Help! The Cosplay ER!

This is a personalized cosplay help blog, for those who are stumped, need help, or are just looking for some personal advice on how to spruce up their costumes! Submit photos of your work in progress, or just ask questions. Wig tangled? Not sure how to dye something? Sewn your neckline shut and have no idea how to fix anything? No idea where to find this specific wig you need? Or maybe you just want some ideas for how to make your cosplay pop? Feel free to ask, and we'll find a way to fix it! If we can't, we'll direct you to some blogs that might have the answers you need! Other useful blogs! Homestuck Cosplay Help! Team Fortress 2 Cosplay Help!

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Do you have any advice or tips as to how you made your Prospit John costume? Thank you in advance!

The pants for John are a basic pajama pant pattern, and after I sewed the pants together, the vertical stripes on the outside are just some quilt binding that I unfolded and topstitched down once the rest of the pants were sewn. I wish I could point you to a pattern for the shirt, but for the most part it's actually modified around the shape of a typical tee shirt. (You can kinda see it in these:http://murtunacaptor.tumblr.com/post/44100137758/itll-be-scary-out-there-full-of-nightmares-but, John, Jade, and Rose's outside of the sleeves are really straightforward, except the bottoms are a triangle. Dave's is like a medieval "Y" sort of shape at the sides.)John's sleeves are made from this stuff with the shiny side in, instead of out: http://www.joann.com/casa-satin/zprd_08527822a.html#prefn1=refinementColor&prefv1=Pinks&start=3  Limeade is the color of John's sleeves. John and Jade were made with kona cotton in corn yellow http://www.joann.com/kona-cotton-solid-quilt-fabric/prd57239.html#q=kona&start=1 We painted the moons on by hand with acrylic paint (super cheap, you don't need to buy the fine art stuff, the cheap craft stuff that comes in the little $1 bottles will do!), though if I were to remake these cosplays now since it's been two years, I'd satin stitch the moons and swirls on because I think it'd look a bit nicer, here's a tutorial for that if you're interested: http://firewolf826.deviantart.com/art/Cosplay-Tutorial-Satin-Stitched-Applique-406078597 It's time consuming, but looks REALLY NICE when you do it!The shoulder panels for John and Dave are little curves of stabilizer that are basically the shape of a test curve on a graph, I cut out a few "test" ones from normal paper and held them around my shoulder until I figured I had about the right size and shape. The stabilizer was then sandwiched between two layers of cotton (pretty sure this was just some scrap I had lying around that happened to be in the right colour, they were less than half a yard of fabric), and topstitched. I trimmed the edges with quilt binding in a matching colour so you wouldn't see the sewn edge on the outside. I then sewed these finished pieces onto the shoulder seam before attaching the sleeves, so all of the yucky raw edges are on the absolute inside of the garment.The "tube" collar piece is literally just that, a tube of fabric. Each stripe is a rectangle of fabric, sewn together to make a long striped strip of fabric, which I then folded in half and sewed together to make basically a long, skinny cylinder. Be sure to sew it onto the shirt BEFORE you stuff it, because if you stuff it first, sewing it on the shirt makes it really bulky and hard to handle and won't go through your sewing machine anymore unless you have a hella intense industrial machine or something. Stuffing it can also be really slow and tedious if you're pushing it all down from one end, so I use a chopstick, since extra long chopsticks are a thing. John and Jade's collars have big hook and eyes in the back so we can open them and get our shirts over our heads, Dave's is a big snap, and we made Rose's wide enough to pull her head through. One of my other friends made her collar a complete circle, and wide enough to pull her head through without a zipper or anything and it actually looked a lot nicer in person. (This is hers:http://narrendor.tumblr.com/post/43449103227/always-fun-to-wander-around-in-my-darkdreamer )

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Help! i dont know how to make cosplay rabbit ears. im doing a panne cosplay from fire emblem awakening, and i dont know how to make panne's ears.

What I would do for ears like Panne's is basically make a quilt-batting sandwich. I'd take two layers of fleece (or whatever you'd want the outside,) trace and cut out the shape you want for her ears, plus a little bit of extra space for seam allowance, and sew in some quilt batting in the same shape. It'd give a similar look to if they were "stuffed', but the batting being in the same shape as the rest of her ear should hopefully help it not seem too puffy or lumpy. Without it being too big, then it may be easier to braid into your wig! 

