My Sewing/Cosplay Projects

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Amazing work! 🤩 You should be very proud of it!

Sure, Instagram links are fine, as long as there's no inappropriate content-- which I'm fairly confident yours doesn't have. 😄

Thank you very much!

Okay great! Yep, all my content is very clean, so there's no problem there. Here's my Instagram for anyone interested.

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

…whenever I cosplay Christine at a con, I love going up to the Ghostbusters people and asking them if they deal with opera ghosts! I always tell them I have a rather creepy one haunting the opera house where I work and he's appeared to me in my dressing room. But I do get free voice lessons out of it...

Phantom: Oh, but my dear Christine, you know you can never rid yourself of the Angel of Music! I doubt those so-called “Ghost Busters” would know to keep their hand at the level of their eyes…

Truly, though, I’m glad you had such a great time!!! I love even the few pictures you posted, and your excitement over finally getting Christine’s hair right. Sorry to hear that Hayden’s panel got canceled- was he still there to hang out, though? And that Disney Princess photoshoot sounds like fun! That’s part of what I love so much about costuming and cosplaying; one, getting to be a totally different character and look awesome, and two, having fun interacting with others in-character and taking pictures and videos! When you’re at the cons by yourself, who takes your pictures? Those LOTR chocolates are cute!

I seriously need to start working on some elaborate cosplays of my own so I can join you at these events, though being the Phantom is fun too.

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

@Maedhros_Nelyafinwë glad you had so much fun!
And I just followed you, don't have time yet to go through them all but I'll do it soon!

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Phantom: Oh, but my dear Christine, you know you can never rid yourself of the Angel of Music! I doubt those so-called “Ghost Busters” would know to keep their hand at the level of their eyes…

Erik, don't threaten the nice Ghostbusters! If you'd just leave me alone, I wouldn't have to call them!

Truly, though, I’m glad you had such a great time!!! I love even the few pictures you posted, and your excitement over finally getting Christine’s hair right. Sorry to hear that Hayden’s panel got canceled- was he still there to hang out, though? And that Disney Princess photoshoot sounds like fun! That’s part of what I love so much about costuming and cosplaying; one, getting to be a totally different character and look awesome, and two, having fun interacting with others in-character and taking pictures and videos! When you’re at the cons by yourself, who takes your pictures? Those LOTR chocolates are cute!

Yeah, Hayden was still there for photos and autographs, which is good, but I didn't do either this time around. I was thinking a few weeks ago about making a new drawing for him to sign, but looking at the autograph prices, they were all tiered at different levels (you have to pay more if you want him to write 8 words vs just a signature, or if you want him to sign a full sized poster or helmet, etc.) That made me mad, so I didn't get an autograph. As for pictures, I either take selfies or get other people to take pictures for me. On Sunday, my two friends took some decent pictures (though they're not nearly as good as my mom's photography, of course!)

I seriously need to start working on some elaborate cosplays of my own so I can join you at these events, though being the Phantom is fun too.

That would be awesome!

@Maedhros_Nelyafinwë glad you had so much fun!
And I just followed you, don't have time yet to go through them all but I'll do it soon!

I'm so glad we're connected on Instagram now, it's been nice talking to you on there!

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

looking at the autograph prices, they were all tiered at different levels (you have to pay more if you want him to write 8 words vs just a signature, or if you want him to sign a full sized poster or helmet, etc.)

 

[Tyelkormo the Fair]

I'm so glad we're connected on Instagram now, it's been nice talking to you on there!

Me too! Love your Anakin custom btw!

 

[Sons of the Woodland King]

Figure I've been active on here long enough that it's time I started showing you all some of the cosplays and historical costumes I've made! Costume sewing is probably my biggest hobby. I'm self-taught and I've been at it for over 10 years. All the costumes in these pictures are made and modeled by me.

