Hi everyone, it's Ainlina and let's go for the making of San from Princess Mononoke
I made the costume in 2 weeks approximately
I worked almost all days during these 2 weeks
I tried to make a more realistic version of her costume
I didn't want it to be too cartoonish like the movie, and be more realistic.
Of course I followed the original design
I started with her blue dress
It's her first layer in her costume.
I bought a fabric with a gradation from blue to black. I bought 3 meters but I did not use it all.
There is like a pattern on it but it's really discreet.
It adds some texture to the fabric.
And it shines a bit, I really like
1st step : I took a dress that looks like I wanted and made a pattern from it
I made the pattern in a cotton fabric.
It was some leftover from another cosplay, I keep them so I don't waste any fabric.
I cut the shape of the dress, tried on my to see if it fits. If it doesn't, I adjust the shape of it.
From this pattern, I cut in my blue/black fabric my dress.
I pined all the dress
I shaped it in front of my mirror.
I could have done it without putting it on me but I wanted to make it that way x)
But both ways work.
I shaped the front and the back putting darts.
Once I shaped it in front of my mirror,
I drew my darts, flattening the fabric and following the shapes I made in front of the mirror.
I make sure the darts are symmetrical
And I make sure it's at the right place
Following my body.
Then I recut exactly the same shapes following my pattern, front and back
I decided to line my dress, that's why I make it twice.
Once I had my 4 pieces,
Righ side and lining,
I overlocked everything even if it's lined because the fabric frays a lot.
When the two dresses were sewed, I sewed the lining to my dress.
I started to sew the lining to the collar, and then the armholes.
I didn't sew the lining to the bottom of the dress because I will destroy it later.
Once I put the lining, I pined an invisible zip in the back (I pined only on the right side).
It's 50cm long.
After pined it, I sewed it with my sewing machine with an adapted press foot.
It allows me to sew really near the the zipper.
At this moment I didn't sew it to the lining yet.
I closed the lining on my zipper by hand.
I fold the lining so it hides the zipper on the lining side.
The dress is closed with the zipper but also with 3 little crochets.
Once it's done, the dress can be worn like this.
I decided to destroy the bottom of the dress.
I recommend you to not tear appart the fabric, it's doesn't look realistic.
I drew the tears,
and then I cut it with my scisors.
Since the fabric frays a lot, I burned all the edges (it was polyester fabric)
It allows the strings  to melt so they stick together and it doesn't fray anymore/
Be careful, it works only with polyester fabrics. If you do it with natural fabrics, it will burn !
Once I burned everything,
I decorated the dress with some embroideries
I decorated the sides of my dress.
I used a beige thread and made it looks like it was patched.
I think it adds something to the dress.
The blue dress is finished ! I added 2 snap fastener for the cape.
Then I made her white apron.
I used some white double gaze cotton.
It looks a bit creased and folded, so I thought it was perfect.
It looks a bit like a dust cloth
Like the blue dress I used a big dress to make my pattern.
but I cut my fabric directly because I knew Iwanted it really big.
I made darts and folds in the back but not in the front
I wanted to keep the curve of my back.
Like the blue dress, I cut the tearing effect.
I didn't draw them because I knew how I wanted them to look like.
I added holes too.
It looks almost like some bugs eat some fabrics.
once I pined the darts and cut everything, I sewed it.
I made the same on the lining (I line everything, yes).
and I put the lining to the dress.
I sewed right side to right side and I reverse everything like a sock.
I thought the fabric was too clean.
Since I just got my airbrush, I decided to try it on this apron.
It was my first time using it so it's not perfect but at least it made it looked dirtier.
It looks almost burned at some places.
then to make it look more dirty, burned and damaged, I painted all the edges
I used the same technics as on Link so you should watch the video.
To sum up, I put a lot of water on my fabric and I put some pigment in the edge so it fades in the water.
If it doesn't fade well, I use a sponge with water to help.
I made this on all the edges I cut before.
and finally, I added fake blood.
I used red and brown painting.
I wanted it to look like dried blood.
but with more red and less brown than real blood.
I used several ways to do it
brushed, sponge, projections, fingers...
it was really fun to make.
I wanted to have a bloody apron to reminds her beast side.
She was raised by wold you know.
She's not a disney princess
To close the dress, I added ribbons on the side that I tied.
It's sewed between the dress and the lining.
Then I made the shoes.
I wanted to make shoes without a real shoe inside.
First I tried to make a pattern from shoes I liked.
I used plastic film and tape.
I drew the pattern on it.
I cut the tape
I flattened everything.
