In need of a costume tutorial, a pattern, or just some general tips to help you construct your next cosplay project or Halloween costumes? You’ve come to the right place!
Check out my costume making tutorials section for hundreds of videos showing how to make a variety of costumes and cosplay props. They can generally be made on a very small budget, and I also try to keep them eco-friendly by using recycled items whenever possible.
Or if you’re in need of a pattern for your chosen costume, click through to the patterns page where you’ll find patterns that work great as the base for a myriad of costume creations.
If you just want some general tips, such as how to choose a character or ways to save money on your costume head over to the tips and tricks section.
My Cosplay Story
Costume making was one of my earliest loves. I sewed my first “costume” when I was four years old after watching my mother mending and teaching myself to mimic her stitches. It was a wizard’s hat that fell apart shortly after I’d finished it, due to the fact that I hadn’t yet learned how to tie knots. However, despite its shortcomings, that little wizard’s hat lit a fire for sewing that has never gone away.
For many years I sewed everything by hand with my self-taught stitching techniques. Whether it was clothing, quilts, or costumes, I could usually find a way to construct it by hand sewing it. Eventually I received my aunt’s old sewing machine, which gave me the speed to sew pretty much anything I could dream up.
I created and sold a few costumes on commission every year for Halloween and the occasional Renaissance festival or Civil War reenactment. I attempted costume rentals for a time, but being so far out in the country, I didn’t have the “location, location, location.” So I stuck with online sales and costumes for family members.
The Halloween costumes I made for my family got more and more elaborate every year. And it seemed a shame to spend so much time on something that would only be worn once a year. So when I heard about these things called “comic cons” I jumped at the chance to attend one. It was like Heaven (you know, assuming Heaven is comprised of Vulcans and Jedi 😉) And thus, I discovered the wonderful world of cosplay and have been enthralled with it ever since.
My costume creations won awards at multiple comic conventions, so I began sharing my costume making knowledge on my youtube channel. I didn’t even know if anyone would watch them, as my channel up to that point had been primarily crafting tutorials. It turned out, the cosplay tutorials were actually more popular than my craft tutorials had been. My low cost, easy construction methods seemed to resonate well with many in the cosplay community. And so I had an outlet to share my love of costume making and have been doing so for several years now.
Most of the costumes I sew are made with a base of salvaged or recycled material from second-hand stores such as the Salvation Army or Volunteers of America. This not only helps keep them more eco-friendly by keeping material out of the landfills, but it also supports the thrift store’s community service efforts. I hope you find my tutorials and patterns useful and instructive. Happy costuming!
