Modesty's Costume Closet

 Big news. I've been rather quiet the past few weeks not only because of the holidays but also because most of my projects are stalled...save for knitting and crochet.  All this because...I'm buying my first home! 🏡 It's an incredibly confusing and stressful process. (I'm doing it on my own too...so spooky!)  The effects of the stress are incredible...worse than when I was unemployed. BUT this place will finally give me my own dedicated craft room/guest room.  I am very excited even though the new expenses are going to just completely cut my costume budget for the year. Incredibly...I don't have plans for Halloween or the Dance Showcase so mostly just sewing clothes. Weirdly.  But I do have backburner plans for more kimono, shoe making, and random props. I'm actively working on my crochet haori based on Giyu Tomioka.  Absolutely crazy pattern Until I move in April. This blog will be in hibernation. 

Printing your own shoes is a slowly growing hobby, but it can be a bit dubious because 3D printing can be finicky and it could be dangerous. Most beginner friendly 3D shoes include slides, flip-flops, or sneakers. There are a few high heels that I have seen, but when it comes to shoe making, this is a style of shoe that is difficult to design properly and safely even in regular shoemaking.  Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of 3D printed shoes:  Accurate replication of shoe parts Durable material, suitable for outdoor or indoor use Flexible to firm Orthopedic Friendly Many files available Drawbacks Flexible filament difficult to print with for beginners May need a specialized 3D printer Can be more expensive for simple style shoes (Think, A few dollars for a pair of flip-flops versus one you print yourself that have a high investment cost.)  Disconnect between digital and physical models Takes a LONG time to print a shoe What you need to 3D Print Shoes An FDM pr...

 The costume was finished on time and I was please with my approximation for this costume. I ended up not focusing on character accuracy 100% but at least recognizable. So, I'll go through the method I ended up going with for the leotard and skirt, the accessories, and what I decided to leave out.  Leotard and Skirt So, for the overall costume I kept the skirt and leotard as separate pieces because I thought I could use the leotard as a base for a future costume. This meant I followed the advice in the pattern except I made the leotard a lined leotard. I learned a new method of lining tops called the Burrito Method. Saves me a lot of heartache!  The skirt also used the pattern pieces but I went off-script for this piece. I left the back seam open on the belt and upper part of the skirt. Like a fly on a pair of pants. Then I cut two "button holes in the back of the belt. The large ribbon that sits on the back I have extra ties on that I loop through the holes and tie down....

 Continuing from my previous post on my adventure with this potential yarn project: Tomioka's Haori. Once I knew how much yarn I'd need, I needed to buy it. However, turns out 15 balls of yarn is expensive! (Who knew!?) So...this started me on a journey of research for the best price! This leads me to consider other yarn brands and yarn weights.  Finding Similar but Cheaper Yarn It will be a roll of the dice whether you're lucky to find a more economical price and have the yarn include all the same features as your original plan or whatever the pattern called for. This is where the internet helps us. Some websites have categories of different yarns that you can search by weight, fiber type, price range, gauge, and more. Ravelry has an extensive yarn database. But I also like to use Yarnsubs.com.  Search engines or AI can help identify alternatives for you as well by typing in "an alternative to brand name yarn".  Or you can go to your preferred yarn shop in person...

 I have no focus lately. 😝 But I have be weirdly distracted by a potential NEW yarn cosplay project...Tomioka's Haori. Went to see the Infinity Castle movie at the theater and remembered that I had made a color chart. So busted that out...saw I did the cube pattern wrong and fixed it. Also re-calculated measurements and adjusted things because I had set it to the gauge for loom knitting...and I'm going to crochet this one.  But that's not the point of this post...just the inspiration. This post is going to be the various ways I tried to estimate how many balls of yarn I'd need for this project. So...here are the facts. This is my own pattern and it is untested! I know the brand and colors I WANT to use but we'll see how much of a budget buster that will be. As well as a yarn stash hog.  Okay, so there are 4 methods I'll suggest. Incremental Pattern Inspiration Weight + Area Measurement Weight + Stitch Count Incremental Purchasing This is a method that takes bas...

