My name is Rachel, and I'm a costumer. As well as an author, waitress/service trainer, and freelance tech writer, editor, & proofreader. On various Star Wars and costuming message boards, I'm known as StormtrooperPrincess. (The nickname started as a joke between me and my significant other because one of my e-mail addresses ended with stormtroopers.zzn.com. Definately a unique username, don't you think? Much better than PrincessLeia897654613 or something like that.) If you want to contact me, please use stormtrooperprincess (at) gmail.com.

Why start a site about making costumes?

Because I'm just that obsessed.

Actually, there's more than that. I've always liked playing dress up—when we lived in New Orleans when I was little, as soon as Mardi Gras was over one year, I'd start planning my costume for the next—I love Star Wars (Princess Leia is my favorite character, if you hadn't noticed), and I like sewing. It only seemed natural that I combined them into creating Leia costumes for myself, although my first forays into the costuming world were a medieval gown for Pilgrimage my senior year of high school and a renn faire outfit during college. Star Wars costuming came about when I joined the Alabama Star Wars Syndicate.

Instead of being a "look at all my pretty dresses" kind of costuming site, I decided to write out what I did while making an outfit, taking pictures at different steps of the process, and pointing out things I should have done differently. Hopefully it'll help others figure out the best way to do things.

Can you make something for me?

I don't make costumes for sale, and rarely do I make them for others (just a handful of close friends). Right now I don't feel like I have the sewing skills to justify asking money for what I make, and don't have the time to invest in it. Heck, sometimes I don't even have the time to sew for myself. Besides, I hope that documenting my process helps with the "how do I make this?" problem. If you want to ask me for further details about I did something or where I found certain parts, feel free to e-mail me at the address above. I don't mind pointing people in the right direction.