the sides of the scrap and came up with a rectangle just long enough to wrap around the base of my hat.

Look at it! How could I pass this stuff up? It was rather stretchy, though, and didn't want to hold any sort of shape. So, I basted a piece of woven cotton fabric to the back, just to give it some structure.

Now, we have a little bit of a problem. This piece of fabric is straight, but if you've ever tried to wrap something around a cone, you'll know that you actually need a curved strip in order to make a nice straight-looking stripe. I didn't have enough fabric to make the proper curve, so I had to improvise. After fitting the strip around the base of the hat, I clipped lines down from the top end, so that I could bring it flush to the slant of the cone. It's a bit difficult to describe in words, I'll admit. 

...And it's also difficult to photograph, with this sequin fabric. In this photo, I'm holding a flap of fabric that I cut so that I could overlap both sides. That way, the straight strip of fabric fits around both the larger circumference of the base of the hat, and the smaller circumference a few inches up. From there, it was just a matter of stitching everything down with an inconspicuous thread. 

Next, I did a bit more finishing work. The seam on the inside of the brim, where the hat sits on the head, was looking a little bit untidy. I took the rest of the bias tape I used to bind the outer edge of the brim, and bound the inner edge in just the same way.

This isn't something that people can really see from the outside, but it makes me feel better to know that the seams are neatly tucked away. 

Finally, I couldn't leave the tip of the hat without some decoration. Just a little bead and wire decoration to top it off!

And with that, the hat is finished! I'm quite happy with how it turned out. It's very large, and very ostentatious. Perfect for Taako! I'll admit to strutting around my apartment with it on, reveling in how dramatic it is. Just once or twice! (Or, every time I picked it up to work on it...)

This is a really fun project, and it has so many costume uses. Make a hat for your own witch or wizard costume. Make a hat just to wear to feel powerful! Decorate it however you like! The possibilities are endless. Go forth, and until next time, stay crafty!

Cosplay with a Chorus

Hello! Time for some actual content, hooray! And rather different, special content as well. For you see, today I have a video for you.

It occurred to me that I never actually showed you my completed Aubrey Little cosplay from last Halloween. I did complete it, and I had a great time dressing up as the Lady Flame for a friend's small costume party, but I never went and photographed it. But as those of you who follow the Adventure Zone know, they recently finished their second main story, the one with Aubrey in it. It's very bittersweet to let those characters go, even though I'm excited for what's in store for us next.

That was enough on its own to get me thinking I should break out my cosplay for another spin, but then I was listening to Shmanners. This is yet another podcast in the McElroy empire, and it happens to be co-hosted by Travis, the very man who plays Aubrey in TAZ. A few weeks ago, he mentioned hearing a rendition of the John Denver song "Country Roads" while on a trip, and it making him very emotional and nostalgic for his childhood home in West Virginia. TAZ: Amnesty is also set in West Virginia, coincidentally enough, and the wheels started turning. I have a ukulele. I have an Aubrey costume. I could, just maybe, make a video of "Aubrey" playing an ode to the place that played such a big role in her life.

I've been hesitant to post it though. Truth be told, it doesn't live up to my normal standards of what I share, such as they are. I don't have any recording equipment, for sound or video, other than my cell phone, and nowhere to do it but in my living room (overlooking a fairly busy street, no less). I also have no formal voice or ukulele training whatsoever. And probably most importantly, I have a deep aversion to being on camera. It's actually why I didn't get around to sharing photos of the cosplay: I didn't forget, I just found excuses not to. Something about looking at myself (or hearing myself in videos) just doesn't sit right with me. That said, this idea hit me so powerfully, and I didn't see anyone else try it. If it's going to exist in the world, it's going to be me, I guess.

Enough hedging my bets. I don't like looking at it personally, but I do hope you enjoy!