Shoemaking is not something I thought I'd really get into but I've been doing my research and making some prototypes. This is in part because my feet are very small so finding thrift shoes in the style I want is difficult. So, I've been learning and remembering different ways of making costumed footwear and I'm making a little series about it. So here we go.  Fabric shoes with EVA soles and toe covers Now a common method that's tried and true in costuming is modifying an old shoe or using a shoe as a base. Shoe/Boot covers are fairly common. However, I'm not going over that method. (I like Simply Spandex's Tutorial on boot covers , so you have a resource.)  This series is going to focus on making a shoe from scratch. And I'm stopping short of leatherworking and actual cobbling. Which is another thing you could do. (Here's a Shoemaking Course List) .  I wanted to focus more on crafty methods for making shoes including:    Yarn-craft shoes (knitting or...

3D printing has opened the door to new types of cosplay and every year it grows more accessible. I made a post back in 2022 about getting my first 3D printer . And I would say all that advice still stands, except now I have a new 3D printer, I've had more experience and therefore more to say. Am I an expert? Nowhere near it, but I'm beyond beginner at this point. So in this little overview, I'm going to go through some preconceptions I had about 3D printing, safety considerations, and a few more suggestions in considering a 3D printer whether it's your first machine or just another machine to add to the collection.  Preconceptions Here are things I've thought might be common misconceptions...based mostly on my own experience.  3D Printing is FAST! 💨Speed can be relative but in my mind I was thinking some kind of sci-fi replicator that would create something within seconds or minutes. I did not expect it to take more than 2 hours. But I have had prints that lasting ...

Modesty is the internet handle I adopted for myself way back in high school. I will answer to it as a name. People I meet on the internet tend to call me that. But I adopted this as a name for myself not only because it starts with "M" like my real name, but it is a virtue I aspire to. I don't always live up to it, but I continue trying.  What is Modesty? Now, immediately, the connotation for modesty seems to be telling women how to dress. And as everyone knows, people LOVE being told what to do.  Modesty, like any virtue, cannot be forced upon you to really take root. It must be nurtured in the heart of the person themselves. So, modesty is not forcing you to cover up.  The sister virtue to modesty is humility , which opposes pride...the greatest vice. It is the focus on self that often causes strife between people. Humility is not a popular virtue, but it is healthy and important for living with others harmoniously. And ultimately, make us happy.  Humility doesn't ...

 For most of my costumes, I assume that my time outside will be minimal. Nothing more than walking from the parking lot to the venue. But there are plenty of reasons for outdoor events to be costume events as well, such as Ren Faires, Live Action Role Play (LARP), Historical Reenactment, Film Shoots, and outdoor theatre.  In this post I want to go over how to make sure your costume can deal with:  Heat and Cold Precipitation Sun Exposure Uneven Terrain Dirt/Mud/Dust Shopping Convenience Staying Healthy and Hydrated Your physical health, safety and comfort should be a top consideration in designs.  Temperatures 🌡 When and where the event is located will affect the weather you'll likely encounter. So here are some suggestions for adjusting or planning your design to suit the typical temperature of the event's location.  Hot Weather 😎 For our body to keep cool, it needs sweat to evaporate off our skin. The more skin we can expose to the air, the more efficient ou...

Resin is common casting material for costumes accessories and props. Typically, it comes out as a clear, hard, plastic product. There are 3 major types of resin I'd like to introduce: UV Resin, Epoxy Resin, and Plaster-Resin. So lets jump in.  🚨Health and Safety⚠ Epoxy resins especially have harmful health effects if not handled properly. The fumes created while mixing are noxious and require ventilation and personal protective equipment such as a respirator. It is a skin irritant so best practice requires nitrile gloves and clothing. Best protect your eyes from splash as well.  During the curing process, the resin gets hot. So be careful with what you use as a mold and what you put it near.  Lastly, sanding resin is especially harmful to lungs and even nerves. You must wear a respirator, a dust mask doesn't cut it.  UV resin does expose you to low levels of UV light so take care of your skin and eyes. Granted the exposure is very short, but worth mentioning. Again,...

