Crafting – Page 18 – AJ Mullican, Author

The Tale of the Tape

Just measured myself for the skirt I’m self-drafting for my next cosplay. Ouch. The numbers burn.

I can still, as the illustrious Tim Gunn says, “make it work,” but I have to rethink my approach. It will be tougher to get “right.” Unless I can lose weight.

Then again, if I lose too much weight I run the risk of the skirt being too big in the end. If I choose one of my alternate approaches, it could be taken in. It would be difficult to do for someone with my (lack of) skill, but possible.

Yeah. I think I’ll do that. Make it so I can take it in if I manage to lose weight. If.

The Write Stuff?

Cosplay, Crafting, Sewing, Social Media, Writing

I mentioned before about the Cosplay Closet Essentials posts I’ve started writing for Talk Nerdy With Us. So far the results have been positive, but how long will that last?

As an artist, I’m plagued with insecurity. Is this painting any good? Is the cosplay I’m sewing going to turn out? Will my novel get published?

Will people like the articles I wrote?

Don’t get me wrong; I love the interviews. I love doing most of the work myself: approaching the cosplayers for an interview, writing up the questions, editing and posting the articles for review. It makes me feel good when I’m able to organize something myself. But is that something good enough?

Artists, at times, can be fragile creatures. We put our souls into our drawings and our paintings, our sculptures and our clothing, our poetry and our prose. Think of Harry Potter: every piece of art that is created from the artist’s muse is like a horcrux. Souls torn into a million pieces, each one weakening the artist a little yet making the artist strong enough to live forever.

Some people might say that an interview isn’t the kind of writing that can be considered “art.” I disagree. I put just as much of myself into an interview as I put into a detailed drawing or my latest cosplay. I don’t just phone it in–except for phone interviews. I guess technically I phone those in. But that’s beside the point.

These Cosplay Closet Essentials posts are my horcruxes, just as are my paintings, drawings, and stories. So think about that the next time you read an article that you don’t agree with.

You could be dissing a part of someone’s soul.

Jumping the proverbial gun

Cosplay, Crafting, Geek, Sewing, Writing

I started sewing the corset panels together this morning. Why do this when I don’t have all the materials to complete it, you might ask. Well, it’s simple: if I didn’t start it, I was going to chicken out and possibly buy a cheap, pre-made corset and just sew the fabric I want on top of the corset, which would look weird. So I started what I can do, and will finish once I have the boning, casings, and binding purchased.

Next up: the skirt. This will be probably as much of a challenge as the corset, as I will be self-drafting most likely. I want to make a sort of fishtail/mermaid skirt, with the exploding TARDIS fabric for the train. I need to decide for sure, though, because it will be tough to figure out how to keep the train from getting stepped on at Comicon. There’s the option of putting a small loop on the inside to pick up the train while I walk, but that might look silly. Then again, who cares if I look silly? It’s my cosplay, my fun.

That’s the great thing about cosplay: the fun. It may take hours, days, weeks, months of work (more like months for me, because I’m taking my time & because I have Attention Deficit Artistic Disorder (not a real medical condition, but it should be)–but in the end, it’s about having fun with costumes. I mean, it is COStume PLAY, after all.

It’s too bad I haven’t ordered the boning/casings yet, because I would love to be able to get this done before Halloween, or at least before the next nearby convention. I think that Tucson Comic-con is in November–maybe I’ll try to be done by then.

Of course, next month is #NaNoWriMo. So I’ll be preoccupied with getting as much writing in as possible. We’ll see.

Fit to be tied

Cosplay, Crafting, Geek, Sewing

I started on the corset for my TARDIS cosplay last night. It is intimidating, because I’ve never made a corset before and thus have no idea what I’m doing…but when does that stop me? Lol Managed to cut the fabric pieces I need and get some of them basted together (For those who don’t know, corsets, for the most part, need multiple layers to be sturdy. I’ve heard of corsets that had only one layer, but I would not attempt that on my own. Anywho, it involves cutting out several of the same piece and sewing/basting them together before putting the actual pieces together.)