First of all, here's my Padme Amidala Meadow Picnic dress from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. This was probably my first "good" cosplay after several beginner projects. Initially I made it in 2015, but in 2019 I made some major upgrades to it, and I entered it in the cosplay contest at Star Wars Celebration 2019, and won 2nd place in the Needlework category! This contest was judged by people who worked at Lucasfilm!

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What I really pride myself on in this cosplay is the color, because I dyed all the fabrics myself and it is the screen-accurate color. (I've seen the original dress from the movie in a museum, so I know my color is right!) I also did all the embroidery on the blouse, skirt and corset.
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Next, here's the costume I completed most recently: Christine's Rooftop Dress from Phantom of the Opera. This is based on the stage production, NOT the movie, and Christine wears it during the song "All I Ask of You." This is my favorite of Christine's costumes. My goal is to make Christine's entire wardrobe someday (ambitious, yes, but many costumers I follow have done it.) It took me a year and a half to make this thing. The trickiest part is the skirt shape, which is based off 18th century fashion and has this wide, elliptical shape. Not bell shaped like a hoop skirt but more of an oval. That shape is supported with a hoop skirt that I modified.

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This is currently my favorite of my costumes and it is probably my best work so far! Here's some details of the embroidery and decorations, all of which I did myself. Oh, and I dyed the mint green cape.
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(Those sleeves are 80 inches wide which is wider than some skirts I've made.)
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I hand-sewed the rosettes, the trim and everything.
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This picture right here might just be my favorite picture of anything I've sewn!

Moving away from Christine, here's Elsa, as proof that I can shapeshift lol! I made this in 2020 during the covid lockdowns. It was really fun to make with all the sequin embroidery, and I did the gradient dye on the cape sleeves. I love wearing this one to comic cons because little kids absolutely love "meeting Elsa!"

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Maybe later, I'll add another post to this thread showing my historically accurate costumes, since TTF says I can only post 10 photos. I meticulously research historical time periods, mostly the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and I take a lot of care to create gowns with the correct historical silhouette (aka shape), and all the correct underpinnings like corsets and petticoats. My favorite time period is the early 1910s, the era of the Titanic. I also do Civil War reenacting (referring to the American Civil War of the 1860s) and I basically have a complete Civil War wardrobe.

Currently, I'm working on Christine's Star Princess dress from Phantom of the Opera, which is what she wears during the Masquerade song. I just dyed the bodice today and hope to post some pictures of that dress soon!

Thanks for reading all this and I hope you enjoyed seeing my work! Also, I kind of want to cosplay a Tolkien character one of these days, so if any of you have any suggestions as to who that could be, please let me know!

As someone who struggles just to sew on buttons and patches on my kids' school shirts... I am in utter awe of your talent!! I wish I could say you being self-taught should give me hope that my own incompetence might be curable. But talent of your level is a gift from Above, so... I'm just gonna admire wistfully. Thank you for sharing! <3 I would LOVE to see any Tolkien costumes you come up with in the future!

 

[Deimos]

Thank you so much for your kind words, everyone, it means a lot to me!

....

So yeah, I was really bummed to not have this finished for the upcoming comic con. But I'm hoping to go to one early next year and hopefully it will be done by then!

Where do you find the time to do this???!!
Is this a fulltime [paying?] pursuit ? ( would never call creating these wonders a "job")
Or is this an avocation?
These are all staggeringly beautiful creations.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

As someone who struggles just to sew on buttons and patches on my kids' school shirts... I am in utter awe of your talent!! I wish I could say you being self-taught should give me hope that my own incompetence might be curable. But talent of your level is a gift from Above, so... I'm just gonna admire wistfully. Thank you for sharing! <3 I would LOVE to see any Tolkien costumes you come up with in the future!

Thank you so much! There are a lot of great resources out there on the Internet which makes self-teaching possible. But I do have a certain understanding of 3D space that's hard to communicate to others, so whenever I've tried to help somebody else learn costume sewing, I've only gotten frustrated. But at the same time, natural talent can only get you so far, so the level of sewing I do is an equal combination of natural inclination towards realizing 3D concepts, and 10 years of hard work and lots of blood, sweat and tears (quite literally on all 3, because I accidentally stab my fingers all the time).

