Character: Starwind K'Treva
Series: The Last Herald-Mage by Mercedes Lackey
Year Completed: 2023
All photography and editing by M. Doyle/Adoylible
16 July 2025
11 July 2025
Cosplay Competition Judge Judges Their Old Cosplays: Holo the Wisewolf
Please read before commenting: I make this series of posts as an educational resource. While I am happy ciriticizing my own past work, this is not an invitation for you to criticize my work, as this can still be hurtful to me. Please respect my vulnerability in making these posts by keeping your own criticisms of my craftsmanship to yourself. Thank you!
Character Name: Holo the Wisewolf
Series: Spice and Wolf by Isuna Hasekura
Competition/Year:Anime Boston 2015
Skill Category: Master
Awards won: 2nd Place Master Craftsmanship (Anime Boston 2015)
Accuracy
At its core, this costume is a Northern/Eastern-European-inspired ruffled outfit cinched with a corset, and of course Holo’s iconic wolf ears and tail. There’s not a lot to say about my interpretation of the design, because I made all of the pieces shown in the artwork, they’re all proportionally correct, and they’re all the right colors and shapes. My sole major alteration was to place Holo’s fox tail above her skirt, so that it would be visible.
I was told there was debate in judging about my choice to add footwear, because I added a pair of leather shoes that laced up my calves. In retrospect I find this strange because conventions (and local laws) usually require shoes and shoes are a safety/health consideration. So, this goes to show that you do not always know what will be a point of evaluation for your costume and it’s hard to know if there is bias or misunderstanding in the room.
Creativity
Holo’s design is a simple one at first glance, made up of flat colors and conventional silhouettes, but a blank canvas like this is excellent for making a design extra special. I was intentional about choosing beautiful fabrics: the red layer of the skirt and the bodice are made of a glowy silk shantung, and the green layer of the skirt is made of a block-printed Indian silk. I used a dense linen for the corset and then embroidered floral designs over it. I also added some small floral embroideries to the collar of the bodice. Overall this costume has a lot of tiny beaded details that make it a little more special. Most important, I think, is that I applied all my added details in a way that elevated the design in a holistic way rather than rather piecemeal as I had done it in the past, and that is part of what makes this costume stand out as a Master-level project.
Skill
The greatest challenge with a simpler design like Holo is in demonstrating a Master-division level of skill. I did draft all of my own patterns, and did my own wig styling, all things I could have either used patterns for or purchased ready-to-wear. The invisible zipper closures on the skirt and petticoat likely helped, and the smooth skintight fit of both my bodice and corset would also have been looked upon favorably by the judges. My drawstring bag necklace was easy on/off and neatly made. With some extra time spent sourcing materials, I was able to find a wig and fake fur that matched in color, so that the ears and tail visually blend perfectly with Holo’s hair as shown in the artwork. I was able to showcase a lot of skills with this costume, and I had clearly mastered them.
Cleanliness
There are few opportunities to remove points for cleanliness on this cosplay. When judging at the Master level especially I look at linings and seam finishes. For Holo my corset and bodice were fully lined, with hand finishings to make them as neat as possible. I had nice bias-bound edges on my corset. I French-seamed my skirt and also somehow installed an invisible zipper on said French seam. I could nitpick, but it would be on minor details.
Overview
While making my Holo cosplay I was able to take a fairly simple character design, execute it in a skillful and clean way, add some extra details to it in a way that honored and elevated the original design, and then place well in Master divison at a large competition. The quality and presentation of this cosplay were pretty spotless and it goes to show that skill mastery wins awards. I picked the skills I wanted to work on with this cosplay (embroidery) and mastered that while sticking to skills I was already strong in for the rest of the costume, with a few minor upgrades. As a judge I would the care have been impressed by the care taken in every aspect of this cosplay
It was not the most visually spectacular costume to see onstage but all of this is why it is so important to see judges’ award picks up close to fully undertand their choices. The main limitation on my Holo cosplay was the simple fact that there were not more opportunities to showcase skill compared to the cosplays that placed higher.
Character Design Choice Matters
I want this to be its own slide because this often is not mentioned in relation to strategy in cosplay competitions. To me this is a balancing act: you want to choose a character design that has ample opportunity to showcase your skill, you want to choose one that is suitably complex for the skill division or contest that you’re entering, but you also need to play to your own strengths and interests as a maker. The strongest design choice for a competition piece is the best costume that you can make with your skill, time, and resources. I can clearly identify times from my past where I did not have the ability to adequately confront one or more of these balancing factors and that is okay. It also doesn’t need to be everyone’s sole goal, to win. Things changed for me once I was happy just having my work seen onstage. If competition is not fun, if it has become stressful, that is a problem that needs addressing.
