Photographer credits:
Hello everyone, Victoria Bane here! Today I’ll be sharing with you the details of how I created my Dessert Witch Charlotte costume! I actually started this cosplay prior to my actually joining Cosmic Coterie. I’d heard they were planning a big Madoka build and wanted to create something I could take pics with them in. A few weeks later I was invited to join and here we are now!
I’d like to first apologize as I am t e r r i b l e at taking progress photos, but I’ll attempt to be as thorough in my explanation as possible So let’s get started!
Patterns:
- Simplicity 3542 (modified)
- Simplicity 5794 (modified)
- Self-made bloomers pattern
Jacket:
I started out using view D from the Simplicity 3542 pattern. I laid the pieces out, overlapping the side front to the front so that it created a single panel instead of two. Then, I laid tracing paper over the pattern pieces and traced around the areas of the pattern I wanted to keep, and then extending the front to create a ‘crossover’ front panel. The back I left as is due to the fact that I needed each side to be a different color. I took the sleeves from view D as well and elongated them to replicate Charlotte’s floppy arms. I made a quick mock-up using my altered pieces and made adjustments to the fit and marked down button placements.
Once I was satisfied with that I cut the right side out of brushed twill in tan, the left from black twill and the sleeves from brushed twill in nutmeg, along with their respective linings. Then everything was sewn together with buttons and some small snaps for closures.
Jacket assembled!
Bloomers:
The bloomers I made using a simple bloomers pattern I made after watching MeLikesTea’s video on how to make lolita bloomers a couple of years back (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyxkNeXmFfA). I drew the front down on tracing paper, then I drew out the waist to 2x my waist measurement and then drew on the back. Then I lengthened the leg measurement to accommodate a 2 inch ruffle with a ¼ inch double folded hem. After that, I made some bias tape out of the remaining fabric to use as elastic channels for the legs. I cut out the bloomers on a double layer of fineline twill in dusty each and sewed the front and backs together.
I folded over the waistband allowance and sewed all along the top leaving a small gap where I could insert the ½ inch elastic, then closed it off after I was finished. I then stitched the bias tape channels to the inside of the legs, again leaving a small opening to feed through the ⅜ inch elastic.
Bloomers handled!
Cape:
I started with view B on 5794 over which I laid my trusty tracing paper. I shortened the length and curved the front as well as the back hem to achieve the look of Charlotte’s cape. I also cut out front ties to sew in between the cape and the lining to keep it closed. The cape was then cut out of red twill and a black lining. (The black lining on the cape was small detail that I only noticed after having watched the Mami/Charlotte fight scene about 20 times to make sure I got everything down lol)
Charlotte has her final versions face on the back of her cape as well. I sketched this out on some paper, and then, using a light table, traced it onto some white poplin. I then applied heat and bond to the back of the poplin and cut out the ‘cloudy’ face shape. I then mixed some acrylic paints with textile medium and began to add color to the face. Once everything was dry, I laid a press cloth over the top and hit it with a warm (not hot) iron to help heat set the paints. The face was then heat and bonded to a circle of black twill, and appliquéd onto the back of the cape. After that, the lining and ties were attached and the cape was ready to go!
Hat/Scarf:
These were the most challenging parts of this costume to make as Charlotte’s hat seems to morph into a scarf at some unseen point, so I had to sort of wing it!
I started off by taking a measurement from the crown to around the back of my head. I made a band out of my polka dot cotton that was 3 inches wide by my head measurement + 1 inch for seam allowance. After that, I cut out a circle of the polka dot fabric with about a 26-inch diameter. This would be the ‘crown’ of my hat. I added Pellon 808 interfacing to both the band and the circle then sewed the back seam together on the band and folded it in half. I then gathered up the edge of the circle to match the circumference of the band, and sewed the edges together, then serged them to keep things tidy.
In hindsight, I should have added a lining to the crown, but I figured no one would see it but me so I let it slide lol. I added a comb to the inside of the band to keep it secure and then she was all done!
The scarf was one long rectangle of fabric (I cannot for the life of me remember how long) that I added mid-weight interfacing to. Then, I folded it in half, right sides together and stitched a ½ inch seam allowance to make a long tube, then I stitched the seam allowance closed, making a channel to insert ⅜ inch elastic into. Once the elastic was secured, I turned everything right side out and hand sewed the back seam together.
Wig:
My wig started her life as an Arda wigs Lulu, and two long curly clips in Princess Pink. I wanted to use shorter clips, but the only ones that came in the corresponding color were the long ones. I chopped off a good bit of length and straightened out the curls with my blow dryer. Then I fluffed them with some backcombing and hairspray, smoothing down the outer layer. I trimmed the bangs on the Lulu and combed and sprayed them to come to a point in the front, and then added the clips. Super simple but very effective!
Extra bits:
My contact lenses were EOS Fairy Green and my facepaint was Ben Nye’s Color Cake in white. (I had some trouble with this but I figured out what I was doing wrong for next time!) The tights were a pair I got off of Amazon years ago that had just been sitting in my prop drawer haha!
The booties I’ve had for at least 5 years and have only worn twice, but I knew they’d be perfect for Charlotte.
And that’s pretty much everything!! I hope this was clear enough to follow, but feel free to ask any questions you might have!
