Weekly Qs #1: What cosplay construction material could you NOT live without?

By **seraphik**. 27/09/12, 08:30 am

to get some discussion rumbling in the forum's underbellies (haha... belly) there was a suggestion a wee while back to have a question/discussion each week on anything cosplay related or cnz related. so, what better way to kick it off than with something so close to home?

what cosplay construction material could you not live without? why?

personally, i think it'd have to be hot glue & probably the ministicks at that! there have been so many occasions when something has fallen apart, only to be salvaged at the last minute by ducking something discreet at armageddon, finding a power socket and gluing whatever-just-broke back together. i remember gluing a pair of shoes back together while at christchurch '11... when i was wearing them. it'll never let you down!

By commandercandyfloss. 27/09/12, 08:36 am

If I'm completely honest, safety pins. I use them for literally everything in cosplay ahaha, from styling wigs to just holding fabric or patterns together, or sticking things I need to the wall so I don't lose it.
Good for holding bits of cosplay that aren't behaving right on the day together too!

By Lumissne. 27/09/12, 09:03 am

Hot glue gun, definitely. For my Lady Gaga outfit, I think my hat fell apart about three times. Thank god for the folks at Trinity Treasures, who helped me put it back together!

By Mischa. 27/09/12, 09:19 am

Not technically a construction material but masking tape! - I use it to mask areas off, make guidelines for stitching , instead of pins, hold things while they are gluing... it's like a third hand!

(also I love hot glue OMG yes, anything porous will weld together )

By Le_Saboteur. 27/09/12, 09:43 am

Do plasters to stop the blood from my pricked fingertips count? No? Oh.

In that case, I'm gonna go with spare newspaper. Paper mache'! Patterns! I would make a whole costume out of newspaper if I thought I could get away with it (I will find a way).

By Mandie_Chan. 27/09/12, 10:01 am

Hot Glue gun all the way! It's only within the last year and a half I've really come to understand how awesome it is. Now I use it for all my cosplays and even fixing things around home~
It's small and easy to take to other conventions for those quick fixes before the day begins (or even during the con if needed). Seriously, love my hot glue gun!

By Crazy. 27/09/12, 10:01 am

fabric superglue, all the way.

By Suixelo. 27/09/12, 10:30 am

Hoy glue! You can do so so much with it and it's a saviour when something falls off or breaks!

By **Duckeh**. 27/09/12, 10:34 am

Suixelo wrote:: Hoy glue!

THAT'S MY FAVOURITE! Razz

<3

Oh god, I totally agree with everything that's been said already. I've actually only just recently learnt about the badassness of masking tape though!

By Mischa. 27/09/12, 10:36 am

Ohhhh cheap enamel paint from Pete's emporium, it is spray paint...without the spray

By Leaven. 27/09/12, 11:29 am

A pair of Scissors that your Sister/Brother/Father/Cat/Hairless Mole hasn't attacked to cut something other than Fabric

By **seraphik**. 27/09/12, 12:06 pm

Leaven wrote:: A pair of Scissors that your Sister/Brother/Father/Cat/Hairless Mole hasn't attacked to cut something other than Fabric

i'm so protective of my fabric scissors. a friend once picked them up and went to cut paper with them and i leapt, screaming out of my seat. D':

By Tails. 27/09/12, 12:11 pm

I feel so out of the loop, I just used hot glue for the first time making my Crysta wings. I feel like I should have used it the whole time!
But I can't live without carpet tape, it's the strongest double sided tape you can get and I always use it for sticking craft foam together and fabric to my skin when need be. IT'S AWESOME.

By Pura. 27/09/12, 12:34 pm

FABRIC. lololol.

I always find hot glue never holds things for me Razz

So I try to use other glues.

Uhhh, THREAD.

I'm trying to thing what I've used to make cosplays ... KIWI INGENUITY.

Where would I be without light fixtures to hang my hoop skirts on?

By Seakittens. 28/09/12, 03:54 am

I don't think I've really used hotglue all that much.

I'd say pins. They make life so much easier when you're sewing metres upon metres of bias trimming.

By kyokyogirl. 28/09/12, 12:00 pm

Bias binding. Love the stuff. Quick inventory of the garment rack next to me shows...5 out of 7 costumes that have bias binding on them <3

By neimhaille. 28/09/12, 02:40 pm

Shoe Goo. Or if you happen to be near a store that sells it instead (not likely in NZ unless you at the back of Takapuna...) E6000.

It is flexible and you can make fabric hinges with it or flexible support as it dries like a silicon rubber so just re-enforces fabric rather than making it brittle like many other glues. Also sticks to almost everythinging. There is one type of plastic it doesn't (Klip-It container material) due to there being almost a residue is slickness to it.

I use it to bond latex, fibreglass, styrene.... it's magic.

It also pongs like no other glue on earth. It's not solventy smell, it just reeks.

By Suixelo. 28/09/12, 03:09 pm

Duckeh wrote:

Suixelo wrote:: Hoy glue!

THAT'S MY FAVOURITE! Razz

<3

Hoy glue > all the other glues. Anyday.

By Mischa. 29/09/12, 05:07 am

Sandpaper! From gritty to smooth. It's like an eraser that cleans up all your sculpting bobos (Pity about the elbow grease D:). Also it is cheap. Even the best 3m wet dry is only 1.50

By iwuvanime. 29/09/12, 03:45 pm

I am on board with the Hot Glue.

I am however going to say my small Craft knife is my best friend lately...I use it help do most of my unpicking and for cutting most things that aren't fabric...

By squeakk. 02/10/12, 03:29 am

Mischa wrote:: Not technically a construction material but masking tape! - I use it to mask areas off, make guidelines for stitching , instead of pins, hold things while they are gluing... it's like a third hand!

I just realised on my last costume how amazing masking tape is. I am so lazy with pinning so it's great.

I couldn't live without an emergency needle and thread. So many of my costumes (especially ones with tails or ears) have been fixed by some shoddy last minute stitching.

...Does Disney music count as a cosplay tool?

By iwuvanime. 02/10/12, 05:08 am

squeakk wrote:: ...Does Disney music count as a cosplay tool?

Yes...no matter what other people say...

By sakkaf. 02/10/12, 06:25 am

iwuvanime wrote:

squeakk wrote:: ...Does Disney music count as a cosplay tool?

Yes...no matter what other people say...

i also say yes. xD

um, i'll have to go with scotch tape. so much uses.

By JudasNZ. 02/10/12, 09:34 am

Gun stapler has to be my favourite along with the aforementioned hot glue for covering boots. Staples come out clean, and it's so fast putting fabric onto stiff backing...

By chiken_skratch. 04/10/12, 12:56 pm

EXPANDING FOAM!!!! It the base for pratcically every prop ive ever made/am making and good god i love it. that and chicken wire lol

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