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[ichigo_m.]

Hi all!

I've been drafting my own patterns for quite a while and I'm finally getting pretty good at it. So I was wondering if there would be a market for selling custom patterns. Much like a commission only the customer would do the sewing and thus be able to compete in cosplay contests.

What do you guys think about this?
And what would you pay to have a pattern made to your measurements for a specific costume?

(Let me know if this is in the wrong spot, I wasn't quite sure where it would go)

[emmisu]

Interesting idea. I've spent days looking for patterns that match a specific character or piece of a costume.

honestly, if you just did parts in generic sizes you'd have a pretty good market I think.
I'd buy them.

If you can produce copies of them, charge like $10-20, if you're doing custom I'd say $30-50 maybe?

[ichigo_m.]

OK!
Any kind of generic parts you could think of?
Maybe a basic Seifuku?
OK good to know!
I'm glad there may be a market for this. (:

[Elycium]

Do you have examples of your work? Heavens know I hate drafting myself, so there would be some interest. I'm sure that there would be interest from a broader market as well, especially from people who might be just getting into cosplay who don't know where to begin with modifying existing patterns.

[emmisu]

Well, things people want patterns for are usually like...

Seifuku
Qipao
School uniform jackets for men (the interesting ones haha)
Ball gown shapes?
Sailor moon uniforms


A lot of clothes share the same base, and can be customized from there. Lolita patterns would make you big bucks, I'd think also.

[chibierwin]

Some other patterns I would suggest would be maybe Kimonos and Hakamas. I think there would be major interest in these areas. Maybe you could also make semi-specific character pieces, like a Vocaloid top, as in many of them have the same basic shape

[ichigo_m.]

@Elycium: I have some examples of my patterns. [Zelda TP & Child's SeiFuku] But really I had never really thought of doing this before (and I do a lot of pattern just right on my fabric) so I don't have many of my older ones saved. But really almost everything in my gallery are from patterns I've made.

@Emmisu & Chibierwin: OK! I'll look into those. I've actually made many of those types of costumes before. Making a base pattern should be pretty easy. (:

Thank you all for your input! If I made some base anime patterns and sold them for maybe $15 as digital copies and then did basic custom patterns for $25 and complex patterns for $35 would you be interested? Or would those prices be too high?

[CapsuleCorp]

Kimono patterns are a dime a dozen, I think all the major companies have them as well as Folkwear and possibly some other historical companies.

The prices seem reasonable to me, but that's because I'm used to the fact that serious historical patterns from Reconstructing History and other small companies are much more expensive than the ones you get at the fabric store, precisely because the patterns are extremely specialized. So, as long as you make your potential customers aware that the reason prices are what they are is because of the custom nature of them, and that you're NOT a major pattern company mass-producing thousands of printed patterns a year, so it's going to cost more than a 99 cent sale at Joann's.

That said, just make sure you label the patterns with generic names, like "school uniform mens/womens" and "military coat" and "pleated skirt," not the trademarked name of any anime or character. That way you don't have to worry about violating copyrights or trademarks and getting in trouble.

[Nostrum]

Label the patterns generic, but include character names or shows in your search key.

I think it's a great idea. Think how many people you've seen posting on the boards asking for a pattern for a particular character. It's one thing to learn to sew, but another to learn how to draft your own patterns!
I'd definitely plug you.

[Venciel Links]

I love the idea! I can't even tell you how much I wish I could find a pattern for Sora's and Ventus' pants. x_x

[Cyanna]

That would certainly be useful to me even at a higher specialized price. I've only modified existing ones and I haaaaaate it so much because I waste so much time thinking about what to do next.

I like my instructions to be straightforward. I don't "get" sewing well enough to work off the cuff.

[Ani_BEE]

Military coats would to great to see as so many of the has been discontinued on the market. O_O

Also most jacket pattern for Men. I end up usinf so my email patterns for guy's jackets but the sleeves are SO TIGHT on the female one for layersing.

This one went out of print and despite the sleeve issue it my favorite coat pattern for men and female characters as it huges the upper torso nicely

http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m552...hp?page_id=515

Here are example of it in use.
http://www.cosplay.com/costume/426374/
http://www.cosplay.com/costume/416913/

[sinesapientia]

As a complete newbie, I would certainly buy a custom pattern for $35....but how complex is complex?

I'm looking at figuring out this monstrosity of a coat
http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__...way_Render.png
...in a female version that is still pretty accurate