Personal Conclusions
The process of making and competing with my Holo cosplay taught me a lot of important lessons as a costumer and as a competitive cosplayer so in that way it was a major turning point. I gained a better understanding for what wins in competition, and it made my proud too, because winning at Anime Boston was my first cosplay achievement award from a major competition.
The Anime Boston competition has changed so much in the last ten years, I do not think my Holo would be as competitive there today. At any competition, your chances to receive an award are not dictated solely by your skill but also by who else shows up and I have been blown away by some of the costumes I have seen on the AB stage since my first award there in 2015.
As a point of trivia, Holo is my oldest still-fully-wearable and not-officially-retired cosplay.
05 July 2025
Wax Your Thread and Other Hand Sewing Tips To Prevent Thread Tangles
Photography and editing by M. Doyle/Adoylible
You’re happily hand sewing, but your thread keeps getting tangled or frayed or breaking and you’re frustrated. Some of us deal with these issues for years without solution. Fortunately there are ways that you can address thread problems to keep your handsewing enjoyable and fairly stress-free. In this tutorial, and based on tens of thousands of hours and nearly 15 years of experience with hand sewing and embroidery, I am going to explain the main reasons why you’re having thread issues:
1. Friction abrasion
2. Over-twisting and under-twisting
3. Cutting too much thread
4. Choosing the wrong thread
I will explain how to minimize or correct each issue and tell you about some simple tools and techniques that can be helpful whether you’re just starting out or an advanced embroiderer.
Thread Choice Matters
Get a good quality thread for hand sewing and embroidery. Generally, with natural fibers, the smoother the thread feels, the better it is going to perform, the less it will tangle, and the easier it will be to work with. This stems from the manufacturing process itself where individual fibers, or staples, are spun together into thread. A high quality thread catches on your fabric less and suffers less abrasion because the staples are longer.
By comparison, most polyester threads are manufactured by extrusion so that they are one single long fiber, and this has its own drawbacks because low quality polyesters are very prone to breakage along the extruded fibers, which can make them prone to tangling. Many of the common craft store polyester brands that come on spools are made for machine sewing and are troublesome for hand sewing. Think about how your needs (strength, appearance, fiber content) balance with the benefits and drawbacks of different thread options to choose the best candidate for your project.
Beeswax
Beeswax is one of the most important things to have on hand for handsewing because it protects your thread from abrasion, which prevents fraying that can lead to breakage and tangling. It is natural and inexpensive and you can buy it at most sewing supply shops.
The beeswax cake will get cut up over time, but at that stage just put it in the microwave in a silicone cupcake liner to form it back into a good shape. On the next slide, I’ll show you two methods for using beeswax to condition your thread.
Keep it simple: cut your thread length and then drag it across the beeswax cake 2-3 times. If there’s any excess, pull the thread through the pads of your fingers to remove it, because it can get embedded in the surface of your fabric and look crusty. For most types of hand sewing and embroidery, this is enough. By using beeswax, you are slicking down your thread and helping its staples to stick together better, allowing it to glide freely through the fabric. It also stiffens the thread a little, and all of these things help against tangles.
Beeswax: The Ironing Method
By melting beeswax into your thread, you help it penetrate deep into the thread so that it remains permanently. This not only protects the thread while you’re sewing but keeps it smooth and strong for the life of the garment. You should do this when the thread needs extra strength against abrasion, such as when you’re embroidering buttonholes or eyelets. You should also do this with fray-prone linen threads (more on that later). Pre-cut several lengths of thread and drag them across the beeswax until they’re very thoroughly coated. Iron the thread to melt the beeswax into it. I suggest that you sandwich the thread in a press cloth while ironing so that you don’t melt beeswax onto either your iron or ironing table. You don’t want to get beeswax on your other projects.
Correct The Twist
Sometimes when you’re sewing, the thread will start to twist around itself and that causes tangles. The reason this happens is that the thread is formed by twisting fibers together (this is called ply), and as you sew the movement of your hand is either over-twisting or under-twisting the thread from its equilibrium state. The thread naturally tries to correct this by forming extra twists where you probably don’t want them. Using beeswax helps a lot to prevent this problem but it may need some additional help. When your thread starts twisting around itself, move your needle out of the way and pull the thread between the pads of your fingers, starting from where it emerges from the fabric and running all the way to the cut end. Do this until the thread stops twisting around itself.
