Category: Fandom

The proof is in the pattern

Cosplay, Crafting, Drawing, Fandom, Geek, Learning, Sewing

Started sewing early (early) this morning, and I’m almost at the point where I need to partially draft the cloak.

It’s going to take a bit of Frankensteining to get it right. I don’t like the hood pattern that came with the cloak pattern, so I’m using the hood from my TARDIS pattern to make one for my husband’s Sith Time Lord, and the cloak he wants needs some color blocking done, so I’ll have to do that, too.

I’m not too worried about it, but I’ll admit that I am a little apprehensive. I’ll have to get the look right without having some pattern to use. It’s not like I’ve never worked without a pattern before, but there’s something about recreating a look that creates a new kind of challenge. Don’t get me wrong; I am loving the idea of the finished look. It’s just the process of getting there that will be rough.

I’m glad for Facebook groups and the opportunity they provide to let me reach out to other sewists/cosplayers and ask for advice. I’ve only gotten a little feedback so far, but it was encouraging. I can draw, but drawing a pattern is a whole different animal. It’s basically working in three dimensions on two dimensions of paper.

These costumes are going to be so great when they’re done. A Jedi TARDIS and Sith Time Lord–so cool!

Sew here I go again

Convention, Cosplay, Crafting, Fandom, Geek, Learning, Sewing

It’s that time again! Back to the cosplay sewing.

This morning I cut out the pieces for the tunic that my husband will wear. I’m hoping to be done with that this weekend so I can get started on drafting the pattern (aka making shit up) for the cloak. I have a pattern for the hood, but for the rest I’ll have to sketch most of it and come up with a way to put it together.

I may or may not have to line it, which will make it quite hot to wear, but I don’t know if I can pull off the bottom part with the contrast blocking without lining it. Maybe something lightweight? We’ll see.

I’m feeling much more confident in my sewing skills the further I go with this project. I don’t feel as skittish about following the patterns and I’m almost certain I can pull off the cloak.

This is going to be an amazing convention year for me and my husband. If I can finish these cosplays, I may try to convince him to have professional photos taken at one of the cons we go to.

Obi-wan Sith Lord

Convention, Cosplay, Crafting, Fandom, Geek, Sewing

Okay, sounds weird, I know, but hear me out: A Sith Time Lord.

As I’ve mentioned before, my husband has decided to be a Sith Time Lord to compliment my mashup cosplay of a Jedi TARDIS. This morning, I finished an obi for his costume, made out of a red fabric with a TARDIS/Dalek pattern on it. I’m really proud of how well I’m doing with the sewing stuff (considering I’ve only owned a sewing machine for 4 months and have next to no experience working with patterns before this).

There’s my hubby modeling the pants and obi for me, along with some images of the finished obi with the almost-finished pants laid out underneath it.

My sewing skills keep growing, and I’m excited to see if I’ll be able to recreate the cloak as my husband wants it. The hood will have the red fabric as the lining and the cloak itself will have the red Doctor Who pattern along the bottom as shown here:

Custom Sith Style Outfit Front and Back

It’s going to be exciting to walk around Phoenix Comicon and Dragon Con as a husband-and-wife cosplay couple. I hope in years to come we can devise even more unique cosplays to do together!

Spoil not, let ye be spoiled

Fandom, Geek

It’s the second biggest thing on the Internet right now: Don’t spoil Star Wars!!!

The biggest thing, of course, being Star Wars itself.

Basically, if you post spoilers about the movie, you’re a jerk. No ifs, ands, or buts. People don’t want to know all the details of a blockbuster movie before they see it, and if they do, they’ll ask.

I’ve seen it. But this blog will not be soiled by spoils. I’ll keep mum…for now……

A Stitch in Time Causes a Headache

Cosplay, Fandom, Geek, Sewing

I’ve started on my husband’s cosplay for next year’s Phoenix Comicon and Dragon Con.

Oh. My. Goddess.

