Preparing for A Convention → ZOO STYLE!


Preparing yourself for an anime convention, or any large scale event, is chaotic, confusing, and tiring... However when you are an odorite and have a group to manage, it becomes exponentially more difficult to make sure everyone is prepared and settled for the convention/event. 

As the leader of Danzoo→Dash, I have been working on doing a large portion of preparation on my own for a long time. Through trial, error, and handing small tasks off to my amazing friends, I've learned good methods to prepare your group! (I also have Management and a Co-Leader now who are able to smooth out the workload for me, so definitely consider that!) 

With those things being said... Let's jump on into the best way to prepare your group for a large weekend event! 


{ Step One } Pre-Planning

Believe it or not, events actually are year-round planned and your planning for your portion of the performance, meet up, or anything of that nature should start at least 3 months pre-show! This not only ensures every member has enough time to know what they're getting into... but it also helps things get done earlier and troubleshooting to be the last little thing you need to take care of. 

That means get your management team together (or sit alone in a room and cry) and get to WORK. Think of the cons that you have planned for the year. Which ones are coming up? Which ones were successful in the past? Why were they successful? - let's take that, replicate it, and make it better. 

Was your panel at your last con a huge success? It's time to IMPROVE. Yeah, there is absolutely room for improvement everywhere. Create a more professional slideshow, handle your music differently, avoid dumb hiccups of people seeing your computer screen when changing media types... All of these logistical things can be changed. Take out information that did not seem to be useful or interesting to your crowd, and add in more relevant information that may serve a better purpose...

Not into panels? What about performances! Take a look at your performance. Where were you (or others) lacking. How did it run logistically? Get feedback from friends and people in the community. I always recommend trying to take video/photos at performances so you have content and can look back on the panel after the con to reevaluate everything! 

Review and revision isn't the only pre-planning that needs to be done, however. There is reaching out to the con to make sure your times/days/areas of performance/panels/etc are set in stone. Much of the time, cons run a little last minute and you will have to wait and hear back from them... However, it's important to get your information set so you can move onto Marketing your event/panel/meet up etc!

 { Step Two } Planning with Members

Now that you have your schedule and your information set (or started!) it's time to sit down with your members and figure everything out. Two major things that I start with are (1) setlist, (2) uniforms, and (3) schedule. While I do require some members to attend certain events, not every dance or every panel is absolutely mandatory in order to not overwork people! 

* Setlist | When it comes to setlists...DZD has gone a bit wild trying to learn new dances for so many conventions. Luckily, though, this has lead to a large pool of dances and songs to choose from! Currently, we are able to print out a document and check the dances we want to perform at longer panels and shows that we have a 1 hour + panel/performance time slot at! This makes it incredibly easy to figure out which songs people really want to do, and which songs can be put to rest for a moment. 

* Uniforms | As for uniforms, we have a few sets of items that we can wear depending on the event type that we are appearing at! For casual panels/meet ups, coordinating our t-shirts and skirts are simple! However for performances we have to choose a set uniform that we wish to perform in. These uniforms can be casual to full out specially created uniforms, so we are always careful to create packing checklists so everybody knows exactly what is required of them to bring! 

For the event schedule... well that goes into step three!

 { Step Three } Itinerary & Event Schedule

One of the most overlooked part of doing an event, as a soloist or group, is a proper schedule. When you see Japanese guest and groups, they are run on a tight schedule with their management. Breakfast at xyz time, Morning Interview at this time, Lunch at this time, Soundcheck at this time, etc etc. I truly believe, though, that this method is a key way to have an organized and successful appearance. It also allows for group members to know which parts of their schedule they have a break in to do what they need to do.

For Danzoo, we realized that having this itinerary all printed and ready to look at was ultra important to us; it's invaluable, honestly! Not only did it help keep our managers on track, and thus keep us on track, but it also helped by dispelling easy-to-answer questions that members may have about what they need to be doing and when they need to be ready by! I find that these little questions can always be answered by a good set of instructions or a manual for the event, so it makes sense to have some printed reference - especially if you aren't sure about your cell service in the area.

 { Step Four } Packing Checklist

Now that everyone is getting ready to go... Let's get ready to go! Another way to eliminate unnecessary questions is by having a packing checklist ready to go. This will help everyone in the group know what items are essential for a performance! Generally, this list will be sent to each member a week prior to the event so the packing checklist can be of use. If they decide to use it, I leave blank areas for them to fill out what other items that they want to bring around!

It's important to specify what uniform pieces (and undergarments such as tank tops or safety shorts!) are pretty important! Otherwise you may have everyone wearing a different item and it may subtract from the image of a clean cut group.. In general, a packing list is a quick thing to make that will, overall, be a large benefit to you and your entire group!

