As the weeks to Katsucon 2019 counted down and real-life responsibilities piled up, Lettelle and I doubted our abilities to finish the much more intricate versions of Syaoran and Sakura we had originally planned to make. Fortunately, when hunting through the Tsubasa artbook archives, we stumbled upon a yukata-esque ...
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Foam Clay Casting Tutorial
While crafting my Emerald Carbuncle Attire from Final Fantasy XIV, I've been trying my best to learn new techniques and work with new materials. The majority of the costume has turned into something of an "experimentation project," and honestly, it's been a blast! I've learned a lot already, and I've also stumbled upon ...
Sakura Wig Tutorial
“Even if she knows, she can’t tell. Even if she wants to help, she cannot. There’s nothing as painful as this, is there?” What doesn't have to be painful is the process of styling your Sakura wig! Whether you're aiming for her Cardcaptor or Reservoir Chronicles self, I hope this tutorial guides you in your ...
Sew Gifted: Presents for Sewing Enthusiasts
The holiday season is in full swing! While you may be wrapping up the majority of your presents, it's never too late to buy something for yourself... Or, perhaps, that friend you completely forgot to include on your list because you didn't know they were getting you something, and they surprised you with The Best Gift ...
Costuming Supply Masterlist
After being a seamstress for so many years, I've compiled a long list of online sources for costuming supplies. JoAnns and Michaels work in a pinch for the basics, but being based in the Midwest, my selection of quality fabric stores is pretty slim. I could drive over an hour to get to a specialty fabric store, but ...
Organization XIII Coat Tutorial
"Organization XIII... they're a bad group." "Bad or good, I don't know. They're a group of incomplete people who wish to be whole. To that end, they're desperately searching for something." The Organization XIII coat has been a staple of cosplay since the mid-2000s. As common as an Akatsuki cloak, seeing a ...
Sewing Anastasia’s Bodice, Sleeves, & Bows
Somehow, even after ten years of making costumes, Anastasia's ballgown was my first attempt at constructing a proper corseted bodice. Mistakes were certainly made, but it taught me a number of skills that I'm eager to apply to future projects! While I'm no expert on bodice-making, I hope that these project notes will ...
Making the Skirts for Anastasia’s Ballgown
Having finished the elliptical cage, it was time to begin the construction of the many, many skirts, beginning with the petticoat! The foundation petticoat was comprised of several layers of frills and godets made from iridescent organza in various shades. A few layers of silk charmeuse, glitter organza, and silk ...
Role Call: A Back-to-School Gift Guide for Adventurers
It is a bright, early morning during the first week of Eleint. Alinda, a young wizard, makes her way through the courtyard of her new academy, gripping the handle of her staff, her only lifeline. As if it were a barrage of Identify spells aimed at her back, she feels the stares of unfamiliar peers boring into her, ...
Anastasia’s Kokoshnik Tutorial
Of the many aspects of this cosplay, Anastasia's kokoshnik was by far my favorite to make! Beadwork is one of my favorite things to do for cosplay, and the way I interpreted this portion of the costume included beadwork in spades. Like her necklace, Anastasia's kokoshnik is quite plain in the original ...
Making Anastasia’s Necklace
While waiting for hundreds of yards of organza to arrive, I took a break from the petticoat to work on Anastasia's necklace. This was a quick little project and probably the simplest part of the costume! Start to finish, it only took around an hour and a half to complete. In the animation, Anastasia's necklace is ...
Elliptical Cage Crinoline Tutorial
Almost a year later, I'm finally finding time to do some write-ups of my Anastasia construction process. A lot of this information was already shared on my various social media pages, but hopefully having everything compiled in one place is a bit more convenient for anyone who is curious about the work that went into ...