We haven’t even finished the pants & already I’m frustrated. I don’t know if it’s the cold I’m trying to cut off at the pass or the frustration that’s causing the massive headache I have, but either way it’s put a damper on the project. I know my husband wants to be done as quickly as possible because he’s so excited, but I think he overestimates my abilities. I have to go slow because I’m still very much a beginner.

We’ve taken a break, but I’m wondering if we shouldn’t wait until another day to start back up. I just can’t right now. I’m feeling drained. This Sith Time Lord just might take longer than expected.

The Storm Inside

Cosplay, Crafting, Fandom, Geek, Sewing

The design is found and the brain is storming. While I still haven’t figured out how to finish the waist on the skirt of my own cosplay (I think I’m getting close to having a concept in mind, but still not sure), I’m starting to work out in my head how my husband’s cosplay is going to go.

Custom Sith Style Outfit Front and Back

It’s a simple enough design (I guess–what do I know?), but I don’t have a pattern so I have to make my own. Measuring, sketching, probably practicing on scrap fabric first.

I also need to make a tunic top of some sort for under my corset. The hubby doesn’t want me wearing the corset by itself (which I guess I understand), so I need something that will look good with the costume but will also be Jedi-like. I’m thinking a cream-colored muslin or linen tunic, possibly with binding to match the corset. Haven’t decided yet.

Well, off to an exciting (or at least busy) day at work. 🙂

New Cos-plans

Cosplay, Crafting, Fandom, Geek, Sewing

So I started out with a TARDIS outfit from a pattern…then I noticed that the pattern’s hood looks like a Jedi hood (which is freakin’ cool). Then I thought, what if I made it a Jedi TARDIS cosplay?! That’s even cooler!

Then, best of all–my husband decided he wants to be a Sith version similar to my Doctor Who mashup! I’m so excited that he’s getting excited about cosplaying with me.

This year we did a couple’s cosplay (Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler), but we were so busy with taking our nephews around the convention that we didn’t really get to show ourselves off. Also, he seemed to be more reluctant. Like, he wanted to cosplay with me but he didn’t think he was accurate enough. Which is fine, because it’s cosplay. Emphasis on play.

Next year, though, we’re going all out. Full costumes, lightsabers, the works. It’s going to be great! I’m going to have to redesign the skirt, though, because my original design wouldn’t be conducive to posing in combat poses for pictures (because we’re on opposite sides of the Force, so of course we’re going to have to fight). I also got new boots (thanks, Mom!) that are more Jedi-like and not so high-heelish.

Can. Not. Wait.

To the Bone

Corsetry, Cosplay, Crafting, Fandom, Geek, Insomnia, Sewing, Sleep

Finally got the boning in for my corset yesterday. I got all the bones in the channels with no problems, and got the top binding sewn on. My biggest problem? The damn grommets.

Now, according to the directions (and according to several corset making groups I’ve followed on Facebook), the best way to gradually make openings for the grommets is to use an awl–a special leatherworking tool–to open up the space between threads.

I, however, do not own one and did not bother to buy one. I went the long way about it and thus am going to have the cracked and blistered hands to prove it come daylight.

Still, I’m determined to finish this corset. If I’ve gotten far enough to get the boning in, I have to. I wouldn’t be able to rest knowing it wasn’t done (which is probably why I’ve had insomnia all night and have not slept in 23 hours).

I got roughly half of the grommet holes made and the grommets in place, but I can’t set the grommets until it’s later in the morning when people are awake and won’t complain about hammering. I also made one tiny boo-boo where the fabric ripped about half an inch, but I think that once the grommet is set in place it won’t be as bad, and then I can sew it back together. Just need to find thread that matches well.

I hope to be able to post pictures of me wearing the corset soon. I think once I can see how it looks with the hood I made I’ll have a better visualization of how the overall ensemble will look, and it will also give me a better idea of what to do with the skirt. I have the basic design down, but I need to hem it (which I have a plan for) and finish the waist (somehow).

This is the time when I should be going to sleep.

I’m not though. I’ll probably mess around on the computer for a while longer. I’m wired as all get-out & not much will settle me.