 { Step Five } How to Have Management Help

Finally, my last bit is to give your management tasks to help with! Nobody wants to sit around feeling useless, and it's useless if you are stressed out of your mind with small things that can be handed off easily! For us, this was handing off photo/video tasks to management, making sure they did our uniform checks, helping us arrange food and snacks, as well as many other things!

Another way that management can help is by rounding up the entire group and getting you all to where you need to go! It's always helpful to not have to find people yourself in the thick of things, so to have help organizing people, and not just tasks, is more help than you would think! The reason that we had a so many photos from AUSA comes largely from our Management being there with a camera and ready to get what they know we need for promotional material!

That being said, if you don't have managers - have no fear! Trusty friends are always a great help, and often times would be more than willing to lend you a hand if you ask nicely! Many of our friends and significant others do help out when we ask them, and that is something that I feel like can be overlooked as "their job"! Just remember, always be kind and thankful for any amount of help from any people who decide to help you. ^^


Well, I hope you were able to enjoy this very belated post! We are thrilled to have a lot of content incoming on our youtube and social media for everyone! I hope that very shortly I will be able to write many more posts here and really throw myself into blogging and reviewing. So until then, thank you very much!

  ♡ Swittx~


Photo from the DZD 'Watashi Wa Idol' Panel at AUSA 2018


Donating to my Ko-fi would help me immensely continue to create content for everyone to enjoy and, one day, build a better blog! If you are interested in donating, I am highly thankful and hope that 2019 can be full of fun and enjoyable content for everyone!

I'm Surprised I Didn't Pass Out at AWA 2018!

Like my attempt at a click-bait title?! Here's the post where I relive and revive myself from the busy hectic convention that was this year's AWA. If you read the whole thing, kudos to you! <3 I hope you enjoy this post, and look forward to a more informative post next time!

Thanks Tina from 50% Dangerous for the pic! <3

AWA 2018
September 20-24
Cobb County, GA

Thursday September 20
Generally, I work a 9-5 day at my office job... However during AWA I happily take both the Thursday and Friday off from work to ... work more! (I was even at the venue after work on Wednesday but that's besides the point!) The first thing we did was wake up and get our butts to the airport to pick up the great and powerful Grape-Kun, from Danzoo→Dash! He was as happy to see us as we were to see him~ To start off the actual work-day, Yumemi Hayley/AkibaKoala and I were going around as the AWA Mascots taking videos and interviews around the convention.

We proceed to go to the STARMARIE Panel which was... insane to figure out because of logistical and scheduling errors. However, I managed to ask a question that made the girls try to lick their elbows for the rest of the panel... (sorry everyone!)

To follow this up I immediately went to the Kuma Kuma Maid Cafe meeting and then to ~Starlight Idol Festival~ practice! Only to turn around and be told that the soundcheck was on Friday morning at 9AM instead... Which was not what I was told - but there is not much you can do when Super Happy Fun Sale is completely set up in that ballroom...

Most of the Overseas Idol Collection crew went off to practice together, which was nice! Afterwards it was time to hit the hay - and my anxiety was mile high because, quite honestly, I wanted the waiting to be over. I was incredibly happy to see the OIC crew and all of the people at the convention, and I was excited that people were already thrilled for SIF and AWA as a whole - but months of work and things all collapsing when there was a rhyme and reason... is dumb and anxiety inducing for anyone...

Meals: 2
Bed Time: 12:00 AM


Friday September 21
Friday meant being up at 6:30AM to prepare for multiple soundchecks, SIF, and a late night... When we arrived to the SIF stage set up- things were not quite set up and my computer system was running like absolute garbage which needed to be fixed. Along with some other minor bumps, we managed to get the entirety of the soundcheck figured out and many of the performers were able to get their run through finished... While this was our first soundcheck, we will be improving the way we do it next year to be sure we can start actually sound checking on time... Thank you to everyone for bearing with us in this process!

Next was soundcheck for Opening Ceremonies! We did one quick run through and then Milky Kitty - fabulous make up artist, hair stylist, Lolita, extraordinaire gave me a nice hand massage back stage before we did our dance! Thanks Kitty! Performing at Opening Ceremonies has always been fun, and I hope to continue performing in some capacity. It is always really fun to welcome people to the convention, even if it's a rush during the day of SIF!

Next was the ~Starlight Idol Festival~, something Yumemi and I work SUPER HARD on year-round until the big day when we can pass out happily and feel glad everyone enjoyed themselves... Having a real Idol Group on our stage was nerve-wracking. But working professionally on that level really did help us understand more about what we are lacking and where we can improve. Our lineup included the following lovely people:


  • Milky Kitty - Web
  • GalaxyGirl Paida - Web
  • Kuma Kuma Maid Cafe - Web
  • Alex Pinku - YouTube
  • Tambourine Idols - Web
  • Cherry Wallflower - YouTube

Please check out their SNS and enjoy following some new amazing performers you may have never known! We enjoyed working with each and every one of these wonderful people and we hope to meet them again soon~! 