I hope that's a start for you! 

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Help! I need to sew an entire jumpsuit for my chell cosplay by Halloween! I couldn't find ANY suits so i bought orange bedding. i sew really slowly since im a novice. How screwed am i? I also found heavy orage fabric but its only 1.5 yards worth.

Well, my friend. Making an outfit out of bedding isn't necessarily a bad idea, so you may be able to make it work for her Portal 2 outfit.

Basically she's wearing a prison jumpsuit with the top unzipped and tied around her waist. Luckily, most jumpsuit pajama patterns are listed as easy, for both simplicity or McCalls. Here's one: http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m6251-products-13315.php?page_id=907 (they don't have collars, if you have someone who can help you attach a collar, they aren't super difficult to pattern yourself, they're a rectangle measuring the circumference of the neckline by the height you want the collar to have, but it will at least be tucked in a little so if you can't figure it out, no sweat) if you're a total sewing newbie, the only part I forsee being difficult is adding the zipper, but if the pattern doesn't outline it well enough for you, the back of the box the zipper comes in should also have instructions.

You probably can't get the full jumpsuit out of the 1.5 yards of fabric, but a bedsheet should be enough. If it's a bit thin, I'd recommend wearing some safety shorts underneath, because color can show through, but with baggy stuff you shouldn't have to worry too much. 

Good luck with your cosplay, I believe in you!

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Hello! I want to cosplay Trickster Dirk and I have everything, but his arm warmers. I found one tutorial of it, but it was pretty long and confusing, plus there were no pictures, so I'm a bit stumped! If you could please write a tutorial for Trickster Dirk's arm warmers and if you have any photos of making them that you could put in, that would be great!! Please and thank you!!

Hi, anon! It wouldn't post very well as an ask answer, so I made a little tutorial for you with my Fai sleeves that I've been working on: http://murtunacaptor.tumblr.com/post/95957340202/super-simple-striped-armsleeve-tutorial-for

The stripes go a different direction on my Fai sleeves, but it's the same basic concept. You can also "make" the red and yellow striped pattern by sewing strips of fabric together at the widths you want and then cutting them into the quad shape mentioned in the tutorial (one end measures your wrist circumference plus some space, the sides are your desired length, and the other end is your forearm/elbow circumference plus some space, if I wasn't clear enough!)

I hope that can get you started, anon!

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Hi there! I was planning on doing a faun cosplay but I don't feel so comfortable running around in a bra and just wanted your opinion on what else you think I could wear that might look good, but would cover a little more up top? Thanks!

Well, for a faun top, it really depends on the sort of look you're going for. Since the emphasis is on those rad digitigrade legs, I'd definitely go with something that matches your bottom design. 

I did some digging, and here are a few ideas I found~http://33.media.tumblr.com/6b37a4fd6c63423cf25c1714e7b7c9ae/tumblr_n9c7asxNkf1t4is7uo1_1280.jpg 

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/013/6/7/Afternoon_of_the_Faun_by_TheLadyNerd.jpg

http://38.media.tumblr.com/b85a3776a6cca1c3aef1239e25d35fa9/tumblr_mzvyb5lAPs1t4is7uo1_1280.jpg

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/036/0/e/faun_by_ulltotten-d38ukz6.jpg

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/282/3/4/faun_costume_by_l0u1sa-d30e56f.jpg

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Any tips for sewing gloves? I'm stumped by how to do them

Sewing gloves is really tricky. I struggle with them a lot myself, but it really depends on what type of glove you're trying to make. My first suggestion would be if it's within your design, try to use a stretch fabric. For precision sewing (like between your fingers) stretch fabrics are easier to flip inside out and make it easier to accommodate your hands and how they move. 

One method you can use is to make a pair of "test" gloves with scrap fabric first, if you're making your own pattern. Spread out your fingers and trace your hand onto some extra fabric. Be sure to leave a bit of extra space around the edges for seam allowance. If you're using a non-stretch fabric, you'll have to make fourchettes, which are the raised pieces between each finger. They're probably the most tricky part of making the glove. They're personally skippable if you're using a stretch fabric, because you can always add a little bit of extra leeway across the tips and sides of your fingers, and the fabric will conform to the shape of your fingers on its own.

