I fell in love with this fashion plate and knew I had to make it into Captain America. But the problem was the striped skirt, I didn't want the stripes falling into the seamlines and creating chevrons. Instead I decided to make my own stripes and sew them on to recreate the look. This was … Continue reading Science of Sewing: Creating Custom Striped Fabric
Fraying seams are the worst. They’re scratchy and uncomfortable, they can leave threads hanging out from under you clothes, but worst of all, they can be unstable, cutting the life of your garment to nothing in a flash. Here a few different ways to finish a seam that will increase the longevity of your garment … Continue reading Science of Sewing: Finishing Seams without a Serger
Today's post is all about the basic and common stitches you'll need to learn to make your costumes! These stitches are found on almost every machine these days, so get ready for the 12 most useful stitches. (Note: though your machine may not have the exact stitch pattern, there is going to be something close. … Continue reading Science of Sewing: Basic Stitches
Let's talk about all the scissors you might want or actually need for cosplay creation! There are quite a few, so I've broken them down here with their uses and place in the cutting world: Types of Shears and Scissors Dressmaking ShearsEmbroidery Scissors/ Thread SnipsPinking ShearsTailor's ShearsRotary CuttersHair Cutting ShearsThinning scissorsHair Razors Dressmaking Shears Dressmaking … Continue reading Science of Sewing: Cutting Implements
Beyond a doubt, fabric selection is the most crucial part of sewing - it literally is the costume. When I was a starting seamstress, my fabric choices were ALL over the place, especially for skirts, I used lining fabric, charmeuse, silky solids, and a myriad of completely inappropriate fabrics for the styles I was making. … Continue reading Fabric Selection 101
Starting sewing is intimidating, especially when you're going through rows and rows of sewing notions in Joann Fabrics. I've distilled those walls into a list of the basics you'll need to get started and with the 'advanced' tools you will likely want to acquire over time if your needs call for them. Click on the … Continue reading The Great Big List of Stuff!
Using the right or wrong needle for the job can make or break your project that you've worked on for hours, days, or months. Figuring out which needle is right for your fabric selection is tricky, but below I've created two handy phone-friendly infographics for you to reference the next time you need to buy … Continue reading Science of Sewing: Needles
Beware: Algebra Ahead! Petticoats are not hard. I repeat, they are not hard. All of it is simple math and I’m here to help you figure out your fluff, length, and fabric requirements for a basic tiered petticoat like the one I’ve made for Anna! First things first: Fabric. You’ll need a stiff organza as … Continue reading Petticoat Math!
Taking inspiration from Dior and the 19th Century (specifically the mid 1860’s) I designed a skirt with petals that are short in the front and lengthen as they get to the back. These petals are more intricate than they appear, in fact, there are four layers of fabric to them: two types of organza, glitter … Continue reading A Rose Petal Skirt
An upcoming project of mine is Arwen's "Red Dress" from the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. So how does one go about actually making a cosplay that is fairly screen accurate? Read on and I'll tell you all about research for this relatively simple costume. Arwen's "Red Dress" from Return of the … Continue reading Let’s Talk Research