Danzoo→Dash did wonderfully and even our beloved Grape-Kun joined in with a wild introduction that was entirely unexpected... See that introduction AND his OIC Interview here{LINK}!

Also SIF would not be the same without the AMAZING amount of WOTA we have there. We love their chanting and UO's and amazing fun energy. No performance is the same without them - and they deserve a ton of love and IeTaiga's.

We got a short period of rest before I had to get dressed in a sleepy-time version of AWA's Mascot Wa and go to ~Cosplay After Dark~! This event is an 18+ after-dark event that is a cosplay runway and... Q&A with the models! The amount of self-love and confidence in that room was astounding, and it's something I would like to do again if not just for the kindness I was shown throughout the event. Thank you all who managed to come and meet me! (Plus hanging with Tina and Matt from 50% Dangerous is ALWAYS a pleasure~!)

Finally, at 2:30AM - I slept.

Meals: 2
Bed Time: 2:30 AM

Cosplay "After Dark" = Pajamas... Right?! (No)


Saturday September 22
Saturday marks the half-way point of AWA. (And while most of this post sounds like me being excited for the end, I did thoroughly enjoy the weekend... I just work so much during the con like many people, that we like to celebrate the end, too!) I woke up at 7:00 AM this day!

The first thing I did was my Maid Cafe shift. This year I attended a 1/2 day in order to cosplay as the Mascot and take some video clips around the convention, too. I proceeded to help with 3 shifts as a VIP Experience maid along with a crew of other VIP Experience maids/butlers this year. While we were overbooked, I was very happy to see many friends grab VIP Tables in order to see us. We even got to sing happy birthday to a very special birthday girl! Maid Lilia experienced magical fire sticks (UOs) and explain that she can turn just about anything into ashes.

This was my final year within the Kuma Kuma Maid Cafe, I had an enjoyable experience and would love to work in a maid cafe again one day - but for now I am setting my apron aside and relaxing... Thank you to everyone who supported me in my 2 year run in a maid cafe, I hope that in the future I can attend cafe events that will be equally as successful!

Next Yumemi and I ran around getting video clips and enjoying the convention as the mascots while trying to get interviews and events on video - this was difficult...

Then after this, I ran around prepping for the next event on Sunday that I was in charge of as well as my head spinning trying to figure everything out. Due to this amount of overwhelming work - I stuck back from enjoying the StarMarie concert and instead choose to visit with some volunteer friends and then head to bed. I believe that everyone had a great time and I am glad to have spent it around amazing people!

Meals: 3
Bed Time: 12:00 AM



Sunday September 23
Sunday I was proud to have the first ever Children's Matsuri event with AWA! I was open for 2 hours to provide entertainment and crafts for children who got taken around the con by their nerdy and excited parents all weekend! I believe that there was a high amount of interest and enjoyment in this event, and I am glad I can find ways to improve this event in the future!

After Children's Matsuri, I got to go to the AniParty/OIC Meet Up and be yakkai! It was so much fun and I enjoyed actually relaxing with everyone! It was time for many of our friends to leave, but for us we had ONE last event to go to~

CLOSING CEREMONIES!
We got to dance at closing ceremonies and we did Den Den Passion, a song we have been dancing on and off all this year in preparation for this! It was incredibly fun to dance and we were happy for the loyal crew of Wota to be there cheering us on in bright orange UO Light...

I lied, the last ~event~ was F L A V O R T O W N. (Aka. The Marietta Diner.) We got to eat dinner with the industry folks with Lumica and we had a very wonderful time with them, the WOTA Boys, and DJ Ceaser. I can't believe we ate so much AND tried eating cake/dessert?? Wth were we thinking...

Meals: 800 (because Flavortown counts for at least 2)
Bed Time: 11:30 PM

Heckin Goodnight, DUDES!
Well~ It's time to conclude with the fact that it's been a full calendar week since AWA ended and I'm still exhausted but I have to be strong to prepare for AUSA... GANBAPPE EVERYONE!



Please remember that it is HIGHLY IMPORTANT to try and eat 3 meals, shower 1x, and sleep for 5 hours EVERY DAY at a convention! Your health is important, so please do all you can to maintain it despite the fun and adventures! 



Please donate to my Kofi to help support me doing more cosplay photoshoots and write more for my blog~! I'd love to start streaming soon, and any help would be welcome and appreciated! 

See You Soon AWA 2018!

uncontrollable screeching from a distance in my general direction

Hey everywan~!

