The Craft Room

[SnowOwl]

Me three! I tried to sew a dress on my own last summer, I gave up. I need to find a follow-along online or something because reading the pattern on my own was impossible. I might just try recreating a favorite shirt or something instead - no directions might work better. I'm also thinking of trying some classes on creativebug.com.

[Plazmotic]

I do crochet and paper crafts (i.e. scrapbooking, DIY cards). It’s actually quite hard to distract me once I take on a project, once I start there’s no stopping me! The only issue is that I cannot do any of my crafty hobbies when the weather gets nice, crafting is one of my indoor, winter-is-coming hobbies.

 

I wouldn’t want to make money off of my craft, I find that doing things for money sucks the love out of them.

[SnowOwl]

I like selling things, it makes me excited to try new things I think people will like and try new ideas.

[Granny Nogg]

Oh goodness.  Hello!  I didn't know this thread was here!  Thank you for starting it, Fitnessgirl.  Stumbled onto it because of the artisan tag.  

Okay, where do I begin.  Oy.  Well, these are the crafts that I do:  sewing (clothing/costumes/practical things), coloring (YEA.  Don't tell me coloring isn't artistic.  Just because you didn't draw it doesn't mean you can't layer shading on it and make the drawing come to life), thread crochet, beadweaving/loomwork, bead making/jewlery making, wire work, leather work, watercolor and acrylic painting, general crafting, etc.  

 

About 5 years ago my daughter and oldest daughter-in-law started a "craft night" together.  They didn't have room at either of their houses for one of the projects, a tee shirt quilt.  So they asked if I'd mind if they moved their Monday night craft night to my house.  Fast forward.  It's still going strong, and we've had at least a dozen women flow in and out of our informal group in that 5 years. The crafting has also involved the kitchen and we are happy test-dummies for new recipes.

 

Basically I'm a crafting pack rat; so usually if someone wants to make something, I either have the materials or I have the know-how, or both.  And if I don't know how, it always seems one of the other girls does.  So together we will do "field trips" to the craft store and help the lady get what she needs.  I think it's contageous, because even the ones who said they weren't crafty but just came for the fellowship often found something they tried and ended up liking.  

 

For me the crafting is something I have to fit into my schedule.  Realistically I take on a lot of responsibilities, too many, and that shoves the crafting out.  So for a good portion of last year, I was working on customer orders at Craft Night.  Which was fine; but I haven't done anything crafty really besides work.  However, now that I'm caught up on orders (yay!) I've been planning on making my first underwire bra.  

 

I have the pattern and all the fabric and stuff I need, and I'll be doing this sew-along so that I know what pitfalls to avoid.  I make my own corsets, so a bra isn't going to be that much of a leap.  I'd like a little accountability with the project, so if you guys are amenable to it, I'd like to just post my progress (meh.  Or lack thereof, which is also accountability) in here.  Lemme know your thoughts on that. 

 

 

 

Has anyone tried to make money with their crafts?

 

My wife has sold a couple scarves she made via arm-knitting (basically, you use your arms instead of knitting needles) to friends.  Even though arm knitting is quick, it uses a lot of wool and good wool is expensive, so she basically wound up selling them for what she spent on wool.  (The wool is doubled and it's thick wool.  Tt takes about 2/3 of a skein of two skeins to make a scarf, so she doesn't have enough left to make another scarf.  If she made three the same color she could do so with four skeins and knot the leftovers.)  

 

People have suggested I should make shadowboxes for sale, but honestly with the amount of work that goes into it I'd have to sell it for an outrageous price to make it worth while.  There's probably 40 hours of labor in that box, spread over three or four weekends, and probably $40 worth of material (over half of which was the frame).  Even if I sold it for $200, I'd be working for $4 an hour.

 

Okay so here's the deal with selling your stuff, from my experience.  This is what I do.  Here's my blog, which shows the variety of crafty-ness-es and some of my projects.
 

One of the first pieces of advice I ever received was in 2003 from a mentor and professional artist, Lisa Pavelka.  She said that it would take me a good 10 years of hard work, financial investment, and frustration to get to the point where I was making any kind of reliable income from my artwork.  I didn't want to believe her.  But it's been 13 years since she gave me that advice, my business has evolved in varied and unexpected ways, and she wasn't wrong.  I didn't start making any kind of semi-reliable weekly income until 2010.  

