Understanding fabric from the inside

Most fabrics are made initially with yarn. The raw materials like cotton, or wool, are stretched and twisted until they create a long thread. This thread called yarn is then weaved or knitted to create the fabric you buy at the shops. Some fabrics like felt are made by pressing fibers so most of these terms wont apply to them.

Warp and weft

The warp is the name given to the set of yarns or thread stretched in place on a loom before the weft is introduced during the weaving process.

The yarn or thread that crisscrosses the warp on woven fabrics is called weft. Depending on how it is woven, it can create simple or complex patterns.

Selvages

Selvage is the name given to the border of your fabric. It is woven tighter on the sides so the fabric doesn’t unravel. You will notice the sides of your fabric are slightly thicker than the rest and there are little holes on it. You usually discard this part when you are sewing so keep in mind that 5-10 cm of your width will not be usable.

In some selvages, specially printed cotton, you will find useful information about the fabric, like the name of the designer, company who made it or if it is copyrighted.

The right side and the wrong side

On sewing pattern instructions, you can often see the terms right side and wrong side of the fabric. This means you need to distinguish which side will be the nice one that faces outside and which will be hidden with your seams. Although technically there is always a right side or wrong side, it is up to you to decide which side looks better for your project.

The bumpy part with holes on your fabric is the wrong side and should face down

If you are not sure of which side is the right one, you can check the little holes on your selvages. These holes appear when the fabric is pinned to the machine which weaves the threads to create the fabric. The bumpy part is the wrong side or bottom of your fabric.

Direction of your fabric

It is very easy to forget that your fabric was created as a very long continous piece of fabric. It actually has a horizontal and a vertical position, as well as a diagonal one.

Grain

Most sewing patterns have the term grain printed on all of the pieces. Usually next to a double headed arrow pointing towards the right direction. We can say the grain is the length of your fabric. If you consider your fabric still on the bolt, the arrow would point towards the bolt and towards the uneven side cut with scissors. On your fabric, the selvage should be at the sides.

Grain is specially important to be considered when your fabric has a pattern or if you are using stretch fabric. Even on 4-way elastic fabrics, the elasticity can be different lengthwise and widewise. It is important to put your fabric in the right position to avoid later problems.

Cross grain

Similar to the grain, if grain is the length of your fabric, cross grain is its width. The cross grain goes from selvage to selvage, same as your weft. Cross grain can also be called crosswise grain and the crosswise runs parallel to the cut edge of your fabric.

In some fabrics, it is possible to place your patterns on the cross grain instead of your grain, but it is usually not recommended. When you tug at your fabric from the cross grain it will “give” slightly more than when you do from the grain. For example, 2-way stretch fabric is usually elastic from selvage to selvage.

Bias

Every fabric has two biases. The bias is found on the diagonal of your fabric at 45 degrees. When you tug on the bias of the fabric you will notice it stretches. This is great on some occasions, but do be careful not to cut all your pieces on the bias unless the pattern accounts for it or you may end up with a distorted garment.

Cutting on the bias is specially useful to make bias tape. You use bias tape on the edges of your project to give it a neat finish. You can actually make your own bias tape or buy it done to sew it to your garments. Remember that the bias is found at both angles of the fabric.

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Quick tip to understand fabric

Fabric terminology can be a bit confusing. Keep in mind that when we name a fabric we often refer to some of its characteristics. The type of fiber used and the type of weave or knit are some of the most common factors to classify them. They can also specify their use, weight or design they feature.

For example, when we talk about cotton poplin, we know the fiber or material is cotton and the type of weave (the way in which fibers interlock) is called poplin. On the other hand, cotton jersey would have cotton as the fiber employed but in this case the fabric would be knitted with a jersey stitch.

Fabrics for cosplay and best ways to use them

This is a list of my favourite types of fabrics, once you get to know your materials you may prefer to use different ones. There are many others that I don’t mention here and I recommend you to visit your local store to test all these fabrics by yourself. Also, I included some alternatives to each fabric that may give you similar results but would probably not be my first choice. The ultimate choice will depend on the project and your preferences. These are my favourite fabrics for cosplay. Click the links in the pictures for more information on how I made them.

1. Poplin for light garments

Cotton poplin is one of the most versatile fabrics you can get for cosplay. With a flat surface, it is very easy to sew and handle and relatively inexpensive. When you think of cotton fabric the fabric that usually comes to mind is probably poplin. This material is tightly woven and it is usually the base for shirts and some skirts and dresses.

As an alternative to cotton you can get polycotton fabrics. These are a blend of cotton and polyester and can be much cheaper. Cotton or polycotton you can usually find them grouped under the name shirting material or sheeting material, the second being of less quality.

An alternative to poplin is linen and linen look fabrics, which have their own type of weave, and usually come from the flax plant. Linen is very light and not as tightly woven as poplin. It gives a more rustic look and works well for medieval and fantasy garments. However, I find it more difficult to handle and tends to fray and warp much more.

2. Twill for a bit of structure

Twill refers to a type of weave with a diagonal pattern in the shape of little arrows. It is a strong fabric, relatively thick and with good drape. The light and medium versions are very easy to sew. It is ideal for jackets, coats and uniforms.

Maybe you have heard of chino, denim or gabardine. These are all different types of twill fabrics. What changes is the thickness, use and the way the materials are handled. You may want to investigate a bit more when you make your next garment as there are many possibilities.

If you need a cozy jacket, coat or cloak tweed may be your fabric. Made with wool, this woven twill fabric is rough, thick and very warm. Be careful as it can be tricky to sew it. Also it can warp while you handle it.

