Looking Back at 2014

Sometimes I look at my life and lament that I am doing nothing- just stagnating.  After reading Angela’s blog post on her year of sewing in review I was inspired to do the same.  (If you have never encountered her blog- visit it here- she is my absolute favorite sewing blogger.)  What I found about my own year shocked me.  I was SO much more productive than I thought, and I am one step closer to having an official business.

-The Straight Facts-

I made 35 costumes.

14 of these were commissions

11 were cosplays 

10 were original designs

-Highlights-

I got permission from Abigail Larson to make a dress based on one of her designs and then proceeded to make it for her.  The pictures she sent back were absolutely stunning.

In July I attended Comic Con for the first time.  I attended three days and wore a different costume each day.  I was interviewed in my Queen Elsa Coronation costume and competed in the costume contest.

I traveled to the UK to work on costumes for a fantasy TV show: Ren.  I met some AMAZING people, and loved every minute.  It really cemented the desire to make sewing an actual career rather than a hobby.

In December, I opened my Etsy shop under the name KBDarkMoonDesigns, view it here, made my first sale, and received my first positive review.

It's been a fabulous year!  And on to the next!  Here are some of my goals for 2015:

Do a full year of Thrifty Thursdays

I started TT last year and am LOVING it.  It forces me to take control of my sewing addiction by limiting my spending ability while keeping my fingers busy and my creative bug happy.

Comic Con

Attend Comic Con again, and hopefully have a booth.  I have applied for the waiting list for Phx Comic Con.  Hopefully I'll get a booth.

Finish my Dork Corsets line

I have finished Green, Red, White, and Blue Mana from Magic the Gathering, but I still have Black Mana as well as corsets from nearly every one of my favorite fandoms to make...the list is HUGE.  When they are finished I want to have a huge photoshoot and offer them on my Etsy shop.

Expand my knowledge base

I am pretty comfortable in my own niche of costuming.  Female form.  Corsets.  I'm there.  But there is SO much more about costuming I am anxious to learn about.  Last year I experimented with Worbla and embroidery.  I want to continue this and add expanding foam, laytex, molding, metalworking, the male form, shoe making, and general prop building to my know-hows.  I know there is NO way I'll get to all those, but I do have some projects planned that sneak into these categories.