Faerie Fingers Custom Costumes has specialized in media recreation & custom bridal apparel since 1997.
I've found the best part about cosplay is meeting new people who share my passion for costumes and learning new skills to make their dreams a reality.
Almost there! I need some hardware to attach the cape and I'm still mulling over the headpiece design. Sure, I still have a bunch of zip ties and a metal headband. I could build another halo crown but I want to do something different. And FAST! It's spray paint and glue gun time. I can always add more later, but it's time to kick this into overdrive.
I love how this is turning out. It's about 75% done. I still have a few accessories and some engineering to get the whole thing Picard-proof. And I just can't decide on footwear. This is screaming ballroom heels or pumps, and I'm reluctant because of the amount of time I know I'll be on my feet. Suggestions???
I whipped up a leather doublet for my hubbie while waiting for my fabric order to arrive. I'm curious to see how it fits him, now that it's done. If I have time, I'd like to give it a good conditioning. The leather has been in my stash for a while and it feels a bit dry.
Long time, no post! Been so busy sewing for everyone in the family, but now I'm bashing something new for me. I've always admired Firefly Path designs, so I'm challenging myself to concoct a fae ensemble. The fabric is coming but until it arrives, I'm up cycling this ill fitting long line bra to jumpstart the foundation. So far I've added a couple inches of circumference and a lacing panel. Next I'll take the pointy excess out of the cups.
Still pondering accessories and footwear. Suggestions?
The Universe has been conspiring against me, but I have finally concluded the Wonderland builds. The top hat is for the White Rabbit. The blue ensemble was designed by my daughter, who will be the Alice in our group. I think she was heavily influenced by the Velvet Room attendants in the Persona video games.
P.S. I still can't seem to use a glue gun without at least one burn. Sigh.
I made some progress on the White Rabbit top hat. It's covered in stretch velvet with a satin hatband. It's wearable at this point. If I have time, I'd like to add some decorations like a large fancy clock face and red splashed white roses.
Note for next time: choose a slightly larger size for the base.
Got the hat base done. I wasn't sure about the Lost Wax pattern, but it was very well designed and drafted. Rather than paint, I plan to upholster to quickly cover the boogers and nards. At some point, I would like to try this pattern with Fosshape, just to see if it would translate with minimal tweaking.
I'm off to the shops for some kind of hat-like fabric with a bit of stretch and maybe some matching gimp. I have a cunning plan. Will the Universe cooperate? That's the $10,000 question.
Finally had a skull session with the daughter about her next costume. Her inspirations, in order of influence, are the Persona Velvet Room attendants, magical girls, scientist(?), and Alice in Wonderland. That's a mouthful.
So! The color scheme is two shades of rich blue and black. Design details are a mix of hotel desk clerk and magical girl, with a scant nod to Alice. Decorative details include rose vine embroidery, huge gold rimmed buttons, a playing card (suit TBD), a brooch, and a 5 ft tall teaspoon, if I have time. Quicker accessories include a bottle and/or cookies labeled " Drink me!" or "Eat me!"
Damned if I can find the Alice in this, which was the point of the group costume. I know I deviated in the White Rabbit with a touch of the circus vibe, but I think I can bring it back around to where people will get it at a glance.
Finally added enough volume to the petticoat to suit me and I am pleased with how my guesstimates for the bustier and jacket have filled out. The skirt is next. I'm thinking tea length and as full as I can make it with the available fabric. Oh, and I picked up an exaggerated top hat pattern. It's slowly coming together.
I had a fitting this afternoon. After some alterations, I was able to finish the coat. I'm so happy with it! I might add more gold appliques , but it's wearable as is. Next, I want to add some volume to the petticoat before designing the skirt.
Working on a White Rabbit costume for a Wonderland group I'm doing this spring. I started by reclaiming a black taffeta petticoat that my daughter didn't care for, then I decided to play with Simplicity 1248. Shopping my stash, I used some silk brocade and buttons for the bustier and red wool coating for the jacket. For the rest, I will be using a bolt of royal blue crepe for a skirt, after I add some tulle and lace to puff up the petticoat. For accessories, I've planned a large pocket watch (3d printed?) and an oversized top hat (EVA & fabric) with fluffy white ears.
Test fitting this evening. This is 95%of the costume and I was able to put almost everything on by myself. If you know me, you'll understand why that's a ridiculously big deal. Just a few more fussy bits to bulletproof and I'll be feeling pretty confident for my event later this week.
Cross your fingers, I'm casting gems today and working on hand sewing, now that the major construction is done. Gotta snap, strap, and buckle everything together.
I'm not unhappy about the resin color, but I am concerned about reproducing it for the second cape brooch. It was all going fine until I added the hardener and my carefully calculated color went askew. Panicked correction ensued. From the outsider perspective, I bet it was comical.
And today I finally got the shoulder bits together. Plus or minus another hot glue burn. Ouch. It's coming together and I'm getting kinda excited. It's so FLUFFY!!
Progress continues. The shoulder pieces are maybe half done and while I had the glue gun going, I made a few quick jewels for the accessory brooches. Thanks to the rain, outdoor spray painting has become tricky, but I shall persevere.
Today's progress after the fitting last night. Fixed my bra foundation and the cape is about 80% done. It needs straps and connectors.
I'm pleased with how the laser cut stencils worked out. I should find more reasons to do those.
Got the dress done for the most part. The cape is at 30%, which leaves the legs, arms, and accessories. More fur is in my future, lots of fur.