3. Satin to go to a ball

Usually made with silk or polyester, one of the characteristics of satin is that it is shiny on one side and dull on the other. It can be quite inexpensive, however I find cheap, bad quality satin gives a carnavalesque look to cosplay. Satin looks best on dresses and special occasion wear. And on a pinch you can even use the “wrong side” of the fabric to obtain a different texture. Most of the time it is easy to sew but make sure your needle is sharp or you may pull some threads from the fabric.

Similar to satin, the sateen is usually a woven cotton fabric and it tends to be less shiny and less slippery than satin. It makes beautiful dresses with a sturdier structure.

Another alternative to satin if you need a fabric with some shine but with more structure is taffeta (as the fabric I used on Mulan’s coat below). This fabric has a plain-weave and it is very crisp.

4. Chiffon for see through garments

There are many lightweight alternatives but chiffon is my favourite. It is very fine and translucent. It looks great as an overlay on top of other fabrics and it has a lot of movement. However, it is difficult to handle it and it won’t work if you need to create a garment with structure. A slightly thicker and less see through fabric is the georgette.

For a crisp alternative you can use organza. It works beautifully on seethrough bows or poofy translucent sleeves. Also, it tends to be much shinier than chiffon.

For added volume and petticoats, do not forget the tulle, which has a net look to it and is very inexpensive.

5. Velvet for royalty and magic

Velvet is a very royal fabric. I like to use it to create contrast and texture in some of my cosplays. I especially like the blend with Spandex which makes it elastic.

Crushed velvet is the cheaper alternative to velvet. It is however very slippery and more difficult to handle. The edges tend to roll and curl.

Don’t forget you can use velour and fleece to make plush toys. They have a similar soft texture but would probably not work for many garments.

6. Spandex for superheroes

Also called lycra or elastane, it is a broad term that describes fabrics that contain this man-made fiber which is very elastic. 2-way stretch or 4-way stretch, it is usually a plain woven fabric and it is the main material you can find in bodysuits. This fabric is quite difficult to sew but much needed for any superhero cosplay. It is a must if you want to sew a bodysuit.

An easy variation, yet less stretchy fabric, is the neoprene or scuba (see my Sailor Moon bodysuit above), which mixes spandex with other fibers like cotton or polyester. Do not worry, it doesn’t look like the material used for scuba diving suits.

Other stretch fabrics include knits like jersey or ribbed knits. However, I don’t really like these as they unravel very easily and are difficult to sew. They make great materials for t-shirts and jumpers but most of the time it is easier and cheaper to buy these types of garments.

7. Leatherette for the warrior in you

For the animal lovers that don’t want to use real leather, this fabric is the solution. There are many types. I would be careful not to choose the thicker upholstery fabrics as they are extremely difficult to sew and they don’t make good garments.

Suede is also a type of fuzzy leather that you can replace with faux suede. For an even cheaper version you have suedette, but it tends to be flimsier and doesn’t hold its shape by itself.

Again, if you are a defendant of animals remember you can get fake fur, the more expensive deluxe fur is a game changer and does look like the real thing.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the choice of material will depend on your project and your personal preferences. The best way to know which material to use is to go to the fabric shop and touch the different fabrics until you find the one you think will work better. Things like weight or thickness will vary within each group.

Looking for your next project? Browse my patterns and cosplay related downloadables. They come with full instructions and fabric recommendations. Remember you can also support my blog on Ko-fi, there are no subscriptions and you will help me create more cosplays, articles and tutorials to share with you! If you click any of my affiliate links and use my promo codes (ALICECOS) you will help me too!

Let me know if you agree with my choice of materials in the comments or open a discussion on my Social Media on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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As soon as you are wearing something which looks different from your high street fashion shop people will put you in one or another category. The truth is, there are many movements out there that involve dressing differently from your standard human being. I am assuming that you already know what is cosplay and its terminology so here I am going to explain a few things that aren’t or don’t necessarily have anything to do with cosplay.

Cosplay missconceptions and disambiguation

Cosplay (コスプレ kosupure) usually refers to the act of dressing in a costume to recreate a character. This character is usually from a work of fiction . Many cosplayers create their own costumes but they can also buy them. The word cosplay comes from the term costume and play. Cosplayers usually perform and act as their character. They can come from anime, manga, films, TV series, videogames or virtually anything. Basically, a cosplayer would be a person that dresses up like a character he or she loves. Saying this, some people still may find it confusing or may have a misleaded idea of it.

Cosplay vs Fancy dress

I have told you that cosplayers dress up, I bet you do that in Halloween too, so what is the difference? Distinguishing cosplay and fancy dress can be confusing for many people. There are some characteristics that make them different. In general, cosplays are self-made and they try to be as accurate to the original source as possible. This includes moving and acting like your character or even memorising a set of lines or poses that will go with your character. Furthermore, cosplayers usually feature high quality wigs, contact lenses and make up characterizations that often make them look extremely accurate to the original source. Their budget for a cosplay is usually much much higher than what you would spend on a costume for a party.

Finally, you will usually see cosplayers at conventions and cons as opposed to parades. Cosplayers rarely wear their costumes outside a convention or a photoshoot, althought they may be seen entertaining children or cheering up kids in hospitals.

Cosplay and lewds

One of the missconceptions about cosplay is that people believe cosplaying involves some kind of nudity. This is not true. Some cosplayers may choose to portray characters with less clothing or make photoshoots in lingerie. They may also adapt a costume to show more skin or make it more sexy. Every cosplayer decides what to wear and how to wear it. It is their own choice and it will depend on the preference of the cosplayer.

You are free to adapt a dress or create your own version of a character. However, not everybody will make this type of adjustment to their cosplay. On the contrary, some people will instead adapt a costume to show less skin or even wear a Hijabi or veil over their hair to fit their religion. You are free to change your cosplay to your likes or needs. Noone should stop you nor force you to wear something you don’t feel comfortable with. Also, noone should be shamed for choosing to do so either.