 

These days, I make an income equivalent to being a supervisor at McDonald's.  So you won't get rich.  And you can't support a family on it.  There has to be a primary traditional source of income in the family, because health insurance and self-employment taxes will kill your finances.  Also, you won't be able to depend on your income being steady.  It won't.  But over time, if you're really motivated and persistent, you can make a small regular profit.  It's just a lot of freaking hard work and thankless hours of paperwork.  

 

However -- I do have the freedom to work from home.  In my pj's. So yeah.  I set my own hours.  I can sit in the family room and work as I watch tv or talk on the phone.  I have the freedom to tailor those hours to my husband's work hours, and that means we can have our "days off" together.  It's easier to plan family vacations. I've bought two used cars with my profits.  Paid bills.  Paid for vacations.  Things like that. 

 

I've twice experienced my work being undersold by overseas markets.  I got in at the beginning of the fimo cane craze.  So at first I was doing very well, with worldwide distribution through a number of beauty supply houses, because many of my designs were unique.  But after a couple of years, there were so many new caners out there and canes were made by practically slave labor in the orient.  I can't compete with those prices nor their output, and my distributors apologized but had to go with the cheaper supplier, so I no longer make the canes and I'm selling off all my stock and supplies.  Sometimes you have to move with the market and change your focus.  

 

As far as selling platforms, Etsy is the best; but don't discount Ebay, either.  The distribution is wider on Ebay, and they have an excellent and powerful promotion machine.  On the other hand, Ebay is now equivalent with garage sales, so you can't get very good prices for your handmade work there, mostly because of the people who jump too soon into selling their work before their quality becomes high enough for their work to be a good value.  Customers don't know that, and will paint you with the same brush.  So caution with Ebay, but it's still a viable place under certain circumstances.  

 

Etsy is a great platform.  Although beware, because for awhile there they were getting a little too far in the non-handmade (distributors) arena and starting to head down the same path as Ebay.  I think this last year they got enough complaints from artisans that they reigned that in, and refocused on their original purpose: providing a platform for handmade.  Now you still have to deal with cut-rate and low quality competition from people who jump into selling too soon.  But that's going to be the case no matter where you sell, whether in person at a venue or online.  

 

Speaking of venues:  don't get sucked into that trap.  I've done tiny local elementary school craft shows and high end national events in exhibition halls.  And I'd say that 90% of my effort was underpaid.  Don't get me wrong -- I feed off the energy in an exhibition hall with hundreds of vendors, all of whom are my competition.  But I just found over doing this for years and years, that very few of these events ever paid off.  Either I needed help to run my booth and therefore had payroll which ate all my profit, or I went undersold and had a loss.  You may find a little gem of a niche that works for you, but proceed with great caution, because the only people making a profit at these in-person venues are the ones running the event.  

 

Teaching, however, is a viable option if you have the personality for it.  Get really, really good and really, really knowledgeable about what you make, and you can hire yourself out as an instructor at many local opportunities.  I've taught at Michael's craft stores, local junior colleges, elementary schools, sewing clubs, art leagues, etc.  There's always opportunities for good teachers, and it's an investment in yourself to be well-educated about a subject and then be able to teach it.    

[LadyGrey]

I sew, mostly for cosplays and alterations for my kiddo. Did some pottery a few times. I've dabbled in a lot of crafts thru my years. I tried to make a cosplay accessory store for Etsy but between work, mommyhood, art stoofs, challenges, chores, and the occasional video game, I never carried it too far. :s

[fitnessgurl]

Oh goodness. Hello! I didn't know this thread was here! Thank you for starting it, Fitnessgirl. Stumbled onto it because of the artisan tag.

Okay, where do I begin. Oy. Well, these are the crafts that I do: sewing (clothing/costumes/practical things), coloring (YEA. Don't tell me coloring isn't artistic. Just because you didn't draw it doesn't mean you can't layer shading on it and make the drawing come to life), thread crochet, beadweaving/loomwork, bead making/jewlery making, wire work, leather work, watercolor and acrylic painting, general crafting, etc.

About 5 years ago my daughter and oldest daughter-in-law started a "craft night" together. They didn't have room at either of their houses for one of the projects, a tee shirt quilt. So they asked if I'd mind if they moved their Monday night craft night to my house. Fast forward. It's still going strong, and we've had at least a dozen women flow in and out of our informal group in that 5 years. The crafting has also involved the kitchen and we are happy test-dummies for new recipes.

