limebarb.com i love their cosplay and their custom work. they're amazing and i wish they would come to the west coast!!!
-pb-
I've looked up close at Limebarb's work. It's above average and they charge the right amount for what you get.
If you look very closely at the details, there are a few corners cut, so to speak. The trim on many of the outfits I have looked at close up does not lay flat with no puckers and it's not just a matter of ironing. It's sewn down that way. There are places where something is re-sewn rather than the old stitches removed and redone. The corners on some trim can be sloppy and I've noticed on some of the peter pan collars (those rounded collars on girls school uniforms) on gothic lolita dresses, you can see the leftover fabric inside the collar and when ironed, this extra material causes a crease. (Collars are usually sewn right sides together and then turned inside out).
If you are looking for a really good costume and you have under $300 to work will, Limebarb is a great choice. (To the person spending $350 with them to cover the better fabric, better fabric would really help eliminate that collar issue I mentioned because it wouldn't be as see through and since the fabric would also be thicker, it would have to be trimmed more carefully inside for it to lay flat. I think you are going to get a nice costume as well).
But, if you are looking for something AMAZING and willing to spend the money, that would not be my selection. Faerie-fingers.com in Seattle would be my first choice. Then there is another women in Seattle that does amazing work. Nezumi? Something like that.
A good resource is the COSP mailing list on Yahoo groups. There are some really good links there, and you can also ask for opinions on where to get the best work done.
My last bit of advice when looking for a costumer...
Really take a close look at the pictures on their web page. Anyone with any brains is going to make their sample outfits look as good as possible for the web. If you still see flaws, don't assume it's something that just needs a good ironing, that wrinkle or whatever flaw is most likely sewn in. What you see is what you get. If the on line pictures aren't the quality of costume that you want, don't assume that person will do a better job for you.