We are not professionals!

Another thing I hear a lot about cosplay is people believing that cosplayers get paid for wearing these costumes. This is totally untrue! I have gone to many many conventions and entered many competitions. Nobody paid me to do it. As everybody else, I started very small using clothes from my wardrobe and later on I improved and got much better at crafting dresses and armours. Nobody taught me how to do it and definitely nobody paid me for it. One thing that you hear a lot from new cosplayers is “but you are a professional, aren’t you”. I’m afraid you are wrong. In order to be a professional you should be able to make a living out of cosplay and get a regular salary. Surprise, surprise, most cosplayers, like myself have a day job, and they spend their free time and savings doing this hobby. Some of us just have been doing it for a while, that’s all. I myself entered my first competition not knowing much about what I was doing. Even now I keep committing lots of mistakes.

However, but some people may get a bit of cash doing something related to cosplay. For example, I create downloadable patterns and planners. Sometimes I sell prints as well, but it is highly unlikely that you will be making a living from cosplay unless you are really really famous, really really good and spend lots and lots of time creating new content. If you are lucky enough a convention may invite you to an event and pay for your stay and some shops may sponsor some of your materials, but that’s all. Cosplay is a hobby, not a job, and you will probably spend more money on it than you will get back.

We are not an urban tribe either

There are some movements or urban tribes that are sometimes associated to cosplay but are subcultures in themselves. Examples of these are Goths, Visual K, Steampunk, Pin ups or Gothic lolita fashions. Some people may think that these people are cosplayers as well but they aren’t. At least not all the time. A character from a fandom can belong to one of these subgenres or can be adapted to suit one of these subgenres but they are fashion movements on themselves, so it is important not to be mistaken.

Most of the time the wearers have their own dressing styles and they are not based on a fandom. In fact, there are specialised conventions for some of these movements. Although you can sometimes find people dressed in these styles in comic and manga conventions and their clothes may look extravagant to you, it is the way they dress! A cosplayer won’t go to the shop to buy a loaf of bread wearing a cosplay. Sorry to disappoint you, I wear jeans and t-shirts on my everyday life.

Reenactment and folklore

Yet another movement that involves dressing up is reenactment. As opposed to everything else a reenactor will be using historically accurate costumes to represent a time in history. They usually do this to raise awareness and share their historical knowledge with adults and kids. There are also folkloric groups that will dress in traditional clothing to preserve the traditions of their countries. Sometimes they will even dance and sing songs from a long time ago. They take it very seriously and they are not dressed in fancy dresses. In fact, some of them may be wearing pieces of clothing which are extremely delicate, expensive, and sometimes extremely old. They are not wearing costumes!

Hopefully now you will be able to spot a cosplayer when you see it. An easy way to know is to see if there is a convention nearby because you will rarely see a cosplayer wearing a cosplay outside a convention unless they are going to a photoshoot. If you decide to join us and need some inspiration for your next cosplay make sure to check my cosplay pattern collection. I can even give you some advice on where to start. It is fun!

I also have an account to support me on Ko-Fi if you want. It will help me keep writing tutorials and creating new cosplays. A nice comment is always the best support.

The post Cosplay missconceptions and disambiguation appeared first on Alice in Cosplayland.

Also, if you are a complete cosplay beginner make sure to check my article on Cosplay for beginners and familiarise yourself with some techniques and terms before you commit and buy lots of meters of foam for your cosplay. Remember that as well as armour, your cosplay will need fabric pieces, make up, probably a wig and many other bits.

This material is easy to work with but you will still need to practice with it to get the best results. If you are pretty new to foam you may want to check first my Introduction to craft foam for cosplay. The article itself is a bit outdated and I will be remaking it soon. However, it still makes a good start if you are new to the hobby, and it is both in English and Spanish (for a limited time).

The pattern

I always start all my cosplays with a pattern on paper. I usually begin drafting with a pencil to get my proportions right. Also, I keep testing it with the part of my body I want to cover to make sure it is right. Here I am making armour for my arms . Remember that if your pattern is symmetrical you only need to do half of it and fold a piece of paper in half to get the other side perfectly even.

Making the pattern takes some trial and error and several prototypes. Not all your patterns will be flat and straight forwards, some of them will need extra volume. Start by adding a few centimeters to the pieces that need the volume and adjust. Once you are happy with it go ahead, trace your pieces on your foam, including markings, and use a sharp craft knife or a box cutter to cut it. Don’t forget to name or number your pieces to make them easier to assemble. My favourite width is 5mm foam as it is both thin and sturdy but there are many thicknesses that you can choose depending on you project.

Glueing pieces and fixing gaps

Very often, you will need to glue pieces together to create a specific shape. This is where your markings come in handy, specially for bigger pieces. My preferred method to glue foam is with contact adhesive. It is fast and clean and has the best bonding results. Remember to cut your pieces at an angle if your joints are very sharp. Also, test how your pieces fit before you glue them so you can modify them accordingly.

Once your piece is glued cut any excess and get ready to smooth any sharp edges on the next step. Also, if there is any gaps or holes you need to fix, you can use a flexible filler to make them perfect. Here I am using Flexi Filler but there are many other options to do this.

Sanding and bevelling

Many people think that using the pieces as they are is enough. Don’t get me wrong, it is enough, but for a better finish you may want to sand the edges of your foam. I use a rotary tool to do this. I first start with a harsher sanding paper and then move to a finer one. You could even go ahead and finish with wet sanding for a perfectly smooth surface, but very often this won’t be necessary.

