Fate/Unlimited Codes: Saber Lily Progress (Anime Expo) Pt. 1

Super excited to post that my main costume for AX will be Saber Lily from Fate/Unlimited Codes! The version I’ll be making is heavily inspired by Toda Satoshi’s 1/8th scale figure, manufactured by Gift (above photos c/o Good Smile Company). 

I really liked how the pink dress contrasted the grey armor and white underskirt, so I decided to focus on these aspects from the figure. There will be some details I’ll be leaving out (such as the back bodice corset, extra ruffles, et al), in which I’ll be using other figures/artwork as references.

This post marks the first progress post of the costume! More will be uploaded as I work on it. 🙂 All of the materials (aside from the white chiffon, which I purchased from Online Fabric Store) was purchased at my local Jo-Anns.

-Casa Collection Crepe Fabric

100% Polyester (Blush)

-Casa Matte Satin Fabric

100% Polyester (Pale Grey)

-Casa Crepeback Satin Fabric

100% Polyester (Black)

-2″ Chiffon Ruffles Trim

100% Polyester (White)

-Chiffon Fabric

100% Polyester (White)

I began working on the bodice first, as I already had strapless bodice pattern pieces from Sakura-hime and Kotori. One thing’s for sure is that you can never have too many references LOL! It helps to gather references from every medium available of the cosplay you’re replicating (official art, screenshots from the show/movie/game, figures, etc), so I searched up as many angles/close-ups/full shots of different figures as I could. I basically wanted a happy medium between the Gift 1/8 scale and the GSC 1/8 scale (below).

(photo c/o Good Smile Company)

Sewed on 2 layers of 2″ chiffon ruffle trim. I’ll be making my own chiffon ruffles for the rest of Saber’s skirt to match!

With both sets of ruffles sewn on!

One thing I realized right away was that the casa crepe I used was very sheer against the form, and so was the white lining I was planning to back it with…. though I’d rather not do this again, I lined the pink fabric with leftover white bridal satin I had on hand. Due to the difference in weight and texture,the delicate pink fabric shows the ripples of the bridal satin underneath — it’s not something terribly noticeable but it’s been bothering me as I work on the bodice. I’m hoping to tack the fabric together so that it doesn’t shift when I wear it.

Onto the tabs! I made 4 main tabs for the sides and back and 2 half-tabs for the fronts. In hindsight I feel like they could’ve been wider, but I think it’ll all depend on the volume of my petticoat. The tabs are made with 1 layer of the pink fabric, 1 layer of thick interfacing, and 1 layer of white lining.

1/2″ double-fold bias tape to trim the edges!

First 2 tabs sewn up! I may have pulled the bias tape a bit too tight as I sewed, so the ends are curling up a bit (which, considering this version is “Lily” Saber, it reminded me of lily petals! hahaha)

Here’s a shot of the bodice mostly sewn up and more of the tabs trimmed with bias tape. The petticoat underneath is used for my Sakura-hime and (briefly) Fiona the Human ballgown dress. It’s a super fun piece to have/wear, and was such a great investment (only $15!!)! My actual petticoat will be much shorter and without hoops to give the overall costume an A-line silhouette.

with the tabs almost finished, I set out to work on other pieces, such as the pleated chiffon flap(?) she’s sculpted with in the front of her skirt (Gift figure). From working on Sona, I was able to quickly press down some pleats and hand-tack them together in certain areas. Rather than hand-tacking ALL of the pleats vertically, this method allows me to do simple hand-stitching horizontally while still preserving the placement of the pleats. All it requires is light ironing (on a low setting) to make the pleats crisp again. Until I get my petticoat, I’m not 100% sure how long this part will be, so I’ve left it long.

Lastly, I styled my F/SN wig from Ghostcos! When I made my taobao order, I debated whether to make her casual outfit or Saber Lily, so I bought both wigs just in case. In order to cover my hair underneath I won’t be tucking so much of the wig behind my ear, but that’s what test shots are for, right? Since you don’t always know how your wig looks in places you can’t see yourself. 😛 Very happy with the quality of this pre-styled wig!