How to Take Your Own Measurements for Sewing Tutorial

This tutorial, created by RandomTuesday, helps teach how to take your own measurements for sewing your own costumes!

Editorial: Responding to Maridah’s Cosplay Contest Post

Hey all! I recently was asked my opinion on Are Cosplay Contests Fair? (maridah.com), and I decided to respond to it here. First off, please read Maridah’s article before jumping to any conclusions on what I have to say.

I’ve been in a multitude of cosplay contests, ranging anywhere from crazy skits to hardcore craftsmanship judging. I’m all about making things separated out so those who are better at presentation can show off their skills, while those better with the construction can be judged on theirs. I really wish more contests followed this format, but hey, I also understand only so much time can be devoted to contests.

With all of that, I have also judged a few contests. I try to honestly separate the categories, because I feel it’s hard work to create an amazing performance just as much as it is creating a crazy costume. However, we’re focusing more on craftsmanship judging here. I believe anyone judging craftsmanship should have the skills to do so, much like Maridah states on her blog. If people are judging on how something’s been made, they should have the knowledge to do a lot of it on their own as well.

Prime example: I had a judge tell me I should have just “hemmed the cape” and left it alone. Due to the fabric being sheer and possibly could shed the fibers, I roll-hemmed it to protect it. I explained that, and the judge was clueless on what I was talking about. I then got docked points on craftsmanship because she didn’t understand the technique and refused to learn. DON’T BE THIS JUDGE.

So yeah, I agree with Maridah. I think conventions need to step up if they want their contests to have the crazy costumes coming out of the woodworks from people. Have presentation judges. Have craftsmanship judges. Hard work goes into both and more contests need to acknowledge that.

Interview with Andivi Cosplay

It’s time for another interview, this time with Andivi! She’s an extremely talented cosplayer from Spain, who is all about learning new techniques and having fun!

Andivi Cosplay out of costume

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?

My cosplay alias is Andivi! It’s curious because I didn’t choose it; a friend of mine called me that when I was in high school, and everyone calls me that since.

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?

I have been cosplaying since 2013, so eight years! I started after my first time at a con. I was so overwhelmed by the awesome cosplayers I found there that I wanted to try too.

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?

My favourite part is always working with EVA foam; I love this material so much ♥! I find it so easy to work with it that I can go wild! On the other hand, I’m pretty bad at sewing, but I’m working on it right now.

Andivi Cosplay as Wonder Woman from DC Comics, photo by Thelema Therion

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?

I’m super excited for my Kaname Madoka cosplay because it is a 100% sewing project and I really want to learn!

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?

I’m happy to see that it has changed a lot since I started. Now it’s super easy to start cosplaying and there are a lot of prefabricated cosplays for those who want to try this hobby. I really believe that we have created a great community where a lot of us can have a comfort zone to feel safe, nevertheless, we still have a lot to grow. ♥

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?

I hope a lot of problematic people who think that cosplay is pretty rigid and MUST be accurate in every sense grow up or simply leave this hobby. Cosplayers owe nothing to the rest and we can just do whatever we want with the characters and designs we feel inspired with.

Andivi Cosplay as Handsome Jack from Borderlands, photo by Miharu Oda and edit by Geheichou

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?

Learn and search a lot on the internet! Please, there is plenty of information and tutorials out there, search, search and search more until you know how to make the cosplay you want! Then, if you have any doubt, ask another cosplayer, but not questions like “How did you do this WHOLE cosplay”. We can help you with questions like “How did you make this detail or which paint are you using here” etc.

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?

I love going to CometCon and the “Salón Manga de Bilbao”. They are definitely my favorite cons!

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!

The fangs I made for Toothless (the dragon gijinka) are custom and I theoretically could eat even wearing them, but I’m super afraid and I haven’t test it, hahaha!

Andivi Cosplay as Taric from League of Legends, photo by Patricia Estrada

Thanks for the interview, Andivi! You can check out her Facebook here, her Twitter here, her Ko-Fi here, and her Instagram here!

Vampire Make-up Tutorial

Fan of the vampire look and want to recreated it? This tutorial by KnastyKnucklesFX may be what you’re looking for!

Hope this helps! 😀

Interview with Peachinns/Anna May

It’s time for another interview, this time with Peachinns/Anna May! She’s a wonderful cosplayer from North Carolina, who is all about support and fun in the cosplay community!