Where do you find the time to do this???!!
Is this a fulltime [paying?] pursuit ? ( would never call creating these wonders a "job")
Or is this an avocation?
These are all staggeringly beautiful creations.

Thank you so much! I only sew during whatever bits of free time I can manage to scrounge up, because I work full time as a tax preparer and am also working on my master's degree. And what little free time I do have is divided between sewing, writing, music, art, and attempting to maintain a social life. This is why it took me a year and a half to make the Rooftop dress, and will probably take an equal or greater amount of time to make Star Princess. I've been getting slower at costuming in recent years because of my master's degree, and because I've been taking on increasingly ambitious costumes (*cough cough Christine Daaé's Broadway wardrobe*) and I'm always learning new techniques to improve and add detail to my sewing. I know people who crank out like 10 costumes a year and I simply... cannot...

But hey, Tolkien did all his fantasy writing, and his artwork, in his spare time between being a linguistics professor and raising a family. So he's a huge inspiration to me!

 

[Deimos]

Thank you so much! I only sew during whatever bits of free time I can manage to scrounge up, because I work full time as a tax preparer and am also working on my master's degree. And what little free time I do have is divided between sewing, writing, music, art, and attempting to maintain a social life. This is why it took me a year and a half to make the Rooftop dress, and will probably take an equal or greater amount of time to make Star Princess. I've been getting slower at costuming in recent years because of my master's degree, and because I've been taking on increasingly ambitious costumes (*cough cough Christine Daaé's Broadway wardrobe*) and I'm always learning new techniques to improve and add detail to my sewing. I know people who crank out like 10 costumes a year and I simply... cannot...

But hey, Tolkien did all his fantasy writing, and his artwork, in his spare time between being a linguistics professor and raising a family. So he's a huge inspiration to me!

👍😉

 

[ZehnWaters]

Figure I've been active on here long enough that it's time I started showing you all some of the cosplays and historical costumes I've made! Costume sewing is probably my biggest hobby. I'm self-taught and I've been at it for over 10 years. All the costumes in these pictures are made and modeled by me.

First of all, here's my Padme Amidala Meadow Picnic dress from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. This was probably my first "good" cosplay after several beginner projects. Initially I made it in 2015, but in 2019 I made some major upgrades to it, and I entered it in the cosplay contest at Star Wars Celebration 2019, and won 2nd place in the Needlework category! This contest was judged by people who worked at Lucasfilm!

View attachment 23097
View attachment 23098
What I really pride myself on in this cosplay is the color, because I dyed all the fabrics myself and it is the screen-accurate color. (I've seen the original dress from the movie in a museum, so I know my color is right!) I also did all the embroidery on the blouse, skirt and corset.
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PADMÉ! One of my favourites of hers.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

PADMÉ! One of my favourites of hers.

She has so many good ones, but that's my absolute favorite! I also love the Lake dress, but literally everyone makes it and there's also a cheap version from Amazon, so out of principle I don't want to make it.

For a while I've been wanting to make her blue Tatooine outfit. It's not very widely done at comic cons (unlike the Picnic dress or Lake dress) and I think it's so elegant, especially with the hairstyle. I don't have the faintest idea how to make the tiara, though!

 

[ZehnWaters]

She has so many good ones, but that's my absolute favorite! I also love the Lake dress, but literally everyone makes it and there's also a cheap version from Amazon, so out of principle I don't want to make it.