Here's a couple tutorials that can explain how to make gloves from scratch:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Gloves-for-Yourself/ (Simpler version)

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Gloves/ (More advanced sewing)

[cosplayemergency-blog]

I'm making a costume for i62(.)tinypic(.)com/senkhd(.)jpg, and I was wondering how to do the bodysuit. I was considering buying a zentai suit and lopping off the top of the head with a pair of scissors, would that be a good idea? If so, 1. Where's a good place to buy one, 2. How would I get it to stay on my face, and 3. How do I prevent it from actually looking like it was lopped off with a pair of scissors? Thanks.

I've cut the head off of a zentai before, no problem! What you want to do is be sure that your zipper is unzipped (mostly so you don't lose the pull piece), cut the head off, but be sure to actually cut it at least an inch or two above where you want the top of the zentai to end.

Put some hot glue or a few stitches around the "new top ends" of your zipper so that your pull does not come off when you zip the suit up. Then, fold over your cut edges twice, and sew it. If you have a sewing machine, a zig-zag stitch will let the stretch of the fabric maintain its stretch. Bam, now it looks like you bought it that way! 

How well the fabric stays on your face is sort of up to how tight the fabric fits to your skin, but you can also add an elastic piece to the back of your head to allow for extra tightness/give in the face. 

There are plenty of listings for zentai suits on ebay, and I found a lot in the "zentai bodysuit" search on amazon. They seem to range anywhere from $25-$60 USD.

It seems like such a cool cosplay, I wish you the best of luck. 

[colt-kun]

Tutorial: A Con Safe Light Weight Keyblade from Craft Foam

By: Colt-kun and princeofthewildthings

AKA How to make this pile of generally useless material:

Into this awesomeness:

Weight: 4 pounds. Other cosplayers were asked to hold it and were AMAZED at how little it weighed. It’s light enough to keep you from getting tired while carrying it.

Time: 8-10 hours… or the length of Rise of the Guardians, 6 episodes of NCIS, and 2 episodes of Game of Thrones.

With the way it’s built with all the extending parts being ‘interlocked’, it didn’t fall apart after a long car trip, several days tossed around a con, and me generally goofing off and swinging it around. It got left in a hot car in the Florida sun and didn’t melt… something I can’t say for all props…

READY? LET’S MAKE YOU A KEYBLADE MASTER.

Read More

[cosplayemergency-blog]

I'm plannin an X-men: First Class cosplay with the yellow and blue uniform and I need some advice on choosing the material for the yellow parts. It appears to be flexible with a textured pattern, like the material that sports gear is made out of. Any idea what I could use for it? (Also any tips on making Magneto's helmet would be great) Thanks in advance! :)

In terms of the yellow fabric, I agree, something for sports gear would probably be a good way to go. If you want a more "vinyl but not shiny" look too, you could probably look into upholstery sheets--Marine vinyl is great for heavy duty stuff, it comes in yellow, and can be sewn on a sewing machine, but it's not exactly stretchy. (They sell it on the big rolls at Jo-Ann's, http://www.joann.com/marine-vinyl--yellow/11460862.html It's a bit pricey though so I'd use those coupons.) 

You can also look into utility fabrics. Most aren't typically used for clothing, but hey, this is fictional clothing so getting the look you want is probably more of what you want. Duck canvas is also really textured, but again, not stretchy at all and pretty thick. If you back it with something nylon is also an option, though it has a luster to it and is less textured.

If all else fails and you have no idea what anything you could want to use is called, go to a sporting goods store, find something you like, and read the labels. Then go online to somewhere like fabric.com or distinctivefabrics.com and order exactly what you need? It would probably give you the most exact results, but take more time than going to a fabric store.

For Magneto's helmet, you could check out this thread: http://www.therpf.com/f24/foam-speed-building-files-stormtrooper-progress-148889/ It doesn't have a template for his specifically, but they have templates for lots of fictional helmets and headpieces and I'm sure there's something there you can modify for your needs! The same guy also has a Loki helmet explanation here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO-wnvt-uqI which seems like a decent starting point!

