Rapunzel WIP! // Pic-heavy!

[Kasu Quinn]

Hello! And Happy New Year!

My name is Coral, but I tend to go by Kasu in the costuming community. This just so happens to be my first WIP thread on this website and honestly...I'm quite nervous and embarrassed. :$

I've made a Rapunzel costume about 3 times already and I just can't get it right. In fact, the entire construction of the blouse and skirt have looked terribly wrong each time! I began sewing in 2009 and I'm not a "professional" seamstress at all. My patterns never seem to work out the way I want. Most of the time, the costumes don't even fit correctly. However, I hope this project (and my other current project- Siren Gem) will be what breaks me of this bad habit. Good New Years resolution, yeah? :lol

I will probably end up deleting these photos later...but for progress sake, let's see my past three attempts from April 2011 to May 2012:

1st one-

2nd one-

3rd one-

*shudders* I'm trying to pretend I never made those abominations. Obviously, there were MANY mistakes. The first blouse was too blockish and didn't fit to my form at all. The skirt was one solid piece. That's right, no panels. The second one was made in a rush over night for the Renaissance Festival. I was reduced to tears that night. As you can tell, it looked like garbage after trying to modify it so much. Then the third one was made for Phoenix Comicon in May 2012. I produced a decently better blouse this time around. Of course, the skirt was wrong again and evidently panels still didn't exist in my mind at that point.

You can't tell, but in the third photo, I used custom fabric from Spoonflower using my own design. However, the color was too pink and the designs too small. I just can't figure out how to get them to scaled to size and colored correctly...and I'm terrified of putting purple dye over it. The center panel of the skirt was also custom, but again, can't even tell. Not to mention my color palate was all over the place with each of these.

Now for my first atrocious BRAIDED wig. Y'know, the one that weighed about 7-9 pounds? It strained my neck and made me look ridiculous in most photos. Not to mention when I took it off, I felt light headed and my vision started to black out. I made the mistake of following a bit of a misleading tutorial and used insulation tubes for the base.

Heaaaaaaavy! It was also too long and bonked against my legs as I walked. It also rubbed against my back and messed up the hair behind the braid.

...ugh. Let's just try to ignore these photos and look towards the future, aye? Here's what I hope to accomplish:

I swear to have the pattern correct. I will practice on spare fabric until it's right and then, and only then, will I use the final fabric. I want it to fit me in the right ways. I want to embroider all of the designs along the hem, sides, and bottom of the skirt. I'll be using a lighter material for my wig. I want to be able to drape it over my shoulder and switch it to my back if desired. And last but not least, I wish to lose weight so I'll actually look good in the costume itself...but that will be it's own individual challenge. Ahah.

So, without further delay, here's the pattern I will be modifying. Simplicity 2827. I will be using pattern B and altering it...a lot.

My plan at the moment is to use the current skirt panel and cut out 8 panels. I will probably be looking back and forth between reference photos and drafting my own blouse again...I just hope I don't screw it up this time.

Expect more WIP photos tomorrow. I need to get as much of this done within these next five months if I think I'm going to have Rapunzel AND Siren Gem done in time for Comicon. Also let it be known that I need to get this costume done by May 23rd 2013! :rolleyes Oy, deadlines.

 

[P4r4dox86]

Goodluck I don't think that your previous efforts were all that bad, but that being said I'm not exactly a sewer so I suppose I probably miss out on things others would pick up. Still think they looked great though!

 

[Kasu Quinn]

P4rdox86- Well thanks! Hehe, it's rather crappy from a seamstress stand point but I'm sure it'll improve tenfold by the time I'm done. But thank you very much!

 

[PeppermintJones]

Good luck! You aren't giving yourself enough credit for your previous versions. They're pretty good, especially considering you've only been sewing for a little while.

I plan on making this in the near future, so I definitely can't wait to see progress pics.

 

[Kasu Quinn]

PeppermintJones- I guess it's true what they say. You're your own best critic! Haha, boy I guess I was a lil' hard on myself, but it's only because I really want to get better. I sure hope my progress will help you as well. Feel free to ask any questions along the way!

 

[aelynn000]

Kasu!!! Welcome!!!

I don't think I ever saw your third version but I hope you can recognize the improvement from each one! You're doing a great job and I love your dedication to the character. I'm still around so if you ever need any help, feel free to ask.

 

[Kasu Quinn]

Aelynn- Thank you! I'm so glad you're still on here! I swear I've been through your thread numerous times over trying to pick up more tips and tricks. I'm sure I'll be asking plenty of questions along the way, haha!

Actually, here is a question for you! How many pieces made up your bodice? I'm working on my pattern and sometimes I feel like splitting the front bodice piece into two where the boning is (near the underarm)...I've seen some girls do this and some keep it one piece. I've never actually successfully installed boning, so I guess I'm a bit confused in that department.

