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About The Geeky Seamstress

Hello and welcome to my corner of the web. I’m Mindy, and I’ve been cosplaying and sewing since early 2012. I created this site to keep track of all my crafty projects and provide advice for other crafters. You’ll find lots of sewing and cosplaying tips, tricks, and breakdowns, as well as the occasional review of my favorite nerdy things. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact me using the form below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Featured on:

P.S. I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.

P.P.S. I also take commissions! Commission status is currently closed, but feel free to sign up for my e-mail waitlist!

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Contact and Booking

Interested in having me as a cosplay guest? Here are a few opportunities I am available for:

  • Costume Contest Judging
  • Panels and Workshops
  • Tutorials
  • Interviews
  • Photoshoots
  • Product Sponsorships
  • Social Media Collaborations

Please e-mail me with details and questions! I am located in Texas.

Click here to download a PDF copy of my media kit!

Awards:

Contest Judging & Guest Experience:

  • Ikkicon 2024 – Cosplay Guest and Contest Judge
  • Oni-Con 2023 – Cosplay Guest and Contest Judge
  • RetroPalooza Arlington 2023 – Cosplay Guest, Contest Judge, VA Panel Moderator
  • A-Fest 2023 – Cosplay Contest Judge
  • Okashicon 2023 – Cosplay Guest and Contest Judge
  • Comicpalooza 2023 – Cosplay Guest and Contest Judge
  • Anime Detour 2023 – Cosplay Guest of Honor and Contest Judge
  • Anime Fan Weekend 2023 – Guest, Contest Judge, Emcee, VA Panel Moderator
  • Flower Mound Public Library MiniCon 2023-2024 – Guest and Cosplay Contest Judge
  • Anime Frontier 2022 – Guest and Contest Judge
  • Fan Expo Dallas – Guest and Contest Judge
    • Main Contest Judge – 2017
    • Master of Cosplay Central Qualifier Judge – 2018 – 2022
  • Cosplay Tutorial Challenge Contest Judge (hosted by Knovice Cosplay) 2022
  • San Japan 12.5 (2021) – Contest Judge
  • Flower Mound Public Library MiniCon 2020 – Guest and Cosplay Contest Judge with Cosmic Coterie
  • Okashicon Hall Costume Contest Judge 2018
  • ArlingCon Guest with Caffeine Schemes Cosplay 2018
  • Nomikai Dallas 2018 – Guest and Cosplay Contest Judge with Cosmic Coterie
  • A-Fest Hall Costume Contest 2017, 2018
  • Dallas Fan Days 2017
  • AMA-Con 2016
  • BAMFest 2015

Staff and volunteer experience:

  • Anime North Texas 2023 – Cosplay Contest Coordinator
    • Managed team of 6 volunteers
    • Raised $1.5k in corporate sponsorships for prize pool in 2 months
  • A-Kon 2023 – Cosplay Department Volunteer

sponsorships and corporate commissions:

  • Created and modeled Sua from the game Eternal Return for the NimbleNeuron booth at DreamHack Dallas – June 2022
  • Fabric sponsorships with the following companies:
    • Zelouf Fabrics
    • Pinecrest Fabrics

available Panels:

  • Cosplay Contests Demystified (with BlushBunny Designs)
    • So you’ve spent weeks, months, or even years putting together your cosplay and now you’re ready to show it off. Now what? Stop by this panel for tips and tricks on how to put your best foot forward in the pre-judging room and on stage. We’ll cover build books, your elevator pitch for the judges, stage presence, and more!
  • Fit Check! An Introduction to Tailoring
    • Want to learn how to make a garment that fits you like a glove? Stop by this panel on fitting and tailoring! The Geeky Seamstress will walk you through common fit issues and how to troubleshoot sewing adjustments with an emphasis on plus-size fitting.
  • Making it Work: Tips and Tricks to Balance Cosplay and Life
    • Cosplay is a demanding hobby, and attempting to keep up with the pressure of creating cosplays and social media content can quickly become all-consuming. Join The Geeky Seamstress as she shares her methods to handle the demands of work, life, and cosplay, all while avoiding con crunch!
  • Breaking it Down: A Guide to Research for Cosplay
    • Got a new build idea, but have no idea where to start? Is your Google-fu failing you in an epic way? This is the panel for you! The Geeky Seamstress shares her research-based approach to cosplay, based on her 10+ year career as a professional librarian. She’ll help you break your costume down into manageable tasks and share tips and tricks on how to locate the information necessary to build any costume you can imagine.
  • Cosplay 101
  • Cosplay, Commissions, and You: A Best Practices Guide
    • Interested in selling your work, but not sure where to start? Come learn tips and tricks from an experienced cosplay commissioner. We’ll talk about how to promote your work, where to sell, pricing, and much more!
  • Spandex 101 and 201 – Beginner and Intermediate guides to working with stretch!
    • Ready to embrace your inner superhero? Stop by this panel on spandex techniques and learn how to make bodysuits and more. Spandex often gets a bad rap for being difficult to work with, but with the right tools, it offers endless cosplay possibilities! This panel will cover fabric selection, base patterns and common alterations, tools of the trade, proper finishing techniques, how to sew spandex without a serger, and much more. Presented by The Geeky Seamstress.
  • Group Cosplay 101 (with Cosmic Coterie)
    • Ever tried to form a cosplay group, only to have to fall apart before you make it to the con? Come to get the 411 on how to avoid common cosplay group pitfalls. We’ll discuss organization tools, scheduling, planning resources, and more!
  • Sailor Moon Cosplay (with Cosmic Coterie)
    • Ready to embrace your inner magical girl? Come chat with the Cosmic Coterie and learn our tips and tricks for becoming a fabulous senshi! This panel will cover fuku construction, wig selection and styling, props and accessories, and much more!

Workshops, demonstrations, and guest lectures:

  • Cross-Stitch 101 – In this workshop, we will introduce you to the basics of cross-stitch! You will learn how to thread your needle, different ways to secure your thread, and how to make rows to create a design. Leave with a bookmark or decorative keychain! Conducted at the Collin College Library Makerspace, Spring 2023
  • Stitch it Up! Embroidery 101 – This workshop will provide an overview of the Elna eXpressive 970, an industrial embroidery machine. We’ll also discuss the basics of machine embroidery, including popular places to find files and software to edit or digitize your own. You’ll leave with all sorts of design possibilities and an embroidered bookmark! Conducted at the Collin College Library Makerspace, Spring 2022
  • Cosplay and Fandom – Discussion of cosplay as it intersects with larger fandom culture. Guest lecture for Dr. B. Blackwell’s Fan Cultures class at Texas Christian University, September 2016 and February 2020
  • Constructing Cosplay Fun @ Your Library – Come check out a sampling of cosplay builds by “The Geeky Seamstress” and librarian Mindy Tomlin. Her creativity will inspire you with ideas for cosplay programming, creations and makerspace projects. Conducted at Texas Library Association Annual Conference, April 2018
  • More than a Mask: Working with Fabrics – Learn how to work with fabric to make your own awesome Halloween costume! Part of UTA FabLab’s Costume Workshop series. Conducted at UT Arlington, September 2016

Interviews/Publications:

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