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Armor help?

I’m trying to make older Hiccups armor but I don’t know where to start! Which fabric should i use and how would i make that fabric look hard like armors supposed to be? I considered using pleather and i have heard of a foam that will bend when put over heat but i still dont know…. Any advice would be greatly appreciate… Hope you have a nice day!

~*~

Hi! So, Hiccup's armor definitely looks like it's some sort of hardened leather in canon, so 

The foam that bends over heat is called EVA foam, and you probably know it as the stuff that they use to make those puzzle foam mats. You can buy it (sometimes in puzzle form specifically) at hardware stores. I've purchased it at Target and Home Depot in the past. You can cut it with scissors or an x-acto knife, and it's relatively forgiving. It's really malleable with the help of a heat gun. 

Here's some tutorials for working with it: 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Creating-a-CostumeCosplay-from-EVA-Foam/ 

http://www.schenz.com/fm_eva.html

If you're feeling thrifty or want to work with something a little less heavy-duty, you can always resort to craft foam. It's cheap, easy to obtain, and I've had this tutorial for it saved for ages: http://entropyhouse.com/penwiper/costumes/helmsdeep.html

You can always stretch pleather or upholstery vinyl over the formed shapes to give it a texture, I'd just suggest tracing your base shape from your armor onto the foam (and add a little bit for stretching it around the sides of said foam) before you actually shape the foam. 

I can't personally claim to be an armor expert, nor do I have experience with worbla or wonderflex, but I know that those are also very popular materials for building armor, and tutorials (and even books) for working with them exist as well. 

[cosplayemergency-blog]

How do you make a fake prosthetic leg for a costume?

What I've seen several cosplayers do (for things like Hiccup and Edward Elric) is make what is basically a "boot" or shoe cover that looks like the fake leg. You can even build it as a piece to slide over any shoes you'd like--get a pair of leggings that are too large for you, build the prosthetics on top out of craft foam, eva foam, or cardboard, (to finish cardboard to have an "old" metal look, you can paper mache over it and sand that down), and pull the leggings over your shoe. If you want it to be all one piece, you can actually hot glue it to the bottom or edges of your shoe. Cosplaytutorial answered a similar question here: http://blog.cosplaytutorial.com/post/39878328299/hello-im-sorry-to-be-a-bother-but-im-doing-a-hiccup and they're a bit more well-read and comprehensive than I am, but hopefully at the very least it's a starting point!

[cosplayemergency-blog]

I want to cosplay modern human toothless but I haven't found anything helpful. Please help!

Hi, anon! The best place to start is probably to pick a design, or design your own! What kind of hair would reflect his attitude? Clothes? Shoes? Think about different styles of fashion, places around the world (not even traditional attire, I mean street fashion and general clothing people wear on a daily basis), subcultures, and so on! 

If you're looking to going straightforward gijinka-style with it, you could probably style his "ears" into a wig fairly easily,Here's a tutorial for my personal favorite method: http://cattypatra.deviantart.com/art/Wig-Spiking-Tutorial-143983384 And if you're looking for something a little more solid-looking and less natural: http://malindachan.deviantart.com/art/Wig-Styling-101-Spiking-336344128 

I could easily see Toothless in a hoodie or other sort of large jacket that covers his forearms, as well as large boots, or pants that flare out at the bottom to emulate the larger (I was going to type forelegs, but it's more the lower halves of his legs) proportions lent to his feet. I suggest this mostly because of his design and proportions. It's partially because of the art style you see in the film, but it's not a bad idea to try and convey that in your costume, either!  Alternatively, you could put a modern spin on Hiccup's design from the movie, and make it black like toothless.(Here's a really cute design that did it really nicely: http://please-ask-hiccup.tumblr.com/post/25445995666/i-think-he-would-be-a-wonderful-person-as-for-me ) 

A cute, slightly related tutorial you could probably modify for your own uses as well: http://www.triedandtrueblog.com/how-to-make-a-dragon-costume-from-a-sweatsuit/ 

But yeah, if you're really stumped, go forth, look for designs, look at genres of fashion, other characters, even, for inspiration! How To Train Your Dragon has a lot of costume designs that rely heavily on furs and vests with large boots, as well as designs that are largely top-heavy, but planted with larger feet. But hey, you're not limited to that at all! Do you want him to be a punk? A skater? A cybergoth? Fighter pilot? It's all up to you!  