Peachinns/Anna May as Neferpitou from Hunter X Hunter photo by Piro’s Photography

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?

Peachinns is my official username and Anna May is my nickname (which stuck for the obvious nerdy reasons)! Peachinns was inspired by my love for the aesthetic vibe peaches gave off mixed in with a little creativity to find a username available on all platforms! I’m also starting to create a business under that brand name which I’m so excited for!

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?

I finally got the opportunity to attend my first convention in 2014 and wore my first cosplay to it. I had already been really into anime and manga for a while and heard rumors of a convention in our area but didn’t have the opportunity to attend until then!

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?

I think I enjoy wig styling and makeup the most. It’s the icing on top that’s really rewarding for me because I can finally see it all come together!

Peachinns/Anna May as Sakura from Card Captor Sakura photo by Piro’s Photography

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?

I’m actually planning to try some more original looks and comfier cosplays of characters I love for a bit! I’ve kinda doubled my workload by getting my boyfriend to cosplay with me more (and being the one making it all come together) so I’m taking on some slightly less technically challenging projects to keep things fun!

What are some of the traits you like to see in other costumes and who do you think does well in them?

I love seeing detail work like lace, embroidery, or amazing shading added to pieces. It always stops me in my tracks and makes me really appreciate their dedication to the whole piece! I remember someone did a Sideon cosplay at Holiday Matsuri a couple years ago that had so many little embellishments, I honestly wish I knew their username to give them a shout out because it was stunning.

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?

I have found some of the sweetest and most accepting people through conventions, but I have also seen a lot go deeply wrong. That said, just like with any large group of people you have to be careful in sorting through deception to get to the truly wonderful ones. Just stay safe and vigilant and you can truly have the time of your life!

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?

I honestly just want to see more love, support, and kindness. Those are the elements I truly enjoy most at cons and feel we could always use a little more of!

Peachinns/Anna May as Rin from Fate Stay Night, photo by Evette’s Photography

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?

Don’t be afraid to dive in and ask any questions! These days there are a lot of great resources and if you see a cosplayer do something you like, a lot of people get excited to share tips and tricks they found too. Cosplay is like anything else and takes time and practice to improve so it’s okay if things aren’t perfect the first time!

And I’d like to add: Don’t forget to prioritize your health at cons! The days are busy and distracting but please remember to stay well fed and hydrated and to take breaks!

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?

Holiday Matsuri might honestly be my favorite convention. The cosplays are wonderful, the attendees are fun and kind, and the location is so nice and relaxing. Conventions can wear out stamina, so any one that has a place to relax nearby makes me that much happier!

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!  

I actually decided to do pastel Josuke only a couple weeks before Katsucon. That said, I commissioned my friend Charmy Cosplays for the outfit while I mainly focused on making the wig from a singular long wig. I’m pretty proud of how everything came out with how much work we put into it in such a short time!

Peachinns/Anna May as Pastel Josuke from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure photo by Marlo Louden Photography

Thanks for the interview, Peachinns/Anna May! You can check out her various sites here!

In Memorium: Jarod Nandin

On January 3rd, Jarod Nandin, a member of the Blizzard fan community most known for his South Park World of Warcraft cosplay, died due to COVID complications. He had been hospitalized on December 18 for chest pains, and confirmed his COVID diagnosis on December 22. Nandin’s final tweet on December 28 detailed that his diagnosis had not been improving, with his oxygen saturation levels dropping below an acceptable limit.

Well known in not only the gaming community, Jarod was also well known in the cosplay community. He had rose to viral fame for his 2013 cosplay of “That Which Has No Life,” the unkempt antagonist of South Park’s World of Warcraft episode “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” However, he had been in the costuming crowd much longer than that with his various cosplays over the years. Nandin was known for promoting body positivity in both communities as well.

The various communities, Jarod’s friends, and family are all mourning, but all have expressed the same thoughts. Continue to be safe with COVID. Wear your mask, keep social distancing, wash and sanitize your hands, and protect not only yourself, but those around you.

Rest in peace, Jarod.

End of 2020… and Lack of Posts. OOPS!

I started off the year with only four costumes planned, and I managed to finish one and am still working on a second. I blame Covid cancelling my conventions I had planned for the year for that… I did focus more on detail work just for my cosplay streaming, though!

