Vocaloid Bikinis

Not only is this a cosplay, but it's a bikini! My experiences may be of interest to those considering making one for the Summer.

Finished product:

Reference:
Project Diva outfit

To see the rest of the shoot go here http://sara-sekhmet.deviantart.com/gallery/36518894 There are more images coming

I made both bikinis, but the first one I made was Luka's, so I'll be discussing how I made that and what to avoid since that was what gave me the best learning experience!

I used Mc Calls pattern 5400 views B and F. Link to pattern here [link] Luka's bikini has a ruffle on it, but the ruffle in view A is a bit different, plus I have my own way I like to do ruffles so I chose view B. I ended up altering it. The bottom portion was made just as the instructions say, however I ran into a couple problems, but I'll address those later. The top portion is originally a triangle shaped piece on a drawstring under the bust. So the part that ties around your back goes through the bottom of each bikini cup, so the cups are independent of each other. That shape is neither flattering on me, nor the shape of Luka's bikini so I changed it by tracing the proper shape and going from there. I also ignored making the channel for the drawstring since I don't like how that looks and I don't know that it would stay put on me since I have a larger cup size. Instead of making the channel for the string, I just sewed the string  the bottom of each cup and sewed their inner corners together. I also inserted bra cups between the fabric and the lining for support and coverage; I highly recommend doing this if you're going to make a bathing suit.

The bottom seems like it would be easy, but the pattern was too small in some places (it wasn't a size-cutting issue). The hip part ended up being *very* thin, which is perfectly fine for my taste, but if you don't like the look/feel of that, then you'd need to thicken it. Since it was so thin, I had very little fabric to cover the elastic with, giving the inside an unprofessional look : /

I also experienced a sizing issue with the bottom. It was probably because I cut the pattern at a size 8 (which I am normally) but I think when the piece focuses on the widest part of the body, it should be cut larger. To prevent this, I suggest taking elastic, and wrapping it around your hips without stretching it and use that as a measure for the size of the bikini bottom. I made mine too small, finished it, and it ended up giving me horrid muffin top, so I had to start the bottom over since by the time I ripped the seams, there were so many holes and it didn't look nice anymore.

As for sizing the top, I had to try it on before I made any changes. I tried it on in nearly every stage of completion and it came out the first time! It was annoying trying it on so often since to get the proper fit you have to take off your bra, but it's worth it.

I hope everyone enjoys the images from the shoot and is inspired to go to the beach in a bikini, or even make their own!