And I could make my pattern from it.
I tried it with a fabric which looks like the fabric I'll use for the shoes.
I made like 3 or 4 patterns until I like it.
Finally I decided to not have a seam in the upper side of the shoe.
This way I lost a bit of the round shape,
but it looks more like the Ugg shoes.
And San does not have seams on this part so...
I used leather for the sole part, and suedine for the other parts.
I lined it AGAIN.
In order to not have the seam, I used my first pattern and I flattened it.
To flattened it I pined the parts together and used it as a reference.
I watched a lot how inuits make their boots to help me.
I looked at their patterns and how they sew it.
I cut all the parts twice (for the lining and the right side)
I sewed it and reversed it.
I put some stuff between the shoe and the lining
It's more comfortable and it helps to smooth the shoe.
It's thicker so we can't see my foot.
I put everything together following my pattern.
It's really thick so be careful and use a strong needle.
I cut the excess of fabric so it's more comfortable.
I added some biais tape all around the sole to hide the seams and make it softer.
The stuff hitch a lot so biais tape is good for your foot !
It's really more comfortable this way.
And it helps the shoes to stay in shape.
I sewed it by hand because it was too difficult with the sewing machine.
I added some embroideries on the side and in the back of the shoes to decorate it.
 
I added some folded ribbon to make eyelet so I can lace the shoes.
I made the same on my Nana's dress if you want to watch how I make it.
I fold the ribbon and I put it between the shoes and the lining.
 
Finally it looks a lot like a ugg.
I think it's ugly but well, it looks like I wanted x'D
For the last parts, I got less recordings so I hope it'll be ok.
Since I streamed on twitch this cosplay, sometime I forgot to record ...
You can follow me on twitch if you wanna see my old streams btw
For the cape I made a quick pattern in a white fabric.
I tried to make a shape which looks like a real fur.
I used fake fur ofc
I tried to have like a beast shape.
It's supposed to be a wolf fur
I cut once in my gray fur which has short hair.
and once in my white fur which has long hair
I sewed right sides together and reversed it.
and you have a lined cape.
I made the same thing with the hood.
With my airbrush I darkened my white fur and make it look more natural and dusty.
I wanted it to look more like my grey fur.
I used a lot of colors : black, grey, brown, beige, etc.
She lives in the forest so it has to be dirty.
And it was too different from the lining so had to do this.
she has a necklace with tooth attached the the cape
I used a necklace on which I put some tooth I printed.
I modeled in 3D my tooth and we printed it.Then I painted it.
First I painted in beige and then I added brown and red.
Still making bloody things
I used some nail lacker to finish it.
I think it's perfect for little pieces and it's really glossy.
Once my tooth were finished, I put them on my necklace.
I added some pearls too between each tooth.
I completed the necklace with red and gold pearls.
For the mask she has on her hood, I modeled it in 3D.
It's not her full mask, she has 2 masks, I made the little one.
I sanded it, and then painted it.
I first spray painted in red and then I added the white and black details
I put black all around the eyes and added some triangles below them.
And some dots around the "eyebrows"
I used a spray lacker.
I added black foam behind the eyes
and I glued some fur in the back to hide the back of the print I did not paint.
I put some magnet to put it on the cape.
I forgot to record the part with the wolf ears.
I used some light foam I painted in red and I added fur in the bottom.
I glued them on my cape.
The cape is over at this point.
The snap fasterners help it to stay on my shoulders.
I made belts with pearls I put on an elastic.
I mixed necklaces I bought and pearls I got to make it.
I wanted to ordered online some necklaces but Ididn't have time so I bought in stores and it was really expensive...
I could have some pearls and parts I didn't have in my pearls collection, I wanted like a tribal aspect and I found really cool necklaces for that.
This is how my cosplay looks once finished
I hope you like the realistic look of it
It's the first time I do not follow the reference image perfectly
Usually I don't dare to interpret designs, but I wanted to try it this time !
I modeled her dagger in 3D, you can find it in our store if you want to buy it.
Contact us if you want to buy it or follow the link of our shop
You can follow me on social medias : instagram, twitter, facebook or twitch
Last information, I have a kofi where you can help me with my current project.
It helps me buy new materials and fabrics for my cosplay, your support is really helpful.
Thanks to all the people who paid me some kofi for Mononoke, this project had been possible thanks to all of you guys.
I always say what I will buy with the kofi so you know how I use the money.
Kofis and prints are really important and helpful, it allows me to make that much projects.
If you liked the video, please share and comment ! <3
Thank you for watching, see you next time !