My focus on the blog got taken away, unfortunately. I went hard into streaming and keeping up to date on my mom’s health and helping out my dad. I’ve done what I can with the situation, but with anxiety over her medical condition, my own medical problems… Things have been tough to find motivation for. I’m hoping that 2021 will help relieve some of that so I can return my attention here.

I haven’t really planned any new costumes for 2021, and am still planning on the ones from 2020. I have a cosplay interview I plan to get uploaded here and hopefully get my motivation back to share things with the community. ❤ Be patient with me, guys, this last year was definitely one for the books.

Cosplay in Quarantine

With the vast majority of conventions cancelled or going virtual, it has been really hard to feel like it’s worth making new costumes with nowhere to really wear them. However, it’s honestly been a stress reliever for me to work on projects with everything going on. I’ve primarily been working on one costume, a Yennefer from the Netflix Witcher series, and usually I’d be annoyed at working so long on a piece, but it’s been my thing to come to and just zone out as I work. Little bits get done at a time while I listen to music, and I can just forget about the craziness going on around me.

I’ve also managed to choose older costumes and go to parks I know are more empty and do photoshoots, with my husband as the photographer, to help get us out and at least “produce content” via that route. We’re able to still wear masks and keep socially distanced with others potentially being around us, so I feel like we’re being safe doing so.

I’ve also managed to enter a few online costume contests, as I know many other cosplayers have been doing as well, which has been a good way to pass the time. It’s nice to find a way to keep active in the community as well, and nice seeing other costumers do the same thing. It’s also fun to see cons attempting to actually still do a convention online, where panels and other presentations are still occurring, which at least allows some sense of normalcy. A lot of cosplayers are also streaming more, which brings more content out to everyone too.

So, if you’re in the cosplay community, there’s a few ways to help ease the “cabin fever” with quarantine still going on. I definitely recommend pursuing some, if not all, of them to just make it easier. We all still need to allow ourselves to enjoy our hobby, even if we can’t do everything we necessarily used to do. ❤

Tutorial for Seven Types of Fangs

This tutorial was created by Hendo Art and teaches you how to create seven different types of fangs, which can be used for various costumes! Please make sure to use specific brands that are non-toxic, cause cosplay is supposed to be fun, not unhealthy!

Hope this helps! 😀

Hideyo Mochimo Interview

It’s time for another interview, this time with Hideyo Mochimo! They’re a cosplayer from Colorado, who wants everyone to have fun and accept one another!

Hideyo Mochimo as Angel Dust from Hazbin Hotel, photo by Fuel the Dream Photography

What’s your cosplay alias and why did you choose it?
So, I go by the cosplay name Hideyo Mochimo. I chose it because I was really inspired by the character Hideyoshi in Baka and Test. Half the point of the character is that they couldn’t tell Hideyoshi’s gender, and that really resonated with me, as someone who is transgender. I like to appear androgynous, and considering I cosplay a lot of females, people get confused as to how I identified. So, I shortened that to Hideyo. Mochimo is a word I literally made up, simply to rhyme, and it has to do with the fact that I really love the food mochi.

How many years have you been cosplaying and what got you started?
I have been cosplaying since 2006. What got me started was my friend Tom in high school invited me to the local anime convention, Nan Desu Kan. He told me that I would stand out if I didn’t dress up, so I threw together a quick Kiba Inuzuka from Naruto out of stuff I found at Good Will. Back then I didn’t even use wigs, just always used my real hair. I had such an amazing time at the convention that it just inspired me to keep going, and I’ve been doing it ever since!

What has been some of your favorite things to work with when constructing costumes and why?
Oof, difficult question. If I’m being completely honest, I don’t like the construction part, haha! I like feeling proud of having a final product and getting to wear it, but the construction can drag on, and I hardcore procrastinate. I am always fascinated by the different fabric styles though. Even just getting swatches to match colors, it’s cool to see just how much there is, and sit there and think, how did people discover this, or take the time to make something this beautiful? I love that.

Hideyo Mochimo as Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, photo by Faerie Kisses Photography

What are you excited to be working with in the future and why?
Well, here’s the secret scoop. One of my future cosplays (that I keep putting off out of intimidation) is Belle’s gold ball gown. I’ve had the fabric for….probably five years? I’m a Disney Cast Member, and they were selling some yards of fabric from their old princess dresses due to the update, so I got this beautiful rose printed fabric for Belle’s corset that was actually used in the parks. I’m terrified to touch it and ruin it so it’s been sitting in my closet, but I’m really excited to have a piece of the genuine Disney parks used in my future ball gown.

