I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I only made FOUR new costumes in 2019! I made 12+ costumes per year for the past few years, and now I’m down to four??? There’s a reason for that, which I’ll explain down below. But first, let’s see what I made:
As usual, Anime Los Angeles was my first convention of the year, and I had the crazy idea to make 2 costumes in 4-5 weeks. ALA’s usually at the end of January, so we were shocked to realize it was happening in the middle of January this year. But did that stop me? Of course not. I behaved like a young 20-something cosplayer and decided to sacrifice sleep and sanity to bust out both costumes. I made Miracle Wave Riko, which I already detailed in a previous blog post.
I finished Riko two weeks before the con, then started on Ritsuko’s Stella Stage outfit from Idolm@ster. This outfit was so far outside my comfort zone, both in terms of sewing and aesthetic. But I’m so glad I accepted this challenge. I felt so confident! I did make a few subtle changes to improve the fit and silhouette a few months later, so I really need to wear it again!
For Wondercon, I finally achieved my goal of making my second Brienne of Tarth cosplay, specifically the Bear and the Maiden Fair dress. Distressing was definitely not my forte beforehand, but it certainly is now! I left this dress hanging on my balcony for a week, and added more dirt, grime, rips and fake blood daily until it had the desired effect. When I first started cosplaying, I made two new Game of Thrones costumes every year. So with the show officially ending in 2019, I loved the idea of making my 8th GoT costume for the conclusion of Season 8. Let’s just say that I was much happier with this cosplay than the final season….
For Anime Expo, Reistar Cosplay and I made Sarah and Leah from Saint Snow, specifically their Awaken the Power stage outfits. AX was so crowded that we didn’t get a chance to take any professional photos, but oh my goodness did we have fun together! I want to rewear these costumes sooooo badly!
In August, I quit my corporate job and became a freelance costumer. Once I started sewing for my job, I didn’t have the time or energy to sew cosplays. But that’s ok! I never thought cosplay would help me improve my fabrication skills to the point that I could go pro. I kept saying, “I’m self-taught–I’m not good enough to make sewing my career,” even as my freelance costumer friends all told me I was ready. I’m so glad I finally listened to my friends, and not my self-doubt. I absolutely love my career. I have worked on so many incredible projects for incredible companies, and I’ve met so many incredible people. My skills have improved tenfold, and I can’t wait to see what I can do 1, 2 even 5 years from now.
