Sewing Projects & 2026 Plans

I had a little fabric shopping spree over the weekend - and found my new favorite salvage fabric shop (!!) a literal game changer for costumes and projects. It’s been a few years since I replenished my fabric supply, and even longer since I planned a new cosplay, so I’m really excited about this!

Lately my sewing has consisted of tailoring existing pieces, fixing torn clothes, and making a few renaissance faires pieces for me and my husband. But in March we’re planning to cosplay from Hades for a video game convention! Making two costumes at once feels a little intimidating, but it felt satisfying to break down the designs into a list of needed fabrics and notions, so I’m feeling energized for the task!

Costume Breakdown:

After looking over the characters, I make a list of the outfit components I can see (or guess) in the designs. I see if I can combine any of the fabrics or notions, and check my excess fabrics I already own. (Both Odysseus and Eris have white fabric in their outfits, I think I can use the same type for both. But the red fabric they wear is slightly different shades, so I’ll use two different types there.)

I have enough experience with drafting clothing and costume patterns, so I already have a pretty good idea of how much fabric I’ll need for each component. (Realizing now that I’ve been cosplaying for 15 years…woah. Okay anyway.) I always err on the side of slightly more fabric in my estimates (by 1/4 or 1/2 yard). Nothing’s more demoralizing when crafting a cosplay then the desperate run to the craft store on a time crunch, lol. And I like using leftover odd scraps to make other things - clothing, bias tape, etc - I’ll make another blog post on that sometime.

When making these estimates, it definitely helps if there are character turnarounds or concept art available… (The Legend of Zelda games are great about this.) Unfortunately Hades 2 doesn’t have an artbook released, and I haven’t found concept designs for these minor characters, so the only thing I can work with are the small sprites and the character stills. 😅 (What is that thing on Eris’s left arm half-hidden behind her back - a bracelet?? Arm wrapping?? Tattoo?? I’m gonna improvise.)

I made a vest this weekend, not for cosplay but just for me, to get back into the groove of sewing in my studio area. I found it really energizing, and I’ve started making a cute pair of strawberry-patterned bloomers I hope to finish tomorrow. And then, it’s on to drafting the cosplay stuff! Note to self, I should make some deadlines in my planner over the next couple months, too. Till next time ~