Don't Cut Too Much
It is always tempting to cut longer and longer pieces of thread so you can tie off/begin new threads less often, but it may be causing more work for you. Longer threads tangle more than shorter threads, and longer threads are also subjected to friction damage over a longer period of time than shorter threads. You may actually have an easier time, and work faster, if you work with shorter lengths of thread. This is especially true with specialty threads like linens or metallics or vintage threads. Overall it’s easier on your working hand as well to work in shorter thread lengths that don’t require such large movements to pull through the cloth.
Linen Thread
Linen thread is a great choice when you want a strong and fairly thick thread, especially if you’re sewing linen fabric or for extra historical accuracy, but it earns special mention because it has an extreme tendency to tangle. Due to its texture it’s also difficult to untangle. I strongly recommend a thorough coat of beeswax, then melting it in to the linen thread with an iron. Also, try using shorter thread lengths, no more than 20” at a time, because abrasion that happens to the thread as you sew makes tangles far more likely.
Most metallic threads you see have a fiber core (polyester or silk usually) with flag metal or metallic plastic wrapped around them (lamella). It’s a more fragile type of thread that can be difficult and frustrating to work with. A lot of metallic threads on the market were made for couching or braiding or tatting or other types of crafts, not hand sewing, and cannot stand up to the rigor of being pulled repeatedly through fabric. Of the rest, I’ve found that they can benefit from being waxed before use but it is variable and I suggest doing some test pieces before choosing your final thread and technique and applying it to your final project.
19 June 2025
Cosplay Competition Judge Judges Their Old Cosplays: Undertaker from Black Butler
Artbook Undertaker cosplay that I made in 2019-2020
Photography and editing by Hailthenaninator
This is the second in a series of posts that I am writing as I continue to receive questions about what craftsmanship judges are looking for. Comments and DMs from my first post in this series indicated significant interest in Journeyman division and the expectations for that, so this post analyzes my Undertaker cosplay, the first cosplay I intentionally entered into that division. Many of you know that I think Journeyman division is undervalued as a protected skill divion for trying new things and generally polishing skills while still regularly winning awards, which I think is important for maintaining motivation to learn and compete. I hope this post will give you the same appreciation that I have for the division. Let me know in the comments what specific competition topics you would like me to cover next!
Alongside publishing this post, I have revamped my 2011-12 Undertaker photo gallery so you can see all the photos from the original shoot in full-quality, along with some rare photos from my files from Halloween 2012 and Arisia 2012: Enjoy it here
Please read before commenting: I make this series of posts as an educational resource. While I am happy ciriticizing my own past work, this is not an invitation for you to criticize my work, as this can still be hurtful to me. Please respect my vulnerability in making these posts by keeping your own criticisms of my craftsmanship to yourself. Thank you!
Character Name: Undertaker
Series: Black Butler by Yana Toboso
Competition/Year: Ikkicon 6. (2011-12), Arisia 2012
Category: Journeyman
Awards won: None (Ikkicon), Judges’ Craftsmanship Award for neatness (Arisia)
Accuracy
There
is nothing in this cosplay that would lead me to take off points for
accuracy, if I were seeing it in the judges’ room today. No judge ever
removes points for accuracy. My cosplay has all the pieces, the pieces
all fit together correctly, it has been properly adapted to my height
and body, it looks exactly like the character concept artwork.
The
designs for Undertaker’s Sotoba and scythe were not revealead until
after I made this cosplay, or I would likely have added the Sotoba for
some added bling. Needless to say, their absence does not constitute a
lack of accuracy and indeed in Journeyman I am more undertanding when a
competitor chooses not to include a large and complex prop like
Undertaker’s scythe so long as what is presented looks complete on its
own merit.
Creativity
I can go back to my old blog posts and read how I problem-solved the thigh-high buckled boots and extra-long black fingernails, which were things I had not done before and had not really seen anyone else do before. Keep in mind that sharing cosplay knowwledge was less common and harder to find in 2011 when I was making this cosplay. If I were a judge seeing this cosplay, I would immediately hone in on the boot covers that not only held up the considerable weight of the metal buckles on them but also had bound edges that looked seamed perfectly with the base pair of boots. My use of false fingernails for acrylic nails, filed to fit my nail beds perfectly, showed creative use of mundane accessible materials.
Overall I did not take too many creative risks with this costume, but at the Journeyman level the creativity can often be seen in how the cosplayer is making the connections between techniques in a way that allows them to begin applying prior knowledge to new skills. There were some small creative additions that made sense for the character, like the watercolor paintings in my mourning lockets and the spiked bone beads that I added to Undertaker’s necklace to make them a little more special.
Skill
I did a lot of work on my Undertaker cosplay to modify sewing patterns to his unique style and draft the pattern pieces I couldn’t find. By Journeyman I expect to see a cosplayer experimenting with altering commercial sewing patterns, but creating entirely new pattern pieces is notably impressive. Making Undertaker’s facial scar objectively shouldn’t be easy for a beginner using scar wax, but it looked rather realistic and barely showed wear by the end of the day.