When celebrities say good-bye…

Celebrity, Fandom, Musings, Social Media

Okay, so I’ve seen quite a few tweets lately on my Twitter feed about a certain actress deleting her Twitter account due to wanting to be more private. Some people are downright devastated by this! Why? Why the obsession? Why cry or lament over a person that you may have met in passing (or may never have met at all) deciding to keep their private life private? Don’t celebrities have that right?

I, for one, have never felt that celebrities are obligated to engage in social media. If they choose to do so, fine; I’ll follow the ones I like and enjoy their occasional posts. But if they decide to leave social media (or forgo it all together), what right do I have to get upset? Would these fans get upset if their distant cousin twice removed on their mother’s uncle’s in-laws’ side decided on a social media blackout? I doubt it.

Celebrities are people, too. I think this is something that gets forgotten, because their lives are so widely publicized that total strangers may become deluded into thinking that they “know” the celebrity enough to be “close” to them. Sure, they may retweet something you tagged them in (or even–*gasp!*–reply!), but that doesn’t mean they know you. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll remember you after the retweet button is pressed.

Now, I’m not saying that this doesn’t happen. I’m sure it does on rare occasions. However, in these days of social media saturation I think it’s important to keep a realistic mindset of things. You may see so many “backstage” photos or fun facts that you think, “Hey, he/she gets me. They know that I’m reading this, know that I care about them, know that I’m following their every online move. This is not necessarily the case.

Some celebrities do follow fans and keep track of the goings-on in their lives, but it’s rare. Most have so many fans that they simply don’t have the time or resources to read every single tweet or message. If they’re shooting a film, writing a book, or recording an album, they may not have the luxury of sitting down to a computer, tablet, or smartphone and scroll through thousands upon thousands of notes, tweets, and messages. Is it nice when they do get the chance? Sure. Should it be expected of them? No.

I respect the actress’s decision to pull away from social media and take a break–or a permanent hiatus. It’s her right. If she were a normal average Joe, few strangers would feel the heartbreak that I’ve seen expressed over her leaving.

When a celebrity chooses to go off-grid, let them be. Understand that they may already be hounded by paparazzi and the media in general. Respect their privacy. And realize that they’re not doing it to hurt or upset fans; they’re doing it to regain some semblance of a normal, private life.

Die Hard

Fandom, Geek, Social Media

Fans. Short for “fanatics”…and many fans more than fit the definition of the word. But what makes a fan so crazy for a particular TV show, author, movie, comic book, etc.? What drives a person to extreme levels of love or hatred over fictional worlds and characters?

People who are immersed in fandom take their devotion to almost inhuman levels. They create social media identities that are intertwined with the fandom, often so engrossed in their obsession that their own identity is lost in the madness. Posts with fanfic, fan art, memes, and clips and GIFs of their favorite thing encompass the entirety of their fan profiles, with little to no hint of an individual personality.

There is only the fan.

Now, I’ll admit to being obsessed with certain shows or books. I’m a fan of the new Doctor Who, that’s for sure, and it has become a part of my identity. A small part, but a part nonetheless. Do I become entangled in fan battles about the show and its canon, about whether Rose or River is a better match for the Doctor, about which companion is the “best”? No, not really. Does that make me any less of a fan? Some would say so.

The psychology of fandom is a mystery to me. Then again, I dropped my psychology course in college because the professor was a bore. Lol I still wonder sometimes what kind of personality is drawn to this level of immersion into fantasy worlds. Can a person’s home life really be so bad as to be overwritten by fiction?

I know that I myself had a hard time of things growing up. I became obsessed, in my own way, with certain books or TV shows or comics. I didn’t let them become the entirety of my identity, as some of these fans seem to do, but then again I grew up in the age just before the social media explosion. Are these fandom profiles I’m seeing really as fanatic as they seem? Or are they just secondary profiles, places to escape from the real profile for a few hours a day?

I shudder at the thought that these are, in fact, the fans’ primary profiles. Is social media somehow to blame? There were die-hard fans before social media, that’s for sure. I just wonder how far is too far, and how long it will be before the fandom engulfs the fans.