Do you style wigs?

I’m not sure why people are under the impression that I don’t. I will happily style a wig for you, at the same rate per hour ($10) as my costume commissions.

I’m a crossplayer, can you make me a costume?

As long as you provide me with accurate measurements as well as information on whether your will be padding/binding, I can make a costume suitable for either gender.

Why are your prices so high? I can get a costume off of ebay for less than $100.

In reality, my charge per hour is much less than most seamstresses. Even so, I won’t work for less than a living wage. I also use quality materials and don’t use the ultra-cheap fabrics unless I am requested to do so.

In regards to ebay costumes, you get what you pay for. Sometimes you can get a great deal on a decently made costume. Sometimes you’ll get a poorly made costume out of cheap materials that take months to be shipped from China.

My budget is really small, what can I do to negotiate a lower price?

I will not budge on my charge per hour, but there are some ways to negotiate a lower price.

1. First off, let me know what your budget is so I can start coming up with ideas.

2. The materials fee is variable. You can request broadcloth cotton instead of the materials I would normally use, request that I don’t line an item, etc.

3. You can ask for different techniques to be used. Instead of having me embroider a border, you can request puff paints instead, which is faster. Instead of making an under-kimono or dress, I can use padded hems or panels to create the illusion without doing all the work.

4. You can ask for me to skip some details. If something is quilted in a reference image but it doesn’t matter to you, I can skip that detail and lower the amount of man hours needed for the costume. The same goes for embroidery, beading, and other time consuming work.

Why can’t you make *ridiculously complex costume* in two weeks?

I get a lot of requests for costumes with lots and lots of detail to be done in a matter of a few weeks. Please understand that not only do these costumes take a lot of time to complete, but I often have to order specialty materials online which take a week or two to be delivered. If I have time in my schedule for a rush costume, I will do it, but you will pay the rush fee.

A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine. Please start the commission process at least 2 months before you need your costume and even earlier if the costume is particularly complex.

Why don’t you have ‘ready-made’ costumes?

I prefer to make quality, well-fitting costumes rather than ‘off the rack’ costumes. On occasion I will sell a completed costume that another customer defaulted on or a used costume that I no longer need, but this site will never become a costume warehouse.

I paint paper parasols for cosplayers. I can reproduce any of my previous works seen in the gallery (or any seen at one of my artist alley tables) or I can do an entirely new design for you.

If you would like me to create a custom parasol for you, there are a few easy steps:

1. Check out the commission schedule and see if the month you need it is open.
2. Fill out the contact form and tell us what you would like. (We’ll ask for pictures if we’re unclear.)
3. We will send you a quote and an invoice if you are paying by PayPal.
4. Sit back and wait for your parasol.

Parasols run from $20-50 depending on the complexity of the design, with most most falling in the $20-30 range. USPS Priority Shipping is $8 for US delivery. (International shipping will be more.)

Read more…

1. Decide on what costume you want, when you need it, your budget and start gathering reference images.
2. Check out our open slots on the Commission Schedule.
3. Read over the Policies
4. Send us a quote request! Please include the date you need the costume by and your budget.
5. In about 2-3 days, you will receive an e-mail back giving you a ballpark quote and we’ll start working out the details.

Policies

1. You must provide me with at least four or five reference images of the costume or wig you want before I will give you an estimate. I will base my estimate on the detail provided in those images and will produce the costume based on those images. If you provide me with inaccurate, blurry, or tiny images, you will not get an accurate costume.
2. You must specify an exact deadline. Allow 2 or 3 months at the least. Costume commissions requested with less than 1 month before the deadline will have a $5 rush fee applied to each man hour.
3. You must specify materials if you have specific ones in mind. If you do not specify, I will make the costume out of the most accurate and least expensive materials I can find.
4. If you have any special requests or changes to a costume, decide on them before requesting a quote. I will happily change colors, add zippers, make skirts longer, make a matching bag, or add other such touches as long as I am told beforehand. If you tell me after I have started a costume, the changes will incur a $25 fee in addition to the cost for the man hours required to implement these changes.
5. Make sure the measurements you send are accurate. This includes your bust, chest, hip, and waist size. Don’t guess. There are resources available to help you take the best measurements possible. Take advantage of these. Accurate measurements help me estimate material fees and make sure your costume will fit. I WILL NOT give a refund on a costume that does not fit due to inaccurate measurements.

How Estimates Are Determined

1. When I have received your reference images, personal measurements, and any specifications, I will do a general search for supplies. This will be the estimated materials cost.
2. Next, I will estimate the amount of man hours and multiply this by $10. (Remember, this is an estimate and the actual required number of man hours may change before the final price of the commission is calculated.)
3. The shipping estimate is $20 for costumes and $15 for wigs.

Read more…

Commission Schedule

The schedule states whether or not a certain month is open for delivery of a costume. Remember, the earlier you book me, the better I’ll be able to fit you in. “Other” means prop, button, parasol or other item.

Current

Harley Quinn - Dani - October ‘08