Whether you just prefer doing things by hand or you’re a new seamstress and don’t own a machine, you might be wondering, is it possible to hand sew cosplays. The simple answer is yes, you can absolutely sew a cosplay by hand. There is of course pros and cons though of doing so. If you want to know the benefits and the set backs, I’m here to go over them so you can decide whether you want to hand sew a cosplay.
Pros of Hand Sewing Cosplays
There is two major pros of electing to sew cosplays without a machine. The first is the expense. Sewing machines aren’t cheap. A beginner one can start at just shy of $100 and the more professional grade ones can be hundreds of dollars. If you don’t already own one and just can’t justify the expense, hand sewing cosplays is an option to help keep down cost.
The other pro is the amount of control you get when sewing by hand. I personally have always felt more in control when sewing without a machine. So with more complex or detail heavy pieces, I often find hand sewing is the better choice.
Cons of Hand Sewing Cosplays
There is of course some set backs when choosing to sew cosplays by hand. The first one is obviously how much more time consuming it is to hand sew over using a sewing machine. A machine is able to speed up the process when making cosplays. If you have a tight deadline or are on a con crunch, hand sewing isn’t the best option. A machine will help you complete the project much faster.
There is also the issue of human error. A sewing machine is far less likely to have imperfect seams or off measurements. Whereas a human hand sewing is far more likely to make such mistakes. If you want perfect, uniform seams then a machine is the way to go.
The last major cons is the strain it will of course put on your hands. Crafting anything by hand causes wear and tear to the body. Thus machines can be helpful to make it less straining to work on big projects.
How to Hand Sew Cosplays
If you plan yo hand sew your cosplays instead of using a machine, you’ll need to know how. Here are some supplies, stitches and tips you need to get started:
Supplies for Hand Sewing Cosplays
- Hand sewing needles
- Thread
- Scissors
- Pins or clips
Stitches for Hand Sewing Cosplays
- Running stitch – This stitch is good for simple seams. You simply will bring the needle up through the fabric and then back down. You’ll repeat it at even intervals. Using smaller stitches will give more security as well.
- Overstitch or Overcast or Whip Stitch – You want to use this stitch for flat edged materials. You will need to bring your needle up through the fabric and loop it around the edge. Then come up again and repeat.
- Backstitch – This stitch creates permanent seams. Bring your needle up through the fabric away from where your seam will begin. Then go back down at the beginning of the seam and come back up away from the last stitch. Then go back down to the end of it and repeat over and over.
- Hem Stitch – You want to sew your hems differently than your standard seams to hold fabric together. Bring your needle up through the folded fabric of your hem. Then take the next stitch to the left while picking up a few threads of the main portion of the fabric. Finally, take a stitch to the left through a few threads of the folded hem and start to repeat.
Tips for Hand Sewing
- Plan ahead if you want to hand sew your cosplays. That way you have enough time to make a deadline if you’re working without machinery.
- Be patient as you do your stitching. You need to ensure everything is even and by taking it slow, you won’t rush and mess up.
- Draw stitch lines first. You can use tailors chalk and a ruler to mark your stitches so you ensure they’re straight and evenly spaced.
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