[COSPLAY] Spirited Away - Haku's Fundoshi pt.3, "The Detail Work"

Haku's Etchū Fundoshi, w/ finishing details completed

After finishing the main work for this costume piece, I wanted to add a few details that would make it more realistically traditional.  To do that, I frayed the raw edge of the waist ties to match the slight fraying of the selvage edge at the bottom of the main panel and then added traditional "fray-stop" embroidery to the ends of the waist ties, as suggested in the pattern from which the Hippari and Monpei for this cosplay will be crafted. It took about an hour to pull the horizontal threads loose from the bottom edge of the waistband up to the lower seam, but the finished effect is a much softer look.

BEFORE fraying the lower hem of the waist ties

AFTER fraying the lower hem of the waist ties

The embroidery on the ends of the waist ties gave me nightmares, however.  I followed the instructions for a traditional Reversed Fan design (on the left in the picture below), but it just didn't look as elegant as the pictures in the pattern brochure.  It also came out differently on the back than the front (top left vs bottom left, in the picture below).  I removed the stitching and tried the pattern again three or four times, just in case I was doing something wrong, but it just didn't look "good".  I know this piece won't be seen outside the costume, but I'd know the ugliness was there, lurking within the voluminous outer layers, taunting me with its imperfection, and that just won't do!

the suggested reverse fan pattern (left) and a boxed star pattern (right)

Unhappy with the fan pattern, I did a bit of research on embroidery and came across this Glossary of Cross-stitch, Needlework, and Embroidery.  This phenomenal resource provides pictures and directions for hundreds of stitches and repeatable designs.  I found a Reversible Boxed Star pattern and tried it; to my relief, it looked great AND it was identical on both sides!

the boxed diamond that will be used on all outerwear for this cosplay

On the waist ties for the "spare" fundoshi, I added a diamond to the boxed star.  The Boy liked this design better, so it's what I will use as the fray-stop signature on ties for the other pieces of our Haku and Sen costumes.

I loved putting together this initial piece for our costumes, and I'm looking forward to starting the under Hippari for Sen and the outer Hippari for Haku next!