It's finally the time of year where I see if the stress of putting myself in so many departments and things is ACTUALLY WORTH IT. (It usually is!) As many people know, I am a dedicated volunteer for Anime Weekend Atlanta... While I have my fingers in a little bit of many departments, this year I really over extended myself... But at least I know where my limit is now~!

I am beyond excited for the third annual Starlight Idol Festival this year, as we have so much in store with each individual performer's performance! Even Danzoo→Dash, who has had our troubles and hardships, are planning on making this SIF the most impressive that we possibly can!!

Check out this amazing setlist graphic that Yumemi created! 

This year Yumemi Hayley and I are doing so much at-show promotional stuff for AWA, so you can see us occasionally running around when our schedule has it planned out!

On top of that, you should definitely come visit the Kuma Kuma Maid Cafe where you can sit down for some entertainment and a sweet snack! Make sure to reserve your tickets for that online! You can reserve them here!

There is also STARMARIE, AniParty, and Kira Kira Pop that I am very much looking forward to~! You can find Starmarie at their concert, their Thursday Night Panel, or at the Starlight Idol Festival... And AniParty and Kira Kira Pop will be taking over the new foodcourt stage all weekend - so please look forward to it!

AniParty is the best AniKura event in the entire USA~! Come check it out for wota, anisong, and F U N !

Kira Kira Pop is an idol and DJ event making their appearance running this new stage for AWA - Please welcome them!

In any case - it's time to finish up allll the work I've been putting in and make my way to the convention... I can't believe it's already time! (well, after work of course..) I hope to see everyone for a safe and fun weekend... and if not... I hope to  hear from you soon!

Until next time..


Swittx!



I Went To MTAC 2018! ( •̀ᄇ• ́)ï»­✧

Coming back from a convention and jumping right back into classes and work is always very distracting for me, but I'm back with another post-convention article! This time I attended MTAC in Nashville, TN again! Let's jump into it! (・∀・)ã‚ž




We drove up together on Thursday, however we did not get to set up early this time and we got to rest in our hotel as soon as we got to Tennessee... Unfortunately Hayley had to drive through a big storm which made the trip exhausting for everyone, but we made it safe and sound! 

Friday was the day where we cosplayed from Eromanga Sensei with Hayley. However... I think a lot of people mistook me for Princess Peach somehow... ( ; w ; ) A few people were like "great eromanga sensei cosplays!" but anyone who asked me for a picture without Hayley, I just have an aching suspicion that they thought I was an unstyled Princess Peach...

Elf and Sagiri~! These cosplays are cute and comfortable~
Throughout Friday, we had a lot of fun dancing around and I even attended a panel about manga recommendations. I am now writing for a group called A-To-J Connections for their japanese media area, and going to the panel was something that interested me~! If you are interested in my reviews of anime, manga, or dramas please click by A-To-J!


Say Hi to the AWA Street Team and Marketing Director~!
Doesn't Hayley look cute as Ai?! The costume was really fun to make and the design is fantastic - thanks to Terumi!

Saturday was a day where we cosplayed the Anime Weekend Atlanta mascots: Ai and Wa! We worked so hard on completing those mascot cosplays for MTAC, and it looks like our work paid off. The costumes look fantastic and I hope to be doing a promotional photoshoot in them pretty soon!

Next on Saturday we attended the Wotagei panel and the Idol Festival that was going on. Sunset Dash, a group that performed at our last years Starlight Idol Festival ,  was one of the hosts of the festival and watching them perform again was really fun. There were plenty of local groups who performed, and there was a ton of Love Live!! While I didn't know many of the songs, I was surprised at a group who performed IdolM@ster songs!

My camera doesn't take very great movement captures, but here are the few photos I thought were nice enough to share!


Sunset Dash, again~! 

Sunset Dash Performs~
Saturday ended off with Hayley and I working really hard to film Den Den Passion for an ongoing project. I hung out with some cool people and then made it back to my hotel around 11:30-12 to get to sleep.

Honestly, my entire group tends to go to bed quite early at conventions and in real life. We work hard and tire out easily, so going to bed after 12am is ... unusual for us! I know a lot of my friends party late at night, but I just need so much sleep!! Is anybody else here a long sleeper??


Sunday was the final day of the convention! As per usual, I had fun at MTAC and Vanessa, the Marketing Director at AWA, took Hayley and I to a J-fashion Tea Party. There were yummy bites to eat and tea available and there were SO MANY fashionable people in attendance!

While that did take a majority of our Sunday, we returned to the AWA table after for a few more hours before packing up to leave!

MTAC is always a fun time, and I always am the most energetic at this con for some reason! I got to talk to a lot of friends who I had met at MTAC last year, too! Every year we are stationed in the Artist Alley area with many of the other conventions tables. I am excited to always be surrounded by art as it is one of my favorite areas of conventions!

