Temple of Geek’s Featured Cosplay

Building cosplay can be a fun but challenging craft. This cosplayer takes it to a whole new level! Meet Amanda aka Rumplestilt Seam. She is a Texas based cosplayer that builds elaborate costumes that are quite frankly stunning to look at in person. Amanda is a seamstress who does commission work which you should go take a look at. I reached out to Amanda and asked her some questions in regards to her cosplay hobby.

(Danniel Slade) Can you start off by telling me a little bit about yourself?

(Amanda Phillips) My name is Amanda, I’m 25 years old and I’m from The Woodlands Texas. I go by Rumplestilt_seam in the cosplay community and I have over eight years of stage and theater experience under my belt, so naturally it was the obvious progression to move onto cosplay. I’ve been doing cosplay and costuming for a little over seven years; I’ve created award-winning costumes and skits, as well as having a piece accepted in the Dallas A-Kon 28 Cosplay Museum. I enjoy cosplay from different genres including anime, video games, comics, TV shows, and Movies. I tend to lean more towards DC Comics heroines and video game characters as well as a plethora of mashup and crossover pieces.

(DS) How did you come up with the name Rumplestilt Seam?

(AP) It’s kind of a funny story. I was for the longest time going under the alias “Adnamana12” which is my name backwards and the number twelve, and not so surprisingly people had a hard time pronouncing that. So, one evening I was posting about a costume I had finished recently, and I had a friend comment, “Wow! Girl, you spin out costumes faster than Rumplestiltskin spins gold!” and then it clicked. I came up with a play on Rumplestiltskin, RumplestiltSeam since I sew/am a seamstress.

(DS) What fandoms are you into?

(AP) So MANY! To name a few though would be: Supernatural, Game of Thrones, Marvel/DC, Harry Potter, Stranger Things, Anime, and some old school 90’s-00’s sci-fi like Stargate SG1 (and Atlantis), as well as Farscape. But really, I’m into a lot of different stuff including Video Game famndoms, if I were to keep going this whole interview would be about Fandoms haha.

(DS) When did you get into cosplay?

(AP) VBS of 2011. It was video game themed and they allowed the volunteers to dress up and I went as the cheapest looking thrift shop Princess Peach in a Dolly Parton wig (I kid you not) haha! But the kids loved it, and I loved it, so I started to do it more often and put more thought into my costumes. Eventually I took the big leap and started making my own costumes from scratch and the rest is history.

(DS) How do you choose what you are going to create for cosplay?

(AP) That’s a question with a very dull answer haha. I usually just choose things on Impulse. I’ll see something I like A LOT and just BOOM that’s what you’re cosplaying next. Unless it’s for a competition, then I listen to a bunch of different music/song tracks and try to narrow down who would fit what best, figure out a routine, and then choose.

(DS) In total, how many costumes have you created over the years?

(AP) It’s somewhere around 20ish.

(DS) Do you have a favorite costume that you want to wear over and over?

(AP) Sith Snow White definitely! I also love wearing Ciri, but she’s so dang hot to wear here in Texas with our Summers.

(DS) What was your easiest build?

(AP) Easiest build was Genderbent Meriln (BBC) I made for TRF last year. It was easy because I literally made it from fabric scraps I already had, I only needed to buy the fabric dye (Blue dress wasn’t always blue) and the jacket.

(DS) Now on the flip side, what was your hardest build?

(AP) Hardest was an all foam armored Cat Woman that I hand sculpted and built up the motorcycle style helmet with long angular cat ears. Took me almost 9 months to complete, mainly because I didn’t know squat about foam smithing at the time.

(DS) What is your favorite convention to cosplay at?

(AP) Right now, it’s Comicpalooza in Houston. It’s local to me so it’s almost guaranteed that I will attend every year, I also usually compete in the Cosplay Contest.

(DS) That was my next question! So you have competed in a cosplay competition, have you ever placed?

AP: I have! I’ve competed six times and placed in five of them! I usually compete in the skit division (as I mentioned before I used to be a pro dancer) since I like entertaining, but that doesn’t mean I skimp on craftsmanship! I always do prejudging and try to make at least 80% of my costumes for professionality sake.

(DS) What is your next convention that fans will see you at?

(AP) The Texas Renaissance Festival (Unsure of which weekend(s) right now), and Oni-Con in Galveston Texas on November 9th- 11th (Oni-Con: https://oni-con.net/ , TRF: https://www.texrenfest.com/)

(DS) You recently acquired an embroidery machine. How has your life changed now that you have it, what are your plans with all that power?

(AP) I feel like He-Man “I have the POWER!!” haha! But for real, I’m still only learning how to use it. Right now, I’ve been making Dice Bags; but as I familiarize myself with it I do plan to use in I’m my commissioning business as well as personal projects. I feel it’s a game changer for any cosplayer to invest in an embroidery machine for sure.

(DS) What is on your cosplay bucket list?

(AP) SO MANY THINGS. Flame Atronach from Skyrim with lights and smoke effects. Anything designs from Artist(s) Noflutter, Hannah Alexander, or Sunset Dragon. I LOVE detailed pieces, and those artists make DETAILED pieces.

(DS) Outside of cosplay, what do you do for fun?

AP: Not much really. I know that sounds kind of lackluster, but what I mean is I’m a pretty simple and easily entertained person. I’m satisfied to sit and watch Netflix all day or read a book (Currently engrossed with The Witcher series). I’m seriously awkwardest of potatoes in real life haha.

(DS) Are there any other cosplayers that inspire you?

(AP) Yaya Han, Kamui Cosplay, Jessica Nigri, and Cowbuttcrunchies are my biggest Cosplayer inspirations in craft and business models. They’re all such strong women of the cosplay community, and I want to be like them when I grow up.

(DS) What would you say to someone who might want to build their first costume but don’t know
how to get started?

(AP) Find your niche and grow with that until you’re ready to build a new skill. For example, I am a pretty solid seamstress, it’s what I’m good at. But I can’t really craft with Worbla or foam at the same skill level, but it’s one I currently working on. It may not be the same for everyone, some may start out being a makeup/wigs wizard but can’t figure out the working end of a sewing machine or start out with people thinking you’re part Tolkien Dwarf because you can craft armor like one, but you don’t know the first thing about styling a wig. And vice versa. Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to learn and do everything all at once, ease into it and learn it all at a healthy comfortable pace.