Cosplay artist, prop maker, and author Annye Driscoll loves turning big ideas into amazing costumes using everything from fabric and foam to some very unexpected materials. In this interview, she shares how she taught herself new skills, why she believes every mistake helps you grow, and how making things by hand has shaped both her creativity and her confidence.
How did you first get started with cosplay and prop making?
I’ve always been a nerd and involved with nerdy things, but growing up I didn’t participate in that dorkiness publicly; my hobby interests were restricted to board and video games at home! I knew cosplay existed, but I didn’t have any interest in the craft or anywhere to wear it. That changed in 2015 when two events happened simultaneously:
- my husband and I scheduled our first convention outing
- and I realized I desperately needed a hobby that allowed me to work with my hands (I had just earned my computer science degree and was working as a software developer).
With a goal and a timeline, I set out to make my very first costume: my D&D character at the time, a tiefling warlock named Gleume.
What drew you to working with foam and costume building?
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I started with foam because I wanted to make myself armor, but the craft-types didn’t stop there!
One of the greatest joys of cosplay is that it’s really 500 crafts in a trenchcoat. Sewing, electronics, molding and casting, makeup artistry, wig-styling, leatherwork, beading and embroidery, knitting and crochet… the list goes on, and there’s always something else to learn, practice, and incorporate into the craft. I think that’s the main reason I fell in love with this form of art.
What sparked the idea for Ultimate Encyclopedia of Fabrics and Unconventional Materials?
Originally, the scope for Fabrics was much smaller: I wanted to focus on the weird and tricky materials that often trip up cosplayers. Sticky vinyls, slippery satins, and wiggly stretchies are all very common fabrics for costumes, but can be downright frustrating (especially for self-taught and budget-friendly artists, which many of us are). So that was my initial idea: cover the common tricky fabrics that cosplayers use (and some “non-fabrics” too, like foam).
After creating the initial table of contents, my editor and I realized it would make sense to add lightweight translucents and thick wovens. Then we added “knits” – a massive category! At that point, my editor asked for “everything at JoAnn’s except for quilting cotton and fleece”. I saw no reason to omit the two, pointed them out as great starter fabrics, and ended up with “every” fabric… and a bunch of those “non-fabrics” too!
What makes a material “unconventional” in your world?
Sewing and fabric-use is very old. It is steeped in tradition and history.
What we consider “conventional” fabrics have changed drastically over time; in 1965, a spandex knit was revolutionary! So the materials considered unconventional in Fabrics are just a moment in time: maybe, in 20 years, EVA foam will be considered a conventional material to sew with, and we’ll have something else entirely peeking from the edges of ~normal sewing~.
Of course, I also include materials that have other primary purposes (like tarp) but which can be sewn. I’d say those are unconventional too!
Who did you imagine as your audience while you were writing this book? A beginner, a cosplayer, a curious maker?
I imagine two kinds of people picking up Fabrics:
- Beginner and intermediate sewists/makers who are ready to step into specific techniques, interesting materials, and new tools.
- A sewist of any experience looking for inspiration and empowerment.
I want every creator who opens my book to leave feeling like whatever they make it’s going to be awesome…even if (especially if!) it’s made of something weird and constructed in an off-beat way.
If you had to pick one “gateway” material for beginners to experiment with, what would it be?
Low-stretch fleece and felt are great materials to start with; they don’t have prominent grains, aren’t wiggly, and are usually inexpensive.
Ultimately, however, I think the best material for a newbie is the one that inspires them. I learned most of my basic sewing on pleather – what I would consider “tricky” – but because I was making things I was interested in, I learned quickly and had a great time doing it.
If readers take away just one lesson from the book, what would you want it to be?
That there is no shame in practicing, swatching, making mockups, making mistakes, and starting over. It’s okay to be a slow maker.
Working with weird, tricky, and new-to-you materials can be frustrating, but it’s also worth it! You’ll grow as a maker – both creatively and technically.
Describe your creative space.
My workshop is my favorite place in the world.
For years, I worked off an ironing board in my bedroom. When my roommates moved out, I upgraded to a spare bedroom. When I realized I was outgrowing even that space, my dad and I began renovating our run-down, hand-built, nothing-is-square or -conventional garage.
It was a TON of work – the demolition alone was more construction than I’ve ever done. We rewired the whole building, insulated and drywalled, replaced rotting structural beams, and had an air handler installed (the only part of the process we didn’t do ourselves!). I scored a set of cabinets for FREE, and my dad built me a custom worktable and sewing table. I am in love. We made it exactly how I wanted. It’s bright, organized, and functional. I even get visits from the neighborhood cats!
What’s the most challenging part of bringing a costume or prop to life?
For me (and, I think, for many other cosplayers), the toughest part of cosplay is that we’re using our own bodies as our canvases.
Every insecurity is baked into our artwork and on display for our admirers. In some ways, I’ve learned to work around my body issues: I’m self-conscious about my chin, so I craft my collars and gorgets (neck armor) very carefully so as not to exacerbate my insecurities.
In other ways, cosplay has been an experience of accepting my body as it is, for better or worse. (Not to mention the gender complications involved in cosplay! The number of cosplayers playing with their own gender, identity, and presentation through costume? It’s… a lot.)
How do you know when a piece is finished?
99% of the time, it’s when I’ve paid for an expensive photoshoot.
Cosplayers are lucky among artists because we have very concrete deadlines: this convention, this photoshoot, this contest. Of course we can iterate endlessly after an initial debut (and oh, I do!), but once I’ve received high-quality photos, the desire fades away for me.
I still love wearing (and repairing) it, but I don’t want to make tiny changes that will just make me regret my photoshoot.
How has your work changed over the years?
It hasn’t! Yes, it’s gotten more technical, more “correct”, and more ambitious, but ultimately my cosplay is still coming from the same place and presenting the same feelings: a love for craft and a passion for character and storytelling.
I love that I can learn more skills and perfect others – all while staying true to what made me fall in love with the hobby in the first place.
What advice would you give someone who feels intimidated to start?
Break your project down into very, very small steps.
I too get scared by big projects (hello, perfectionism rearing its ugly head!). But I believe I’m capable of cutting out a pattern… So I cut out the pattern! And then when I’m done with that – oh yes, I’m also capable of transferring that pattern to my material. And yes, I can also cut out the pattern pieces.
Once I get to a tough step, I can usually use my momentum to work through it. And if I can’t, I can break down even that tough step into smaller, achievable goals. You can do it!
Where can people see your work?
I’m on the internet as @MakerFishmeal.
Interview posted June 2026
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