Adding details

There are many ways of adding details, they deserve a full article just to talk about them. A typical trick is to glue extra pieces on top of your base layer. Here, I added round indents with the rotary tool to simulate screws. I also used my pirographer to create creases on the back which help you get a crisp pointy finish at the front. You can also use it for decorations if you prefer.

Shaping foam

Foam is very flexible and will easily adapt to your body or any shape you need. However, if you want it to keep the shape you chose for it, you are going to need heat. A heatgun is probably the best solution. You can use plastic domes or jars to give them a curved look, if you don’t have one handy feel free to use your knees, legs or anything else you have around. Foam gets cold very quickly and you can handle it without getting burnt after just a few seconds.

Furthermore, when you use the heatgun on top of your foam you are slightly melting its surface. This makes the surface smooth and much easier to paint later on. Do not skip this step if you want good results. If your piece didn’t go according to plan feel free to reheat as many times as you need, but remember that you may also flatten any previous shape you created beforehand.

Final results

Of course, how well your armour pieces look will depend on several factors like how much time you spent working on your piece, how much experience you have, how crafty you are or how good your foam is. Do not despair if your first armour doesn’t look right, it takes time to improve. Once you are happy with all your pieces you can go to the next stages of priming, painting and weathering, but that is a story for another tutorial!

If you are really into cosplay why don’t you check my Cosplay Planner. It has lots of useful pages to plan your cosplays, conventions and photoshoots, as well as several agendas. Furthermore, visit my pattern downloadables if you need some help with your cosplay patterns and full instructions on how to sew your patterns.

Also, if you really liked this article on how to make armour pieces with foam you can say thanks visiting my Ko-Fi page. There are no subscriptions and it helps me work on more tutorials and articles for you. You can also write a comment here and show your support, that is fine with me too. Let me know what you think and don’t forget to share. Happy crafting!

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This question can be answered quickly or not. To begin with, you don’t need to make the cosplay yourself, there are plenty of stores and cosmakers that can make the cosplay for you. There is no shame in buying a cosplay or parts of it. However, if you have decided to make your own thing but you are still not sure on where to start keep reading and hopefully you will make up your mind.

1. Choose something you love

I believe this is a rule of thumb. When you cosplay you want to show your love for a character. I often see people in forums asking “Hey, who do I look like?” or “Who should I cosplay as?” I could give you a thousand and one answers and it still wouldn’t matter because you wouldn’t feel any attachment to them.

Don’t get me wrong, you can still go for any of those ideas, I have cosplayed characters before based just in looks, but when choosing your first character to cosplay you want to portray someone you feel a connection with.

If you choose with your heart you won’t be wrong. Idranel was one of my first cosplays. I paint Warhammer 40K, I was playing Dawn of War II at the time, and I was obsessed with eldar (I still am!) My Eldar Farseer Idranel has been so far my most worn cosplay and I wore it to many conventions until it got worn off. I would still wear it today if I had it!

2. Start small

Probably my best advice when you start cosplaying is to start small. Choose something which isn’t too complicated. You can start using preowned clothes. You will have time later to move on to drafting patterns and creating armour pieces. Choose easy to sew fabrics and simple builds and make them more elaborate with time.

Look, this is me wearing my first cosplay ever. It may have not been amazing but people recognised me. My Tifa Lockhart cosplay wasn’t too complicated as I mostly used things from my wardrobe, but I felt satisfied and accomplished when I first wore it. I had already been cosplaying for many years when I created my Velvet Crowe cosplay, which has lots of details and handmade pieces including a giant demon hand that moves!

4. Consider time and materials

If you want to make a good job, plan your cosplay in advance. Even the simplest of cosplays takes time to build. Furthermore, you are going to need to get materials and also get fabric for cosplay. Finding resources takes time and money. Finding the perfect thing is not easy.

You can tell my Persocon cosplay was done in a rush and without a lot of thought. This is me improvising the day before the con for a cosplay. The colours are wrong, the details are wrong and everything is wrong. I got a terrible wig from the store as I didn’t know you can get many types of wigs at the time. Indeed, it would probably have been much cheaper and better looking to buy a wig online. My Hana cosplay however took me a full year to complete, I spent hundreds of pounds on it but I was very proud of myself when I finished it.

If you have never done a cosplay before I recommend you to start planning and researching right now. Also, make sure you have enough money to get all your materials before you commit, it can be really frustrating when you can’t finish a cosplay because you run out of money.

5. Get some help

Wait, you don’t need to make it alone? Actually, no. You may have decided you want to make your cosplay, but that doesn’t mean you have to make it on your own. It is ok to get help. Very often your mum, grandma, aunt or best friend will give you a hand.

My father helped me to build these collapsable wings for my Kindred Vampire cosplay. We had so much fun working together on this project. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him. It is great to get help from someone, however, always remember to be fair and reasonable. These people are not your slaves! Remember you will eventually need to start learning and making these things on your own.

Even if you have noone to help you, there is plenty of tutorials and information online. You can actually search my blog on tutorials on how to get patterns, where to buy fabric , friendly materials for beginners and much more.

6. Be aware of your limitations

It is very easy to get carried away and start with a very big build. Everybody wants to make something amazing and unique. Probably, you even want to enter the cosplay competition. But let’s face it, unless you are a genius or have a very long background on arts and crafts it is very unlikely to get it perfect on your first attempt.

This was my first cosplay armour ever. Yes, I know, you have never seen it before. Yes, I know it is awful. No, it never saw the light. I spent hours and hours making this cosplay of one of my favourite characters (there were more pieces, I promise). The day I had to wear it I looked so awful that I decided to bin it without a second thought. Remember when I said start small? This is the reason why. Don’t get me wrong, I learnt a lot making this armour, specially how NOT to make armours. After failing miserably with my Banshee I decided to make my Farseer and it did work! Do not get disappointed if your cosplay doesn’t look perfect the first time, just keep trying, it does get better.