 Just giving the update that my dress is done! I did my performance, but I'm still waiting on the video footage.  [Image -tbd] For accessories, in the end I made a couple of pearl necklaces. They did not hit my partner thankfully. I have the t-strap mary janes...they're a bit rough to dance in. And I made a headband with a feather in it. I have a couple of simple pearl earrings I could wear too and the beaded false lashes.  Retrospective I should have measured between the layers of fringe with a ruler. It was all pretty thick on the hem but it did move nice.  I wore nylons instead of my usual shorts. This was nicer looking IMO.  The brooch I used on the belt flew off during practice. Had to tape it closed with a band-aide. 

 The design frenzy has settled down. The initial excitement wanes a bit as expected. But there is still more to think about. While I'm pleased with the potential ideas, there are a few things I should consider on a more logical and practical basis. For example, what's going to be the challenge in making this dress? How expensive do I think it will be? Is my production plan the best way to make this? When it comes to accessories, what will be great for dancing and what will get in the way or become an annoyance?  Current preferred Design Lets start with determining potential Accessories. Accessory Evaluation Going off my drawing, here are the accessories I might use:  Feathered Headband Stud Earrings Long Pearl Necklaces  Ornamented Necklace Black Gloves Gold bangle bracelets White Feather Boa Ornamented Belt/Sash T-strap Mary Jane Shoes A couple of non-negotiables include the shoes and at least one other Flapper staple such as the headband or pearls.  For dancin...

 I've had a sleep and some time to think on things and a few more ideas for the dress have crept in. So here's how day 2 is going.  First, I reviewed my previous day's results a few times. I did make some doodles but was not happy with my color scheme of red and black. It seemed too grim and again, too much like my current competition dress. (Which I finished by the way...here's what that looks like.) So things that bothered me were colors and cuts. While the styles of the 1920s go against every rule of dressing a pear shaped body, I decided that I wouldn't care...but I could "lessen" the effect with a few tricks.  For now I decided that the mesh-top with a heart shape would be best, but I'll put in a triangular cut-out to make a plunging V shape in the heart. I plan on using sequins to make lines on the bodice and making it a highly decorated top...which IS good for pears. The back line will be V-shaped as well.  During the night I peeked at some onli...

Just got good news that there is going to be a showcase this year at my dance school and it's going to be different than before! This time it's theme is a Murder Mystery in a 1920s Speakeasy. It's going to have a story to it so I'll be in-character after my dance number. (I've been craving a theatrical project. I'm going to have to brush up on my '20s slang.)  Right now, I'm plotting what to do with the character that I've chosen and how to design her costume. I thought this would be a fun example of developing a costume design as in the moment instead of in hindsight.  Character Description This is the character prompt I received from the organizer:  Polly Peppers - The flapper with a Dark Past. She dances and laughs like she hasn't a care in the world, but Polly's real story is darker than anyone knows. Is she hiding more than just a broken heart? So a few words stood out to me immediately: Flapper, Peppers, Laughter, Dark Past To be honest...

For me, a big challenge comes with picking a character or making one up because I have lots of fondness towards the characters. And I am not opposed to doing a bit of cross-over or reaching back into my high school art and making Sailor Virgo or some other original character design.  For the base costume, I am keeping closer to the Manga references or the Reboot for references. Every character has multiple versions depending on the series and powerups. I'm going to try and stick with first season basics/initial costume. First I'll go over characters I'm considering: (Images all made with the Sailor Senshi Maker ) Canon Characters Sailor Moon Sailor Mercury Sailor Venus Sailor Mars Sailor Jupiter Sailor Saturn Sailor Pluto Original Characters Sailor Virgo Sailor X Sailor Goro Crossover Characters Sailor Rarity Sailor Fluttershy Sailor Mitsuri Sailor Tanjiro Sailor Shinobu Sailor Kyojuro So 16 character ideas total. Time to evaluate and eliminate to determine which one I will...