Fabric Samples and Why You Should Order Them

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a fabric store nearby. And even if they do, there is always a chance that they wont carry the fabric you are looking for (or in my case, they stop carrying the fabrics I like). This means you either have to make a road trip to further stores and hope they have something you can use, or, you have to order online.

What's the big deal about order fabric online? To some, it's not a big deal. They get lucky first try. But there are so many factors you need to take into consideration. You wont be able to touch and feel the fabric like you can in store. To me, that's important! If I'm making a dress, I want the fabric to be soft and feel nice against my skin. Not stiff or rough! Then there is also the chance the fabric has a texture to it that you couldn't see in the pictures. Or, what I worry most, is the color is different. All monitors display colors slightly differently. While you think you found the perfect color for your cosplay? Turns out it was darker or lighter (or sometimes no where close) to what it looked like on your computer or phone. There is also the sheerness to the fabric as well. In a recent commission I did, I was going to order what I thought was the perfect fabric (left picture below). Turns out it was way to sheer to use (which was a shame because the color was pretty perfect [right picture below]).

Here's where ordering a sample comes in handy! Most (not all) online sellers sell sample pieces for usually $1 each (some charge less, some charge more; depends on the size of the sample they send). Some sellers even give out free samples! Most offer free shipping on samples but there are a few sites that do charge (which in my opinion is silly... unless you're ordering a lot of samples). The samples are usually 4x4" squares. Though as mentioned before, sometimes they cut bigger samples (there was one set of samples I got that were odd shapes/sizes; probably remnants from projects they had worked on).

I used to just have a pile of the samples, but it was hard to keep track of which ones were from which sites. Originally, I just stapled the sample to a piece of paper and wrote the information to the right of it. Since then, I've upgraded my filing system to binders with custom print outs that I write the information on and staple the sample to.

Ordering samples also gives you an idea of how long it will take for the fabric to come in. Depending on where you order from, it can take anywhere from a week to 3 weeks (or more if it's from overseas). It's definitely something you need to plan a head for but well worth it in the long run.

What do you think about ordering fabric online? Love it? Hate it? Let me know in the comments!

~Serenity

Pearly Art Worbla (White Worbla) Review

I have always been a fan of all the thermoplastics that are available. The possibilities you can do with them are endless. The only downside? It's pricey. It does take a little get used to as well, but once you get the hang of it, you can create some pretty amazing stuff.

Pearly Art is the newest thermoplastic that Worbla has come out with. It was very interesting to play with. It is in fact, even smoother than Black Worbla and about the same thickness as Black Worbla. I felt like it heated up as quickly as Black Worbla and cooled a bit slower. You do still need to give it a coat or two of something to achieve a super smooth surface, however, if you just prime and paint right on it, it's still relatively smooth.

Another cool thing with Pearly Art is that if you are making something that is already white, you don't have to do anything to it (same thing goes for the black worbla)! I used it to make the wings on the accessories and the staff for my Sailor Cosmos cosplay. It did, however, pick up some of the lint so I had to give it a good wipe afterward. It also still has a slight grainy feel to it once it was fully heated but you can't really tell unless you are looking super up close.

Overall, I would recommend using white worbla for smaller pieces and/or for fine detail. It does fuse together nicely with itself with little to no blemishes. I haven't tried using it in combination with the other thermoplastics but if it works like the previous Worblas, it'll bond just as nicely.

I personally don't think I would use the white worbla for most of my projects if only because its more expensive than the black worbla. Yes it's only a few bucks ($3) more than the black but when you are on a tight budget, you save where you can. I will, however, keep using it for smaller details and maybe even use it to sculpt small pieces.

Have you used any of the Worblas? What are your thoughts on it? Do you like one more than the other? Let me know in the comments below! I'd love to hear other peoples opinions!

~Serenity

P.S. I will be writing up a blog with my personal opinions on all the thermoplastics out there (I think I've tried just about all of them). So keep checking back!

Cosplay Organization: Wigs

Another big question I hear people ask is how to store their wigs. Whether it's short hair, long hair, or super elaborate, here's how I keep all my wigs in tack (along with other suggestions I've read/heard about)!

Let's start off with short hair wigs. These are obviously the easiest to maintain. After wearing, you can give it a simple brushing and toss it back in the plastic bag it came in. If you don't have that bag anymore, consider using a gallon Ziplocs bag instead. They're durable and seal nicely! I have a tote that I keep all of my bagged wigs inside of that helps keep them all together and keeps them safe.

As a side note, if you sweat a lot, or if the con you went to was just super hot, think about washing your wig before store it. Nothing is worse than pulling a wig out of bag and it smell a little funky! Don't know how to wash your wig? There are tons of tutorials on youtube! And depending where you bought it from, they might even have a how to as well! Capes Are Cool has a nice run down of wig care and storing as well. Check them out!

Mid length and long haired wigs can be a bit troublesome if not stored well. I always brush out (and clean if necessary) my wigs after each con. Otherwise, I forget it's a hot mess until the day I go to wear it and regret not taking care of it right away. I generally spend over 6 hours brushing out a long wig (sometimes more!). There are some good methods out there on how to prevent long wigs from tangling; which I'll get into in another blog. Once brushed out, I lightly braid the wig and place it back in it's bag. This will help keep it from getting tangled while in storage. I have to stress the lightly part because if it's to tight, and it ends up somewhere warm (like your car), this will heat set the fibers and give it a wavy look. If a long haired wig is styled heavily, I'll keep it on a wig head, braid it, then lightly wrap the braid around the base of the neck of the wig head. You can also just lay it around the stand when you place it on your shelf or box as well.

Any short or medium haired wigs that have a little bit of styling (like the bangs), I will typically just toss back in the bag. The wig wont come out perfect next time you go to wear it and will need a little touching up, but in the long run it saves you space. If I'm not transporting a lot of wigs to the con, I will take it out of the bag and put it on a wig head and restyle it before leaving for the con. But if I already have a lot of stuff to carry (which is usually the case) then I just leave it in the back and give myself a little extra time to touch it up in the hotel room.

For wigs that are heavily styled, whether it's a super spikey wig, mega curls, or over the top pieces, leaving these on wig heads is the best choice. Some people like to store these wigs (while on the wig head) into hat boxes. You can find plain ones and decorate them yourself or predecorated one. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes (you just have to do a little bit of research). I've recent found this cosplayer who wrote about how they make their own wig boxes out of card board and fabric.

I currently have all my wigs that are on heads on a shelf in my sewing room. You can also technically just put them in any kind of card board box as well. A lot of people will also glue the wig head down into the bottom of the box so it doesn't roll around.

If you have the space, you can always buy one of those hat stands you see in retail stores. They're great for wigs! A slightly more compact version is a peg board or grid wall that you can attach to a wall or door and buy "hooks" that go in them.

And that's pretty much it. I hope this helps you keep your wigs organized! There are countless more ways to organize and store wigs. If you have any other tips or tricks, leave them in the comments below. I'd love to hear what you do!

~Serenity