Costume Con 32 Con Report

I haven't been home for more than a couple hours and I'm already eager to write this report. I've been attending conventions for... 15 years now. Anime North and Fanexpo have been my staples since I was in my teens. My focus on why I attend has changed over the years, with no surprise, but I love those conventions dearly.

And then, Costume Con came into my life. I've really only been taking costuming "seriously" since maybe the last five years at the most. Two years ago, I heard about Costume Con 32 to held in Toronto. And I thought: "Costuming convention? That sounds fun!" so I bought the tickets, and then perused the archives. And then I knew true greatness and true fear, because those archives held costuming art like I've never seen before. But I was determined to go for it. Sure at first, I was going to attend every competitions and whatnot, but as the day job and life does dictate, I settled on for one design and work at that.

Costume Con is obviously about the costumes, but what I loved was not only the costumes themselves, but the passion and love people had for what they made. I saw everything from ferocious to humble pride of what people had created. I saw so many different media being used to create everything under the sun. But, it was also the eagerness to share how they had accomplished what they had created. Panels were full of eager people telling what they knew, and in many cases learning new things even on the topics they were teaching. And people were just crazy friendly. You'd go into an elevator and turn to the person next to you, and three floors later, you were comrades in arms, if not friends. Costume Con may be tiny compared to the rest of the cons I've attended, but what it "lacks" in square footage, it cannot be compared to the family that is Costume Con.

And it's coming back in three years.

COSTUME CON 35 TORONTO!

I'm there. I'm SO there.
 Anyways! On to the Report!

Friday: Kashunga and I were dropped off.... just before 10, I believe. Hotel room was available, got unloaded and ventured down to the registration to get our badges - easy and peasy. I registered for the Historical Masq and with business attended to, we set out to enjoy. We went to Miss Lizzy's Traveling Historical Show, the Stage Makeup Tutorial, partook in the dealer's room and generally enjoyed the sights. A leisurely meal at Jack Astor's, and then back to the hotel.

After changing into our Game of Thrones inspired costume, we headed down to the Social for a few hours. The set up was fantastic, thematically decorated and catered, and we watched the Single Pattern Contest. First competition of the convention, and already I was wowed. After that, we headed back to the room, to prep for the next day. Ash joined us.... late. 1ish, I think. We were more than half asleep at that point. But, all troops present and accounted for, we proceeded to attempt to sleep for the busy next day.


Saturday: Bright Eyed and bushy tailed (not at all), we headed out and enjoyed more panels. Jewelry for costumes, Millinery basics in the morning, followed by lunch at Swiss Chalet with the brief car loan we had. After that, we attended the Fundamentals of Armor making, and then I headed upstairs to prepare for my workmanship judging. They were running a tad behind because of a group judging, but I got to chat with others waiting for judging. I'll get into judging later, but I survived! After that, we devoured more food at Boston Pizza, and then changed to attend the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Masquerade.

And what a Masquerade! The largest ever for a Costume Con, apparently! But so many amazing creations, it great to watch. I haven't seen one as an audience member quite a while, so it was nice to be able to see everything on stage and with sound. Post-masq, we escaped for a bit to the room to rest and kill time before the judging and then returned for the awards presentation. We got to see some well deserved awards, and then dragged ourselves off to bed.

Sunday: That morning, was not an energetic morning. Late night, but with lots to do, we mustered our strength for day 3. First was the Future Fashion Folio. My selected design wasn't created (maybe next time....) but it was great to see people bring other designs to life, and in some cases seeing multiple people's take on a single design.Panel time - Props and weapons, and then Making Wings for Kashunga and I, while Ash headed over to Beads and Shinies. The others headed over to more panels while I had Tech rehearsal, (again, later to be explained) and then we popped out to Jack's again for dinner. Then, it was rig up time for my masquerade. Couple hours there, few in the greenroom, the masquerade and awards in one fell swoop. (Results to follow!) After that, it was off to bed. Kashunga had to leave us, but Ash and I stayed the one more night.

Monday: A lazy day. Really it was a slow pack up and a final tour through the dealer's room. We attended the Historical Masq show and tell, so was able to see some of the other competitors garments up close. After that we headed home.

So, yes!

Amazing convention. Simply amazing. I can't wait for the next one!

But now, on to the Masquerade.....!

FanExpo Prep.

Have I mentioned how weird it is, that I am not actively finishing up a costume for competition? Usually at this time, I am in a froth of loose thread clipping and crippling self-doubt. Instead...I'm dragging out previously made creations, and airing away the scent of garments bags and time.

I feel like I should be stressed. I am not, which is why I am tense. Costuming has no logic here.

It's a very full living room right now. It's a sea of various shades of green, gold and accessories. Both CoCo and Mi-Co are half dressed, while other parts of my costumes air out while hanging outside on umbrellas or perch precariously off door knobs. And I am also fretting at to which pieces I have forgotten to pull out of the depth of time. There is make-up to unearth, over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders to adjust. Wallets and money need to be slimmed down for easy carrying, a shopping list for snackables and at least I have a Presto pass now, I don't have to fumble for ticket money while in a whimsical creation of silk and crinoline 'cause frankly, it just freaks the mundanes.

So...pretty much right on target.

Still need to do a bank run, baking run, and ensure my tutoring notes are ready to go admist the neverending notions by Thursday.

(And finish the last two episodes of Supernatural)

And then, all will be ready for FanExpo.

Alright, let's start to focus, shall we?

So I once again realized Costume Con 32 was now less than a year from now.
I mean, I've been tracking it since they announced it.
But suddenly 900+ days is less than 300+ days.
Less than year to create a collection of majesty worthy of being judged by my peers and in many cases, my costuming idols.

SOMEONE'S GOTTA HUNKER DOWN!

