Hello, lovely readers! It has come to our attention that we’ve been writing this ‘Sew and Slay’ column for months now and have done a whole lot of slaying without writing a single column on sewing. WHOOPS. (Don’t ask us who or what we’ve slayed, okay? Plausible deniability is best.) So with that in mind, we polled our talented friends and put together a list of their sewing tips along with some of our own to help you slay your next cosplay. For legal purposes, that’s the only slaying that we can actually endorse in this column!
So here they are. If you’re not following these rules or if you’ve tried them and discovered they don’t work for you, that’s okay. These are simply guidelines that may or may not help with your many projects.
-Pre-wash and pre-iron your fabrics before you cut them. This can make sure that they don’t stretch or shrink after you’ve gotten everything together.
-If you’re using a machine, learn about your particular machine before you sit down to use it. Make sure you’re using the right presser foot and thread and needle as all of these can make a big difference in the look of the finished product and how well your machine can handle different fabrics.
-Figure out the right tension for your project-your machine should have a dial to adjust the top thread tension, and most machines will have a drop-in bobbin and will already have the bottom thread tension set correctly, though each machine may vary. This is another situation where it’s important to seek out tutorials for your specific machine.
-Basting is a technique where you put in temporary stitches to hold your fabrics in place prior to sewing your permanent seams and it can help save you from having to use the seam ripper. Temporary thread marks can also be used in place of marking pens or chalk markings if a garment may not hold onto those. You can even use water soluble thread for this so it will simply come out in the wash after your project is done.
-Press your seams. They look so much more finished if you iron them after you’re done sewing them in.
-Don’t skip interfacing if the project you’re making calls for it. Interfacing is a stiff material used between two layers of fabric for collars and facings and can really make the difference in the shape of a garment.
-Press bias tape with steam before sewing, especially on curves. This will take out a lot of the bulk and give the bias tape a smoother finish. Your iron should have a steam setting.
-When sewing with satin or other slippery fabrics, you can use tissue paper under the fabric to keep it stable while feeding it through the machine.
-The scissors you use can make all the difference. Make sure that you use scissors that are sold as fabric scissors and don’t use those scissors for anything else. They will get dull over time, so either get in the habit of sharpening them or replace them as needed.
-It’s better to use scalloping shears to cut fabrics with a tendency to unravel, like silk and brocades.
-Products like fabric glue and stitch witchery, which is a fusible bonding web, can save a lot of time if used on certain projects.
-If possible, pick up one of these. It’s a magnetic seam guide. It clips on to the plate by the presser foot. You can can run your fabric right next to it for a perfect seam width.
-A measuring gauge like this one can also be a life-saver.
-Notching patterns to match pieces is an important skill to have-notches are the triangular-shaped wedges added at certain places along the seam allowance in a pattern that show you where to match up your seams.
-Lots of public libraries have sewing circles where you can take your own machine or hand-sewing and find a community to work within. This can help both in having companionship while you’re working and it gives you others to learn from while you’re working.
-Even if you use a machine most of the time, hand sewing is still a valuable skill to have. Make sure you learn the basics.
-Familiarize yourself with different fabric types and do your research on which fabric will work for which project. Know whether the project you’re making will require a lightweight fabric vs a heavyweight fabric-often if you’re looking for more of a flowy look, light is better, for example. Know if you need stretch fabrics or no stretch, and so on. One way to research fabrics is to start looking into which fabrics are used in movie and TV costuming. If a costume similar to yours is featured in any sort of media, you likely can find a breakdown of it somewhere online or you can ask around and find answers in a cosplay community. Also, simply going to a fabric store and inspecting the fabrics yourself can start to give you a feel for which fabrics may work for which projects.
-Always order more fabric than you think you’ll need. Just trust us-order that extra yard. It will come in handy.
Most important of all-have fun! This is a hobby that can often drive us all to the brink of insanity, so if you need to take a break and remind yourself why you’re doing it, be sure to do so. We’re all out here rooting for you and waiting to see what you come up with.
Credit: Much thanks to Andrea Starnes, Kipi Guentner, Leman Yuen, Amanda Brady, Cheyenne McMillion, Aly Smith, and Willow Skylor for their contributions to these tips!
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