It doesn’t matter if you want to make an armour or a pretty dress. You can’t expect to get it perfect the first time. It took me almost ten years to be able to construct something like my Wonder Woman cosplay and you will improve with every single project you make. Don’t give up.

7. Be proud of yourself

No matter what, be proud of yourself. Do go to the convention, do enter the cosplay competition and have fun. Little mistakes are not important. Don’t be afraid of what others may say or think, you are doing this because you like it. Making a cosplay is hardwork. It doesn’t matter if it is not perfect. What matters is that you did it and that you tried and that you enjoyed. Pat yourself on the back and start planning your next project. And most important of all, have fun.

Improvement takes time. My friend Larxenne and I kept entering the same competition year after year until we finally managed to win the first place with her Miaka and my Yui Hongo cosplay. It took us a lot of effort but we eventually made it!

Final thoughts

As you see, nobody starts knowing how to cosplay. It takes a lot of trial and error to get better and it is always a good idea to go a step at a time, but if you keep trying you will get eventually there. Also, if you have a chance, do cosplay with your friends. I miss the old times doing cosplays with my friends Haru, Jujo and Larxenne. But I am looking forwards to make new cosplay memories with even more friends.

If you need some patterns to start cosplaying feel free to browse my collection. And if you are still thinking “Cosplay, where do I start?” you will also find lots of help and tutorials in this page. And what about you? What was or will be your first cosplay project? Was it difficult? Did it look good? Let me know in the comments and remember to share this post with someone that just wants to start in this awesome hobby!

The post Cosplay where do I start? appeared first on Alice in Cosplayland.

I have given many talks and workshops about cosplay in many conventions. One of the things people wonder about is how to make those crazy patterns for your cosplay and where to start. The other question is where to find the fabric to make them but I have already explained that in another post. Here you have a few ideas to get patterns for your cosplay. From the easiest methods to the most difficult

Don’t make patterns

Let’s start with the easiest method. Do you really need a pattern for your cosplay? Or can you get away with something that resembles your cosplay and is close enough. You have some options here.

Buy clothes that already resemble your cosplay. Sometimes you can buy garments that already look like the ones your characters are wearing. Potentially, this option is very cheap but probably you won’t get an exact match. The only problem is that this option is very limited and you can spend a lot of time looking for the perfect thing. It may not work with all your characters and very often you will have to modify the garment.

Pattern over your body or mannequin. This technique is also called moulage. It consists of placing fabric over a body or mannequin and adjust it. You can use pins or loose stitches. However, it can be tricky and potentially you can get it wrong and waste a lot of fabric. Remember that it is easier to make a piece smaller than bigger.

Copy patterns from clothes

Maybe you have the perfect piece for your cosplay but it is just the wrong colour or the wrong material. Consider copying it.

Use the pieces of old clothes. You can disassemble an old shirt or coat and trace the pieces on paper. From there you can make other garments and modify the pattern as much as you want. You will know that it fits beforehand. Unfortunately, you won’t always have the right garments and you will have to destroy your original piece of clothing if you use this method.

Copy your clothes on trace paper. This can be done using pins to trace your patterns over a paper, you just need to follow the marks you made. Again, you may not have the right garment and you will need to modify your patterns. It can be tricky and it is easy to get it wrong but you get to keep your original garment.

Buy premade patterns

Yes, there is actually companies out there that sell patterns. Lots of them, you just need to go to the right place to find them.

Get patterns from magazines. There are lots of magazines like Burda Style, Simply Sewing or Patrones in Spain that specialise on patterns. They come with several patterns and instructions on how to make them. Unfortunately, they may not have the pattern you are looking for and you may still need to modify it. Plus, multipattern sheets are tricky, those lines are a mess!

Buy professional patterns. There are some companies like McCall or Simplicity that have specific patterns for sale. Their rang is huge. Unfortunately, they are usually expensive and sometimes they can be a bit difficult to understand. Also, you will need to go to specialised shops to get them or buy them online, which takes time.

Download indie patterns. Some people will upload patterns to their pages, if you are lucky you may even get some free ones. Etsy is a good place to get a few resources at reasonable prices. Actually, I do make cosplay patterns that I upload to my Etsy store. The advantage is that very often you will get to download the patterns instantly. You can modify them easily as you will always have the original file. Also, you are helping a fellow crafter as opposed to a big company.

Draft your own patterns

As they say, if you want something done right, do it yourself. For those who want perfection. This may be the best option.

Join fashion school. Actually, some places will have beginner lessons, you don’t need to study a career. They will give you patterns and teach you how to make them from scratch. Also, your teacher can solve any doubts and correct your mistakes. It is the fastest way to learn but it can be expensive.

Teach yourself. You can actually learn how to draft patterns from scratch following tutorials. I wrote an entry on how to make a female base pattern as well as other sewing tutorials but you can use magazines and books to help you. It may take a bit of time and lots of practice but all the information is out there. The sky is the limit.

There are many ways to get patterns for your cosplay. It doesn’t matter how you get these patterns. I have used every method above and they all worked for different projects. When I first started in cosplay, I used old t-shirts and rags. For a long time I used the pieces of an old jacket as a pattern to make my clothes. I have bought patterns, books and magazines and now I make my own designs. It takes time to make it look perfect but you will get there. Just keep trying.

Which pattern would you like to make? What is the craziest project you have ever seen and wondered how it was done? Let me know in the comments!

The post How to get patterns for your cosplay appeared first on Alice in Cosplayland.