Behold the ridiculous tribulations of procuring one six inch foam wreath form for my current cosplay project. I had seen this item at Joann's in the past. Ah, but no more, nowhere to be found because they're on the verge of financial collapse. Nor at Michael's, their floral department is equally sparse. So I turned regretfully to the dreaded Amazon. The first order arrived and it was comically wrong, a warehouse inventory mistake.
I took another leap of faith, and now here I am, the proud owner of not one, but 8 wreath forms, because this is the only way I can get what I require. Seriously, did it have to be this difficult?
Well, that's how the muslin started, before we marked it up and chopped it to pieces. It was very informative.
Tips to folks asking their non-crafty S.O.'s for help: First, put a zipper in it rather than asking them to laboriously pin the whole back closed. Second, use binder clips instead of pins whenever possible.
Exciting stuff happening! I was contacted to help judge the cosplay contest at an e-sports tournament. The theme is DOTA2, so I chose the whip up a version of Rylai the Crystal Maiden.
I spent the last week shopping and the deliveries are starting to arrive. I draped the pattern today. This will be a fast build because the deadline is a bit tight compared to the leisurely pace I usually adopt. 😅 Stay tuned.
Spent several days clearing away three years of accumulation. Now I'm ready to begin new projects.
My creative space has gotten completely out of control, which means it's time to purge and organize. My inner craft hoarder is having conniptions. There are UFO's and failed experiments that I'm giving up on. Even if I finished them, I wouldn't wear them or like them. Mistakes happen. I'm fighting against sunk cost fallacy.
These are some of my first experiments with Worbla. After watching a bunch of Kamui Cosplay's videos (and buying her books 😁) I tried out the traditional sandwich method on a pair of bracers, like you do. Holy cheese, those buggers got heavy and uncomfortable in a hurry.
Next, my daughter wanted a Maleficent costume. The horns were a puzzle. I thought (wrongly) that I could make hollow horns out of the Worbla. Nope. However, it did make a good surfacing material for the insulation foam horn I carved. Big lessons learned.
The tiara looks kinda paltry next to the other two, but here's where I learned about finishing and painting. We've all been there and sometimes, when the conditions are against us, it feels like we haven't learned a thing. I lined it in felt so it's mostly comfortable on my kid's forehead.
Allen Schezar, Vision of Escaflowne
Anthy Himemiya, Revolutionary Girl Utena
I made these in 2001-02. They wore them at Anime Expo '02.
Ok, so Allen was my first jumpsuit for anybody, let alone a man, so I learned quite a bit just there. Let's hear it for hidden zippers! That blouse was a white knuckle test. The collar was huge and each point ends 3 little bitty fingers. Turning those buggers gives me flashbacks even now.
This was my first attempt at a Rose Bride, and I'm pleased with how luxurious I managed to make that cheap taffeta look. I think I both flat lined and lined the tunic to make it behave. The full circle skirt had a slip layer of lace-edged white taffeta. Her crown may be the very first time I ever used craft foam.
Here's another blast from the past. Deedlit from Record of the Lodoss War.
This is another one from the early days of Faerie Fingers. I was still working from the spare room in our apartment. I think I managed to find all the fabrics at Hancock's (may they rest in peace). The shoulder pads and chest armor were cobbled together from fabric, foam rubber, and batting. The cape attached to the armor, so it wasn't going anywhere. I discovered the catharsis of hammering rivets while making the belts. The hardest part was finding gold trims that didn't look awful, and I put them everywhere, even on the dress in case she didn't want to wear the whole thing at once.
Later, I was so pleased with the design, I decided to offer it as a sewing pattern.
Speaking of Beldandy, this is my Angel Beldandy, inspired by a poster I still have tucked away somewhere.
I had all kinds of adventures making this cosplay. Everything from making up the whole back side of the dress to making my first corset and wings (go big or go home!) to modeling in a bridal show at the Four Seasons Hotel to earn the bridal petticoat I couldn't afford to buy.
I shot through yards of satin, burnout batiste, and various other fabrics like it was going out of style. Opulence was the name of the game. My husband and I tried several ideas for the wing structure but settled on 3/8" rebar that slid into sockets I sewed on the outside of the corset. Sometimes the simplest course of action is the best.
I competed this costume at Westercon 52 and made a splash with some friends at Anime Expo '02.
Beldandy from Ah! My Goddess.
This one has a special place in my heart. You could say, this cosplay changed the course of my life. I made the first iteration in 1994 on a dare from my friends. It was bodged and half assed from several patterns out of satin and taffeta, the triangles were pieced using a quilting technique my mom showed me, and later I competed in it at Westercon 50 (1997). I won Best Novice Workmanship and I was over the moon. Faerie Fingers wasn't even a blip on the radar yet, but I'd been bit hard by the cosplay bug.
Fast forward to starting my pattern line, and I'd kicked out a few Ranma1/2 patterns, but I needed something fantastic. What you see below is Beldandy 2.0, the pattern and sample I made after I got my fashion certificate. It's made from taffeta, organza, and satin. It's lined and structured, there's even a half petticoat in the skirt. I wore that thing to death while promoting Sakuracon in the late 90's & early 2000's.
Alita, from Battle Angel Alita.
The arms, that's my contribution to this terrific cosplay. I made a knit turtleneck midriff shirt which the metallic sleeves attached to. The metallic parts were painstakingly pieced from a knit lame' and headliner material (you know that stuff on the roof interior of your car? Yeah, that.) She just nailed it and I'm glad I could help.
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