If you’ve been following CUT/SEW for a while, you probably already know this about us: we like trying things. Some ideas stick around for years, some quietly evolve, and some do exactly what they’re meant to do – teach us something –before stepping aside.

As we look toward 2026, we’re not approaching it as a year of big, glossy announcements. We’re thinking of it as a year of prototypes. On our vision board we have experiments, thoughtful risks, and ideas we want to test, knowing full well that not all of them will work. And honestly? That’s the part we’re most excited about.

Below are a few of the concepts we’re actively experimenting with as we head into the new year, along with some ideas you’re welcome to steal for your own 2026 goals. Consider this a sneak peek at what we're hard at work on, while also being an invitation to join us in your own creative practice along the way.

Small, Local, and In-Person (On Purpose)

What we’re trying:
More small, local pop-up classes and community events in our hometown of Orlando, alongside maintaining and expanding our convention-based Cosplay Studio programming.

Instead of putting all our energy into impersonal online growth, we’re leaning harder into what’s always worked best for us: teaching in real rooms, talking to real people, and building trust face-to-face. Think one-day workshops, local maker meetups, small-group classes, and Cosplay Studios at conventions that feel more like creative playgrounds than classrooms.

Why we’re experimenting with it:
Social media can be loud and disruptive, but in-person learning builds confidence (and friendships) in a way that nothing else can.

How this might fail (and why that’s okay):
Not all of our audience is local to our own backyard and attendance can be unpredictable, but if even the “quiet” ones to create meaningful connections and spark joy, that's a win.

Steal this for your own creative work:
Think of a version of your work that feels outsized and intimidating. Now pretend it only gets to exist for one afternoon or in one small room. How does that change what it looks like?

Teaching Formats We Haven’t Tried Yet

What we’re trying:
Ticketed digital workshops, Zoom lectures, and live Q&As that feel conversational rather than performative, eventually building toward a very small, very personal cosplay retreat that functions like a mini-con. Less “broadcast,” more “circle around a table.”

Why we’re experimenting with it:
Not everyone can travel to conventions. Not everyone learns best in massive rooms. We want to explore formats that prioritize depth, discussion, and access without losing the warmth of live teaching.

How this might fail (and why that’s okay):
Online fatigue is real and some of what we do best in classrooms won’t translate the way we expect, but each attempt helps us refine what actually works for our community.

Steal this for your own creative work:
If you stripped away the pressure to be “polished,” how might you share what you know more honestly?

Building for Real Humans, Not Algorithms

What we’re trying:
More "analog" learning: handmade or small-run zines on niche sewing techiques, video essays, and conversational educational content. Things meant to be read, saved, and revisited, rather than scrolled past.

Why we’re experimenting with it:
Exploring passion happens best when people feel invited into a conversation, not rushed through a funnel. Zines and long-form writing let us explore nuance, share context, and spotlight voices that don’t fit neatly into bite-sized formats.

How this might fail (and why that’s okay):
Long-form content doesn’t always perform “well” by traditional metrics. But it performs meaningfully, and that’s the trade we’re willing to make.

Steal this for your own creative work:
What would you make if you didn’t care how fast it spread, only how deeply it landed?

Collaborations Outside Our Comfort Zone

What we’re trying:
Working with sewing brands that are new to cosplay to create beginner-friendly supply kits and help welcome them into the cosplay space. As a super small business, partnering with big players in the sewing industry is incredibly intimidating, but there's no reward without stepping beyond our comfort zone.

Why we’re experimenting with it:
Cosplay thrives when more people feel welcome. Bridging gaps between traditional sewing spaces and cosplay culture helps beginners feel supported, and helps the industry evolve to meet the needs of new makers.

How this might fail (and why that’s okay):
Not every collaboration will align perfectly and some will require more education than expected, but each one moves the needle toward a more inclusive creative ecosystem.

Steal this for your own creative work:
Who have you avoided collaborating with because it felt intimidating, but might actually grow your work in unexpected ways?

Letting Side Quests Stay Side Quests

What we’re trying:
Keeping our apparel side project, Konbinii, alive, but adapting it to changing economic realities, tariffs, and production constraints. This means more flexibility and granting ourselves permission to step back when needed.

Why we’re experimenting with it:
Our apparel line started as a passion project to share our unhealthy interest in retro anime, but obstacles out of our control are piling up and making it more stressful than fun. Not every project needs to scale constantly. Some need to rest, evolve, or wait for better timing.

How this might fail (and why that’s okay):
Revenue may fluctuate, but forcing growth at the wrong time helps no one – especially creatively.

Steal this for your own creative work:
What project in your life needs grace instead of pressure right now?

Growing Without Becoming Something We’re Not

We’ve thought seriously about opening a permanent studio space for a long time, and it seemed like maybe it was possible in 2026. We’ve run the numbers. We’ve imagined the possibilities. It's a very, very big dream to dream.

And we’ve also realized that doing so right now would mean bringing in investors who don’t understand cosplay, our community, or our values — and that’s not a compromise we’re willing to make.

CUT/SEW is still just two people with big ideas, supported by a rotating cast of talented, rowdy friends who make conventions feel like home. We want to grow, but in ways that feel sustainable, human, and aligned.

For now, that means staying smaller, staying flexible, and growing with intention rather than pressure.

A Reminder (For You and for Us)

You don’t need certainty to begin.
You don’t need every idea to work.

Trying things – thoughtfully, honestly, and with heart – isn’t a detour from success.
It is the work.

If any of these experiments sparked something for you, consider writing it down tonight. Even messy ideas count. That’s how all of ours started.