For a while I've been wanting to make her blue Tatooine outfit. It's not very widely done at comic cons (unlike the Picnic dress or Lake dress) and I think it's so elegant, especially with the hairstyle. I don't have the faintest idea how to make the tiara, though!
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Her wedding dress is pretty stunning too. But, yes, you almost never see that Tatooine one. I didn't even know it was blue (because of the lighting) until I saw studio shots of it. The costuming department outdid themselves with all of her costumes in all 3 films.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Her wedding dress is pretty stunning too. But, yes, you almost never see that Tatooine one. I didn't even know it was blue (because of the lighting) until I saw studio shots of it. The costuming department outdid themselves with all of her costumes in all 3 films.

Yes, definitely! They used actual antique lace on her wedding dress. Some of my other favorites are the Parade dress from Episode I, the classic red Queen Amidala gown, and the funeral dress. What's amazing to me is that the costumes, hair and makeup in the prequel trilogy feel so timeless yet vaguely historical. Like I don't get Early 2000s vibes at all from any of the costumes, hair or makeup. Whereas normally when I watch period dramas, I can totally see the time period the movie was made in showing through. Like in Victorian or Edwardian period dramas made in the 70s and 80s, I can very much see that 80s influence in the hair and makeup especially. It's amazing how the Star Wars prequel trilogy manages to do more believable period costumes than actual period dramas!

Of course, I think the modern Disney stuff is very lacking in imagination when it comes to their costume design, but that's a whole other discussion...

 

[ZehnWaters]

Yes, definitely! They used actual antique lace on her wedding dress. Some of my other favorites are the Parade dress from Episode I, the classic red Queen Amidala gown, and the funeral dress.

Oh jeez, I'll attach the images below but my favourites are the Traveling Gown, the Senate Office Gown, the Nightgown Robe, the Velvet Gown, the Tatooine Embroidered Dress, the Peacock Gown, and the Refugee Dress. I agree, her funeral dress is also breathtaking and made the scene all the more tragic.

What's amazing to me is that the costumes, hair and makeup in the prequel trilogy feel so timeless yet vaguely historical. Like I don't get Early 2000s vibes at all from any of the costumes, hair or makeup...It's amazing how the Star Wars prequel trilogy manages to do more believable period costumes than actual period dramas!

Right?! They were uncanny. Drawing upon historical influences but adding in modern flares yet achieving timelessness.

Whereas normally when I watch period dramas, I can totally see the time period the movie was made in showing through. Like in Victorian or Edwardian period dramas made in the 70s and 80s, I can very much see that 80s influence in the hair and makeup especially.

lol Oh jeez. There's a YouTuber, Bernadette Banner, who goes over period drama costuming. I lover her analyses.

Of course, I think the modern Disney stuff is very lacking in imagination when it comes to their costume design, but that's a whole other discussion...

lol indeed. It's the only adaptation I dislike more than Rings of Power, and only because it's more accepted. Captain Phasma was the only one with a cool outfit and it was wasted. They should have done more with Rey, too. She had two outfits. One just changed tones for three films.

I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was a little boy. Didn't turn out. I did make up a few sketches of an Padmé inspired outfits if you want me to DM them to you!

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Oh jeez, I'll attach the images below but my favourites are the Traveling Gown, the Senate Office Gown, the Nightgown Robe, the Velvet Gown, the Tatooine Embroidered Dress, the Peacock Gown, and the Refugee Dress. I agree, her funeral dress is also breathtaking and made the scene all the more tragic.

Those are all good ones! I have a cosplayer friend who made the nightgown robe, and it's INCREDIBLE. She smocked over 30 yards of velvet to make that thing, if I remember correctly.

Right?! They were uncanny. Drawing upon historical influences but adding in modern flares yet achieving timelessness.

Yes! And I love the way they utilized elements from different cultures. For example the refugee dress you mentioned has a headdress based off Imperial Russian fashion, and the Episode I Senate costume is heavily inspired by Mongolian royalty:

And there are countless other examples which I don't have the brain energy to get into here.

lol Oh jeez. There's a YouTuber, Bernadette Banner, who goes over period drama costuming. I lover her analyses.