Now a days I have about 3 wardrobes full of fabric, several boxes with ready to go materials to build several characters, a cabinet full of bits and bobs and countless scrap pieces of all shapes and colours. Basic fabric is not that expensive at all, and if you know where to look it can be pretty affordable. If you have decided to start making cosplays you will be needing it at some point. It is true that you can get away with old clothes and a bit of imagination with some projects like armours but at some point you are going to be needing that fabric for one of your projects. Here is where you can find it.

Go to your local store

Is there a local store near me? Probably yes! Most big cities will have not one but many stores that sell fabric. And many small cities too! Just take a look at google maps ,you will be surprised. There may be a local shop around the corner. Obviously big stores will have a bigger range. Also, big stores usually have bigger discounts but sometimes you can find the best deals in the smallest ones.

Be aware that not all stores are the same and make sure to shop around. Some of them will specialise in a type of fabric and others will have sections. A store specialised on wedding fabrics will be more expensive but will have amazing quality. One that specialises on fancy dress will have all kinds of weird materials and will be cheaper, but the quality will not always be the best. Make sure you know your textiles before you commit.

As well as shops in the city center, sometimes you can go to a warehouse where they may sell some cheaper fabrics for you. Especially if you are looking for great quantities it is worth a try. And don’t forget the small shops either. Many times I have had to rush to the little store around the corner because I was missing some thread, buttons or a piece of fabric that I had forgotten. Do not underestimate their size as they do tend to have more than you could imagine.

Pros

• They may be able to help you decide which fabric you need.
• You can get more of the same fabric if you run out
• You can touch the material
• If you go to the same store often enough they may give you a disccount
• You can get the materials the same day

Cons

• Some stores can be pricey
• They may not always have the specialised fabrics you may need
• If you tell them you are doing a costume they may give you cheap, ugly fabric
• Going to the store can take time and cost you money

Buy online

Nowadays more and more people are buying fabric online. This is a great solution if you know what you are looking for. The shops online offer unlimited possibilities but they can also be risky.

As you can’t touch your material before it arrives you may end up with something you didn’t expect. Once I got a material which was a different colour from the one on the screen, it was pricey and it wasn’t what I wanted, yet I couldn’t send it back. Another time, I bought fabric expecting a thick material for a dress which turned out so flimsy I was never able to use it.

When you buy online it is very difficult to get your money back if you make a mistake. Make sure you know exactly what you are buying and read the descriptions. Check other people’s reviews and pictures and remember to order a swatch if in doubt. Most shops will send them for free or for a very low price.

If you are not sure of where to look I made a full list of retailers that sell fabric online in the UK, most of them sell internationally! I added lots of extra details like shipping price or style so you could choose the best seller for your project.

Pros

• They can be cheaper
• They have virtually all you will ever need
• You can shop from home

Cons

• You can’t touch nor see the material and this can lead to getting the wrong item
• It is difficult if possible at all to get your money back if your item is wrong
• Takes time to deliver
• Shipping can be expensive

Go to local markets and thrift stores

Long ago, on my quest to find where to buy fabric for cosplay I stumbled upon the local street markets. They are paradise. That is of course, if you are not looking for something in particular. Local markets have all kinds of stuff and you can buy amazing cheap fabric there. However, you may never been able to find the same offer twice.

The problem with street markets is that they sell end of the line fabrics. They bring cut offs and leftovers and lots of amazing things which would cost you 5 times more in your local shop. But, when it’s gone, it’s gone, and usually it isn’t coming back. I got some amazing deals on markets during the years but most of the time I just buy cheap fabric just in case I need it and hardly ever for my current cosplay projects.

Thrift stores and charity shops will sometimes have fabrics as well, most of the time brand new, so don’t forget to check them too. You can find amazing deals and you are contributing to a good case. Don’t forget to check them too.

Pros

• Extremely cheap
• Very odd pieces
• Vintage designs and fabrics

Cons

• Limited stock
• No guarantee you will find the same fabric twice
• No guarantee the shop will be there next time you go shopping
• Very limited opening times
• Most of the time cash only

Think out of the box

I already told you where to buy fabric for cosplay, but what about not shopping for fabric? Think about lovely scarfs, old dresses you may have at home, bed sheets or curtains! I already told you I used to buy big t-shirs to get the material. If Scarlett O’hara did it, you can do it too. You have endless possibilities. And don’t forget the sales! They apply on fabric stores too! Use your imagination and start crafting.

I know, now you are very tempted to go shopping. That is actually fine, the only possible problem is that you will end up with a pile of fabric to sew, make sure you don’t let that fabric go to waste. You can use my Cosplay Planner to organise all your fabric, I often end up buying material I already have at home because I didn’t check it! And if you run out of inspiration on what to sew get one of my pdf sewing patterns to start crafting your fandom. Have you got any other fabric tricks for fabricholics? Let me know in the comments!

The post Where to buy fabric for cosplay appeared first on Alice in Cosplayland.

It is very easy to start on cosplay, but before that you may want to know a little bit more of what this movement is all about. These are the types of cosplay branches people may choose to wear to a convention. Also, remember that some people may have missconceptions about it, make sure to read my cosplay missconceptions and disambiguation article to know more about what is and isn’t cosplay.

What is cosplay?

Before we start with the different branches, you may want to know what is cosplay? Cosplay (コスプレ kosupure) usually refers to the act of dressing in a costume to recreate a character. This character is usually from a work of fiction . Many cosplayers create their own costumes but they can also buy them. The word cosplay comes from the term costume and play. Cosplayers usually perform and act as their character. They can come from anime, manga, films, TV series, videogames or virtually anything. Basically, a cosplayer would be a person that dresses up like a character he or she loves.