Basically I'm a crafting pack rat; so usually if someone wants to make something, I either have the materials or I have the know-how, or both. And if I don't know how, it always seems one of the other girls does. So together we will do "field trips" to the craft store and help the lady get what she needs. I think it's contageous, because even the ones who said they weren't crafty but just came for the fellowship often found something they tried and ended up liking.

For me the crafting is something I have to fit into my schedule. Realistically I take on a lot of responsibilities, too many, and that shoves the crafting out. So for a good portion of last year, I was working on customer orders at Craft Night. Which was fine; but I haven't done anything crafty really besides work. However, now that I'm caught up on orders (yay!) I've been planning on making my first underwire bra.

I have the pattern and all the fabric and stuff I need, and I'll be doing this sew-along so that I know what pitfalls to avoid. I make my own corsets, so a bra isn't going to be that much of a leap. I'd like a little accountability with the project, so if you guys are amenable to it, I'd like to just post my progress (meh. Or lack thereof, which is also accountability) in here. Lemme know your thoughts on that.

Okay so here's the deal with selling your stuff, from my experience. This is what I do. Here's my blog, which shows the variety of crafty-ness-es and some of my projects.

One of the first pieces of advice I ever received was in 2003 from a mentor and professional artist, Lisa Pavelka. She said that it would take me a good 10 years of hard work, financial investment, and frustration to get to the point where I was making any kind of reliable income from my artwork. I didn't want to believe her. But it's been 13 years since she gave me that advice, my business has evolved in varied and unexpected ways, and she wasn't wrong. I didn't start making any kind of semi-reliable weekly income until 2010.

These days, I make an income equivalent to being a supervisor at McDonald's. So you won't get rich. And you can't support a family on it. There has to be a primary traditional source of income in the family, because health insurance and self-employment taxes will kill your finances. Also, you won't be able to depend on your income being steady. It won't. But over time, if you're really motivated and persistent, you can make a small regular profit. It's just a lot of freaking hard work and thankless hours of paperwork.

However -- I do have the freedom to work from home. In my pj's. So yeah. I set my own hours. I can sit in the family room and work as I watch tv or talk on the phone. I have the freedom to tailor those hours to my husband's work hours, and that means we can have our "days off" together. It's easier to plan family vacations. I've bought two used cars with my profits. Paid bills. Paid for vacations. Things like that.

I've twice experienced my work being undersold by overseas markets. I got in at the beginning of the fimo cane craze. So at first I was doing very well, with worldwide distribution through a number of beauty supply houses, because many of my designs were unique. But after a couple of years, there were so many new caners out there and canes were made by practically slave labor in the orient. I can't compete with those prices nor their output, and my distributors apologized but had to go with the cheaper supplier, so I no longer make the canes and I'm selling off all my stock and supplies. Sometimes you have to move with the market and change your focus.

As far as selling platforms, Etsy is the best; but don't discount Ebay, either. The distribution is wider on Ebay, and they have an excellent and powerful promotion machine. On the other hand, Ebay is now equivalent with garage sales, so you can't get very good prices for your handmade work there, mostly because of the people who jump too soon into selling their work before their quality becomes high enough for their work to be a good value. Customers don't know that, and will paint you with the same brush. So caution with Ebay, but it's still a viable place under certain circumstances.

Etsy is a great platform. Although beware, because for awhile there they were getting a little too far in the non-handmade (distributors) arena and starting to head down the same path as Ebay. I think this last year they got enough complaints from artisans that they reigned that in, and refocused on their original purpose: providing a platform for handmade. Now you still have to deal with cut-rate and low quality competition from people who jump into selling too soon. But that's going to be the case no matter where you sell, whether in person at a venue or online.

Speaking of venues: don't get sucked into that trap. I've done tiny local elementary school craft shows and high end national events in exhibition halls. And I'd say that 90% of my effort was underpaid. Don't get me wrong -- I feed off the energy in an exhibition hall with hundreds of vendors, all of whom are my competition. But I just found over doing this for years and years, that very few of these events ever paid off. Either I needed help to run my booth and therefore had payroll which ate all my profit, or I went undersold and had a loss. You may find a little gem of a niche that works for you, but proceed with great caution, because the only people making a profit at these in-person venues are the ones running the event.

