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Welcome to the Leaf Pile!

Hello! I’m Sammy, aka LeafninCosplay, and this is my leaf pile, a collection of tutorials and helpful advice that can get you started with sewing and crafting or give you ideas for techniques. Everything in this blog can be done in minimal space. My workshop is technically the corner of my living room in a 900sqft apartment I share with my roommate. You don’t need a giant workshop or massive house to cosplay. You can craft and create cosplay in spaces as small as a dorm room!

If you’re new to making your own cosplay or not sure how to start, check out the Getting Started section on the menu. This features a collection of tutorials specifically geared towards getting started with a specific subject.

If you’re looking for something specific, the Tutorials Index is arranged by subject. You can find the list of categories on the sidebar visible on other pages as well. My most recent tutorials and articles are found on the Latest Posts page or in the feed below.

Feel free to follow me on social media for updates on my latest projects, random posts about my artbook obsession, and games. And if you make something with one of my tutorials, let me know! I’d love to see your work. Remember, sewing and crafting are skills, not talent, so what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

gloves and armbands

Jointed Worbla finger armor

I’ve had to create many strange things for cosplay, and I didn’t expect jointed finger armor to be on the list. I remember as a kid, I thought finger armor rings were the coolest thing, even owned a few, but really hadn’t thought about them for a while. But when cosplay makes a demand, it’s…

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trims

Making scalloped trim out of satin ribbon

Sometimes you need scalloped trim. A lot of it. And large amounts of trim get super expensive. My petticoat project required around 50 yards of scalloped trim. Even the budget trim would cost me at least $250 and it wasn’t even the right style! That’s really expensive for a petticoat, so why not make your…

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accents

Make your own tassels!

Tassels come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re pretty popular in all sorts of costumes and designs across many types of media. They show up as belt and cloak accents, on traditional backpacks, and sometimes even as hair ornaments. They’re especially prevalent in designs influenced by historical Chinese and Japanese styles, but I’ve spotted…

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accents

Making coin shapes out of Worbla (and how to chain them)

I’m pretty deep in Asian historical fantasy shows lately, and one thing a number of them have is coins, amulets, and other similar shapes chained together by knotting or cording. Coins are sometimes easy to find, but getting into jade and other amulets can be more difficult to find and may grow really heavy. So…

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trims

Sewing bead chains to fabric

Who doesn’t love bead chains? They make great accent pieces to add some pretty bling to your creation. But what if you don’t know how to bead or individual beads are too expensive or heavy? No worries, you have alternatives. The best kind of beads for budget and beginner-friendly beading are plastic beads that are…

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It's #websitewednesday! Want to make your own set of finger armor like the one I made for Lang? Now you can! You can pattern it yourself or use mine! Skirt is done! It had POCKETS! It is a full circle skirt, lined, with 2" thick horsehair braid in the hem. IT'S SO FLUFFY!!!!! (Swipe for movement video!) New project new project! An absolute fluff monster of a petticoat that took over my desk. This is where those 50y of cult ribbon went. Used nearly all 50y too! It's done! After 3 months, Lang's finally done! Here's all the details on this outfit, layer by layer. Tons of photos. Swipe swipe! It's #websitewednesday! Need a pile of trim but don't have a pile of cash? Make some! I recently made 50y of trim for about $10 by making it myself! And now you can too! Boots! Shiny silver wuxia space boots! Songbird flying free from the cage. Tunic remade using bamboo rayon! No more dying from heat at a con for me. The old one had fit issues that were bothering me, so I took the chance to make the second one right and comfy. It's #websitewednesday! Time to craft! Tassels are pretty easy to make for your cosplay, and I've made a lot of them lately for my own. Why not make some too? Let's talk about types of materials and a simple method to make them

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