In addition to this you may say that you will probably find a cosplayer at a manga or comic convention, but very rarely out of it. Do not expect a cosplayer to go to the shops in a costume to get some bread. If you do, check around for a local convention or maybe for a photographer because they must be doing a photoshoot.

The person who wears a cosplay is called a cosplayer or coser. They usually try to represent a character from a fandom they like, they can be more or less accurate and have a higher or lower budget, but what cosplayers usually have in common is their love for the character they are portraying.

Cosplay “jobs”

One of the things great things about cosplay is that you don’t need to make all of it. Actually, you don’t need to make any of it if you don’t want to! There are many shops where you can find what you need, but also many people that will help you for a price. Depending on what you do or don’t do there are several terms within the hobby that will describe your “job”.

As I said, you don’t need to make your own cosplays to be a cosplayer. Some people make cosplays to order. If you make your own cosplays or if you make cosplays for others you may be called a cosmaker. Also, you can decide to order your props and accesories to a prop maker, prop makers don’t always wear cosplays themselves and they are happy creating weapons and pieces for other cosplayers. Lastly, if you have been paid to wear a cosplay but have no idea of what all this is about you are probably a cosplay model. Don’t worry, it is still lots of fun.

It is very rare to find cosplayers that make a living out of cosplay, and whenever they do it involves a lot of work. They will usually sell cosplay related items but will still have to cost their own creations unless they get a sponsorship for a particular project. Many cosplayers will sell little pieces or accept commision parts to get some cash for their next project.

Types of cosplay. Terms and terminology

Inside the cosplay movement you can find different styles depending on your choice to represent your character. Maybe you want to cosplay the opposite gender or you want to adapt it to your personal style. Everything is allowed and it is a matter of preference. You are the one to decide. These ae some of the most common types of cosplay you can find.

Crossplay

You can decide to cosplay a character from the opposite sex. This is called crossplay. Crossplay is not always easy, in the case of women they will usually bandage their chest. Men will sometimes wear prosthetics and ellaborate make up too. In both cases the cosplayer will dress up with respect and not to mock a character. Although this can happen sometimes, most people genuinely cosplay as the other gender just out of admiration for the character.

Gender Bender

If you are not into crossplay, you may decide to change the gender of a character to suit your preferences or your own gender. In this case, you will adapt the features of the character to the opposite sex and you will be making a gender bender cosplay. A character which was originally a man will be represented as a woman or the other way around, a character which was a woman will become a man.

Crossover or Mash up

Some cosplayers may decide to combine two fandoms and create a new character. This is what we call a crossover. Some people may even represent more than 2 characters or fandoms in the same costume to create something new. They are usually fun to wear and you would be surprise on how many people will recognse you.

Animegao Kigurumi or Dollers

There is yet another way to recreate a character. In Japan, some people may choose to wear masks instead of make up to dress as their favourite characters. The dollers want to be as accurate representing 2D characters as they can. This is why they wear masks with painted faces that will make them look like a doll or a figurine of a character.

Gijinka

A gijinka is the humanization of a character. It consists on creating human-like creatures which were originally animals or monsters, but also objects or brands. One of the most popular series from which people make gijinkas is Pokemon. Some artists have become famous designing these interpretations of a character. There are no written rules and you can decide to create your own cosplay based on a character you love.

OC or Original Characters

You are also allowed to create something completely new. Some people may decide to adapt a character to their own liking or style. Others, however, will decide to create a completely new character from scratch. It is totally fine to create your own cosplays and show them off at the convention. However, do keep in mind that not all competitions will accept OC if you ever want to enter them.

To sum up, in cosplay it doesn’t matter what you wear or how you wear it as long as you have fun. Also, you don’t need to wear a cosplay to admire the hard work people put into this hobby, just remember that cosplay is not consent and as much as you may want to hug one of your favourite characters ever there is a person underneath that may not be so happy about it. Buy it, wear it or admire it, it doesn’t matter how you do it, just enjoy and remember to be respectful to others.

Finally, if you decide to make your own cosplays (or if you are just curious) keep reading this blog and check for cosplay tutorials, sewing tutorials, patterns and much more!

The post What is Cosplay? Terms and terminology explained appeared first on Alice in Cosplayland.

This post is a quick guide on how to assemble your patterns with ease and in the least amount of time. It used to take me hours to cut and assemble a pattern because I was taking lots of unnecessary steps. Now I can get all cut and sewn in no time.

Step 1. Trace, cut and don’t forget your notches

The first thing you need to do is transfer your pattern to the fabric. Remember that your patterns are symmetric so you can fold your fabric and cut them in one go!

Difficult patterns will have notches, little markings that help you match up your pieces, they are specially useful sewing curved areas, make sure you match them whenever you find them. In my case, I used none as all my seams were pretty straight forward.

Step 2. Close your darts, all of them!

I used to close the darts one by one. I pinned a dart, sew it, looked at it, pinned the next one, sew it, … no! Close them all and sew them all. If you close all the darts at the same time you will save a lot of time.

Some patterns won’t have darts but will have several pieces instead, again, pin together as many pieces as you can to make a block and sew them, no hesitation, just keep sewing.

Step 3. Don’t be lazy, add the zipper, now

I hate zippers, everybody hates zippers, I used to leave them last. In fact, I constructed my whole piece, tried it, realised that it didn’t work because I couldn’t close it, spend a whole half an hour just trying to pin something that would have closed straight away if I had sewn the zipper first, give up and go back to my sewing machine to guess what, sew the zipper.

I know you hate them, I do too, just do it, and be happy that it is done.

