To begin working on Mei's shirt, I altered Simplicity pattern 2940. There wasn't to much I had to alter though. I used view B. I tweaked the length of it a little bit and altered the sleeves. All I did to the sleeves was straighten them instead of having the baggy loop (see picture below for example).
Once I got all the pieces cut out, I airbrushed the gradient needed for the sleeves and band. The color looks a bit on the lighter side in my reference pictures so I did them lighter than I did the pants. Once that was done, I followed the instructions for the pattern and sewed it all together. I originally had planned on doing the gold trim for the band as an applique but decided against it. So sadly, I had to unstitch the band, add the gold, then sew it back on.
Adding Details:
The next steps are to add all the lovely details to the shirt! I did appliques for all the gold and purple designs on the shirt. This can be a long process depending on how much detail you have. I spent 6 hours working on cutting out one piece of an applique for a different cosplay. These aren't to bad but there is a bunch of them so it did take a while. As I mentioned above, I originally was going to applique the gold ends for the band, but doesn't against it. I wanted the gold to be sew into the outfit without any top stitching. So here's what I did:
Step 1: Stitch gold strip past your seam allowance. Let's say you want the gold piece to be 1/4" wide and your seam allowance is 5/8". The beginning of the gold piece should be 5/8" away from the edge of the fabric. Then you will sew 1/4" from the edge of the gold.
Step 2: Fold in your corner. For Mei, these strips have angled ends. Its important to press this down so you have a clean edge. Once the whole piece is completely sewn, I go back and hand stitch this edge closed.
Step 3: Press! Flip the gold fabric over and iron it all down. This will make it have a crisp edge (and also help you baste it in place). The edge of the gold fabric should match the eddge of the white fabric. If it goes past the white fabric, just trim it down to meet it. 
Step 4: Baste! Do a simple stitch near the edge (or within the seam allowance) to hold this in place. This will help prevent it from sliding or shifting on you when you go to sew the band to the shirt.
Step 5: Repeat to the rest of the band and the other side. Make sure you mark where the angled parts will be so they stay symmetrical!
Step 6: Sew gold edge on outer band. Since this is the outer edge of the band, you can sew this on like you would bias tape. However, you need to leave an opening where that indentation part is.
Step 7: Cut, fold, and press. Using the reference picture on the right, cut out the piece of fabric. Also make a snip in each corner. This will allow you to fold the fabric under. Once folded, iron it down. I hand stitched this so there wouldn't be any top stitching or visible lines. Repeat to other side.
For this next part you will need heat n bond sheets. You can buy this 'by the yard' at Joann Fabrics (they're located with the interfacing) or in packs (also at Joann's but you can also find it at Wal-Mart and other craft stores). Make a stencil for each different design on the shirt. Double check the sizing by taping it to the shirt (make multiply if it helps you visualize it better). Once you're happy with it, transfer the design onto the heat n bond. You will be drawing on the paper side. Copy it for as many of each design you need. Make sure you flip the design over for any that are not symmetrical! Once you've got it all traced, using an iron, iron the heat n bond to the WRONG side of the gold fabric. Do the same for the purple ones as well (I didn't take any pictures of that part, sorry!)Now it's time to cut and assemble! Once everything is cut, you can peel the paper backing and iron the appliques to the shirt. I use a ruler to make sure my appliques were symmetrical. Depending on the fabric used, you may or may not have to do "satin stitching" along the edges. For fabrics that don't fray (like vinyl), satin stitching is not needed. When done correctly, this can give your outfit a more professional and embroidered look. I would definitely practice a lot before diving in though. Especially on crazy curves like this. Below is a picture of my first time doing the satin stitch. Oh the horrrooorrrrr... haha. I used the scrap pieces left from cutting out the appliques to test on. Obviously you want to use thread in a color close to the fabric. I was just using white to test it out because the gold thread I have is much more pricey and I didn't want to waste it. You will also notice on my test piece that its a little wonky. It is best to use some kind of stabilizer or interfacing but for the test pieces, I just winged it.
Minus the sleeves, the top is now all done! Yay! I love how it turned out (especially because I made this in a day and half 'cause I rushed to get it done a few days before the con. haha..)
Anyway, hope this helps!
~Serenity
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