Today's clue: Leather

All right, we are diving in to a new cosplay!

Crocheted? Seriously?

Last week a dived into a search for a good character, specifically something intense. To that end I began asking people for suggestions and sifting through manga. What I found was something I was not looking for: a Medieval European cosplay. I loved the outfit immediately: it was period (always a bonus), modest (how many female outfits can boast that?), and sophisticated enough that I can compete with it. Pretty soon things began falling in place.

Wait! How is this, you ask? Well, we're playing guessing games again. Have an idea of who it could be (it's pretty obscure)? Comment here or at Cosplay Conspiracy on Facebook. ^w^

I ran into a thrift store early last week on a quest for some new skirts. Well I didn't find anything fitting my precise hunt, but I did find a skirt- of sorts. Seriously, I think it was hideous. Do you agree? But I was not particularly concerned crocheted garment, I wanted the leather. I promptly took this skirt home, dismantled it, and began to trace the shapes of scales all over it.

The scale shape was drawn from two different sized circles I found to trace, then melded together. I was not too concerned with the symmetry of the scales, because I knew that the they would not stay their perfect shape when I began boiling them. They are about the size of a large egg.

These were hodgepodged through on each of the pieces leather so that I could use as much of the material as possible. To be as practical as possible, the flat, fatter end was placed along the already punched holes so that I would have fewer to make later.

I was able to get 313 leaves out that skirt. I laid these out on a tunic I had from another costume in an attempt to estimate how many my armor was going to require. The round figure from this is that I'm going to need about 500. Right now, from this batch and my second I have 458. I'll be working with these as I can, and I'll make more if I need them. Leather is expensive and I don't want to over do it. ^^;;

So, I'll reveal who this is soon, but guess while you can! I will also be posting a tutorial about the cuirboilli process, along with some fantastic references for the process. Look forward to it!