So as I’ve decided to be both a cosplayer and author in my branding (or whatever you want to call it), I’ve decided to include some details about some of my costume builds on this blog. If you follow me on social media, you’ll know I’ve been working on a Sophie costume from the video game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (this game is EXTRAORDINARY, by the way). So I wanted to do a brief rundown of how I made the costume happen.
©Sandfall Interactive
I started with a shirt pattern I bought quite some time ago (and I’m not sure it’s even available now): Butterick B4609. It’s a simple button-up shirt pattern that I found super easy to follow (even the collar instructions were pretty clear).
The pattern
I made a mock-up of the shirt with an old sheet (and sorry, I forgot to take photos). I basically mocked up everything but the sleeves and then fitted the mock-up to my body. Once that was done, I took my mock-up and transferred those changes to the actual sewing pattern. I added some extra space at the bottom for my hips and took it in at the top.
Pattern changes
The fabric was tricky to find because Sophie has a Swiss dot pattern on her shirt. But I found some quilting fabric on eBay that fit the bill. Plus, it’s 100% cotton, so it’s nice and lightweight (but not so light that it needed a lining). Bonus: it’s totally washable (although I wash it in cold water and let it air dry).
At this point, I followed the pattern instructions, except that I shortened the sleeves and added the cuff (which I measured out to fit my upper arm) above the elbow. I also just learned how to make buttonholes with my sewing machine and ended up putting them on the “wrong” side, but I just sewed the buttons on the other side. It’s a little awkward to button up, but, hey, the shirt was complete.
The shirt
Speaking of buttons, I found them on Etsy after hunting high and low. As I mentioned, the collar instructions were pretty clear on the pattern, but I’ve never sewn a collar like this before, so I took the one other button-up shirt I owned and looked at it to get an idea of what it was supposed to look like. So pro tip: look at how other clothing pieces are constructed if you don’t understand how to do something!
I also made a quick lei by taking apart a bouquet of fake roses (which also had some smaller white flowers on it that I used) and black Halloween flowers. I used some thick thread and just ran it with a needle through each piece so I could be ready for my gommage.
The lei
Overall, at this point, I realized this costume was one of the easier ones I’ve put together. Either that or I’m finally comfortable enough with my sewing skills to make it easier. I’m very proud of the fit of the shirt and I’m glad I took the time to make a mock-up because a fitted costume looks so much better than one that doesn’t fit, am I right? Fitting my body is so complicated (overall, I’m about five different sizes, depending on body part), so learning to sew for my body has been stressful, but I’m getting there.