I managed to take more photos, so enjoy the rest of the photos I quickly captured! I hope to start taking more photos at conventions... But that will come with time and luck! haha~!

This is Matt! He sells art and he's really nice! Find him at Marcotte Studios online! 

Boss and Ta-Kun are now friends! Ta-kun came home after being at a festival, but I'm glad he's safe now...

The courtyard! 

Another view of the courtyard! On this day, a really nice person was holding a pizza party for everyone who passed by! Thank you nice stranger!



Sewing Tips for Beginners 💖

Sewing may be an incredibly frustrating and intimidating hobby to begin, but have absolutely no fear! Many of the cosplayers and seamstresses you admire have all started from the same point at which you, yourself, stand! (´꒳`) For this long overdue post, I am bringing to you my essential top 10 tips to begin your very own climb up the treacherous Mount Stitch and Serge!


This is a picture of me and Lee A.M. Photography at the recent DZD Photoshoot!


Writing this post has been a bit procrastinated on simply because I am not nearly as qualified as so many of my other wonderful and talented friends! But, I do hope that this post can give you some insight into some common beginner issues and mentalities that you should be aware of! (▰∀◕)ノ

Let's begin!

1. If you do not enjoy sewing - do not waste your time and money!
This is my BIGGEST TIP. There is a lot of pressure to try and force yourself into a popular niche that you may not even enjoy... With how the state of costuming is, it has become so much easier to buy cosplays or commission them from your favorite makers! If you are trying to force yourself to sew and just find that you end up with a headache or in tears each time you sew, it is not worth the grief... You will just be wasting your time you could be doing something else you enjoy. 

There are so many creative outlets that if you are a crafty person and sewing is not for you, than you have other outlets to try. Attempt watercolor painting, knitting, cross stitching, sketching, coloring by number, prop making, dealing with wigs, digital art, make up artistry, photography, game-making, figure making, graphic design... There are so many things to try, that I am positive you will find something that helps you feel happy! You can even turn your craft into something that serves you nerdily too!! (人◕ω◕) Cosplaying/J-Fashion creation isn't the only nerdy hobby, despite it's widespread nature!

2. Find your niche, but do not yourself into a hole!
What I'm trying to say here, is find what type of things you enjoy making by learning how to make a lot of things. Then, continue to be open to trying new designs! Within sewing, there are so many different things you can do in order to create your end goal. Sewing - when you are not in the professional industry - is not about absolute perfection, it's often about an end goal.

Personally, I really enjoy detailing in my projects, so small extra tidbits make me happier than completing some garment or costume exactly as it is portrayed in the reference. Adding a trim, fun buttons, and making detailed accessories are really where I enjoy my sewing the most! But that also does not mean that I won't enjoy sewing a pleated skirt or a vest, too! I just... don't particularly like hand ruffling anymore... (ᇴ‿ฺᇴ)

3. Make what you love, and love what you make!
Another less technical tip is to find love in your end product. The thing about making something is that even if it is not perfect, it's handmade and you had a journey to make it! When you look at the end product, think of what you learned and how you progressed just by sewing that one item. You will be amazed by how much you learn by using new techniques on a pattern you've used 800 times! If you can only see flaws in your work, maybe it's time to step away and think about if you could have changed your process to enjoy both the end product and the sewing more... And if not - maybe sewing is not the thing for you. (But don't worry! I know you are super talented in other things!)

Let's get ~technical~!

4. Know Your Machine!
This is my favorite sewing diagram EVER.

Your sewing machine is all the climbing gear you need to beat the treacherous Mount Stitch and Serge! Knowing what parts of your machine control what (and how to thread your machine!) is really essential to getting a lot less frustrated in the end. There are some things that I don't understand about my sewing machine - I have a brother CS6000i - that probably are causing me issues still...! (*・艸・)

When it comes to buying a machine, a simple $100 machine will get you started! It's easier to just buy a new machine, sometimes, than get it tuned every 6 months like you must with a more expensive machine. This is especially true if you are just a beginner or a casual seamstress. Brother machines are made super sturdily and you can find them on Amazon, in sewing stores, and in Walmart! If you have trouble with your machine, look up YouTube videos on the machine you have - or you are planning to get - to get acquainted with it! And don't be afraid to look at the manual that comes with it!

5. Tension Tension Tension!
When you are sewing, especially with fabrics that are not cotton broadcloth or cotton, you will run into issues with your thread tension. The tension of your thread is how the top and bottom bobbin thread come together on the fabric to stitch it together. It controls how taught your machine keeps your thread as it feeds it through the needle, too. (At least that's my non-technical explanation of it!)

