I’m a third-year costume student and sewing is pretty much what I do when I’m not thinking about sewing. Historical construction fascinates me, but I love interesting materials like leather, latex and lycra so much that a vintage sewing machine aboard a spaceship is probably my ideal scenario! I’m interested in how things are put together and how to make clothes both functional and beautiful. Our world is full of crappy throwaway fashion – I love things that are made to last.
By day I work in fashion retail and as an assistant editor/pattern drafter for two print magazines, but at night I transform into a scissor-wielding demonness with a needle for every fabric and a stitch to whip them into shape!
Things I can’t resist:
Old sewing machines
Old bicycles
Hedgehogs
Always wash your fabric before you sew and always hold hands when you cross the road!
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whipstitchsewing.wordpress.com 
Please help. I am looking for someone to fabric cover my wedding shoes. Hope you can help???
Lisa
Hi, unfortunately I don’t know anyone personally! I would ask a local shoe-repairer, they can often direct you to someone who might be able to help, if they can’t do it themselves. Good luck with your search!
Hi,
I came across your website and I must say, awesome ideas! Very creative. I’m looking for a bit of advice and I’m sure you get flooded with emails so hopefully you’ll have the time to answer. If not, no worries. I am planning a costume for halloween (poison ivy from Batman). I am dying to wear some thigh high green boots but I’m not finding much and I’d rather make them myself (certainly with help from someone who knows how to sew, not me). I’m wondering if that’s something that is even possible. I thought of getting green fabric and fitting it to my legs, possibly to lace up or zip up in the back. I’m just worried about the shoe part of it all. Is it possible to connect or sew the fabric onto an existing shoe? Am I wasting my time? Any tips? Thanks so much
Hi Kristin! Yes, it is totally possible to make faux boots! Your best bet would be to use a pair of existing boots (any height) as a base and cover them with fabric to create the thigh-high look. You can even make the covers out of a stretchy fabric like lycra so they really cling on well. There are several tutorials around for covering boots (search ‘cosplay’ and ‘covering boots’) with pictures that would probably help you a lot. Try this one to start with:
http://mihoyonagi.deviantart.com/art/Boot-Cover-Tutorial-117654732
Even if they only describe knee-high boots, it’s no more difficult to extend the covering fabric as high as you want. I would start by making a pattern of the shoes you would like to use and then extending from there. Obviously, the fewer seams you use, the more realistic they will look… this is where lycra is great because you can make a stretchy cover with only one seam down the back.
Here is another tutorial: http://sarcasm-hime.net/bootcovers-tutorial.html
I haven’t tried any of these myself, so can’t vouch for their usefulness, but they will definitely give you a general idea of how to start! Have a search for ‘poison ivy cosplay’ as well, and you will find other people who have made poison ivy costumes. Good luck, it’ll be great!