Gillian Conahan - The Heros Closet: Sewing for Cosplay and Costuming

Editor: Cristina Garces

Designer: Susi Oberhelman Production

Manager: Kathleen Gaffney

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016945899

ISBN: 978-1-4197-2396-4
eISBN: 978-1-6833-5009-5

Text and illustrations copyright 2017 Gillian Conahan Photographs copyright 2017 Karen Pearson

Published in 2017 by Abrams, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

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It was almost inevitable that I would get into cosplay. I love to make things, and I grew up on a steady diet of science fiction, fantasy, comics, anime, and video games. I started sewing way back in elementary school, first by hand and then on a sewing machine and serger. With practice and experimentation, I learned to work with a variety of fabrics, fit patterns to my body, and sew clothes I wanted to wear. I spent years learning to manipulate patternseventually, I learned to make my own. But the fact is, sewing everyday clothes can get pretty boring. I wanted to make something exciting, something elaborately embellished and full of interesting shapes and details, even if I didnt generally wear that sort of thing. Some people might start in on an outrageous evening gown at this point. But for me, costumes were the answer. Long before I knew cosplay was a thing, I cherished Halloween as an opportunity to re-create my favorite characters. Now, with more experience and better tools at my disposal, I can make things that would once have been pure fantasy. As a creative person and a nerd, its hard to imagine a better feeling.

As my costume collection has grown, Ive found that sometimes I enjoy the crafting process even more than I like wearing the result. It turns out Im at least as much of a sewing geek as I am any other kind of geek. But although my stack of sewing and drafting texts now rivals my science fiction stash, I can safely say that none of the writers had elves and superheroes in mind. Most of that I had to puzzle out myselfand now I want to share it with you. Maybe you picked up this book because youre brand-new to cosplay, or perhaps youre a seasoned pro sick of pouring money into costumes that fall short of your exacting standards. For whatever reason, youre interested in sewing costumes yourself. Awesome! But even if youre brand-new at this, and not convinced youll get into sewing just for the joy of it, I still think that every cosplayer should learn to sew at least a little bit, if only to open the door to new and more ambitious costume projects. Here are just a few reasons why DIY might be a good option for you:

While its possible to find commercial costumes for many recognizable characters, the character you love might not be among them. Even if you can find part of your costume in a store, there may be other components that are harder to track down. If thats the case, youll have to find something similar and modify it. An even better solution? Make it yourself! Its often much simpler to add the distinctive features that make a costume shinelike piping, collars, sleeve cuffs, or rufflesif youre starting from scratch rather than altering an existing garment.

Maybe youve picked a popular character to cosplay, and youve managed to find the costume in stores or online. Great! But when you arrive at the convention, theres a good chance that someoneor lots of someones!will be wearing the exact same costume. While you should definitely high-five and maybe take a goofy picture together if this happens, sometimes its nice to be able to put your own spin on a character and know that no one else is going to have anything quite like it. You can pick a less common costume variant, create character mash-ups, transport your character into a different time period or an alternate universe, or invent your own character for a truly unique costume.

If you cosplay, you probably sweat the small stuff. You know that attention to detail can make or break an outfit, and maybe youve been disappointed with purchased costumes in the past. If you sew your costume yourself, you have total control over each piece from beginning to end. You can choose exactly the right fabrics and trims, and accurately replicate details like sleeves and collars. No settling for someone elses interpretation, or for something thats almost right. And if it doesnt turn out as well as youd hoped, at least you can be certain that the next one will be better!

Off-the-rack clothes are made to a standard body size and shape, and chances are that body is at least a little bit different from yours. If youre petite or tall or have proportions that differ from the standard, you might not be able to find the pieces you need at all. Actors have their costumes custom-fitted to look flawless, and you can do the same if you make your costume. Fitting your garments to your exact specifications means youll end up with an outfit thats comfortable, wont pull or gap, and makes you look amazing.

Its true, you could pay someone else to sew you a custom creation. But honestly, how many people have the budget to do that all the time? If you have time to create a costume for yourself, you dont have to pay for someone elses labor. If you shop around for your materials, you can find a price that fits into your budgetor find a less expensive alternative. And, once youve got a few costumes under your belt, you can even start offering your services to wealthier friends!

If youre not already convinced, consider the satisfaction of wearing a knockout costume that you put together all by yourself. For bragging rights, thats pretty hard to top! A handmade costume is also a common prerequisite for participation in masquerades and costume competitions, so sewing skills are essential if you have any affinity for official accolades and shiny trophies.

I think a lot of people have the idea that sewing is hard, or scary, or for professionals only. And yet most of these people drive cars, use computers, and exercise all kinds of specialized technological skills without a second thought. A sewing machine is just another tool, and one that anyone can master with enough practice. To start making your own costumes, all you need are some simple sewing skills, such as threading a needle and tying a knot. Familiarize yourself with the basic operation of your sewing machine: threading, winding bobbins, starting and stopping. Start with one of the simple patterns, be patient and meticulous, and follow the directions carefully while youre learning. After that, the skys the limit!