uuuummmmm cosplay comissions?

[steelychan]

So, I would love to make an elizabeth middleford from black butler cosplay. but i seriously cant afford the $130 cosplays. and i have no idea how to even get started on this cosplay. so heres the deal, im more than happy to help whoever wants to tackle this. im willing to pay you and im free labor. you tell me what you need, or if you just need an extra pair of hands and ill be more than happy to help out. i seriously dont want to pay more than like $80 for this cosplay.

[Kurohime]

*googles character*

Wow.  I bet you'd spend $80 on materials & wig easily, not counting labor at all.  Best bet IMO is to just pay whatever the cosplay maker is asking. 

If you're set on making it, scour the dollar bins at Goodwill or buy some old sheets to practice with first.  And depending on how meticulously you work/how experienced you are, you could be in for a hundred hour project. 

[oslapedo]

Yeah, good, cheap Elizabeth wigs are at least $40. It's an expensive cosplay.

[steelychan]

i know. -kinda cries a little- it might become a 2 year cosplay.

[Saberchan]

Compared to your average ebay listing, I wound up paying close to the same as when buying the materials myself for my cosplay. (Saber from Fate/Stay Night) But the bonus here is I was able to pick out better quality materials. It should last longer. My aunt and I scoured second hand stores for clothing that could be modified for the costume. I found an old royal blue silk dress (used for the skirt), and my aunt found an old wedding dress, the petticoat, gold trim, and extra blue material to match for the bodice. She put it all together! (I have no sewing skills and she is out of state)

[meep]

If you want a good cosplay, ya gotta pay the price. I always make sure i have 100-200$ for every cosplay i plan/do

[steelychan]

yeah. but this will most likely just be one of those cosplays that will take awhile. which is fine with me. i just wanted a challenge. and this seems pretty challenging. ill have to get some of my friends and various family members to help me.

[Mr Silmero]

Good luck to you- Steely! I am also looking at a more spendy cosplay (again...) but at least you have someplace to START.

[steelychan]

lol. yeah. but im also looking into creating a xena cosplay. so elizabeth not get started until this summer.

[camname21]

You should totally do samurai xena XD  Just as hot, but much easier looking to make.

[steelychan]

i think the armor would still pose enough of a challenge for me. i have too much free time. i was planning a wedding but that fell through.

[camname21]

I think the armor would be easy enough.  Assuming you go with cloth instead of another material, just get a nice front cloth and back it with something close in color to the outfit.  Use a filler or stiffening sheet between the two for the armor look, and sew some yarn, or whatever, between it all (or just through the front before sewing all together) for the stitching look that is used on may of the pieces.  I'm not sure what to do about those shoulders, but it looks like a rug material with an cloth edge sewn on. 

That is my simple samurai xena advice.  Some of the other outfits look crazy detailed and not to mention its leather... GOOD LUCK!

[steelychan]

i plan to. i was hoping i could find a xena costume at a halloween store... but no such luck.

[sandrobotticelli]

If you look through the Kuroshitsuji page on this site, there are some Elizabeth cosplays that are about 82 dollars (which is a lot better than 130)

http://www.uscos00.com/index.php?gOo=goods_search_list.dwt&gcat=75&p=1

Hope that's helpful~

[sandrobotticelli]

Though I think shipping and handling might be an extra twenty bucks with some of them :/

[sandrobotticelli]

This is the cheapest outfit for Elizabeth on that site:
http://www.uscos00.com/index.php?gOo=goods_details.dwt&goodsid=5447&productname=

[steelychan]

thank you for this website. but i would prefer to make my own cosplay. it just feels more original to me.

[sandrobotticelli]

Oh alright. Well good luck with that! It might become a touch expensive but I'm sure it will turn out lovely. I ended up shopping in discount areas in fabric shops and made a dress that cost me about 76 bucks. So look for good deals! I'm excited to see how it turns out~

[steelychan]

im super excited about making the cosplay! who knows, maybe i should open up an anime shop in portland and help people with their cosplays on the side (for a small fee of course). yeah... that could be pretty fun.

[sandrobotticelli]

Oh I would go to a place like that~
I can't sew my way out of a paper bag :'D

[steelychan]

ill have to learn how to sew... which is gonna be pretty fun to figure out.

[fleur_fraise]

If you're still interested in commissioning someone, I could probably make the pink underskirt part for you.

