Upcycled suede Elf coat

 

This is a McCalls Cosplay pattern. Its called Sentinel. 

 

I bought this pattern by (very expensive) post from the US ages ago because at the time it was not available in the UK. I think it may be now.

 

I never bought this for Cosplay but because I liked the shirt pattern and I actually intended to make the shirt as every day wear, but have yet to do that. 

 

 

 

Then I started on my upcycled leather thing and this was made from several very cheap second hand suede skirts. All but two I still have the original skirts but they were made more wearable or repaired when damaged by chopping off the bottom so made shorter than they started out because they were long and are now more wearable as mini's. Then that gives me loads of bits of suede in various colours.

Since I had some A-symetric brown skirts I found in charity shops so I used them for the skirt of the jacket but I never cut the pattern to make it pointy like the McCalls one is. I used the existing uneven edges of the skirts as they already were. 

 

 So the pointy bits at the bottom edge, which is the major part of this look is two New look skirts. One a size 16 and one a size 8 so the sizing made little difference. Thats the skirt of the coat. 

I bought a purple/pink patchwork ankle length skirt which ended up becoming a mini I can wear and the rest of it is the front outside panels of the jacket.

 

 

I used a quite dirty purple mini ( probably 80s by the colour) for the inside of the front panels. I did wash it in the washing machine and then turned it inside out to use as the jacket lining because it was cleaner but still looked worn, Suede is two sided so that works OK.  he dirty worn side is now inside my front panels. The inside of the skirt is still vibrant purple too.

The pattern size says I am a 12 so thats what I cut. It came out very big so I added scraps of a green suede  from a second hand jacket sleeves (I am going to make the body into a cut-off at some point to ear with jeans) and then I used thonging to lace it tighter. I also used the same method as closure for the front.

Bodice is two skirts a burgundy mini and a brown one that started out ankle length so again I cut the bottom off and made a mini and used the bottom for the bodice panels. This means I now also have several suede mini's in my wardrobe! Since suede clothing is usually made in defined panels its pretty easy to chop off the bottom by just slicing through the stitching. Then cut the now short skirt lining shorter, hem it and you have a mini skirt as well.

Collar and neck are bound in gold leather left over from my upcycled flame skirt. I am actually unsure about that bit. Might have been better in another bit of suede but I was starting to scrat around for bits by now. The armholes are bound in green suede same as the lacing loops I added on the side backs and front closure so it all kind of goes together.

I just had to buy elf ears as well!

These are from Amazon. I did an investigative search and it was so funny to find these. Once I realised they can be bought how could I resist?

I will add to this post at some future date because I am now making the gauntlets and will evetually complete this with the shirt too so then I will have a cosplay outfit as well. What fun! Never thought I would get into cosplay but why ever not. The skys the limit with my sewing these days!

Leggings are stretch faux leather and have been around for quite a few years now, top is actually a sports top but what the hell - I am a sporty elf! I think the jacket will look far better once I make something more Elf-like but I just had to show you this.

Till next week

Bracken