I’m Lydia, aka LyddiDesign Costumes, an award-winning costumer who loves to use a wide variety of skills and creative techniques to fabricate ensembles from all types of media.
Background
I “officially” joined the cosplay/costuming community in 2009, although I’ve been sewing, crafting, and making Halloween costumes since I was a kid.
I started this site around 2012 when I realized I had created quite a few costumes so far and really wanted to continue doing so in a regular fashion. I needed a place to document my costumes for other people to see (and for me to reflect upon in the future), as well as to share knowledge with the community. The majority of the content of my blog are builds and galleries of almost all of my costumes.
Skills
I deploy a wide variety of skills and techniques in my builds. Just about every time I make a new costume, I’m trying out something new.
- Garment making – Machine sewing / drafting & draping / tailoring / patterns
- Hand needlework – stitching / embroidery / goldwork / needlepoint
- Machine embroidery – custom digitizing / embroidering different fabric types
- Fiber arts – kitting / crochet
- Support garments – stays & corsetry / petticoats / hoop skirts, etc.
- Leatherworking – Hand saddle stitching / tooling / bag making / cobbling & shoe-making / staining & painting
- Props and armor – thermoplastics / foam / 3d printing / sculpting / resin / mold-making & casting
- Painting – hand brush painting / airbrush / weathering techniques
- Dying – natural & synthetics / staining
- Wigs – ventilating / wefting / basic styling
- Makeup – glamour makeup
- Electronics – basic soldering & wiring / integrating into props
- Jewelry making
Community Involvement
I really enjoy creating and presenting panels and judging costume contests. Please reach out if you are interested in inviting me to participate in your event as a guest, panelist, or contest judge!