[steelychan]

could i actually kinda just use you as a go to person? since i wont start working on this cosplay until this summer. but i would like adore you forever if i could just ask you really obvious questions and just pick your brain for information and suggestions?

[fleur_fraise]

I'm sure that'll be fine. It just looks like a gathered skirt with layers of box pleats at the bottom.

[steelychan]

ho boy... im in for a really big challenge. i think ill actually have to get books and take classes for this cosplay. im looking forward to the challenge. I just wish i could start on it right now. however, I have things that come before this cosplay. (like graduating from high school)

[camname21]

im super excited about making the cosplay! who knows, maybe i should open up an anime shop in portland and help people with their cosplays on the side (for a small fee of course). yeah... that could be pretty fun.

If you go to a fabric store, they might have tables or a back room where people could meet and sew together.  Some places my charge something some may not, though I would think the tables would be free seeing as how you will probably buy or have bought things from them if you are in their store. 

If anyone likes to sew/help people, and don't have much space or like to sew with others, I think it would be a neat idea to make sewing parties.  All it takes is a machine and the ability to bring a machine where ever the meeting is, finding a place shouldn't be too hard.

Oh I would go to a place like that~
I can't sew my way out of a paper bag :'D

I think it would be harder to get of of paper bag if you sewed it.  You might try another object

[sandrobotticelli]

Camname: Ha. You're right. I just love the idea of me in a paper bag I guess.

[camname21]

You in a paper bag, and me poking and teasing you while you try to take it off.  ^.^

[steelychan]

lol. thats a brilliant idea... i just dont have a machine >.>

[sandrobotticelli]

You in a paper bag, and me poking and teasing you while you try to take it off.  ^.^

Yeah, for some reason I imagine myself pocket sized, with a little tiny voice saying, "help!" haha~

but it's just one of those expressions I love using because it's silly and doesn't make sense, sort of like "I dance like a cardboard gorilla."

[camname21]

You in a paper bag, and me poking and teasing you while you try to take it off.  ^.^

Yeah, for some reason I imagine myself pocket sized, with a little tiny voice saying, "help!" haha~

but it's just one of those expressions I love using because it's silly and doesn't make sense, sort of like "I dance like a cardboard gorilla."

Instead of the bag, if you are that small I want to make a large cardboard dungeon and give you a little sword and shield.  Maybe I'd find you some buddies who have the same complex and toss them in there with ya and see if you guys can make it out.  If you do I'll give you a big treasure reward!  (probably a big moral boost for being about being so rad and such)  If you do somehow dance like a cardboard gorilla I would so dance with you.  I would feel like we were on the same level, and we would laugh at how retarded we look.


Steelychan, I'm pretty sure people could switch between using a machine and cutting/pinning and what not.  You would get a chance to use a machine seeing as how we would be there to help each other.  Also, if you want a machine, try goodwill.  I see them there ALL THE TIME!  They may not be all that good, though some of them I've seen were decent and had quite a few settings to them, but they are cheap and you don't need a whole lot do sew cosplays.  I use a straight stitch on most everything, that might just be because I myself do not know a whole lot more then that or my cosplays don't use elaborate fabrics/looks.

[steelychan]

lol. thanks. its on my wishlist. im just figuring out everything i need. this cosplay seems almost more than i can chew... but i will still be victorious in the end! also, i would so join you guys in the cardboard gorilla dance.

[sandrobotticelli]

Camname:That's so much more adorable sounding than it should be. D'aww~
Well, who wouldn't want to join a cardboard gorilla dance? Only a bloody fool! Haha. I would probably die from laughter just by seeing someone attempting such a dance.

Steelychan: You know, you can also still do a fair amount with hand stitching, it just takes a while. I actually sewed parts of my outfit by hand and it turned out pretty well. It probably wouldn't be the best idea to do it ALL by hand, but some parts probably wouldn't be too bad. We should do the cardboard gorilla dance at the Kuroshitsuji ball. XDDD

[steelychan]

we should! and I know how to hand stitch. i added cool patched to a pair of jeans awhile ago. and i probably will do that. but im just kinda looking at patterns and ill see what i pick up from my excursion to chinatown this saturday. ill go to act 2 ladies thrift store and see what i can find. i love thrift store hopping.

[camname21]

Yes, hand sewing is also used quite a lot by those that have never used a machine before.  Many cosplayers here say they hand stitched their outfits.  I hand stitched part of my cosplay this year.  I'm way to slow to hand sew a whole cosplay, however, even if I didn't know how to use a machine (they are really easy to learn.)