I also created small watercolor paintings to go in the mourning lockets on Undertaker’s belt, and scouted unique settings to house them in so they would look as close as possible to actual Victorian antiques. In fact, I did a lot of historical research for this cosplay, and it shows: Undertaker’s costume design didn’t come out of nowhere, it was based on the garments of professional mourners in England fromt he late 19th century. This is a solid set of skills to see on a Journeyman-level cosplay.
Cleanliness
This is a nice, cleanly-made cosplay and what I would expect at the Journeyman level. There are some areas where a master would have known how to make the structures of the cassock and overcoat nicer, or how to set the lining in a more professional way, but this is one of the few older cosplays that I still have in almost its entirety and when I had it out a few months ago I was appreciative still of how well-done my linings and finishings looked.
The judges’ award that I won at Arisia in 2012 was specifically for my bottonholes and finishings on the garments, and all these years later I still see why. Even my makeup was pretty good: I sculpted the facial scars out of scar wax and despite being a mess to remove they looked rather real. Even the latex scars that I made for my neck and finger looked good and functioned well.
Overview
As an experienced judge, I rank my Undertaker cosplay as a solid Journeyman-level cosplay. I made all the important design elements, I pushed to learn (and mastered) several new skills, and I successfully applied historical research to a cosplay. The character design for Undertaker is a great choice for a Journeyman-level cosplay because you can easily purchase alterable commercial sewing patterns but also pushes a novice/beginner-level cosplayer to try new skills. Most important to me in Journeyman division is to see cosplayers who are able to identify skills they want to learn and have the self-reflective abilities to work on them until mastery.
That said, for this to win Journeyman on its own I think I would have needed to do more with it. Perhaps I could have displayed more skill through wig styling (this wig needed little work out of the bag), or I could have made more interesting or historically-appropriate textile choices. The polyester I used was affordable on a student budget but real wool may have given the costume the edge it needed to place higher. I could have learned and presented better millinery skills as well. These are just some of the things I can see that would have displayed skill on the level needed to win Journeyman and potentially proceed to Master.
Competition Structure Matters
This cosplay is a rare example where I think it ought to have placed at a competition at which it received no recognition, and I believe it did not place because the format of the competition at Ikkicon that year did not give judges ample time to look at the competitors’ costumes. I remember all the competitors and a large number of unrelated people herded into a small room where the judges circulated randomly and spent less than a minute with me. It is a reminder that pre-judged competitions are often the most fair, the more time you get with the judges the better they can evaluate your work, good organization matters, and some conventions still hold their cosplay competitions primarily for stage spectacle and not specifically to reward skill and dedication in craftsmanship. I went onstage with my friend who was cosplayig Grell, and it was still a good time. I entered Undertaker at another competition a few weeks later and had a very different experience:
At Arisia my entry as Undertaker was combined with a trio that was also cosplaying Black Butler, because the coordinator was trying to fit as many entrants into the show as possible. I was actually pulled from that group alone to win my judges’ award, probably because I had originally entered solo. Many times the downfall of group entries is that some members have better-made costumes than others, and the the lack of equitable skill-sharing can cause the whole group to miss out on an award. This is the normal scenario, and since the time I was pulled from a group to win an award I have never again seen individual members of a group singled out for an award, at any competition, with any structure. During and after the competition I become casual friends with the group I was combined with, and later did another group cosplay with them, but normally we can only award full groups together because singling someone out could cause resentment among people who entered as friends and that’s unkind. Arisia was, and still can be, a very tough competition: to this day I am honored to have been chosen for a judges’ award for my Undertaker cosplay.
Personal Conclusions
I made my first Undertaker cosplay in 2011 at the height Black Butler’s popularity among fans, before I really understood how competition worked, and before I really cared. It was the catalyst for meeting most of my early cosplay friends, whose faces all these years later I still admittedly do not know outside of cosplay. Having a good experience at Arisia motivated me to continue competing.
What is interesting to me about the design for Undertaker is that between the artbook designs for him and the historical references in. his original design, I think that this cosplay could be be presented and do well at any skill level of competition. I would be very impressed to see a fully-tailored and embroidered version of this cosplay and it would be the definition of hidden details making the cosplay extra special. The design for Undertaker’s scythe would be a master-level prop in the right hands.
I did return to Undertaker eight years after making this cosplay, to make the embroidered artbook version of his design. It’s a sleek cosplay that does have a lot of tailoring and complex embroidery on it and I might add to it sometime in the future as a nod to my own cosplay beginnings.
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