My first crocheted Cosplay

The world of cosplay is relatively new to us: being primarily role-players, we've never worried about imitating existing characters, but have always aimed to enhance our individuality, inventing our alter egos from scratch and dressing accordingly.

That said, meeting cosplayers at conventions and various events has given us a different perspective on their world. In most cases, cosplayers are highly creative individuals who manage to bring to life a genuine passion like cosplay. Many cosplayers, in fact, offer a personal version of the character they've chosen to embody and manage to infuse it with a part of themselves.

That's why we'd been thinking for some time about creating handmade cosplays to show off at our booth. We needed something practical, something we could use even during work hours, especially when it's 50 degrees in the shade and you're under a plastic tent talking to people. In short, the choice wasn't easy. Moreover, we had to make it entirely by hand, in our best tradition.

In the end, I decided to follow my heart and chose one of my favorite characters: Princess Mononoke, who fights for an ideal without putting on too much airs. Low shoes, minimal makeup, and no need for a wig: it seemed perfect for a first attempt at cosplay, especially since I'm used to walking around in a tracksuit.

The most difficult component was definitely the fur: I had no intention of using any, no matter how synthetic. I wanted to simulate wolf fur with white and gray wool and add volume with an underlying structure. Furthermore, I knew that whatever I made had to be separable from the rest, so I could remove it in times of extreme heat.

I made a hooded cape of sorts using a wide yet lightweight cotton ribbon crocheted in a net stitch, onto which I worked the wool to create small crochet tassels. The semi-rigid structure of the cape would give the fur volume without restricting movement, while the wool would evoke the silkiness and softness of a wolf's fur. It took me two weeks to complete, and I had to cut the tassels in half one by one, but in the end I did it, and the effect was exactly what I was hoping for.

Since wool proved perfect for the aesthetic I was aiming for and also has the advantage of being lightweight and insulating, I decided to cover the ear supports using the same method: a headband covered in white Lycra. Master Gabriele had already made the ears and mask out of leather: for the ears he used boiled leather, which perfectly mimics the irregularities of this part of the body, while the mask was modeled from a 3D mold and then hand-painted.

The last, moderately difficult component was the necklace, which I crocheted with black and white Lycra. I had to improvise the pattern for the amigurumi fangs that make up the necklace, but it was easier than expected. The bracelets and tiara are also made of the same material, which gives the entire cosplay a cohesive feel. The earrings are two simple wooden circles painted white: lightweight, comfortable, and easy to make.

Special mention for the dresses: working with fabric has never been one of my interests, and while it might seem easy to create a hemless dress and an open-sided camisole, it was actually a nightmare for me. Luckily, Master Gabriele came to my rescue, and we managed to complete everything by the end of May.

My homemade Princess Mononoke cosplay required a considerable outlay (about €150) and a month of intense work, blood and tears, but it makes me proud for many reasons. First of all, it's my first cosplay and it's almost entirely crocheted, a tool I only learned to use a few months ago. I've also already had the chance to test it at a trade show, and I must say it's quite functional and everyone loved it. And then I resisted the discouragement typical of first-time, doubt-ridden people, completing a complex project without being held back by setbacks.

Now the question is: what will the next cosplay be? I can't wait to answer.