As soon as all of us in Sakizou costumes found each other we gushed over each others costumes. In this photo was showing the girls the new metal filigree technique I learned, putting gold hot glue into silicone candy molds. We spent most of our time trading craftsmanship ideas and just being adorable nerds.

I first started sewing at age 6 when my mother enrolled me in summer sewing classes. The seamstress profession is a family tradition for us; my fraternal grandmother was a wedding designer for JC Penney in the 1960’s and my mother is an accomplished quilter, producing works for St. Jude’s.