So, it is my goal, by the end of this month, to fully finalize what I am going to create for each category and have an almost concrete design for those pieces that require it. I shall create a binder with all my printouts and sources for documentation purposes and to keep some sort of control on the situation.

As of this moment.

Historical Masq: Decided. Secret-like of course.
Sci-Fan Masq: Tentatively decided. Will depend if I can find a design that represents my ideas.
Single Pattern: As above, thought I have my inspirational piece and a piece of the headgear I plan on using.
Fri N Social: Quetzalcoatl, the Night Club version. Haven't fully created the design, but it's going to be sassy!

So, really, it's all just ideas at this point. But at least I have ideas....right? RIGHT?

....now where's me colour pencils?

Magic and Stitchcraft's Debut at Animenorth!

Alright, we're ready to rock!

The stitches have been stitched, the stock has been stocked, and the display is ready to impress.

Moofingham proudly presents for the first time ever - Magic and Stitchcraft's debut into the world of sales:

Anime North: 2013

Coming to a Crafter's Corner near you!

Victorian Steampunk Accessories! Dainty Cuffs, Sassy Spats, and some lovely little flowers to adorn your collars or your hair!

We've got 'em!





(Wish me luck...!)

A timey-wimey conundrum

Whelp, I've tried to resist the urge, but let's face it - it was only a matter of time.

Time and Relative Dimension...IN SPACE. Looks like 9th/10th version

There will be a T.A.R.D.I.S. dress in my future. I have no idea what it will look like, what time period of fashion will be butcher, but one way or another, I shall don a victoriously blue confection of awesomeness.

And it will probably be made out of that gorgeous blue silk, if I can arrange it. <3 (Seriously, I have an obsesson with duponi silk. The texture and the way it holds it shapes when you crunch it on the bolt in the store? Majestic.)

But what else? I don't just want to translate the image of a police box onto a garment. Nor do I want to be such a vague suggestion to said police box that no one knows who I am.

Colour is key, of course. The blue silk has a perfect black threading, which reminds me of woodgrain. The T.A.R.D.I.S. is made of wood. GENIUS. Any contrasts must be black and white, unless you are dabbling with the interior of the T.A.R.D.I.S. Then, of course, you have to chose what desktop version you want to do. Though, of course, that could be a whole underskirt kinda thing. Anyway.

What else? You have your obvious features like the "Police Public Call Box" banner, the "Pull to Open" sign, and if you go with the recent/classic version, the St. John Ambulance sign. But, it must flow with the outfit. If it's geometric, you can stick'em right on, bold as brass. If it's whismical, it must be a part of the hems and seams, like a suggestion. Seeing as I have no idea what the theme is going to be, those features are going to be tricksy, precious.

You've got windows, or an obvious white and black colour blocking, a lock, and a lightbulb on the very top. Not to mention a very distinctive sound, which is as much part of the machine as the look. (Which I think I read somewhere that the landing sound was made by rubbing a key against piano strings.)

Many, many things. Time to dive into the fashion books, I guess.

ALLONS-Y!

(PS: Went to Fabricland for hopefully the last time in a while, for the booth. Got stuff. Cuffs could be done by tomorrow?)

Seams and things

Sometimes my mind can get stuck on things when I'm working on, or planning costumes. Usually at work, when left brain is on autopilot and right brain is left to her own devices.

For example, I was trying to figure out how to insert that back pleat into Tenth's coat, on a pattern that did not have one. Thought I figured it out, until I test folded paper. It...didn't work. Back to the drawing board.

Other thoughts included finishing seams on my Red skirt. I've done the overcasting of the edges before, and while that finishes the edges, I'm worried that the points on the seam that the hook and eye is suppose to go, will pull on the delicate but heavy velvet. Thinking of making them flatfell and having them finished on the outside, using that thicker layered seam for that tack point. The seams don't have curve, so it should be relatively easy to do.

Better than the one other time I did a flatfell. Circa.... 2000? 2001?  Using stretch velour on a curved hood? Which involved a bar of soap ducktaped to a soccer ball in order to get it to shape? That was special. I'd like to think that my abilities have grown since grade 10 but, eh, who knows?

Also, I reeeeeally need to get started on this years projects. I have two outfits to do this year, and four for next year, those which need to be done for April. Somehow I need to budget these out of my non-impressive funds.  Fingers crossed I can get into Crafter's Corner at Animenorth. Other hand fingerscrossed that I have things to sell that WILL sell. Otherwise all my dearest and closest are getting spats, cuffs and other rufflely things for christmas and birthdays for the next forever.

Hm. I need to test the spat sizes. I require tester ankles. Hardly weirder than asking for wrist and forearm widths for the cuffs I have yet to start making. Oh, and neck sizes. One must have ALL the variables.

Oh, and organize your receipts, kid. Your purse is a mess.
And lay off the impulse buying.
....Though my mission was a success. Incoming Doctor Who collection. Bwaha....

Welcome...to the wrong side of the fabric....

A place where seam rippers tear out the fragile threads that hold a heam together. A place where threads tangle and bobbins wind, and blood, sweat and tears bind it all together....

This is....

Not really as melodramatic of a place as I'm trying to make it sound.

What this is, a nice little place where an amateur costume maker can rant, rave and have awkward conversations with the illogical hemispheres of her brain about all the projects she's decided to get into. Not a place to lament of the sorrows of the world. (Unless it's Monday) Not place for politics or economy. (Unless it effects my local fabricstores.) Not about "other stuff". (Yeah, right. Gimme a week. OMG Didja see that episode of whatever is SO going to show up in a post. Which WILL be related back to costume somehow. Trust me.)

Sit back, relax, and watch the Magic and Stitchcraft unfold around you....

*dramatic thunder*