I watch Bernadette Banner from time to time! Karolina Zebrowska is another historical costuming YouTuber I like (she's not only informative, but also hilarious!)

lol indeed. It's the only adaptation I dislike more than Rings of Power, and only because it's more accepted. Captain Phasma was the only one with a cool outfit and it was wasted. They should have done more with Rey, too. She had two outfits. One just changed tones for three films.

Don't even get me started... I can't think of a single thing from the sequel trilogy or any of the new TV shows that I would be interested in cosplaying. There have been a few mildly interesting things here and there, like the two Sith or whatever they are in the recent Ahsoka show. But in general, they are seriously lacking in imagination and don't seem much based on historical fashion, if at all. Modern Star Wars, to me, seems like it's trying to be more of a typical sci-fi/action movie like Marvel, and not like a fantasy period drama which is what George Lucas intended it to be. He said Star Wars is a period film which is why I like the original saga so much, and not the new stuff. I'm interested in period dramas and fantasy and not true sci-fi so much. Like, I don't want to see people in boring grey jackets shooting each other with laser blasters. I want to see people in period costume kissing in Space Italy, or fighting with lightsabers and looking good while doing it...

Modern Star Wars has not delivered on either of these things. Hence my diminishing interest in the fandom.

I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was a little boy. Didn't turn out. I did make up a few sketches of an Padmé inspired outfits if you want me to DM them to you!

That's so cool, I'd love to see your sketches if you want to send them!

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

. I want to see people in period costume kissing in Space Italy

Uh-oh! 😳

(Sorry -- just couldn't resist the opening you set up there! 😄

 

[ZehnWaters]

Those are all good ones! I have a cosplayer friend who made the nightgown robe, and it's INCREDIBLE. She smocked over 30 yards of velvet to make that thing, if I remember correctly.

Jinkies! I remember someone saying they had to use a TON of fabric to achieve the design. I bet it's heavy but oh so comfortable.

Yes! And I love the way they utilized elements from different cultures. For example the refugee dress you mentioned has a headdress based off Imperial Russian fashion, and the Episode I Senate costume is heavily inspired by Mongolian royalty:
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And there are countless other examples which I don't have the brain energy to get into here.

So cool! I remember Natalie Portman saying the headdresses in Ep. I gave her major headaches from the weight.

I watch Bernadette Banner from time to time! Karolina Zebrowska is another historical costuming YouTuber I like (she's not only informative, but also hilarious!)

I've seen her too but I don't follow her! I just have so many channels already it began to feel like a chore.

Don't even get me started... I can't think of a single thing from the sequel trilogy or any of the new TV shows that I would be interested in cosplaying. There have been a few mildly interesting things here and there, like the two Sith or whatever they are in the recent Ahsoka show. But in general, they are seriously lacking in imagination and don't seem much based on historical fashion, if at all. Modern Star Wars, to me, seems like it's trying to be more of a typical sci-fi/action movie like Marvel, and not like a fantasy period drama which is what George Lucas intended it to be. He said Star Wars is a period film which is why I like the original saga so much, and not the new stuff. I'm interested in period dramas and fantasy and not true sci-fi so much.

RIGHT?! Even the original trilogy drew inspiration from both the current '70s but also the space serials from the early 20th century. Ep. IV had some '70s elements but by Ep. V-VI I struggle to pin down anything strictly '80s. But, to be honest, the '70s elements in Ep. IV were charming and added to the film, as far as I'm concerned. The Disney stuff is just bland. NOTHING is memorable or stand-out (the same goes for the plot, but that's another story). Mando himself has a decent outfit, and I've seen some cool cosplays but that's it. Anything from Clone Wars that was cool came from when it was still under Lucas, so they don't get any credit for that. Rebels was bland and the art style took a major step backward. Does anyone even remember Resistance took place? lol Bland, bland, bland. I'll never understand how a studio as large as Disney can't have fancier clothes or fights but here we are!