If you are adding buttons or snaps you don’t need to add them now, as you can pin the item while you try them, but make sure the rest of the pattern is well sewn so the garment is true when you fit it

NOTE: Are you adding a neck? If you are, you may want to postpone the zipper depending on the style

Step 4. Secure the zipper, don’t get stuck

You may as well. After all, you have already changed your foot to fit that zipper in place, let’s use it so you can get rid of that infernal thing as soon as possible. Plus, you don’t want your zipper stuck because you didn’t attach it properly, do you?

Step 5. Open the seams, keep it flat

You will get to a point in which seams get stitched over previous seams, you want to open those seams or at least keep them as flat as you can. There is nothing worse than trying to sew over bulky seams with folded fabric, saying your prayers so the needle doesn’t snap and hit your eye (I have nightmares with this ok?)

If you have the time use your iron, if not (pfff, please), you can flatten the tip with a ruler just enough to pin it in place.

Step 6. Sew whatever is left and say your prayers

That’s it, you have managed to finish your base pattern, and you didn’t have to get up from your chair once! Now is the time to say your prayers and see how good your pattern fits, you may want to bast your sides if you are unsure of the fit. In my case I find that 90% of the time any adjustments are done on the sides.

Step 7. Adjust and finish

Now you are left with that wonderful step of trying, adjusting and trying again until you are happy with your pattern. When you are happy with your masterpiece you can finish your hems, add bias tape, lining or vistas and make all those other things that make your cosplays look awesome and I will explain to you another time 

The post Sewing a pattern. What do I sew first? appeared first on Alice in Cosplayland.

Before I tell you what happened you should know something about me. I’m not comfortable at all with anything related to medicine. I do faint rather easily with anything related to hospitals, needles and very white rooms that smell funny in general so sticking something into my eyes wasn’t something I was looking forward to do. If it wasn’t for cosplay I would have never considered using contact lenses in my whole life.

How I prepared myself

This may seem stupid but at the time it did help to achieve my goal. Before getting my first lenses I mentally prepared myself for a few weeks (ok, months, I was scared ok?) I decided I wanted to do it and I started by practicing every night. I would approach my index to my eyes and feign I was going to put on a lense. Sometimes I even touched my eyeball (be careful not the pupil!). Obviously, I always made sure I had very clean hands. Watching my friends, my sister and some videos and trying not to be self aware of how weird and disgusting it looked also helped a lot.

A visit to the optician was mandatory

I think the best thing I could do was to go to the optician to get my first lenses. Normal lenses only change the colour of your eyes but not the diameter of your iris. They are usually slightly harder than circle lenses and slightly easier to put on. The only con is that they last a month or a day depending on the lens.

The optician explained to me how to wear the lenses and guided me through the process. If you go to the optician you have the assurance that there will be someone there to assist you if anything were to happen. It is not likely, but it makes you feel calmer.

What happened to me

I must say, trying to put a strange object into your eye is not pleasant. I was at the optician, at this point I had tried a few times without success. That is when I had to sit down because I started to get dizzy. I started sweating and my face went ash pale… It took me about 20 minutes to recover myself from my dizzyness. However, once I calmed down and realised it wasn’t so bad it only took me 10 minutes to put both lenses in my eyes.

Getting them in was difficult, because I didn’t stop blinking! However, taking them off was surprisingly easier. I was able to take them out after a couple of tries. But I do recommend you to trim your nails to make it easier. I always use the tips of my fingers anyway.

At the time, I was very happy I decided to go to the optician with my best friend so I didn’t feel alone. I could have fainted or worse if there hadn’t been someone around me to help me down and keep me calm. However, I do wish I had brought some water because I felt as if I was in the middle of the Sahara. Once I realised all my blocks were mental and it actually didn’t hurt I managed to get my first contact lenses on in a few minutes.

Wearing circle lenses

After my first attempt at the optician with their coloured lenses, I decided to try with fantasy circle lenses. Circle lenses are slightly bigger in diameter to the ones in the opticians, they usually last longer and they are soft and more flexible than other lenses. This makes them a bit trickier to handle. Always buy coloured contacts from a trusted shop, mine is Uniqso (and you can get a 10% off with the code ALICECOS)

A couple of months after my first try with one-month lenses I tried with fantasy ones. The main difference I found with the others was the stickyness. They kept sticking to my finger and didn’t want to leave! This is because they were much softer. Even when they were in, sometimes they fell before I had time to close my eye. Although I had tried the other lenses a couple of times, it still took me ages to get them in. In the end, the real problem was that I wasn’t getting my contact lenses in properly. Again my friend came to the rescue and showed me how to do it. Getting used to them takes time, that is why you should consider adding plenty of room to your make up time if you want to wear lenses and you are still unsure on how to do it.

Final Notes

Even if my first experience with contact lenses wasn’t amazing I was glad to be able to overcome my fears. Most of my issues I had built myself. The moment I realised it was safe, painless and I was in control, everything became so much easier. You still need to be very careful with contact lenses and make sure you keep them properly but wearing them is not really an issue. To tell you the truth, you will feel a bit of discomfort for a few minutes and then you will forget you are even wearing them.

Circle lenses are not such a big deal, you will take longer trying to decide which coloured lenses to buy for your cosplay. Don’t be afraid of trying them if that is what you really want to do. They will make your cosplay look more accurate, but remember that it is your decision and they are not really necessary.

As I said before, if you want to buy contacts from a trusted seller I recommend you Uniqso. I have bought most of my contacts here and they have a great selection for cosplay! And what about you? What was your first experience with contact lenses? Where you alone or maybe in the bathroom of a convention? Let me know in the comments!

Do you like my posts? Remember you can support my blog in many ways, using my affiliate links, buying me a Ko-fi, or visiting my Cosplay Store! Following me on my Social Media and sharing my posts helps too! With your help I can create more cosplays, articles and tutorials to share with you!

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