You should adjust your tension based on your fabrics and based on how your thread is acting. Both sides of your garment should have stitches that lay completely flat and are stitching the same length all the way through. If there are issues with the tension, it will definitely show on the seam and may cause more frustration... So my little cheat sheet helps me decide if my tension needs to be adjusted higher (on my machine the standard is 4, so anything above is a higher tension, and anything lower is a lower tension!)



6. Fabric?! What about it?!
Fabric is something you're going to struggle with in many different ways. When you sew, different fabrics act a different way and need different care. Here is a short list of my various tips and problems I encounter!

  • Print on One Side: When cutting out your fabric, be careful of how your pattern lays on a printed fabric. If you are not careful and thoughtful, you may cut out the print on the back side of pattern or upside down. 
  • Fabric Choices: Some fabrics, while beautiful, may not lay or sew like you plan. Cotton will not show up as fantastically as a sateen or suiting may in a photo or in weight... There is a lot to say on this one! (I do plan on doing another post on this!)
  • Slip and Slide!: Satin fabrics and sheer fabrics will slip EVERYWHERE and it's awful. Pin a lot, go slow, and stay patient. 
  • Consider Your Roots: What is the fabric made in a regular school uniform in Japan? What are lolita dresses often consistent of..? Keep in mind what fabric would be traditionally used in a garment because the closer you can get to that fabric, the better lay, weight, and overall shape you will get.
  • Movement: You have to be able to move and breath in a costume garment... Just keep that in mind when you price out fabrics and get swatches. The better you consider this, the longer the garment will keep.

7. Needles!!!!
One thing I learned while sewing my Yayoi cosplay for Katsucon was that different needles serve different purposes that can be SO HELPFUL! A one year old universal needle in your sewing machine will ... perform badly. Change your universal needle when it seems to get dull and don't be afraid to buy a different needle for a different fabric or project. There are denim needles, microtex needles (for delicate fabrics), stretch needles, and SO many more!

Here is a great guide by Joann's on machine needles! Click Me!

8. Patterns and Draping - What's the Difference and Where do I Start?
Something that I have ALWAYS been irritated by is patterning. I can look at something and see what shape I should cut in, but there are hidden seams and weird shapes when it comes to creating cosplay and idol designs that are just frustrating. Some of the "easiest" parts of a costume are often some of the hardest to pattern! I think that I should cover this in another post in the future, too.

Pattern sizes are actually bigger than in-store dress sizes. That is due to in-store dress sizes being inconsistent and coming from an industry with little common standard in Women's sizing. There's a whole Buzzfeed video on sizing, actually, but when it comes to pattern you need to be ready to take your patterns in after you do a mock up. Mocking up a pattern is so important, especially when you start a new type of garment you have never tried to do before. Once your mock up fits, then you can use that as the pattern for your official garment!

Don't be afraid to sit and alter a pattern, either! Some patterns work for specific parts of the garment, but may need to be changed for shape or wearing purposes. This is really where knowing how clothing is created, how seams work, and how patterns mesh together really helps. The more you use patterns, the better you will understand this which is why I definitely say start with easy projects! Now, there are SO MANY Cosplay patterns out there from commercial pattern brands to indie brands like Cut/Sew

Draping is a different kind of monster, though, that really isn't smart to attempt unless you are really familiar with where seams go and how to create something to your body shape. Draping is the term for creating your own pattern based off of how it lays on a dress form. When you understand the various different parts that go into a pattern - such as seams, pleats, etc. - draping will be an attractive idea for harder projects that do not match with a easily accessible pattern. Draping requires a lot of know about your body, sewing, patterns, and a lot of patience and time!

TLDR: Try using commercial patterns and try to look up various guides on the important parts of patterns and what they mean. Patterns are key to a well-fitted garment, even if you have to do a mock up each time and take it in to your body. Dress forms are awesome - so shout out to them. (๑→Ü«←)

9. Finishing Your Garment
A lot of the time, you think "Nobody is going to see the inside so it won't matter!" but for some things, that's the wrong way to look at it! There are so many ways to finish the inside of your garment so that it doesn't shred itself apart. (Especially if you are using sheer fabrics that will easily fray!)

  • Serging - Using a serger machine to finish the edge of a seam like you see on the insides of shirts and pants. This is so fun and if you have access to a serger - do it!
    • You can also do this on your sewing machine if you have the capability to do "Overlocking". Look it up! 
  • Hemming - Hemming is important. PLEASE HEM YOUR SKIRT/SHIRT/DRESS/ETC!!!!! Fold up the garment up twice at the edge (you can choose how large your hem will be.) and sew along the edge of the folded part to keep it nice and finished.
  • French Seams - French seams are a special way of finishing a garment so you do not see the raw edge on an area that generally cannot be hemmed.
There are so many more ways to finish seams, that I don't have the time or know-how to write about! Serging and Hemming are the quickest and most common ways of finishing your seams and edges. So let's all finish the insides as best we can, too! ☆*ヾ(-∀・*)*+☆


A Bit About Design

10. Reference Photos vs. Reality vs. Artistry
When you are making a costume, it is important to stay true to the art where you can but there are certain occasions where I think it is okay to stray from that! d(・∀・○) When reality sets in and a design is almost physically impossible you will need to step away from the design and consider what works for your body and for moving around at a con or during photoshoots.