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Heya! So, I'm in love with the advice you've been giving and I was wondering if maybe you'd know anything about where one could start with Hiccup's prosthetic leg? I mean I have an idea going through my head to make a stilt out of it, but I guess I'd like a second opinion/idea if possible?

Wow, I'm slow! Sorry about that! Okay, so I have a few ideas.

One is that you can make a prop that looks like the leg, that is capable of carrying at least a bit of your weight, but you don't have to walk on it. Then, sewn to the inside of your pantleg on your cosplay, is a "sock," or a little pouch, that you can bend your knee and slip your foot into. For photos and stuff, then you can lean onto the leg without too much fear that your foot will show, but you do need to be sure to practice and make sure it will angle correctly, I'm not entirely sure how well it would work myself, as I don't have much experience here, sorry! D:Cosplaytutorial also had a few suggestions for Hiccup's leg, you can check that out here.  (By the way, that's an awesome blog, so I'd say check it out!)

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Troll horns

Hi there! I'm going to be cosplaying Karkat Vantas (a Homestuck troll as you can see by the picture :P) and he's the first troll I will be doing so I was wondering if any of you had tips on what kind of stuff I should use to make his horns. Thanks for your help! Also this blog is a great idea aha high fives to all of you! :)

-- Hey, sorry about the delay! What I do for my troll horns, is create the base shape with tinfoil, then cover it with model magic or another lightweight air-dry clay like the "creatology" clay that they sell at Michael's. I slowly will smooth out this clay until it's exactly as smooth/shaped how I want it. I let it dry for a day or two, then sand them down with a little bit more effort, and painted them with acrylic paints. Once the paint is dry, I go over it with either modpodge, or you can also use clear nail polish, if you'd like it to be a bit glossier. And then, you can use either bobby pins, or wire, to attach them to your wig. 

A lot of different tutorials and explanations of other things you can do can be found on HomestuckCosplayHelp, here: http://homestuckcosplayhelp.tumblr.com/post/32747099615/troll-horn-master-guide 

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Yuu-Morisawa submitted: ~Creamy Mami~

Hello! I have decided to try and cosplay Creamy Mami from Magical Angel Creamy Mami, but I have no idea where to start! The anime is from the 80's and I spent hours crawling through the internet searching for a wig, the props, or a costume, and wham! Nothing! Will you please help me? (PS, I wasn't sure what to tag this or whether I should put this in the ask or submit... Sorry.) --

Hi! For Creamy Mami, this is the reference I found, so I hope it's the right outfit, since I saw her in a few different ones!

"

Well, there are a few different things you can do for her outfit! One is I'd say look into making it from scratch--it shouldn't be too terribly complex. 

You could start with an ice skating pattern and fabric for the base part of the leotard and skirt-- like this one: http://www.thegreenpepper.com/downloads/517web.pdf (This is the pattern I know a lot of people use for their Sailor Moon cosplays, too.) You could bring down the neckline for a mock-strapless look, and add the sleeves as large puffs of a soft tulle or chiffon. To have them puff up like hers, you may want to use 2 layers, rather than one. 

Her hair looks really fluffy, so the trouble here is just finding the right base wig to style, so you know it's thick enough. Some teasing with a comb, combined with hairspray and, if you want, curlers, should make it nice without getting TOO huge. 

You can try this wig in lilac: http://arda-wigs.com/collections/lilac-ar001/products/greta or perhaps http://www.epiccosplay.com/17-spikable-violet-purple-layered-cosplay-wig.html in either daisy or violet purple, depending on how you like the colour of her hair.  For something a little cheaper, you can always dig around on wig-supplier.com or ebay, but most of those wigs would come from China, so if you're a US person, be ready to wait for it (if your con is far enough in the future, this shouldn't be a problem!). 

