Attack of the Killer [redacted]

Nature's Killing Machine

[nykil]

I decided I would do something a little crazy on here and post the digital version of my entire Black Dahlia cosplay that I made for Combo Breaker. (The printed version also included fabric swatches)

This build took me almost exactly 2 months, and I put an absurd amount of hours in (largely due to my preference to handsew large portions of this. I recently got back final photoshoot pics back and I did make extremely small adjustments for that shoot, because after wearing this for a day there were some wear and tear things I wanted to fix.

Anyway I'm happy with the costume, always willing to answer specific construction questions and best of luck with whatever you are working on

[ariadne-mouse]

Reasons Ao3 is down, incorrect answers only

Fic characters have unionized and are demanding happy endings

Ran out of blinker fluid

Tribbles

One of the tropes escaped containment and now it's stuck in a medieval AU

It has entered its cocoon stage (ominous)

The rats of NIMH

Ao3 has self-actualized and decided it's Archive of MY Own, Actually, GTFO

In truth it's running just fine, but is having a blankets-and-soup recharge day

Other (specify in the tags)

Voting ended onJul 12, 2023

[nykil]

my fun fact of the day is that I estimated like a decade ago that I read about 200,000 words of fanfic a day and that’s still pretty accurate.

[zeldamomoe]

"Wake up, Impa. We're going to Gamelon!"

photos taken by my partner & edited by me~

[nykil]

I made and wore KOS-MOS for Magfest 2023 back in January for aXenosaga ep.1 group 💙 these are some of my solo shots as taken by @/chezphoto (ig)

posting some cosplay here because you can actually post full image sets here on tumblr and I need to figure out how to use this site again (as if I ever knew despite how much time I spent on it in ye olden days)

I tried doing a build thread about this but tumblr is very bad for that, turns out.

[super-mario-rpg]

We poppin the BIGGEST bottles when the Super Mario RPG remake or direct sequel is announced during the Nintendo Direct today

[super-mario-rpg]

OH MY GOD

[cheaphalloweencostume]

i want all my friends and followers and mutuals and acquaintances to know from the bottom of my heart: i don’t respond to your messages because i’m an insane person, i am insane medieval hermit software running inappropriately on modern queer hardware and social media scares me. it is not your fault

[cheaphalloweencostume]

when i get a notifications on my phone i try to kill my phone with a rock

[cikero]

my fucking squire died so I’m stuck in this stupid armor

[amemait]

Page not found huh?

[vash-the-trans-catboy]

Make a staircase that is not osha approved

Step

Step

Step

Step

Step

Step

Step

Step

Step

Step

Voting ended onApr 23, 2023

Pls reblog if u vote :)

[enno-shita]

what site do you first remember reading fanfiction on?

fanfiction.net

livejournal

quotev

quizilla

deviantart

wattpad

archive of our own

tumblr

um, you forgot [niche platform that i’m going to tell u about in the tags]

Voting ended onFeb 8, 2023

[nykil]

wow i survived magfest once again

but i did completely fail to take selfies with friends on my phone because it never occurs to me until way later.

so heres some pics of my face to prove i was there, i may be stealing any pics i come across from other people to add to my folder of con memories

[nykil]

Cosplay is art, and I love it

To me, cosplay is art. My relationship to it is inherently personal and impossible to fully communicate, just like any other art form out there.

For me its a love I get to experience in waves through my various interactions with it, as well as variety of emotions both positive and negative.

Its in the way I decide what I want to make and why, and equally what I do not. The research I do, trying to pick apart something from images and decipher how it comes together and should be layered in real life.

Its getting to challenge myself with new (techniques, materials, shapes) and attempt to perfect the old. Its learning and succeeding (and failing) and learning what the limits are and whether to keep pushing or try something new.

Its attempting to embody a character, and understand them through the clothes they wear and the way they look and hold themselves in a new light. Its not about a perfect emulation but a fusion, and using that to learn about myself as well.

Its the memories I make and possibly capture, and the way I look back at them over the days and months and years that follow. Its me changing and growing and looking back and learning from my mistakes and triumphs both. A cosplay often carries with it associated memories of the time in my life I was making it, and is often important viewed in context even if only to me.

It is art, and I cannot bring myself to regret the time and energy and resources I have spent on it. The people and places and things I have experiences because of it. It has nothing to do with popularity or influence or numbers, even when that does have an effect on various aspects of it both directly and indirectly. It is art nonetheless, and I love it even when I hate it.     

[nykil]

KOS-MOS Master Thread

cosplay progress posts are moving to tumblr.

Text for each image will be before it.

I started with the Aranea Black bunnysuit pattern. taped the paper pieces together to get a base idea for fit and did an initial modification on the shape.

I then cut the entire set out of mockup fabric (im using cotton ticking in both the mockup and final, though in different colors). I sewed the entire thing together, added boning channels, and basted some temporary lacing.

