L4D Medkit: Completion

Oh yeah. Rumor has it I made a medkit once upon a time. As for the lack of an actual update on it, you know how it is...you dress up at a con, you return, you have to get back into the swing of things (i.e. work, sleep, TF2 with the spiper update), you keep forgetting to update your damn gaming blog. Well, here's the medkit itself:
Turned out pretty decent, I have to say. The side pockets, admittedly artistic license in the first place, started to unravel at the con.. I'll have to fix those back up. I'd love to make another one at some point.

Here's a cosplay pic, including the 'kit:
It went over pretty well and was a lot of fun. Didn't get to spout as many Zoey quotes as I wanted, but I did play a little LAN L4D, which is so meta it makes my head hurt. Me playing as Zoey playing as Zoey? It makes me want to go lie down...

L4D Medkit: Exhaustion

So, so close. The zippers are in. The cross/white background is ready to go. The top and bottom straps are on. I barely know what day it is. A decent night's sleep is but a quaint notion, a vagary so far off the horizon it wavers and dances in my vision. After all, I'm doing this thing for a convention.. and who gets any sleep at conventions anyway?

On the plus side, Zoey herself is 98% ready. Got my jacket yesterday; found some el cheapo Chucks at Target on Monday. I still can't believe they fit. (I'll see how I feel about that after wearing them for a May day around Alabama.) The only things I'm missing are a belt (which is negotiable; the jacket is long enough to cover the belt line), a white camisole (i've got a backup) and a pistol. Man, do I wish I hadn't thrown away my leaky water pistol. What will I pwn noobs with now? :(

L4D Medkit: Downtime

Posting from work (zomg!), where I can't work on this damnable thing. That's either really good, as it will prevent me from going totally mad, or really bad, since I can't finish it, which is driving me totally mad. Despite the lack of sleep, I kinda like the manic baseline of a crafting project: feverish concentration, long hours of production, subsistance on nothing more than PB&Js and Queens of the Stone Age. The funny thing is, the comparison to video game cycles is glaring, yet I can't see myself doing it. It's such a difference when one works with one's own hands.

Anyway, barring some sort of meteor hitting Chicago (or a shutdown of CTA trains, which is much more likely), I should be able to get the rest of my materials tonight. That means a nice, shiny cross for my front pocket. So far I'm 98% finished with the two side pockets, I've got all the padding stitched in (for structure/pillowy appearance).. next come the zippers, with which I have never worked. And the whole thing must be done by Friday. Woo!

L4D Medkit: Frustration, she wrote

These are the two pockets that go on the side of the L4D medkit. These two pockets have taken a day and a half. I shit you not. Mind you, only one is complete. Remind me why I decided to do this again?

Left 4 Bargains?

Funny how I'm doing two projects directly related to L4D...and as a result, I haven't played the game in like a week. Anyway.

Medkit's been slow going. I've got most my material, except white for the cross patch/"First Aid" background, and a zipper foot for my old Singer machine. Oops. Those zippers will be hella hard to sew without one. I've got a few leads, though.

The search for Zoey clothes is a little harder. Since her outfit is slightly out of season, I had to snag a leftover track jacket off of Target's website. The thing dropped price while I watched (woot), but I won't truly rest until it's in my hands. I've got the jeans and a white shirt, just bought a belt off of eBay...which brings me to my main beef. When did eBay stop being a place where you could buy anyone's random old shit? I'm looking for a pair of ratty black Chuck hi-tops on there, and all I get are sparkling new ones at $40 a pop. Blasphemy! Who's gonna believe I've been running from zombies in those? What happened to the world's biggest garage sale?

L4D Medkit: Status

Pictures of project, from all angles? Check.
Drawrings of project, from all angles and with measurements? Check.
Prototype? Check.
Materials? Check. (Well, most of them.)
Excitement level? Growing...

I've also decided to go as Zoey for Play On Con, or rather CP Con, a minor offshoot. I've never cosplayed before. Hopefully no assgrabbings will be attempted...and if so, hey, I've got pistols.

KNITTING! COVER ME!

What do you get when you cross a zombie-soaked co-op FPS with warm, cuddly crafts? The answer, my friends, is this:


I never thought crocheted tumors could ever be adorable, but am I glad I'm wrong! This boomer and hunter look amazing! She also did the survivors, but the zombies are really tip-top.

This re-ignites my passion to attempt my old idea: creating a L4D-style med-kit backpack. I'm going to a con at the end of the month...could I really whip up something like that in time? Goddammit, I think I can.

You know, it'd be even more kickass if it had cooler/thermal capabilities...but hey, one thing at a time.