MCM Comicon Oct 2014 - the Report

So I only went for the saturday. This was first time at mcm comicon. I had been to a few events at the excel before so I knew the route was a easy one. I have to say it was much more organised than LFCC on the queuing front. Clear signs, high up so you could see them and pleanty of stewards spread out telling you where to go and what queue to join. I was however a little dissapointed by the choice of talks and number/choice of guests which to be honest didn't interest me.

We got there at just after 10am and the crowds moved steady, until you got inside where it suddenly all sped up. It was actually a good chance to see cosplays as people passed back and forward.

Once we picked up out wristbans and got in the main area we headed stright into the first 'hall'. There was stalls further than the eye could see and that was just one of two halls. I plan of action was needed, working theough them systematically. We got a few people ask for photo's on the way which was great.
Had a nice conversation with a steampunk comicbook artist. I'm not a comic fan but her stuff wasn't all scantily clad females and blokes with guns which is usual comic fayre. It was actually something I would read.
There was also a stall selling little steampunk novelties...I couldn't resist buying the 'emergency teabags'.

But it was soon lunchtime and my feet were aching so much so stopped at a stand for tea and lunch.

There was a lot on the stalls to tempt you, I had a very limited budget so I couldn't buy all I liked. There was a stand doing professional photo's so I thought I'd get a proper photo while my cosplay was still pristine.

There was a Steampunk area. It was quite compact so I had to be careful not to clear the tables with my bustle.

 There was some nice outfits on show as well as steampunked memorabelia.

 My fave outfit was the 7th doctor version.

It took a little while to start to pluck up the courage to ask others for photo's. But once we got outside there was more space to stop and take photo's.

 The place was packed. People sitting in every available space.

 Milling around and stopping to ask for photo's.

 I even got a few photo's I liked of myself which is very rare. There was a Doctor Who photoshoot and as I was in my femme 8th doctor outfit I joined in the classic's line up.

 There's was nearly a full line up..

who shrunk the TARDIS?

 There was even a Missy cosplayer already.

And Captain Jack was having his usual effect on the doctor's companions it seems. lol!
It was nice to meet and chat with the other doctor who cosplayers. There was even two other femme doctors.

I cut off my head because although this is good photo of the outfit...my wig had slipped out of postion and just looked silly. How do you keep wigs in place all day? It started off ok but even with a million pins and a wig cap it moved. I wonder if it was because the weight of the hair was all at the back and a more balanced distribution would balance it more.

HSF 2014 - Challenge #20 - Alternative Universe (Fan)

The Challenge: #20 Alternative Universe

Fabric: N/A
Pattern: N/A
Year: 1770-1880 well any era really...time travel you see

Notions: Plain Fan, watercolours

How historically accurate is it? As this is alt universe I went off on a tangent. I used 18th and 19th century fans for my inspiration, but I made it tie in with the Doctor Who theme.

Hours to complete: 3 hours ish with drying time.

First worn: 25th October

Total cost: £5.99

Every Timelady needs her own sonic fan...

I decided to incorperate symbols from Doctor Who. In the Centre of course the TARDIS on a yellowy-orange background to represent gallifrey.

To the right some Gallifreyan writing as featured in the new series.

To the left the Seal of Rassilon to represent the classic series.

And scattered in between various timelord symbols. And on the edge questionmarks a symbol that appeared in the latter half of classic 'who'. So the fan represents Past, present and future.

Steampunk 8th Doctor - Latest incarnation!

So I started out with using what I had already. The tea dyed shirt. The green waistcoat. The cravat. The green skirt.

I also upgraded my steampunk sonic. Adding some wire and 'gems'. I also took a broken watch that was on a necklace, snapped off the front cover then glued a safety pin to the back (so I can use it as tie pin) and set it to just before 12.00midnight.

I also restyled a cheap wig. Trimming the fringe and curling it. Then platting the rest then folding it over at back and sewing in place leaving curls to show on top. I also added a green ribbon.

Now back to the skirt I have several options: I can either use green skirt alone

That's when I had a lightbulb moment. I'll make it into a bustle dress. So I added a peplum to the back of the waistcoat, a ruffle to the skirt hem and made a bustle support.

I also found an old watch chain, added a key to it. Sewing it to one of the waistcoat 'points' and then used a safety pin to attached to the other point.

Romana II Cosplay

 So I decided to make up Romana the 2nds outfit from 'City of Death' which if you don't know is from Doctor Who.

Most of it is stuff I already had like the shirt, jacket and hat. I just had to buy the tie (£2 Primark) and make the pinafore dress. I also created the sweets pinbadge using polymer clay.
I know the hat band is wrong colour, and I need the motif on the jacket...but I'm gonna upgrade the outfit bit by bit.

Romana the 2nds Pinafore

Yes I do have a kind of cosplay ADD...can't stop my mind from wandering onto the next project. I'll be sewing regency but thinking doctor who. lol!
Anyway my current cosplay idea is to make a Romana outfit. The first one that sprung to mind that I could gather together with mostly what was in my wardrobe was the one she wears in City of Death.

