by

(Way, way late) Blizzcon Recap

I am seriously sorry you guys, I was certain I had posted about Blizzcon and our final costumes here, but apparently not! It was an insanely busy weekend and it passed by too quickly, as most conventions do.

Photo by OTL and MLZ studios

Photo by OTL and MLZ studios

 

Auriel turned out beautifully, it is easily one of my most favorite costumes in terms of aesthetics. It wasn’t exactly fun to wear (the wings were supported by a harness that made them feel like a super heavy backpack on my shoulders, and I’m not known for my strength) but I loved the reaction from it.

Photo by Davann Srey Photography

Photo by Davann Srey Photography

Mario’s costume also turned out beautifully, exactly as we imagined it. For more photos, check out our Facebook page!

We’re also in this amazing video by MLZ and OTL studios! We’ve shot videos with them before, and they are always so amazing to work with and know exactly what needs to be done to showcase the costumes.

Over all, the convention was amazing, we met so many people (we also hosted a cosplay dinner the night before the con) and made a lot of friends! Honestly, Blizzcon is less about seeing the convention and more about cosplay for us. We enjoyed walking around the con on the second day out of costume, but we aren’t the type to try to watch too many panels! Though, there was one on cosplay, which was very informative and helpful. You can see that one below, too! (It’s over an hour long, fair warning!)

Thanks for reading, everyone, and I’m working on some in progress and finished commission posts to be up in the next week or so!

 

 

by

Cosplay Update!

We’ve been incredibly busy getting ready for Blizzcon, which we will be leaving for on November 6th.

UntitledThese are the costumes we’ve been working on, since Fel Reaver has to be scrapped because of size requirements for the con. Below are some progress photos, and if you want to keep up to date with our progress, check out our Facebook page!

IMG_5924 IMG_5925 IMG_5990 IMG_6047 IMG_6127 IMG_6395 IMG_6430 IMG_6431 IMG_6422

2013-10-05 17.11.02 2013-10-07 20.26.45 2013-10-13 13.18.20 2013-10-13 16.39.40 2013-10-18 10.58.23 2013-10-20 15.23.48

We did a test on how much room we’d have left in the car! This is with the two largest items in there!
IMG_6386

Sorry that they’re a bit out of order. I probably won’t have time to do another update until after the con, but as I said, we post progress photos on our Facebook almost daily!

 

 

 

by

When Looking at Patterns- Butterick

If you like to keep an eye on your local craft store’s sales, then you will notice from time to time that they like to put patterns on sale for a dollar or less. I used to pass these sales up, because I didn’t need patterns just then, but I quickly realized that when I did need patterns, it costed me a lot more for than if I had picked up 10 patterns at the sale. So, we started going through each pattern book when there was a sale, carefully making a list of patterns that would be useful in the future. We already knew what costumes we would like to make eventually, but it’s also important to pick up patterns that could be easily modified to fit a variety of costumes!

Since Joann’s is having a sale on Butterick patterns from the 22-24, we thought we’d make a list of costume patterns that we think would be useful! If you click on the links that are on the numbers of the patterns, it should take you to the page for it online.

B5935

B5935

B5935 is a corset pattern that looks like it can be modified in many ways, not only by what the pattern gives you but also by changing the shape of the neckline, taking away the straps, etc. This would be good for any costume that requires a corset! Continue reading →

by

Jayce Costume Breakdown!

If you want to know how we made the Jayce from League of Legends costume, then read up!

Photo by Ed Tan

Photo by Ed Tan

For the coat portion, I used McCall’s M6143 as a base. I used the Uncle Sam coat, and left off the lapels since the coat was under the chest piece. I also lengthened the tails and made them a slightly different shape to fit what we were looking for. Continue reading →

by

Anime Expo Roundup!

At Anime Expo 2013 in Los Angeles, California, Mario and I debuted several costumes- Queen Ashe from League of Legends, and Raphael and Cassandra from the Soul Calibur series.

1069223_10151710227589834_1239349677_nWe had a lot of fun with our friends who were in the Soul Calibur group with us- Tonksceratops cosplay, above, made a beautiful Viola (2p version). Her husband Tony Hsu took all of the photos marked hsutography!

9261794681_3af321a278_o

 

Wearing Jayce and Queen Ashe was a ton of fun! Super hot, though. That’s what we get for wearing them in July in Southern California, I guess!