On regard to this ball you speak of, what is that all about?  If I was able to go, we could totally bring cosplays of cardboard gorillas with our faces and hands cut out.  It would be awesome!  Easy too, no sewing required  (paint however, probably.  Its got to still look good you know.)

[sandrobotticelli]

I don't know if it's 100% positive (maybe it is? I dunno. Ha.) but it's a ball mainly for the characters of Kuroshitsuji. Or we could just get a huge cardboard gorilla cut out and tape it to the fronts of our bodies, but that might be a lot more uncomfortable xD.

[steelychan]

lol. i know how to kinda use it... its just been a really long time since ive used one. the ball, i have no idea whats it about. all i know is that we might be having one.

hehehehe... ranmao cardboard gorilla. pfft.

[sandrobotticelli]

Yeah. Speaking of which I might try to hand sew some stuff this year :x

I don't know all the details about the ball either. I just know that there would be a majority of Kuroshitsuji characters. I wonder how weird it would be if I went in with a Hetalia cosplay? I'm hoping to get my Kuroshitsuji outfit done it time but I'm not quite sure >,<

AHAHA! That would be so great~ and somehow fitting? I can totally see her doing it. (Did you see the OVA where she was dressed as Seaweed? haha~)

[steelychan]

alas, i have not. i still havent watched the second season yet, im reading the manga, and i must watch this rumored musical! (i plan on watching the first and second season before thanksgiving break.

[sandrobotticelli]

alas, i have not. i still havent watched the second season yet, im reading the manga, and i must watch this rumored musical! (i plan on watching the first and second season before thanksgiving break.

Okie dokie~
Yes, the musical is on YouTube, here's the first part with subs if you want to bookmark it to watch on a later date:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WC-V2kGwzI&feature=related
I know the first and second part are subbed but unfortunately the rest of the parts are not :/

[steelychan]

sad face! ive been meaning to learn japanese but ive just havent had time. maybe ill take it as a class next year when i sign up for classes at pcc.

[sandrobotticelli]

sad face! ive been meaning to learn japanese but ive just havent had time. maybe ill take it as a class next year when i sign up for classes at pcc.

I knooow! I feel bad because I have a friend that's fluent in Japanese and I'm always telling her to translate things for me.
I totally would've taken Japanese this year but I chose Turkish instead just because it was more helpful for my career :/
*le sigh*

[steelychan]

ive been stuck in a spanish hell for the past 3 years! i so couldve taken japanese at a different school but i didnt have that brilliant idea until last year. and now my dad wants me to focus on graduating high school so no japanese yet. but i will learn it! it will be a lifetime goal!

[camname21]

I thought you only needed 2years of a foreign language to go straight into a grad school.   

Google says this show is called "black butler"?  weird name.

[steelychan]

itll make sense when you start watching it. and yes, thats usually the deal. however my school decided to set the standards at 3 years of spanish. i go to one of those small option schools in beaverton.

[moiramctaggart]

i think the armor would still pose enough of a challenge for me. i have too much free time. i was planning a wedding but that fell through.

If you are ever interested in making armor-esque stuff I suggest using craft foam.  However I don't know how well it stands up to moving and sitting down. Tutorial here: http://entropyhouse.com/penwiper/costumes/helmsdeep.html

[Kurohime]

lol. thats a brilliant idea... i just dont have a machine >.>

So... you like jumping in with BOTH feet first then, eh? 

Perfectly good sewing machines can be gotten at Goodwill for about $15.  Most of the ones I've seen average 4 types of stitches- the only two you'll need are straight and zigzag, and you might not even need zigzag.  You'll need to buy a needle for it though. 

Might I suggest doing a smaller project or two first, so you get some practice and idea of what you're getting into?  Your cosplay will look all the better with some practice under your belt.

[steelychan]

that was what i had in mind. which is why im researching and holding off on the lizzy project until i actually have the time to practice with ruffles and the like. i can see my friends as guinea pigs.

[steelychan]

i think the armor would still pose enough of a challenge for me. i have too much free time. i was planning a wedding but that fell through.

If you are ever interested in making armor-esque stuff I suggest using craft foam.  However I don't know how well it stands up to moving and sitting down. Tutorial here: http://entropyhouse.com/penwiper/costumes/helmsdeep.html

thankyouthankyouthankyou! you just gave me hope that i might actually be able to pull off xena and still be sane at the end of it. i was questioning whether or not i might still be sane by the time i finished the xena project.