How To Sew/Cosplay Panel

[Haruka]

I think there should be a How To Sew/ Cosplay panel.  A lot of people want to cosplay, but either don't know how to sew or how to convert patterns to match their character.  That would be a huge help.  



Anyone interested in teaching this?  I would, but I'm a little overextended as it is.

[Lady_Hoshi]

i would attend that panel.  i hope someone decides to host one like this.

[astroboy]

sounds like a fun idea. But a panel on how to sew wouldn't be very fun if you didn't have sewing machines.  Getting enough people to volunteer their sewing machines to fill up one room may be VERY difficult. But I have a feeling a panel like that would be very popular because there's a lot of cosplayers or people interested in cosplay who do not have sewing machines and they don't want to drop over $100 into a machine that they have never used before. But if they get a chance to test drive one for free who would pass up on that offer?



I think this idea has been brought up before but it usually falls thru the cracks since no one had the initiative to make it happen. btw I wouldn't mind volunteering my sewing machine(people volunteer their game consoles so why not sewing machines^_^) but there's no way I could host the panel b/c my hands will be full staffing the info desk.



However if it's just a panel about how to cosplay then chances are, not that many people will attend unless it's being hosted by a very popular cosplay group. At least that's my observation but I could be wrong.

[issei]

If this panel goes through and you need more sewing machines, I have one I can lend out for the panel. The only thing is, mine is VERY VERY basic. No fancy stitches. straight stitching but you can change the width and tightness, go backwards...Easy stuff. However, that's probably best for people just learning right?^^;; And it's all you really need.



However, I am too much of a beginner to host any sort of panel like this. It sounds like this panel has lots of potential of someone will host it, and if they could do a good job. Like astroboy said, there are a lot of people wanting to cosplay but don't know how to sew(it IS tricky)

[Haruka]

But I have an extremely basic (and temperamental) machine I could lend.  And if anyone agrees to host, I'd be happy to help.

[Jessa_chan]

I have a sewing machine I could lend also, but its YOUR job to hook it up, as anything more complicated than opening the box is out of my league  :roll:

[eva001]

i wish there was a class at the con. that showed how to make your own costums because i cant sow wearth sh1t

[Cream Kit]

Egad. I don't think a single panel would do any justice to the skill. Anybody here actually make their own clothes that don't look like they come from a game or manga series? Pfft, well, it'd be nice for the prospective cosplayers. And while I'm on that note: cosplayers sometimes choose the worst, excessively expensive fabrics for their costumes sometimes.

Anyway, there's my two cents. I wish I could spill out a little more of myself on the floor (in the forum) here, but you'd be all over me about crap. Bye-yuh!

[issei]

Actually, about a fourth of my clothes are clothes I either edited from clothes(such as making a shirt from a skirt, or vice versa, or skirt from pants), or that I made from stratch.

[Haruka]

Egad. I don't think a single panel would do any justice to the skill. Anybody here actually make their own clothes that don't look like they come from a game or manga series?

I do.  I've been making a lot of my own clothes, lately.  I've also been converting old or ill fitting clothes to give them another use( i.e. short jeans into pedal-pushers or shorts).  It's a pretty useful skill and I started to learn by making my own costume.

[Lady_Hoshi]

how about just a class on the basics of sewing?  like how to thread and use a sewing machine?  reading patterns?  



i could some help with the basics of a sewing machine.  right now, i hand stitch all my costumes and not a very nice stitch.  it holds, that is all i ask of it.

[CloudStrife546]

i think its a great idea.  but not only should sewing be done, but other things should be covered too.  for instance...how to make armor, on a low budget that is.  or, how to make weapons.  etc.  if thats happenin, im in.  :D

[eva001]

right!

and how to make things so they dont look so cheese!

yes i wish i could do things like that!