Next, is when you are putting your own subtle twists on the design through fabric choice and small details that you think will suit the overall aesthetic! Of course you do not want to get too crazy with fabric when it comes to, say, a school uniform - but you can add your own twist on things to breath new life into a costume that may be worn by 23048 other people at the convention!

When is it NOT okay to alter a design? When you commission a design! If you paid someone to design a costume or outfit for you, and you are going to sew it based off of the design or commission it from someone altogether - do NOT alter it! (Unless, that is, the person designing has given you the okay!) If you run into trouble with the basic pattern, that can probably be altered to suit how your body works and how life is actually. Adding a seam here or there to make sure you can move and it won't rip isn't too much of an issue. But changing a large part of the design is really rude and you should definitely ask the artist if you are not satisfied with the design you paid for.

Basic Lesson, End!

I know this was a very long post, but I wanted to try and give the best advice possible from the things I have learned on my sewing journey so far! I would like to follow this up with other sewing related content, too, so please let me know if you have any topics you would like me to cover! ( ̄ε ̄〃)b
Until next time~

Bye bye!

Preparing for a Studio Photoshoot!

Hi hi everywan~! ヾ(^-^)

I am excited to share with everyone that I was able to do my very first studio photoshoot with my dance group, Danzoo→Dash! This was such a fun experience and I thought that writing a blog post on the whole ordeal would help people who want to do photoshoots for cosplay, idol work, or general modeling in the future! Please enjoy!


Not only is modeling for a studio shoot particularly stressful, but so is organizing one! Organization of a studio shoot involves not only finding the studio and preparing the preliminary footwork for rental, but also blocking out the time it will take, preparing your photographers, Make Up Artists, and models for the shoot itself.

Organizing the Shoot:

Step One: Finding Your Location

This may be the most difficult of the steps because finding a studio that works for everyone and is well within your budget is a difficult task. For those living in a city, it may be easier than for those who are living further away from a major hub. The best advice for this is to try and ask around in your community for those who have been in a studio shoot. If you do not know anybody, then it would be best to consult your trustiest friend: google reviews!

I found our studio well within our price range because I was willing to take a chance on a studio that I had not ever toured before. I would recommend touring the studio if possible because it is difficult to decide if something will suit your needs if you haven't stepped foot there. Once you have toured a few places, pick your favorite and proceed to book the studio!

Step Two: Preparing Your Photographers and Helpers

The next important factor in the shoot is finding your photographers and your helpers. Some studios have a max limit of people, so you will need to consult your studio before so you do not go over that limit. Make sure you have enough photographer help on set, one photographer cannot do every shot if you have a 5 hour long studio shoot... Make sure they can bring one or two people for lighting and assistance which they trust and know can do their jobs correctly.

Next helpers I suggest is a make up artist - who we did not have this shoot! - and one to two additional helpers who can make sure the photo is set up with props and backdrop as well as keeping all of your things organized and your faces looking cute! We were lucky to have Kururin-san of Citrus Idol Project there to help us, she even brought doughnuts and I love her!!! (๑♡⌓♡๑)

Step Three: Organizing your Shoot!

The rest of organizing the shoot is figuring out which props and backdrop extra stuff you need to collect as well as what outfits/themes you plan on shooting. If you are doing this with your own odorite/idol group, this may be a bit overwhelming so I suggest having another member help you organize the shoot on a excel sheet and cutting your themes down to 1/2 the themes you want to put out on social media throughout the year.

Teru-san was able to create a google sheet which not only created a timed schedule of events, but also helped with poses and order of events! This was so helpful to have at the shoot day so everybody was able to know what was going on and when things were supposed to happen. Make sure that everyone knows what they are wearing and how they want to pose before the shoot and then it's time for the shoot! Go ahead and grab your last minute snacks and water for the shoot and the day of the shoot will come quickly!

Thanks to Aoki-san for the BTS Shot!


The Day of the Shoot!:

Protip One: Packing!

Packing is super difficult, because you are essentially packing as much as you would for a convention, but for a one day ordeal. We had multiple clothing racks available to us and that we had brought along with us which helped keep our outfits organized. Teru-sama also created hanging name tags to section off each person's outfits, which were incredibly helpful! You can find similar things to what we used: here! 

