I wanted to make this costume for about 2 years before I worked up the courage to dive in. I've always loved the look of the plugsuits, and Eva was one of my first anime fandoms.

OK READY FOR AN ESSAY?

I did a write up with progress photos here:
http://www.nyunyucosplay.com/?page_id=1265

I started with the Green Pepper Ice Skating pattern and a pair of leggings - and HEAVILY modified it, drawing on lines to improve fit and add seams, then cutting it all up to make a pattern. There is probably a better base you could use, but this is what I had. Fabrics are: red: 4-way stretch vinyl from Spandex World, black: wet-look spandex, green: super thick sparkly upholstery stuff, blue: 4-way stretch matte spandex.
I did several mockups to get the really tight fit. Some pieces were hand sewn to really get them in place. It closes up the back with an invisible zipper. I used piping filler to add some texture to the collar. I used the stretch applique method to add the red onto the sleeves.

I sewed the suit using a chain stitch (straight stretch stitch) with polyester thread and wooly nylon - it's very stretchy and the seams are secure! I made the leg stripes by filling in spandex tubes with craft foam and hand sewing them on. The backpack straps were made similarly, but with vinyl. The feet are completely sewn closed and a wedge shoe is slipped inside.

Check out Crash Culture's easy stretch glove tutorial - gloves were easy! No fancy gussets needed for 4 way stretch. The bangle on the glove is made from upholstery foam inside vinyl. I picked off actual orange buttons and glued them in. Plugs were made with Premo Sculpey and cookie cutters (tutorial on my site/DA).

I had lots of help on the hard plastic pieces and did them many times over until they were perfect. My boyfriend built a vacuum forming setup and we worked on these together. The backpack, boob cups, and shoulder pauldrons, and neckpiece are all made from vacuum formed plastic (either styrene or ABS, depending on the piece). Building the bucks/cutting/sanding/painting took so much time, but it was worth it! Everything is so much more durable than craft foam or other materials I could have used. Vacuum forming is a lot of work and mess but AWESOME. The reds are just a regular Valspar from Lowe's, but the orange boobs are Engine paint that took awhile to find! There are a bajillion snaps all over this thing to make the pieces removable but stay on.

Photos by JouninK, Anime Indian, Shiara, Blizzard Terrak