[Haruka]

Armor and weapons is way to much to cover in one panel.  That would be more of a How To for more experienced cosplayers.  I'm talking about the bare bones basics like using a machine and reading patterns.  Also how to convert patterns to what you need.  Cheap fabric vs. showy fabric and all that.  This would be something for the beginners, either people who have never cosplayed before or do all their sewing by hand.



Covering the threading of a machine would be difficult only from a standpoint that all machines are different and may not thread the same way or wind bobbins the same way and it depends on whether the machine is a vertical or slanted needle, ...etc.  These are the kinds of things that would be covered.



Isn't there anyone who could host this panel????

[Tama]

It sounds like we need a lot of 'how to sew' panels.  The question is what level do we want it to be at?  A beginning level I would skip (after all there's SO much to do) but I WOULD like to learn more about making armor and which fabrics are best for which look.  Is there anyone that anybody knows who makes costumes on a professional or semi-professional basis?  Maybe we could talk them into being a guest?  If not we could snag someone from Der Cosplay---One of the winners that made their costumes?   :wink:

[eva001]

well i ant sew worth crap, i can barlly do anything so this would help me if it was a more beginers...but whatever u guys want if it is advansed im out..hee

[Miaka]

a how to cosplay panel would be good for those who need help, but for a how to sew panel, you'd probably be better off taking a sewing class at your school or local community college. Or go to your local joanns they do teach sewing there and you bring ur own machine there so you learn using your own machine. For basic learning on how to sew straight with your machine practice with ur machine not threaded and use binder paper try and follow the lines on the paper. As for threading your machine every machine is different so yes you'd have to follow your machine's manual on how to thread it. ^_^; Things that could be covered in a cosplay panel are: patterns and how to alter them to fit your needs, fabric choosing, finishing your costumes like serging or whatnot. I'd also think urls or lists of places to purchase cosplay goods. actually the cosplay panels are more popular than you think. I don't even think the host of the panel matters as much. Provided the panel isn't at a time when there's something larger going on there should get a good turnout.



but I do have to say there should be separate pannels like one on costume construction, another on props and another on armor. There isn't enough time to fit everything into an hours worth of time that panels usually last. ^_^; Last year there were some good panels on stuff like vaccum forming with plastics and the like.

                                 

                     Miaka

[nekokitsune]

I've been sewing for maybe two years, and cosplaying/costumes are the first thing I started with. Since then, I've begun to sew a lot of clothes for myself as well.



Sewing on a sewing machine, although daunting, isn't too difficult if you have someone to show you or read the instruction book. Practice material is good too. Think about it as a skill, like driving. There's a pedal that controls speed, and your hands control the direction of the fabric. And, as always, the more you do it, the better you get.



Like one of the other postees said, as far as threading the machine and working it, the best thing would probably be to find someone to teach you or take a class since every machine is different.



On that note, every pattern and costume/cosplay is different. It ::would:: be nice to have a general "cosplay panel" but it's probably super difficult, as you have a variety of different genres of anime, thus producing an array of costuming needs. There are two panels this year though, one for beginners and one for more adept persons. I am planning on attending one for sure :)



If people need help though, I'm not a sewing guru or anything, but I'd be willing to answer basic questions... otherwise, ask your mom/granddad/aunt/uncle/relative, i'm sure someone in the family sews or knows someone who does ^-^ I think a good idea would be to set up a forum/email/talkspace that allows people with cosplay problems to get feedback...



And a tip for people wanting to do armor [it took me a long time to figure this out, so i'd like to pass it on]: flashing is very cool. You can get it at a hardware store [it's used to restore rain drains on the sides of houses] and it's thin metal that can be cut with regular scissors and then you can spray paint it, decorate it, glue it together [Hard As Nails works well with some heavy books to hold on top of it] whatever your armor needs require.



::hops off of soapbox:: gomen ne ^^;; now i'm done

[Tama]

See!  That's the kind of stuff I wanna know! That flashing stuff will be very useful. Thanks! :D

[hakudoushi]

yeah!