Part of the fun of making costumes, whether for cosplay or Halloween, is that I like to try new things to make them more authentic.  In making the Connor costume for Kai, there are LOTS of new things to try.  It is pretty involved.  This post is about the Native American arm beading on the jacket at the biceps:

So, I bought a loom.

It is a pretty basic loom, but it can adjust to be pretty big.  I didn’t realize when I first strung the loom threads that I could make it smaller.  First timer mistake, of course.  There are lots of different types of looms, but you also don’t need a loom.  You can string your threads on other things.  Just go to Youtube.  They will show you the way.

There are many free bead patterns online, so I gave one a whirl.  It is too wide and too “fancy” with the glass beads, but that was alright.  I could make it into something for me.

On a side note, I love You Tube for finding tutorials on how to do things.  I found several on how to finish it off, so that was great to find that information.  I found this one for making it into a bracelet with leather on the ends.  I used some E6000 glue that I already had to glue the sheeting and then the leather onto the bracelet.  After the glue had cured for a few days, I sewed the leather more securely onto the bracelet.

Side note: Make sure the glue is dry and cured before you try doing anything or else you may end up pulling off the sheeting.  Learn from my mistakes.

Next version, I bought regular beads.  I found a pattern similar to the one used for Connor, and just changed up the colors to match better.  The bead patterns are like paint colors in a house.  You need to look at the bones and pick your own colors.  Don’t focus on how someone else colored up the pattern.

I sewed the finished projects onto leather, after I had glued the ends and allowed it to dry.  You have to use a pliers at times to pull the needle through the leather.  This is not a quick process.  When I was sewing through one layer of leather it went fairly easily, but where it was doubled up I needed pliers most of the time.

Since I already had the plenty of threading available to do another bracelet after the two above, I started on one more with some pretty beads I had purchased.  I wanted this one to be longer, and wrap around my wrist twice.

When I was finished, I glued it onto leather but did not give it enough time to dry.  I had also made it too small.  I ended up pulling out the sheeting when I tried it on.  Gah!  So…lots and lots of glue to hopefully keep it together, and I sewed it on well.

So…step #1 of Connor is done…only about 30 more things to go!

I have pretty much all of the supplies I need to make the Connor costume.   I am still working out exactly how the jacket/vest is supposed to be put together, as it has a lot of layers.  I think we will have to go on the day of the kid’s costume contest, since it is going to be pretty cool when it is all completed.

I need to get going on these costumes.  I only have about two months, and Anya wants to be Maleficent.  Those horns…ugh.