Teaching, however, is a viable option if you have the personality for it. Get really, really good and really, really knowledgeable about what you make, and you can hire yourself out as an instructor at many local opportunities. I've taught at Michael's craft stores, local junior colleges, elementary schools, sewing clubs, art leagues, etc. There's always opportunities for good teachers, and it's an investment in yourself to be well-educated about a subject and then be able to teach it.

You're welcome. I'm really excited to hear about your project!

Oh, and I color too!

[Mark D]

I've been working on a model of a covered barge which will someday reside on my model railroad.  

 

There are kits of barges similar to what I'm building, but being frugal (OK, being a cheap SOB) I refuse to spend over $100 on them when I can build one from scratch for a fraction of that.  I'm one of those oddballs who enjoys building with wood, especially balsa.  I like balsa because it's each to work with, I can cut it with a basic hobby knife (no need for power tools), and I can buy all I want at the local craft shop.  It's plenty strong enough for model work if it's braced properly.

 

When I have something worth showing off I'll post a picture.

[Plazmotic]

Teaching, however, is a viable option if you have the personality for it.  Get really, really good and really, really knowledgeable about what you make, and you can hire yourself out as an instructor at many local opportunities.  I've taught at Michael's craft stores, local junior colleges, elementary schools, sewing clubs, art leagues, etc.  There's always opportunities for good teachers, and it's an investment in yourself to be well-educated about a subject and then be able to teach it.    

 

Ooh, awesome tip! I’ve been told that I’m a great teacher when I need to be, I’ll see if my local Michaels/yarn shop are looking for instructors.

[Plazmotic]

Teaching, however, is a viable option if you have the personality for it.  Get really, really good and really, really knowledgeable about what you make, and you can hire yourself out as an instructor at many local opportunities.  I've taught at Michael's craft stores, local junior colleges, elementary schools, sewing clubs, art leagues, etc.  There's always opportunities for good teachers, and it's an investment in yourself to be well-educated about a subject and then be able to teach it.    

 

Ooh, awesome tip! I’ve been told that I’m a great teacher when I need to be, I’ll see if my local Michaels/yarn shop are looking for instructors.

[Plazmotic]

Teaching, however, is a viable option if you have the personality for it.  Get really, really good and really, really knowledgeable about what you make, and you can hire yourself out as an instructor at many local opportunities.  I've taught at Michael's craft stores, local junior colleges, elementary schools, sewing clubs, art leagues, etc.  There's always opportunities for good teachers, and it's an investment in yourself to be well-educated about a subject and then be able to teach it.    

 

Ooh, awesome tip! I’ve been told that I’m a great teacher when I need to be, I’ll see if my local Michaels/yarn shop are looking for instructors.

[Granny Nogg]

I've been working on a model of a covered barge which will someday reside on my model railroad.

There are kits of barges similar to what I'm building, but being frugal (OK, being a cheap SOB) I refuse to spend over $100 on them when I can build one from scratch for a fraction of that. I'm one of those oddballs who enjoys building with wood, especially balsa. I like balsa because it's each to work with, I can cut it with a basic hobby knife (no need for power tools), and I can buy all I want at the local craft shop. It's plenty strong enough for model work if it's braced properly.

When I have something worth showing off I'll post a picture.

Allen and I were talking yesterday about the artistry that goes into working with wood. The combined geek of engineering and exactness makes it science and art combined. You can be frugal and you can still make beautiful things. You just need to really understand the properties of the wood you're working with. It's porosity, density, how far can you push it, stress it, make it do what you want and yet still take advantage of its strength without pushing it too far. It's fascinating. Looking forward to seeing your model barge.

......................

I made a little progress on my bra sewing project. I was reading the sew-along and she talked about using vellum to trace her pattern pieces on, then weighing the pattern pieces and using chalk to trace around the vellum pieces. I don't know if she meant tailors chalk or regular sidewalk chalk. I have both... I'm gonna assume it's tailors though.

I liked tracing the pattern onto the vellum. In the past I've always used tissue paper, and of course it's very delicate. The vellum is thicker, stiffer - sortof halfway between tracing paper and tag board. I like it.

I realized when I opened my project box that I hadn't ordered my underwires yet. So did that, the other day.

I'm basically at the point of tracing and cutting the fabric for the practice bra. I have some old turquoise 4-way stretch performance knit that I'm planning on using. I'm a little nervous though, and finding myself putting it off. I haven't worked with knits very much, and what I have done honestly hadn't gone well. So I'm taking this slow. In other words, procrastinating.

