Satin

Satin is one of the materials that has an unnecessarily bad rap in the cosplay community. This is because cheap costume satin has a tendency to look cheap and shine unnaturally bright when subjected to flash photography. This doesn’t mean you should completely write off satin, however. There are many kinds of satin available and they can add a great element of style to your costume, especially for wealthy characters or idols. Here are a few tips for working with satin:

-Satin is a woven fabric that has a “face” to it. This means that the right side of the material has a more polished, shiny finish to it. Matte satin has a more dulled shine while crepe satin has a bit more texture.

-Most of the commonly available satins in the local fabric store are made out of synthetic materials which means they can easily scorch with an iron, so it is best to be cautious.

-The edges of satin are prone to fraying, so you will most definitely need to finish the edges of your project.

-Satins can be a bit delicate, so it is best to use a microtex sewing machine needle when working with it to avoid making the fabric pucker.

For more information about sewing with satin, check out http://fabricforcosplayers.com/satin/

(My Shadow Yukiko was made using two shades of pink casa satin from JoAnn's for the bodice and overskirt and white crepe satin for the underskirt. Photo by Webyugioh)

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Want to learn more about cosplay sewing? Check out my e-book: (currently available in Kindle format, though can be read on other devices through the free Kindle app).