Do your absolute best to make sure you have your essentials: hangers for your clothing, make up, hair styling tools, and accessories, wigs, props, and undergarments! But also try and contain things to as few bags as possible! This is the most difficult part. We had no room to walk due to all of our luggage... However we did our best! Packing lightly has always been my biggest struggle and will probably continue to be a struggle... haha!(♡´ 艸 `)


Protip Two: Organizing at the Venue

As soon as you get to the venue, unpack your things in one area as to keep yourself organized and prevent loss of items. Make sure to hang up your outfits/cosplays, keep your wigs together, props together, and make sure that your hair and makeup are on your own section of the table.

When you are done with a set of shots, try your best to return your clothing to the racks, props packed away, and other things put away if you aren't going to be using them again. When it comes time to pack up and finish the shoot, if you are pre-packing throughout the shoot it makes things much easier!

Protip Three: Come with Your Face On

Any makeup artist will thank you if you have prepped your face with skincare and your base (concealer and foundation) beforehand! It will help cut down on time that could be used to perfect your detailed make up and hair/wig styling!

 Protip Four: Listen to your Photographer/Helper!

Your photographer is the one who can see the composition of the photo as it is happening. Have your helpers keep an eye on your facial expressions and listen to them and your photographer on how your poses are coming across. Some things are cute in real life, but just don't come across in photos well...

Also! You cannot particularly see how the lighting is hitting your face, so something that may seem fun or cool may end up looking sketchy because of how the light is being reflected... They know best, so make sure to put your trust in your photographer and helpers! Your helpers should be your eyes from afar where your photographer will be keeping their eye on the composition of the photo and the lighting and clarity.


This was a long post because I had so many things that I learned this time around. I am excited to do another photoshoot in the future, but I think I need a little while to recover from this one... Please make sure to follow Danzoo→Dash for the photos that we will be releasing on our various social medias!


I will be at MTAC in Tennessee from March 30th - April 1st!
Please come see me and the AWA crew at our booth!

I hope to see you there!


Seishuncon 2018!

Good afternoon everyone~!

School has been Kicking. My. Butt!  So posts have been slow. I've been really focused on that so it's been a bit difficult to make content for everyone but I do hope that my posts can become regularly scheduled!

Here is a post about my Seishuncon experience, so I hope that you can enjoy it!


Friday was a day that we did not attend because of work reasons, but Vanessa was there and awesome at running the show at the AWA booth!

Saturday~!

On Saturday we were able to get to the con around 11am only because the dumb MARTA was running single-track all weekend... So we had to get off and switch mid-way to the con and ... It just ended up being a struggle! We managed to make it and the MARTA was super convenient to the convention because it was just walking through a bunch of buildings in order to get to the Hilton hotel where Seishuncon was being held this year.

Honestly, while the old location was closer to my boyfriend's place - the new location really suited the size of Seishun. They had some small issues (like the dealers room wasn't well marked..) but it was a great location for Seishuncon!

We actually had various people come up to members of DanzooDash and compliment us and tell us they were excited for our performance! I can't believe that people knew much about us, but we became more excited as hours passed! The AWA booth was quite fun and we had SO MUCH CANDY... People were really happy about the candy and a lot of people were glad to see and talk with us about the convention.

At 4pm on Saturday, DanzooDash had their annual Seishuncon performance! In 2017 we did not have many members, but this time we came back with so many more members and a rehearsed setlist! There were definitely many things that I think I need to change and be stricter about with myself as well as how the performance ran. Overall though it was a great time and we enjoyed the crowd that we drew this year!

We were really thankful for everyone who came to see us and who helped us throughout the performance!!

We had no room for 7 girls war, tbh.
After the performance we did some photos and Q&A outside of the panel room before we made our way back down to the AWA booth and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon help promoting the convention!

We came back from the con with Terumi and we had delicious ramen at Jinya in Sandy Springs before I got to pass out for the night~! 

Sunday~!

Sunday we were able to make it to the con a little bit earlier and ran into a bit of a snag where Lee had forgotten his badge in the car back at the Marta station near Perimeter Mall... > u > But we managed and helped out at the booth!

I went into the dealers room and even manged to find DEMPAGUMI merch at a humble guy's booth! He was so enthralled that I was so happy to find it that he asked me what it was so he could order more stuff!!! Goodness, he was so kind!

We left around 3pm-4pm because the con had really start to shut down. We really enjoyed talking with everyone who came up to the booth and chilling with Vanessa!



OVERALL~! Seishuncon was a really fun chill con. I enjoyed dancing with everybody and seeing people who I had not seen in a while. I hope that next week I have a more informative post for you all~! But until then~

Bye bye~!