New to making cosplays, looking for advice!

[ShameMate]

Hello everyone!

I am new to making cosplay's & props and would love some advice from anyone who can support. My goal is to design & make this shirt currently:

I was thinking about buying a shirt similar to this maybe from somewhere like Aliexpress, then shaping the "addons" by hand? So would like some advice on the following:
- What material would you recommend for the shirt? Was looking at this one.
- How would you recommend adding the design? Glue, stitching, etc? Any advice on these methods would be great also! From products, to things to watchout for, etc
- What shops do you use to buy cosplay materials from? As I can't find any online for the UK.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[smithjohnj]

When I start a project like this I try to get as many images as possible to help me on the decisions of the type of fabric and construction details. From the single image I see the fabric should be form-fitting so a knit fabric is appropriate. Additional construction details are a mock turtleneck and short sleeves. The shirt you found seem to meet all those requirements. Undershirts may be too thin but would do well as a starting point to work out your design and techniques. If you want or need something thicker (for a future effort) you might look at knit performance fabric shirts.

The image seems to suggest the decorations are added as layers on top ofthe base. There are several different “layers”. A quick review is there are “glossy black”, silver, black on silver, and black of various widths. Once you have the design blocked out, each of these “ribbons” of fabric could be sewn over the base and each other as needed. I would make several inches/feet of each type of“ribbon” separately. Each ribbon should also use fabric with the same “stretch” as the base fabric. This will allow these appliques to move and stretch with the base fabric. The shirt you found comes in different colors so those could provide the fabric you require. (Note you can buy oversize garments to provide more fabric since their fit is not important.) Sewing these with a “stretch stitch” is preferred to gluing as the glue will not stretch or movewith the base, and would be stiff.

The gray details on the shoulders would probably be better as painted appliques than ribbons. When using paint I stretch the fabric, easily done by putting it into a large embroidery hoop (or something similar) and then applying the fabric paint in a thin layer. The image shows the shoulder design is light anyway. When dry the hoop can be removed and the fabric will return to it original shape. The thin coat should not crack or flake off. If you paint the fabric unstretched, when it stretches as you wear it, the color will not be consistent – the black fabric will show-through where the paint did not cover it. Hope this helps.

 

[ShameMate]

When I start a project like this I try to get as many images as possible to help me on the decisions of the type of fabric and construction details. From the single image I see the fabric should be form-fitting so a knit fabric is appropriate. Additional construction details are a mock turtleneck and short sleeves. The shirt you found seem to meet all those requirements. Undershirts may be too thin but would do well as a starting point to work out your design and techniques. If you want or need something thicker (for a future effort) you might look at knit performance fabric shirts.

The image seems to suggest the decorations are added as layers on top ofthe base. There are several different “layers”. A quick review is there are “glossy black”, silver, black on silver, and black of various widths. Once you have the design blocked out, each of these “ribbons” of fabric could be sewn over the base and each other as needed. I would make several inches/feet of each type of“ribbon” separately. Each ribbon should also use fabric with the same “stretch” as the base fabric. This will allow these appliques to move and stretch with the base fabric. The shirt you found comes in different colors so those could provide the fabric you require. (Note you can buy oversize garments to provide more fabric since their fit is not important.) Sewing these with a “stretch stitch” is preferred to gluing as the glue will not stretch or movewith the base, and would be stiff.

The gray details on the shoulders would probably be better as painted appliques than ribbons. When using paint I stretch the fabric, easily done by putting it into a large embroidery hoop (or something similar) and then applying the fabric paint in a thin layer. The image shows the shoulder design is light anyway. When dry the hoop can be removed and the fabric will return to it original shape. The thin coat should not crack or flake off. If you paint the fabric unstretched, when it stretches as you wear it, the color will not be consistent – the black fabric will show-through where the paint did not cover it. Hope this helps.

Hey Smith,

This really helps!!! Thanks for much for all of the tips!!

My current plan is gonna be to stretch the fabric and hand stitch the pattern onto the shoulders. As think this will look better than painting it

Can I ask how you would look at replicating the back / top? I'm going to cut down the middle of the shirt & re-stitch the shirt back together to create a "seam". But am questioning the parts higher up.

I was thinking to buy a 2nd shirt & cut out the shape around the shoulders / neck and sew it ontop of the original? To give the top part that 2nd layer kinda look?

(The in game skin doesn look different the pic I originally sent. I am trying to kinda combine them both with the finer details, etc!)

 

[smithjohnj]

If you are going to include seams you will definitely want to buy two or more shirts of the same size to cut apart and then rejoin. You will need to add the seam allowance to each part. So you cannot just cut the back and then sew it back together, the seam will make the finished back smaller by two times the width of your seam allowance. You could buy a larger size shirt, cut, and resew -however - this can make the back fit but could make other parts of the garment oversize. Look at all the places you want seams and plan where you need to cut and add seam allowances. Since you need to add both a vertical and horizontal back seam you would reduce the original shirt size in both directions so that might work well for you. Adding front seams would allow you to reduce the front to match the back. Also your seam allowances do not need to be the same for different seams. If going with a bigger size means you need to reduce the circumference more than the length - make the vertical seam allowances larger. Or if there are two horizonal seams in the front but only one in the back - adjust the seam allowances so the finsihed front and back match in the length. The shoulder/sleeve adjustments might be more difficult as you will need to match the armhole of the body with the armhole of the sleeve. Make paper patterns if that helps you work out the details before cutting things up.

 

[smithjohnj]

On your specific question about the back, I would first cut horizontally across the back to produce what is called the "yoke" at the shoulders, Then cut the bottom of the back vertically. When sewing reverse the process - first sew the vertical back seam - then reattach the yoke. Then I would overlay a separte circular piece over the seamed back. Note in the image this piece goes over the seams.

Your idea of adding a top layer which would include the sleeve caps, shoulders and neck might work for you. (That would replace part of my comment above. I would still make the circular part yet another layer.) If you try this approach I might keep the upper layer all as one connected piece when I go to sew it on. When you cut the top layer you would again add an allowance - this time not for a seam but to fold under and sew in place to "hem" the upped layer. This will give you a more finished look. Then sew the top layer all the way around. Use pins or "tack" stitches at all the important locations where things need to match up. I WOULD NOT CUT THE CENTER FRONT NECK ON THE TOP LAYER until all the other sewing was done. Keeping it together will help it hold its shape and better match the bottom layer. Then you can come back, cut and finish the neck and sew it in place.