For her socks, you can probably make them yourself out of spandex or whatever stretch fabric you use for the main part of the leotard, by pinning the fabric around your leg and sewing along the pins. Basically, follow a make-your-own-stretch-boot tutorial, but sans the shoe bottom. Here's one that I've had good luck with in the past. http://dangerous-ladies.tumblr.com/post/40273343237/look-these-boots-are-very-very-simple-actually  Then, just add the fluff around the tops of the tulle or chiffon you used for the skirt and sleeves! (Gather it a bit and sew it on either elastic or a zig-zag stitch though, so you can still slip the socks up your calves and they won't fall.) For her shoes, try searching every once in awhile on http://www.discountwomensdressshoes.com/ ! I've had a lot of luck with this site, but they're an overstock site from other companies, so their selection and sizes change regularly. They have a lot of stuff with heels though, so keep checking back until you see a style you want. You can also try painting a pair of heels from a cheap shoe store like payless. 

For her choker, you can probably also make that out of a ribbon, with some of your chiffon folded over itself beneath it. Add a clasp to the back or a lobster claw hook, and it should be pretty easy to construct overall. 

For props, it looks like she has a star tambourine and a microphone? The Tambourine I'd say you can make with cardboard, foamboard, or, if you're patient and power tool savvy, you can try bending a pre-existing tambourine with a heat gun, then painting it an adding the ribbons and detail yourself. The microphone you may also get away with buying a toy one somewhere and painting over it and adding the details as well. Maybe one of these, or something similar could work? http://www.amazon.com/Toysmith-180-Magic-Mike-individually/dp/B00009IM74/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1374006010&sr=8-5&keywords=toy+microphone  or http://www.amazon.com/Century-Novelty-163-906-Glitter-Microphone/dp/B0036856X4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1374006010&sr=8-4&keywords=toy+microphone I think they're both pretty cheap and easily modifiable.

I hope that's enough to at least get you started! Good luck with your cosplay!

[cosplayemergency-blog]

hello! i am making a wally west cosplay (from young justice) and i am at a loss for how to make his goggles. do you have any ideas? also, which do you prefer, ben nye or snazaroo

Hi anon! A few things you could do would be the following:- cut the insides out of jar lids (like small peanut butter jars or pill bottles with the pop tops rather than the screw tops) and fasten them to elastic and paint it

- buy some cheap  swim goggles that are meant for adults (children's ones are easier to find, but seem like they'd be too small) and paint over them.

- Dissect a pair of the "steampunk" goggles and paint them. They sell at anime conventions and some costume shops, they run about $20 from what I've seen, but are probably a pretty good shape.

And as far as makeup, I think it depends on what you're trying to do? Ben Nye is one of my favorite makeup brands and I think it looks best for homestuck troll paint, (I haven't had any luck with Snazaroo at all, it literally melts off of my skin personally. D: but I have friends who swear by it) but in terms of what goes on well and stays on you well is really up to your skin type. I also highly recommend Mehron, as it's the only water-based makeup that I've used that actually STAYS on my skin. 

[cosplayemergency-blog]

Okay, so i know people typically want to know what to use for the helmet of a Mituna cosplay, but I actually need help with the outfit itself. I cant find a sewing template/tutorial for his sash thing/shirt, and i REALLY dont want to have to paint it onto a bodysuit, because i glubbing hate fabric painting. So if you know of a good tutorial for that that would be awesome!

Hi! So I dug through some of the mituna tags and didn't really find much by way of tutorials, sorry! D: There are a lot of different approaches you can take for the outfit/shirt/bodysuit, and they do all change a bit depending on exactly what you are trying to do or what look you are going for.

If you're more skilled at sewing, you can try getting some yellow and black spandex and making an actual bodysuit of your own instead of painting one, or you can simply make it a shirt.

The closest I have to a tutorial is this explanation post for how I made mine: http://murtunacaptor.tumblr.com/post/39678483916/mituna-captor-cosplay-not-quite-tutorial-breakdown-post and it does include pictures of exactly what pieces go where, but it's also riddled with mistakes, so it might be more of a starting point than it would be an actual jumping off point for you. 

Best of luck on your cosplay!