I tried on the mockup and realized I had to make some changes, mainly to the edges to get the exact shape I'm looking for. i also basted the zipper i will use in the final version to get an idea of the fit for that.

transfered these changes onto my pattern pieces, wrote myself some pattern instructions, and thus ended weekend 1

[nykil]

Week 2

aka making the bodysuit.

i cut 3 layers a fabric: 2 strength layers of cotton ticking and 1 fashion layer of a thin stretch fabric. this ended up being 48 pieces total.

i used the marked strength layers with seam allowance to cut the stretch layer. i decided on the using it as a fashion layer to cover the boning so it was less visible in the end, as well as visual cohesion with the other costume pieces.

thus begins the combining into 3 layers, leaving front completely open and backs mostly open where the lacing will go.

i also added waist tape to the inside of 1 strength layer, tacked in place, then combined the 2 strength layers together. boning channels were added as a sandwich between layers along each seam.

tacking the fashion layer on was more complicated. it was pinned on, then tacked at waist (avoiding the boning channels). i finalized and sewed along the bottom seam to combine all 3 layers.

with the fashion layer mostly on it was time to finish the front by adding the zipper. its a heavy duty metal non separating zipper that had to be shortened, then basted and sewn to each side. i then used elastic binding for the bottom of that seam and its counterpart, and added hook/eye to have a removable seam.

with this all together it was time to add boning. I used heavy duty 10mm plastic cable ties, cut to size and rounded edges. because these come curved, I also used my iron (plus pressing cloth) to straighten before adding. i ended up also going back into the seams with the iron so I could bend the bones around my boobs for a more appropriate silhouette.

this meant i could finish closing all seams to create 1 garment. i edge bound the legs in elastic for fit, and top edges with 1in cotton tape. this was done with a combination of hand and machine sewing. i then marked and added grommets in my usual fashion, added lacing and was able to put the entire thing on.

this is meant to be worn with laces completely closed and basically no waist reduction for comfort and to hopefully increase wearability.

and with that we have a base layer strong enough to build upon and inform the shapes of the rest of the garment

[nykil]

From the Cosplay Backlogs:

Fencer Viera based on the Final Fantasy Tactics design

📸 by Marlo Louden  in 2020 originally made in summer of 2018 as part of a group (we were all different classes of Viera, I made all the ears and about half of one of the other costumes) 

I wont be posting pics of the full 6 person group as we never got nice pics due to scheduling issues and ~life~ and thats definitely never going to happen now. I learned a lot working on this costume and while its not perfect I’m still proud of it. 

[nykil]

KOS-MOS Master Thread

cosplay progress posts are moving to tumblr.

Text for each image will be before it.

I started with the Aranea Black bunnysuit pattern. taped the paper pieces together to get a base idea for fit and did an initial modification on the shape.

I then cut the entire set out of mockup fabric (im using cotton ticking in both the mockup and final, though in different colors). I sewed the entire thing together, added boning channels, and basted some temporary lacing.

I tried on the mockup and realized I had to make some changes, mainly to the edges to get the exact shape I'm looking for. i also basted the zipper i will use in the final version to get an idea of the fit for that.

transfered these changes onto my pattern pieces, wrote myself some pattern instructions, and thus ended weekend 1

[nykil]

at the tail end of 2019 i distanced myself from a lot of friends for mental health reasons. I still think that was the correct choice.

I decided that going into 2020 I was going to get myself out there make new friends try new things etc etc. the plan was always for this to be in person since I'm ass at making friends online, but decently good at it in person.

it actually started pretty well. went to a bunch of events, went to group photoshoots where I knew no one, and got along well with some people. all within 2 months.

and then covid happened. while I still had my old connections and some tentative new ones, I hadn't actually connected to anyone deep enough to really make good friends with everything else going on. which is completely understandable, but still a shame.

you think that at this point I would be willing to get myself back out there or have switched gears and try and make internet friends. but i feel even more adrift then ever.

there are even less things to do in person that im comfortable with now. i still am too awkwardly quiet (and honestly, paranoid) to make friends online. i struggle to keep up with people via dm/texts/group chats from lingering trauma.

i dont want to end this on so hopeless a note though. im still making stuff. i still have plans for events and am trying to keep in touch with friends. i try not to stress so much about whether I'm annoying people by saying anything ever. im not willing to let myself get trapped by my own psyche

[nykil]

From the Cosplay Backlogs:

Fencer Viera based on the Final Fantasy Tactics design

📸 by Marlo Louden  in 2020 originally made in summer of 2018 as part of a group (we were all different classes of Viera, I made all the ears and about half of one of the other costumes) 

I wont be posting pics of the full 6 person group as we never got nice pics due to scheduling issues and ~life~ and thats definitely never going to happen now. I learned a lot working on this costume and while its not perfect I’m still proud of it.