Location: Anime Milwaukee 2026 | South Hall Room 201D - Workshop Room

Lecture Length: 1 hour

________________________________

Unlock the hidden logic behind great costume fit! In this lively, beginner-friendly panel, professional patternmaker and costumer Madison May walks through the essential pattern adjustments every cosplayer should know — from quick proportion tweaks to reshaping silhouettes and fixing common fit issues. You’ll learn how patterns actually work, how to modify them for your character design, and how to solve those “why doesn’t this fit right?” mysteries.

Along the way, Madison shares real behind-the-scenes insight from the professional costuming world: how theatrical and film shops approach patterning, what skills transfer directly from cosplay, and what it’s really like working in the industry. Bring your questions! We’ll end with a guided Q&A where you’re invited to ask about pattern hacks, costume troubleshooting, career paths, or anything you’ve always wondered about the craft.

________________________________

In this lecture you'll learn:

• Essential beginner-friendly pattern adjustments for improving costume fit
• How to tweak proportions and silhouettes to better match specific characters
• Common cosplay fit problems — and how to diagnose and fix them efficiently
• Practical pattern “hacks” you can apply without fully redrafting a pattern
• How professional costume shops approach patterning for theater and film
• Which industry skills translate directly from cosplay to professional costuming
• How to troubleshoot costumes mid-build when something just isn’t working
• Insights into career paths in costuming and patternmaking, plus live Q&A

Prerequisite Skills:

• None - Beginner Friendly

________________________________

About the Instructor:

Madison May, the head pattern maker at CUT/SEW, founded the company in 2016. With almost fifteen years of experience in the costume and fashion industry, Madison has provided patterns to both broadway & off-broadway productions, major US theme parks, international cruise lines, and television. Cosplay has been a hobby of hers since 2005 and she also is active in the cosplay photography community under the moniker of Final-Egirl.

________________________________

The Nitty Gritty:

• Purchasing a ticket reserves one (1) seat at this class. For multiple tickets, please add more than one ticket to your cart
• Tickets will be delivered digitally to the email address provided at checkout. This digital ticket will be needed to enter the event.
• All classes start promptly at the time they're scheduled for. In the event of tardiness, you may miss certain aspects of the class.

________________________________

Our Sponsors for the 2026 Anime Milwaukee Cosplay Studio: