Cosplayer Hangout 2012 ~ 1st & last post ~ 8/8/2011

[Inai]

Cosplayer Hangout was the best thing since sliced bread.. at least to me it was.  ;D I just wish more of the staff knew about it and I expressed this Saturday when I spent a few minutes in there hydrating. On Friday I had an armor malfunction and really needed a hot glue gun. I asked the info desk where the hangout was located (left our Fanime booklets in the hotel room) and they had no clue there was anything like that. Luckily I brought a hot glue gun with me but I still had to walk back to the Fairmont. I know it's hard to communicate to all areas of Fanime, but I was expecting at least the information desk would know. It also didn't come to mind to have asked the cosplay gatherings group or rovers so maybe that's my fault there.

Thank you! At one point the Hilton Hotel Reg staff were directing cosplayers over to us when they were approached for a needle &/or thread! Hats off to the Hilton! :)
I agree and we are going to put two things on the Info department's list: The key for gathering locations & HOW TO FIND THE HANGOUT! :P
Do you have any suggestions for what you would like in the room? Please note that I will not allow sewing machines in there, however I do want to pick up a hand sewer or two. No sewing machines because con isn't where you finish your cosplay but where you wear it and I want everyone to come out of their hotel rooms and do stuff during con :)

Fans would have been nice, like two small ones to cool off in front of. Maybe some hem tape next year for quick fixes in addition to a hand sewing kit. There are some fabrics that are super thick or difficult to hand sew through so the hem tape would be useful and less obvious than hot glue. Not that heat n bond stuff, it has never worked out well for me. :( If there were safety pins, I didn't see any so those would be useful and maybe some notions like hook and eyes and velcro.
The room was great, I am actually thinking of donating a ton of stuff next year since I'm a total hoarder with all my sewing supplies.

[Dany]

Do you have any suggestions for what you would like in the room? Please note that I will not allow sewing machines in there, however I do want to pick up a hand sewer or two. No sewing machines because con isn't where you finish your cosplay but where you wear it and I want everyone to come out of their hotel rooms and do stuff during con :)

Are you thinking of the little handheld battery powered machine things? Those would be very handy for a repair that may be quicker in an automated fasion.

And while con isn't where you finish your cosplay..you know that's what happens XD That being said..and you made me think of it again now...the idea of perhaps a "finishing circle" where people can get together for a little while and do simple last-minute work on what they need to. This would be for those last minute things like attaching fasteners, miscellaneous hand-finishings, wig styling, that sort of thing, but doing it with others rather than being cooped up away from the con.

It's a thought, but there it is :)

[Charis]

I only wound up ducking into the room twice -- once to drop things off, and once on Saturday with a friend to get some water -- but it was marvelous to have.  Have to facepalm, though; one of the roomies was trying to fix her mask, and I didn't think to direct her there for a hot glue gun, when I'd dropped one off the day before.  (Didn't even remember until I saw it out when we went by the next day.  My brain was apparently on vacation all con!)

It would've been nice if the info booths had known what I was asking about; it took them five minutes to unearth a programme and turn up the location for me. ;_;  But overall, the room was a fabulous idea and I'm sure it'll be even better next year once the inevitable Year One kinks are worked out.

And oooh, fabric swap. ^_____^

[D001]

I loved this room eventhough I only utilized it once.  But I recall it being said that no photography would occur in the room, so I felt very comfortable ducking in the room for a drink of water in a costume I have to position myself in rather amusing ways in order to drink successfully while minimizing any potential for spillage on my hand-dyed silk.  It was also nice to know that the room did exist in case of any malfunctions or just as a place to collapse for a few minutes without having to worry about getting stepped on, getting snagged or getting dirty.  I definitely hope this room is back next year (and also that I remember more than once for a quick break into calm out of the awesome storm that is con XD)

[AnimefanJJ]

I found out not a lot of q&a panels didn't do so well, I think it is because of the fact they were barely mention in the Fanime con booklet. I think we should get the word out better about this place and the panels that will help many cosplayers. I will be back next year though to teach the stitching by hand and alterations by hand again, since I didn't get a chance to do so this year. 

[maikiritori]

I'm going to be donating another few items!

Tide Pen
Lint Roller
Box of Tissues



BIG MAYBE : A stool/bean bag

[BSaphire]

Just a heads up on the Cosplayer Hangout... YES it will be back in 2012 with more hours, more programming, and more to offer! I will either revamp this thread or start a new one around September due to the pressing matters of my life currently.

We will be in need of donations for the room, for C2C repair station, and looking for C2C Q&A sessions for 2012. Specific events for the Hangout include: C2C Fabric Swap, Zombie Gathering and Event night, Traditional Iron Cosplay contest (get your 6 person teams together now,) a Chocobo Corner for our chibi cosplayers to relax in, and new C2C Q&A sessions with a Armor Making one in particular.

Still looking for your ideas cosplayers so feel free to post them. If you can donate either water or water cups then post that too. The bottled water is for the cosplayer that is leaving the room to take with them. The cups are for in the room.

There will be more to come as the year finishes out, but for now know that the room will most likely be relocated also. We are planning on keeping the room on the first floor of the Hilton Hotel so don't fret, but we wanted to do a whole lot more so moving may be necessary.

LOVE 2 the COSPEEPS!
BSaphire

[MikuMayhem]

Personally, I loved the Hangout... Which I think was super obvious seeing as I spent most of my spare time in there laying on the floor.  :P

For next year, I'd definitely say fans wound be a good idea, either oscillating floor fans or those little battery operated hand held ones so cold air could be maneuvered into hot armor easier.

Also, I don't recall having a floor length mirror, but that seems like it would still be a great idea.

I didn't see it on the list, but would a small hair dryer be good? To be used to help paint or glue or the clear nail polish or something dry faster?

I can also bring things like bandaids, q-tips, and cotton rounds.