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

Granny Nogg:

You're absolutely right about working with wood.  You need to bear in mind that it has different qualities based on direction of grain, for instance putting a piece of wood in tension across the grain is a recipe for "ooops".  You also need to be careful about paints and adhesives, if they're water based they can cause warpage (ask me how I know that).  

 

Seems like you're doing well with your sewing too!

 

Back when I was a Civil War reenactor we had a seamstress as part of the group who made most of the ladies clothes.  It was interesting because not only did she need the talent to sew the clothes and make them fit, she needed to research.  Just like today, most of the clothes (especially ladies clothes) which survived from the era were "special" clothes.  Think about it, 150 years from now we'll have lots of wedding dresses from today, not too many outfits you'd wear to go to the grocery store.  Photography was in its infancy and was all black and white, so while you could get the pattern you had no idea what color it was.  (For some reason, it appears fashionable men wore some positively eye-watering color combinations back then.)  

[RMDC]

Mark D, as a paper modeler, that model house nearly brought tears to my eyes. That's fantastic work.

 

Aside from paper modeling, I cross stitch. I had one of my simple designs published in Star Trek Cross Stitch, which was pretty cool.

 

I've tried to pick up knitting and crocheting, but I think I have a block in my brain when it comes to yarn arts, unfortunately.

[Granny Nogg]

Mark D, as a paper modeler, that model house nearly brought tears to my eyes. That's fantastic work.

Aside from paper modeling, I cross stitch. I had one of my simple designs published in Star Trek Cross Stitch, which was pretty cool.

I've tried to pick up knitting and crocheting, but I think I have a block in my brain when it comes to yarn arts, unfortunately.

Very cool about the Star Trek cross stitch design! Great job!

Okay, for those of you who do paper arts, does anyone have a copy of this issue of Somerset I could borrow? Is like to make this crown for a fantasy photo shoot Allen and I are planning.

http://pin.it/uPt9SLi

Also, drooling over this corset and I think I need to make my next one something similar.

http://pin.it/-KuxHGb

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[fitnessgurl]

Very cool about the Star Trek cross stitch design! Great job!

Okay, for those of you who do paper arts, does anyone have a copy of this issue of Somerset I could borrow? Is like to make this crown for a fantasy photo shoot Allen and I are planning.http://pin.it/uPt9SLi

Also, drooling over this corset and I think I need to make my next one something similar. http://pin.it/-KuxHGb

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

Ooh, pretty!

[Mark D]

Mark D, as a paper modeler, that model house nearly brought tears to my eyes. That's fantastic work.

Aside from paper modeling, I cross stitch. I had one of my simple designs published in Star Trek Cross Stitch, which was pretty cool.

I've tried to pick up knitting and crocheting, but I think I have a block in my brain when it comes to yarn arts, unfortunately.

Thanks for the compliment. The only paper is the background, roof, and shutters. The model is layers of wood with plastic details. The siding is commercial milled wood siding made for model train use.

[Granny Nogg]

The bra is on the back burner for the time being, because last night I stumbled onto cosplay costumes & accessories made from craft foam. It was exactly what I needed to begin working on the White Queen.

I'd avoided using foam in the past because I didn't know what was possible. I'd only seem my kids dink around making foam and duct tape swords.

So the White Queen will have a foam crown and neck corset, a foam breastplate, sword, and perhaps greaves. This will take us months, but when we're done, we'll do a photo shoot.

I'm beginning at the top and starting on her crown. I drew the crown in the foam, cut it and heat formed it, then reinforced the shape with copper wire. It's got the first of many coats of white glue to stiffen it and prepare it for painting.

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

Granny Nogg:  Looks great!  Is that the same stuff as foamcore (foam center with paper on the outside) or is it something different?  (Wonder if it would be useful for model trains.) 

 

My wife says I get "that look" in my eye when I look at some material or item and wonder if it could be used for model trains.  For instance, I take Advair for asthma, and that medicine comes in a disk-shaped inhaler (they call it a diskus).  When they're empty I break them open, they're filled with all sorts of little gears and gewgaws which make great details to use for freight car loads or scrap piles.  