 

[Kasu Quinn]

Well I started my skirt. The following picture is of my first draft skirt. I'm using old scrap fabric to piece it together, so please forgive the different colors. Hee! I can honestly say, I breathed a sigh of relief once I tried it on. It felt and looked right. It flowed when I spun in place and that made me giggle like a little girl. 6 panels all around and the black center panel is 2 in one, making it 8 in all. Now it's still too long, but that will be fixed later. Now I need to figure out how to make a waistband. It feels too loose on my waist, so I'm wondering if an elastic waistband will fix that...

Also thought I would share my Pascal! I found him in the Disney store near my house. Originally, he had a bow tie...I guess he was a special Tangled Ever After plush? Either way, I ended up cutting it off and wha-lah! A Pascal I can carry around! He's a lot smaller than the bigger ones we've all seen and he doesn't have shiny scales. I love him!

 

[aelynn000]

Aelynn- Thank you! I'm so glad you're still on here! I swear I've been through your thread numerous times over trying to pick up more tips and tricks. I'm sure I'll be asking plenty of questions along the way, haha!

Actually, here is a question for you! How many pieces made up your bodice? I'm working on my pattern and sometimes I feel like splitting the front bodice piece into two where the boning is (near the underarm)...I've seen some girls do this and some keep it one piece. I've never actually successfully installed boning, so I guess I'm a bit confused in that department.

My bodice is ...let's see...a LOT of pieces. 2 front panels, 2 back, 1 lining piece along the front and 1 across the back ( 2 if you count it being split by the zipper ).

I didn't cut out the front piece by piece, instead I just sewed the boning channels in after it was constructed to hold the boning in.

To be honest, I plan on re making my blouse in the future to make it a better fit and more accurate as the seams on the bust, I did very lazily, and don't have any shape to them. I'll try to draft a pattern as I go along so I can show you what the pieces should look like. ( I always KNEW how to do it...I was just lazy and had to have it done in time for Halloween last year but now I want to do it properly. ) Being lazy always costs more time than it saves. Of course, I learn this repeatedly. :rolleyes

I'd love to see photos of your fabric close up and how it turned out!

For the scaling, know how big you want the pattern. You have to adjust the DPI on Spoonflower and use the on screen rulers to try to match it up as best as possible to how you want it printed. It's best to have your design in a VERY large scale and scale it down rather than up.

The cottons on Spoonflower always print lighter/brighter. Mine was basically pink upon arrival as well. Either crank up the blue hues before uploading or don't be afraid to dye it. Remember though, since it's pink, you might want to use a blue dye ( this is what I did ) to level it out to a purple instead of a purple dye and ending up with it...really pinky purple. I used a blue dye and I didn't even use a full tin. I mixed a little bit in a stainless steel sink and kind of went by eye to try to get the colour to what I wanted. I DID find, though, that dying it lightened the print a little bit. Another reason why I'd like to edit my own design before reordering and remaking. I felt there was some detail in it that I was really proud of that ended up getting washed out.

As for the wig, if you're doing a big braid, there is really no way to make it accurately full and still have it flexible to put over your shoulder. You can use a lot of batting ( I used furniture foam ) to keep it light, but the amount of hair you'll need to cover it all and keep it tight enough so that it doesn't all bend out of shape when putting it over the shoulder would only add weight to it again. Also with the big braid, if you're wrapping it to keep a full shape down the back, regardless, it's going to bend and gape over your shoulder. It may damage the style in the long run or make it need a lot of maintenance. The only way to really wear it both ways and keep it in it's best condition would to be something like I did for my WDW trip, which was making a much smaller braid consisting of only hair. At least...that's the only way I know personally.

You can try wrapping your braid in blonde hair nets to avoid the rubbing and matting on the underside but this is also something I experienced and it's pretty inevitable. The nets may minimize it, but it will still happen. The fibers that make up the solid braid are going to touch your back and rub and move, regardless. This was another reason I ended up making a whole other smaller braid instead of trying to mesh ALL of my wish list into one wig. Just some things to consider!

 

[Kasu Quinn]

I'm going to make a draft of my bodice and post it up here soon. Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll end up working the way I want it to. If not, I'll keep taking it apart and fixing it until I get what I want. I was considering the zipper in the back, as well, so I can have an easier way to get in and out of it...but for accuracy sake, I might end up just doing it the long way and unlacing/lacing from the front. Pain in the butt, but oh well. As for the boning channels, I was thinking of using lacing bones in the front. Is this something you did or could it be passed? I'm just worried about the lacing pulling on the grommets when I lace them up...and pulling/warping the fabric.

I think I'll try altering the blue hues in different files and order multiple swatches to see which one is closest. Same with the sizing and all that. I know the last time I did this, I was running out of time and just ordered the full amount of fabric without seeing the swatches first. *whimper* Oh my wallet paid for that one. No pun intended. I would post my design up on here but I'm also possessive over it and don't want anyone trying to swipe it for their own fabric. ;D But I'll definitely try over sizing the image and scaling down this time.