Like, I don't want to see people in boring grey jackets shooting each other with laser blasters. I want to see people in period costume kissing in Space Italy, or fighting with lightsabers and looking good while doing it...

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*sigh* So stunning. Even the Jedi outfits were slick. Man, I wish I could dress up like that. Heck, I'd take the fancy elf outfits Legolas, Elrond, or Thranduil run around in. Would that I had the money to commission them from someone.

Modern Star Wars has not delivered on either of these things. Hence my diminishing interest in the fandom.

I'm struggling to maintain any interest in even the RPGs I play with my brother. It's...disheartening. At least between trilogies with Lucas we had excellent video games and engaging books.

That's so cool, I'd love to see your sketches if you want to send them!

I'll send them out sometime this evening! I've got a busy day and won't be home until later.

 

[ZehnWaters]

Uh-oh! 😳

(Sorry -- just couldn't resist the opening you set up there! 😄

Blue Yoda. He was blue in the novelization.

 

[Kiredor]

Figure I've been active on here long enough that it's time I started showing you all some of the cosplays and historical costumes I've made! Costume sewing is probably my biggest hobby. I'm self-taught and I've been at it for over 10 years. All the costumes in these pictures are made and modeled by me.

First of all, here's my Padme Amidala Meadow Picnic dress from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. This was probably my first "good" cosplay after several beginner projects. Initially I made it in 2015, but in 2019 I made some major upgrades to it, and I entered it in the cosplay contest at Star Wars Celebration 2019, and won 2nd place in the Needlework category! This contest was judged by people who worked at Lucasfilm!

View attachment 23097
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What I really pride myself on in this cosplay is the color, because I dyed all the fabrics myself and it is the screen-accurate color. (I've seen the original dress from the movie in a museum, so I know my color is right!) I also did all the embroidery on the blouse, skirt and corset.
View attachment 23100

Next, here's the costume I completed most recently: Christine's Rooftop Dress from Phantom of the Opera. This is based on the stage production, NOT the movie, and Christine wears it during the song "All I Ask of You." This is my favorite of Christine's costumes. My goal is to make Christine's entire wardrobe someday (ambitious, yes, but many costumers I follow have done it.) It took me a year and a half to make this thing. The trickiest part is the skirt shape, which is based off 18th century fashion and has this wide, elliptical shape. Not bell shaped like a hoop skirt but more of an oval. That shape is supported with a hoop skirt that I modified.

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This is currently my favorite of my costumes and it is probably my best work so far! Here's some details of the embroidery and decorations, all of which I did myself. Oh, and I dyed the mint green cape.
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(Those sleeves are 80 inches wide which is wider than some skirts I've made.)
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I hand-sewed the rosettes, the trim and everything.
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This picture right here might just be my favorite picture of anything I've sewn!

Moving away from Christine, here's Elsa, as proof that I can shapeshift lol! I made this in 2020 during the covid lockdowns. It was really fun to make with all the sequin embroidery, and I did the gradient dye on the cape sleeves. I love wearing this one to comic cons because little kids absolutely love "meeting Elsa!"

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Maybe later, I'll add another post to this thread showing my historically accurate costumes, since TTF says I can only post 10 photos. I meticulously research historical time periods, mostly the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and I take a lot of care to create gowns with the correct historical silhouette (aka shape), and all the correct underpinnings like corsets and petticoats. My favorite time period is the early 1910s, the era of the Titanic. I also do Civil War reenacting (referring to the American Civil War of the 1860s) and I basically have a complete Civil War wardrobe.

Currently, I'm working on Christine's Star Princess dress from Phantom of the Opera, which is what she wears during the Masquerade song. I just dyed the bodice today and hope to post some pictures of that dress soon!

Thanks for reading all this and I hope you enjoyed seeing my work! Also, I kind of want to cosplay a Tolkien character one of these days, so if any of you have any suggestions as to who that could be, please let me know!

You are very talented. For someone with no formal training, your eye for detail is amazing. Many thanks for sharing this and keep it up.