[fitnessgurl]

The bra is on the back burner for the time being, because last night I stumbled onto cosplay costumes & accessories made from craft foam. It was exactly what I needed to begin working on the White Queen. I'd avoided using foam in the past because I didn't know what was possible. I'd only seem my kids dink around making foam and duct tape swords. So the White Queen will have a foam crown and neck corset, a foam breastplate, sword, and perhaps greaves. This will take us months, but when we're done, we'll do a photo shoot. I'm beginning at the top and starting on her crown. I drew the crown in the foam, cut it and heat formed it, then reinforced the shape with copper wire. It's got the first of many coats of white glue to stiffen it and prepare it for painting.sent from my tiny particle accelerator

Ooh! Website please??? *hopeful look on face*

[fitnessgurl]

Granny Nogg:  Looks great!  Is that the same stuff as foamcore (foam center with paper on the outside) or is it something different?  (Wonder if it would be useful for model trains.) 

 

My wife says I get "that look" in my eye when I look at some material or item and wonder if it could be used for model trains.  For instance, I take Advair for asthma, and that medicine comes in a disk-shaped inhaler (they call it a diskus).  When they're empty I break them open, they're filled with all sorts of little gears and gewgaws which make great details to use for freight car loads or scrap piles.

Dude, that's just too clever! Love it!

[RMDC]

Craft foam is a rubbery foam that comes in sheets from 5x7" to (rarely) poster-sized, mostly found in roughly letter paper dimensions. Here's an example from Michaels.

[Granny Nogg]

Granny Nogg: Looks great! Is that the same stuff as foamcore (foam center with paper on the outside) or is it something different? (Wonder if it would be useful for model trains.)

My wife says I get "that look" in my eye when I look at some material or item and wonder if it could be used for model trains. For instance, I take Advair for asthma, and that medicine comes in a disk-shaped inhaler (they call it a diskus). When they're empty I break them open, they're filled with all sorts of little gears and gewgaws which make great details to use for freight car loads or scrap piles.

In this particular case, no it isn't foam core, although from what I'm reading, people do use that. This crown is made from the thinner sheets called Fun Foam. It's in the kids craft section, flexible, and has no paper on it.

People also use the gray interlocking foam floor mats, I get those at Harbor Freight the cheapest, but home improvement stores also carry them.

Then there's also this stuff called Wufcar (I think) which is a denser foam but more expensive. Gotta order that online l hear.

And there's the canned expanding insulation foam, which cam be squirted into molds and carved.

Ooh! Website please??? *hopeful look on face*

Well, where I found the tutorials is on Pinterest, so I'll give the link to my foam costume board. But there's also more foam costume tutorials in my Steampunk board and the White Queen board.

http://pin.it/IbiU0Wz

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[Mark D]

Craft foam is a rubbery foam that comes in sheets from 5x7" to (rarely) poster-sized, mostly found in roughly letter paper dimensions. Here's an example from Michaels.

 

Hmmm, 6 mm thick, so a hair under 1/4 inch.  Sounds promising.....

 

And .99 for a 9x12 sheet, or $9 for 40 sheets appeals to my frugal (ok, cheap!) nature.

[Granny Nogg]

Craft foam is a rubbery foam that comes in sheets from 5x7" to (rarely) poster-sized, mostly found in roughly letter paper dimensions. Here's an example from Michaels.

Yes, that's exactly the same stuff I'm using. All the corporate craft stores carry foam sheets like this. Walmart even carries it in their craft section, although you have to buy it in multicolor packs. But very cheap. And since you're painting it anyway, the color of the foam doesn't matter.

You can also use the small cell floral foam, the kind that you soak in water and put fresh flowers in, for carving accessories like guns and horns and stuff like that.

The air dry clay is also useful for making raised details. It doesn't shrink when it dries and it's paintable.

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

[fitnessgurl]

In this particular case, no it isn't foam core, although from what I'm reading, people do use that. This crown is made from the thinner sheets called Fun Foam. It's in the kids craft section, flexible, and has no paper on it.

People also use the gray interlocking foam floor mats, I get those at Harbor Freight the cheapest, but home improvement stores also carry them.

Then there's also this stuff called Wufcar (I think) which is a denser foam but more expensive. Gotta order that online l hear.

And there's the canned expanding insulation foam, which cam be squirted into molds and carved.

Well, where I found the tutorials is on Pinterest, so I'll give the link to my foam costume board. But there's also more foam costume tutorials in my Steampunk board and the White Queen board. http://pin.it/IbiU0Wz

sent from my tiny particle accelerator

Thanks!