I have a suitable blazer I can sew a patch on. I can make the sweets badges. I have a suitable shirt and a strawboater. I just needed to make the pinafore and buy some red shoes and a red tie. Easy enough...or so I thought.

 First I draped the skirt. Two rectangular panels, pleated on the dress form. So far so good.

Then I tried to drape the bodice. This wasn't working. Fortunately I had just enough fabric left to make a bib style pinafore.

I found I had to raise the waistline slightly as the 'bib' wasn't quite as wide as it needed to be. I then had to make a few darts in the front bib to make it sit right and not gape stupidly.
I also added some tabs at the sides to help keep the sides from opening too much.

Next part of the costume is to modify the jacket, by sewing on 'patch' and making the badges.

8th Doctor Cosplay - Version 2 - Part 2

So this is my 8th Doctor Cosplay without the coat. I'm not sure how to make the skirt more 'mottled' like the trousers?

I had a go at making the gaiters he wears.

Now the coat is a tricky one. I took the Beatrix jacket pattern and made it 10inches longer.

And now with the frock coat.

You can see my complete outfit above.

....as for the sonic I'll stick with my homemade one.

LFCC 2014 (Saturday)

So I decided to go to London film and comicon this year for the first time. I chose to only do one day and pay for earlybird and then prebook only 1 photoshoot so I wouldn't end up frazzled. I didn't end up doing everything I planned due to it being rediculously busy but I did get the important stuff done.
Started the day by getting to the station early enough to catch the train before the one I planned. Bonus. Also on we we bumped into two others going to the comicon...I ended up navigating everyone to earls court. lol!

Stepped out of the station to see the longest queue in the world with some poor chap having to shout out directions. We thought we heard prepay go round the corner. So trotted of gamely to find the end of the queue. So we walked and walked and walked till we were sure we'd just done a loop. Then finally there it was the end of the prepay queue...and only a handful of people in front. bingo!
Got hand stamped and headed inside...joined a queue (well its what you do at these things) to get the doctor who talk tickets. The queue didn't look that long (about 10-12metres)....yet it took 2 hours?! to get to the desk. I'm not sure how that's possible within the laws of phisics. But we had a good chat with those around us in the queue.
Got a chance to do a quick walk round before taking oppertunity for loo break and to buy a cold drink.

 Found the sherlock set and took some photo's, but it was roped off so no sitting on the couch. ;)

 Then we shuffled against the flow back towards the doors (as now standard entry was being let in). got my hand stamped again as by this time the original has sweated off. eep!
Took a breath of fresh air while looking at transformers props outside, before heading into EC1 for the sherlocked talk.

Met another Doctor Who cosplayer in the queue and spoke to the guy with wings (more on that later). The talk was first come first served but we quite by accident got quite close to the front of the queue.

The seat wasn't too bad. Various questions were asked most of which were answered with 'watch season four'. Moffat suggested it should be printed on t-shirts. We didn't win the autograph raffle but had to get back over to EC2 for the prebooked photoshoot with paul mcgann. It was a bit of a nightmare fighting through the crowds to get to to the photo area. We just made it in time and were ushered in quickly. I wasn't dissapointed. He is such a nice guy, even complimented my cosplay.

Shuffled back ooutside to find the prearranged dr who photoshoot. But no one was at meeting point. We thought we were too late.  Had a few mins to eat lunch. When someone came over and told us where there were others.

 There was even a war doctor cosplay there.

Then it was back over to EC1 for the cosplay masquerade. I wasn't sure where I was supposed to go, I just knew the stage was there so thought I would ask. Met few others who were waiting and turned out we needed to go to different area, fortunately we were quickly let to correct place and from then on it went smoothly.

This was one of my favourite cosplays, looking at the various ones in the masquerade. I could see all the work that had gone into it. It looked like a film costume. Very jelous, wish I could get that fit and finish on my historic clothes. We had a great chat about historic costuming *waves* (I hope you've found the blog).

My other fave was this chap. The wings could open and close and looked realistic even up close. He even kept a sense of humour despite being unable to sit down with the wings on.

I didn't get to see all the entrants from backstage but all those entering had put lots of effort in to their costumes.

The doctor who talk was in the same stage area so was in a good position to queue up for it. It was really good and the two 'doctor's ' were funny when they started teasing moffat and discussing a musical doctor who episode. Now that I would like to see.
Then we went back to EC2 had last look around and got a cold-ish drink. Met the riddler...(it was that kind of a day).
Then headed back to the train station. We walked all the way round to the side with the TARDIS outside and met some cool Doctor Who Cosplayers who despite not being able to get into the excel due to it reaching capacity had spent the day by the TARDIS taking photo's and having a great time. There was a Timelord and a Silent guarding the box.
Then it was off back home. Tired sweaty and a little bit poorer. lol! I did enjoy it but I think I well do full weekend next time as it was too much to cram in one day.