As for the wig, I was really hoping to get something similar to what the park Rapunzel's have. I don't think I've ever seen them let their hair hang down in the back, but I think I prefer it in the front anyway, with all the extra loose hair hanging down. It helps when photographers are trying to take my photo so they can readily see all the details. I can't tell you how many times I was asked to turn around so they could take a photo of the wig from the back. Hah! I think the reason the park Rapunzel's wigs don't get so terribly tangled is because it might be made of human hair. I think that's why the color of the wig is more natural blonde than cartoony blonde.

Soooo pretty! But I'm not sure if I could afford all of that human hair. Yikes! Gosh, it always comes down to this. The more expensive it is, the better quality and the better it'll look. Oh boy...looks like I'll be having to make some tough decisions. And while I like the idea of using the mesh and how it helps, I never liked how I could see the mesh on park wigs through photos. But I'll still consider it. I heard that "yaki" hair is very light and could be used as a filler to make it...well...more full, because it's just more poofier. I was thinking of using that rather than foam or batting. Then I was thinking of using a better quality fiber (close to the color of the yaki hair) to go on the outer side of the braid. What do you think about that? O:

 

[aelynn000]

The park wigs are definitely not human hair. Just very good quality synthetic. Though there's been some speculation of them cheaping out with the new Cinderella wigs as they're noticeably shinier than the rest. Could just be because they're fresher and less treated though too, I suppose.

The problem with the yaki hair is that you won't be able to wrap wefts around it and hold them in place. So you'll need to either anchor everything at the base of the neck and have all the weight there or still come up with something to add wefts at different lengths.

The park wigs have the netting around the braided portion which is what keeps it so crisp most of the time. Mind you, there are multiple park wigs and they are all freshly washed and restyled for every performer. Regarding the style, it's actually a short wig and then with the braid on an anchor which is attached to the shoulder and clips to the base of the short wig which is what helps distribute the weight, but like you said, you'll never see it down the back. It's permanently fixed in this style ( exactly for the reason you said, more wow factor for guest photos ).

Also, be VERY wary of trying to buy different kinds of fibers that you intend to match. With my 'On Ice'/pseudo park style wig, everything I bought for it was heat resistant synthetic, listed as the same colour code and it didn't match. Though you should be fine if you order it all from the same seller, the only way to be positive is to make sure it's the same brand as well. You definitely can mix fibers and wigs from here and there but you may run into some issues where you might have to cut and paste ( or sew ) wefts and chunks to get it all to blend evenly.

Keep in mind, it's a very pricey costume as far as cosplaying goes, simply because of the wig. You can go cheap, but you'll lose out in colour or quality and will probably want to remake it eventually. My first wig was about $200 for supplies which included 4 wigs. My second, skinny wig was still $150 for a base wig and 6 wefted extensions. Even if you get the yaki filler, you're going to need a LOT of loose hair to cover it. I definitely recommend coming up with a budget you're comfortable with before even considering styling options. It's going to suck BIG TIME if you get your heart set on something and then find out there's no way to do it to your satisfaction without breaking the bank. >_<

OH! And in terms of colour...look for real wigs. Wigs intended for every day wear are WAY more natural than cosplay wigs and often have blended tones in them. Though my first wig was a cosplay one and I love the colour of it. I personally would say to stick with anything 'golden' blonde than 'light' blonde...the light ones are often very pale yellowy and stand out a lot more.

 

[Nynxy]

My daughter want's me to make her a Rapunzel one day so I'll be keeping my eye on this thread. I started sewing myself back in 2010. I did do sewing in high school but that was back in 1995.

You're first 3 attempts are pretty good and I love the colours used in your second one. Can't wait to see the finished result of this one

Good luck

 

[Kasu Quinn]

Aelynn- I definitely want the hair to drape over the shoulder, but I know I would need a base that can bend that way and attach to the shoulder to help the weight. Would it be totally out of the question to use JUST hair? I just...the more I look at that park wig, the more I wonder if there's really any base at all other than hair. I assume there must be or else...how would they anchor it to the shoulder?

*sigh*

What is the magical secret that is the park wigs!? ...oh, that's right. Magic.

I'm sure I'll end up spending more than I should, so I'm anticipating it. But I guess I should set a limit for myself...as much as I don't want to. And I know my light blonde wig just wasn't the right color. I'm having such a hard time deciding on a color to stick with...but I do love the golden color more, like in your profile image.

Is it just me, or do I sound very indecisive right now? I guess I am still in the planning stages though, when it comes to that darn wig.

Nynxy- I hope my progress helps you! And I sure hope it's better than the past three! Hahaha!

 

[docholiday78]

Awesome! I like checking out builds from cartoons just because I think their the hardest to pull off. Making somthing thats from an animated movie into reality gotta be tough. Great job so far, can't wait to see more. thumbsup

 

[peacefrog06]

Kasu,

Thank you for this wonderful thread. I am also working on a Rapunzel costume and happened to buy that same simplicity pattern (2827), but to use as an undershirt with the puffy sleeves. Im using a butterick patter (B5662-D) for the actual bodice. Did you end up, or are you planning on using the simplicity one? I haven't quite started yet and I'm very curious what you think about it.

Thanks!