This is a big undertaking for me, but I’m going in with a positive mindset that, if I follow the directions carefully, I can do it.

The tricky parts are yet to come. I have to buy the correct boning, get some kind of boning tape/casings, get grommets and laces, correctly put on the grommets, and put the whole shebang together. Lots to do, but if I think about it one step at a time it’s less nerve-wracking. I know there will be some flaws (translation: a lot of them) like puckering, bunching, and possible fit issues, but I’ll get it done. I’m too stubborn not to.

Sadly, though, it’s almost time to head off to work. *Sigh* The things we do to pay for the things we love to do lol

Killin’ it…serial style

Cosplay, Crafting, Sewing, Writing

My third submission of an original concept post to #TalkNerdyWithUs was a hit! My editors liked it, my interviewees had fun, and, since I mentioned that it would be a series of posts, I got introduced to another person to interview for the next installment.

I’m enjoying coming out of my shell more and initiating more posts. I like that I can have an idea, roll with it, and watch it actually pan out. With any luck, this will be a weekly event.

As far as my own personal writing goes, that has stalled, but I’m not currently worried about it. There will be more. Just as there will be more art, more sculpting, more cosplay. I won’t let my creative well run dry. I’m just getting started….

Sew far sew good

Cosplay, Crafting, Sewing

I’m making progress on my #TARDIS #cosplay. I bought the Simplicity pattern, but I plan on making a few alterations. Gotta be me, y’know?

I have plenty of blue fabric to work with, but I’ll need more of the #explodingtardis fabric if I’m going to finish it the way I want.

The corset is going to be the trickiest part. I’ve never made one before, and even though the Simplicity pattern is supposed to be, well, simple, corsets are notoriously difficult for beginners like myself. I’ll definitely need to make at least one mock-up to be sure I get the technique and fit down pat. I’ll also have to wait until last to do that part, because I plan on losing weight. A shrug with a hood won’t look too weird if I lose a bunch of weight, but a corset won’t look right at all.

The skirt should be fairly easy to make and alter. I’ve made a skirt before, so I can play around with that.

Not that there isn’t a ton of time before the next con I am going to. I just really am enjoying this, and I hope to go back to previous cosplays and improve on them as well before Phoenix Comicon 2016.

Since I have a slight case of Artistic Attention Deficit Disorder, I can’t seem to stick to one project at a time. I also have an art commission project that I need to work on, now that my knees feel much better and I can sit comfortably.

Lots going on. Lots to do. Gotta love it.

Stitches in time

Cosplay, Crafting, Sewing

Hello. My name is AJ, and I’m a cosplay addict. It’s been 10 minutes since I’ve sewn anything for a costume.

The sewing machine for my birthday was both a gift and a curse. I love being able to sew now, and I’m gaining confidence every time I use it; however, the pedal kills my knee and hunching over the machine kills my back. Still, I’m making new things on my own, and it’s great. I’m obsessed.

I’m not just making cosplay. I’ve also made myself a scrub top (two, actually, but I have to lose weight to wear one of them–stupid pattern doesn’t match its own measurements) and a few pairs of fingerless gloves to wear for typing, drawing, or just plain whenever my hands get cold. They’re my own design, too, which I love. I can actually design things and not take weeks to make them. Now it’s a matter of days or even hours, depending on the size of what I’m making. It’s amazing.

Unfortunately, sometimes I get carried away. I wake up stupid early in the morning (usually thanks to my cat, Rory), and with nothing to do on some of those early mornings I end up sewing. Or plotting sewing. It’s crazy.

I suppose it could be worse. I could be addicted to drugs or alcohol or something equally destructive. This, at least, is a creative outlet that makes me happy.

Hello. My name is AJ, and I’m a cosplay addict…and I have no intention of stopping.