What are some of the traits you like to see in other costumes and who do you think does well in them?
I really love and admire armor work, because that’s something that I personally don’t think I could ever pull off. I’ve wanted to try it, but it intimidates me, so props to everyone that can do it! Allison Jeffrey Cosplay and Ronin’s Art and Armor are two cosplayers that really stand out to me as far as armor work goes. There are a lot of techniques from lots of different cosplayers that I wish that I could achieve. Wig work is something else I absolutely struggle with. J’adore Cosplay has stunning wig work and I hope I can get to her level at some point.

What is your view of the “cosplay scene”?
BIG OOF. I have a lot of opinions on this, but I’ve also changed my opinions a little bit over the past two years. Really, every scene is different. I personally am not a fan of the Colorado cosplay scene, and so I started going to out of state conventions, and it has been a world of difference for me. It has made me love cosplay again and remember why I got into the hobby in the first place. In my opinion, the cosplay scene is supposed to be a safe place where people can gather because they have always been the social outcasts. We’re the nerds of the world, you know? And yes, nerd culture is becoming more “mainstream” or whatever, but cosplayers still get harassed and made fun of for being who they are. Unfortunately, I have had many an experience where this is not the case, and the cosplay scene does not feel like a safe environment. It’s why I started traveling. And every other cosplay scene I’ve entered into is so nice and so welcoming… but I’m also not from that state, so I just don’t know the drama, and I’m sure that makes a world of difference.

What are some of the things you want to see change in the scene?
Elitism is my biggest thing, honestly. The whole point of cosplay is supposed to be that all cosplayers are beautiful and equal. That is still one thing I’ve noticed, no matter what state I get into. There are always going to be the “celebrity” cosplayers that get so much attention which has always felt ridiculous to me because we are all just nerds in costume, and skill level shouldn’t matter because at least we are putting ourselves out there and doing it. This is something huge I notice with photographers especially. I understand that it’s their equipment that they’re paying for so they can choose their subject, but I won’t lie that it is hurtful when there’s a photographer set up at a con and they’re grabbing like, person a and b and c, and then maybe like, you and your friends walk past and not once get asked for a photo. That shit is hurtful. I hate that there’s this “tier” of like, who is better in cosplay and whatnot because it just shouldn’t be that way. I think everyone should have equal opportunity, especially in a community where most of these people weren’t given opportunities because, again, social outcasts.

Hideyo Mochimo as SpiderGwen from Into the Spiderverse, photo by Francisco Nazario Photography

What is some advice you could give people starting to get into cosplay?
Just do it. Don’t let your dreams be dreams! Ha, but really, aside from Shia Lebouf, I mean that. I think it’s also just important that there are no limitations. Nothing is impossible. If you want to be a Disney princess but think you can’t because of your weight? Just do it! If you want to cosplay a certain character but are worried because they don’t look like you? Just do it! Be whoever you want to be. It’s like when we were a kid, and we wouldn’t judge our imaginations or provide them with limitations. Just take what you want to do and run with it.

What are some of your favorite conventions you’ve attended and why?
SakuraCon is the best convention I have attended so far. Oh my gosh. Not only is it right in Downtown Seattle so it’s within walking distance of amazing places like Pike’s Place Market, but it’s just…gorgeous? I go for photoshoots a lot, and the photoshoot locations at this hotel were the best I’ve ever seen. I also honestly really liked Anime Fargo. It’s incredibly small, like, incredibly, but it was one of the kindest and most accepting communities I have ever been a part of. Plus, at night they do this really cool like, adult trick-or-treating thing where you go from hotel room to hotel room and get free alcohol. If partying is your thing, can’t complain. ALSO! Anime Weekend Atlanta. Gorgeous location, great community, the panels I was able to attend were fabulous and they had this really awesome swat meet. I’ve been so so many, but these are some of my faves.

Give a random fact about one of your costumes that you’re proud of!
Oh geezus. Ummmm. I’m going to go with Rapunzel because that was before pattern use, since patterns weren’t exactly my thing. That entire cosplay was made from scratch, with my own pattern being created in order to do it, which I think it pretty cool!

Hideyo Mochimo as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, photo by Double Helix Photography

Thanks for the interview, Hideyo Mochimo! You can check out their Facebook here!