ETAN2067Photo by Ed Tan

Anime Expo (AX) 2013 untitled-1855We have a TON more photos on our Facebook page in the albums, so make sure to check those out! Write ups on those costumes to come soon!

 

by

Triple A Cosplay Podcast: Where we’ve been, and where we’ll be!

Items mentioned:
Where we bought our worbla

Fiendle!

Thanks for being so patient in waiting for our next podcast! We’ve been busy, as you’ll see!

Music by NoppZ (at OverClocked ReMix)

Thanks for listening!

by

A Lesson in Layers

We often say that it’s important to build your costume in layers- to break down your costume into more manageable pieces to sew or build. Here is an example of how we did that for Jayce!

Jayce, from League of Legends

Jayce, from League of Legends

Here’s Jayce, he’s a pretty cool guy, but he’s got a lot going on. He’s got knee armor, gloves, greaves, a coat, some chest…thing? and this collar that stands up in a way collars really shouldn’t. I’d show you my terrible drawings breaking it down, but I’m not sure you’d be able to really make heads or tails of them, so here’s how we broke down the costume into layers, and the order we put them on!

2013-03-01 14.38.05We started out with a long sleeve under armor shirt, the pants (with a belt holding them up, the belt secured in the back), the shoes, and the shoulder armor strapping.

2013-03-01 14.38.11The strapping was inspired by a side gun holster- front and back both clip on to another strap coming from each side of the shoulder, and the shoulder is held on and supported by the strap going around his arm, and down to his belt.

2013-03-01 14.38.52Next, the coat!

2013-03-01 14.39.46Then the chest armor. These pieces are all glued together but were originally three separate pieces. It’s held on by a strap that goes around his neck, like some weird awesome medallion. The straps on the side are purely cosmetic.

2013-03-01 14.43.48Then the greaves and knee armor! These are held on by snap clips and straps that run around the back of his leg. The armor on the shoes are from worbla and glued on there.

2013-03-01 14.45.39After that, the collar. The front part is tucked in behind the chest piece.

2013-03-01 14.50.37Lastly, the finishing touches! Gloves, bracer, and both shoulder armors are strapped on and ready to go.

 

We’ll probably have a nice tutorial up at some point on the mace and costume, but this post was to demonstrate the importance of layers!

 

by

Guest Post: 5 Tips For First Time Cosplaying at a Renaissance Faire

medium_3188543495

Renaissance faires are an experience unlike any convention or gathering you have ever been to. If it your first time getting dressed up and participating in one, there are a some things to keep in mind:

1.      Repair Kit

Make absolutely sure you take some sort of repair kit with you in case of a wardrobe malfunction (or tragedy). Duct tape, fashion tape, sewing kit, masking tape, and touch-up paint are the essentials for the dedicated cosplayer. Keep this in your car or hotel room whichever is more convenient.

2.      Pockets

Women may find it more difficult to build into a cosplay than men but they are a must as they are really your best bet at not misplacing valuable things such as your wallet, car keys, cell phone, etc.

Photo by FreeVerse Photography

Photo by FreeVerse Photography

3.      Costume/Prop Checklist

There is nothing worse than spending days, weeks even, on a cosplay and then finding you forgot the awesome hat, or piece of your fancy armor at home or at the faire. Make a list for yourself to ensure wherever you go, you have everything you intended to bring.

Another thing to include on the checklist is the time and address of the event. Misplacing a vital piece of your cosplay is bad, misplacing the location of the event, the worst.

4.      Food and Drink

It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of the faire and they can get crowded, making it a pain to get out and get some food. If it’s particularly hot, water is essential, especially if you have a few layers to your costume. Pack a few granola bars or a packed lunch. Take onlyenough water to keep you hydrated but don’t overindulge Bathroom breaks can be a pain if you’re deep in a crowd or have clothes that make things difficult.

5.      Paper/Cards and Writing Utensil

You never know what people you are going to meet at these events. Friends, photographers, bloggers, or potential business partners always appreciate it when you have readily exchangeable information and something to write with. Remember the goal is to have fun and meet new people at these events.

 

Today’s guest post is brought to you by Marie Sumner, who enjoys writing about entertainment and art. She owns more anime than she thinks appropriate to reveal to polite society. Recently, she started writing for Costume Super Center, which gives her an excuse to talk about renaissance costumes, comic conventions, and movies all day.