Workshops & Demos

Instructors: Josh and Jennifer Terry of Tiny Wyvern

In this workshop, pro fursuit makers, Tiny Wyvern, teach aspiring fur makers the very basics of fursuit sewing. Making this dragon tail brings just the right amount of cost effectiveness, clarity, and raw know-how. We discuss tools, techniques, and materials while crafting a Dragon Con themed souvenir to commemorate the con!

Where: Hilton, room 306
Length: 2.5 hours
Max # Participants: 20
Materials Fee: $30

The kit includes:

• long pile fur
• short pile fur
• minky
• scuba
• polyester webbing
• thread
• poly-fil
• clips
• belt
• tote bag 
  • Tools will be provided that are not part of the take home kit.

Choose your session.

Instructor: Tehdy B Cosplay

Tehdy B Cosplay of CosOhana helps you learn how to make a simple duct tape body form which you can take home to later use to make a more durable EVA foam body double. You also learn how to use it to alter or make your own patterns for cosplay.

Where: Hilton, room 307

Length: 2.5 hours
Max # Participants: 20
Materials Fee: $20

The kit includes:

• t-shirt
• duct tape
• pattern paper

Choose your session.

Instructor: Tattooed Santa

Learn the basics of chainmaille through the completion of a fantastic dice bag. Also makes a great coin bag. When finished you will be able to take the skills you have learned and create larger projects.

Where: Hilton, room 307
Length: 2.5 hours
Max # Participants: 20 per session
Materials Fee: $30 + tax

The kit includes:

• pliers
• instructions
• anodized aluminum rings

Choose your session.

Instructors: Jessica Hamlin and Gwendolyn Treptow

Everyone is scared of something, and we are always told we need to "face our fears." Join us as we make hats to become scarier than The 3 Big Scares! Participants should be 6-12 years old, and must be accompanied by an adult. Supplies are limited and issued on a "first come, first served" basis.

Where: Hyatt Learning Center
Length: 1 hr
Max # participants: While supplies last
Materials fee: Free to kids 6 - 12

Saturday August 30 @ 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm

Want to donate fabric to the cause? For details, email us at costuming@dragoncon.org.

Instructor: Freddy Clements and Rainer Clements

A beginner friendly workshop covering the traditional South Asian art of securing small mirrors to fabric; dating back to 17th-century India. You leave with a finished sampler to aid with a full-sized project.

Where: Hilton, room 306
Length: 2.5 hrs
Max # participants: 20 per session
Materials fee: $5 + tax

The kit includes:

• fabric
• embroidery hoops
• needles
• specialized thread
• mirror tiles

Tools will be available that are not part of the take-home materials.

Select your session.

Instructor: Tanya Freedman of Leather Peacock

Get hands-on with leather! Learn real leatherworking skills like cutting, edge burnishing, hole punching, rivet setting, and lacing- all with the tools provided. Choose your favorite leather, customize the shape, and walk away with a finished wearable product. Fun, creative, and something truly next level for your cosplay – perfect for beginners and curious makers alike.

Where: Hilton, room 306
Length: 2.5 hours
Max # Participants: 20 per session
Materials Fee: $50 + tax

The kit includes:

• leather
• hardware
• lacing

Tools will be available that are not part of the take-home materials.

Choose your session.

Instructor: Tanya Freedman of Leather Peacock

Costuming Tracks first After-Dark workshop; learn real leatherworking skills like cutting, edge burnishing, hole punching, rivet setting, and lacing- all with the tools provided. Choose your favorite leather, customize the shape, and walk away with a finished wearable product. Ages 18+.

Where: Hilton, room 307
Length: 2.5 hours
Max # Participants: 20
Materials Fee: $25.00 + tax

The kit includes:

• leather
• hardware
• lacing

Tools will be available that are not part of the take-home materials.

Instructor: Sean M Patton

You've got a hand-crafted pattern — now what? Whether you built it by draping fabric on a form or wrapping a body part in duct tape, getting that pattern into a clean, scalable digital file is the key to making it reusable, shareable, and printable at any size.

In this hands-on session, we'll explore how to use free, open-source tools such as Inkscape and Seamly to digitize, edit, and refine your patterns and cosplay templates. Using real-world examples, we'll walk through the full workflow from physical pattern to print-ready PDF.

We’ll explore:

• The two most common cosplay pattern-making methods: draping/block and tape model, and how each translates to the digitizing process.
• How to photograph and prepare your pattern pieces for digitizing.
• Tracing and marking your vector pattern with proper seam lines, notches, and labels.
• Exporting a correctly scaled PDF that you can print and cut.

If you've ever used Inkscape (or any vector software), you already have a head start. We'll build on those skills and apply them in a whole new direction. Come learn how digital pattern drafting can make your cosplay workflow faster, cleaner, and endlessly reusable.

Where: Hilton, room 307
Length: 2.5 hours
Max # Participants: 20
Materials Fee: $5.00 + tax

The kit includes:

• fabric
• tape
• micro dress forms

Bring your own laptop or tablet with Inkscape and Seamly pre-installed. Internet in the hotels is practically non-existent so please download these software before you leave the house.