Glue guns! Oh my!
The smell of hot glue is comforting to me. The revolting scent of molten glue solidifying between two pieces of fabric smells like progress to me. I know that if I use hot glue, a lot of stuff is gonna get done way faster, and might even look better than if I had sewed it.
Lets face it, if you are in the cosplay world at all, hot glue is often knocked as not only being lazy, but detrimental to the overall quality of the costume. That is absolutely not true, some really good costumes are made almost entirely of hot glue; it is often easier to work with, more accessible to beginners, and can be more flexibly applied than stitching if a sewing machine is involved.
1. The looks issue-
People often say that costumes that use lots (or for some people, any at all) of hot glue are very sloppy looking, and makes the costume look like it is falling apart.
Truth- It is true that sloppy use of the glue gun will make the costume look sloppy, just as it would with sloppy use of a sewing machine. However, the fact that most cosplayers are more versed in the field of sewing machines rather than glue guns, and with less skill, sloppier work can happen. If you are using a glue gun, just make sure that everything looks neat and make sure that when it solidifies, you can't see the dried glue on the costume at all. People can't comment on the fact that you used hot glue if they don't even know.
2. The strength of the costume-
It is true that hot glue MAY be weaker than stitches, and that it could pop a 'hem' far more easily than a thread hem. There isn't really any way around this, but a glue 'hem' will still hold under pretty high stress. Simply because it is weaker does not mean that it isn't usable. If you use hot glue take care as you would with all of your costumes. It will hold up to normal wear and tear but not much beyond that.
3. Is it lazy?-
Hell to the no. Hot Glue is stinky when using it, it is hard to use it make it look good, and chances are that you burned yourself while using it. If people get after you for using glue, simply hold up your very minor burns and say this mantra:
"Cosplay is pain!"
If it hurts, its cosplay.
Lets face it, if you are in the cosplay world at all, hot glue is often knocked as not only being lazy, but detrimental to the overall quality of the costume. That is absolutely not true, some really good costumes are made almost entirely of hot glue; it is often easier to work with, more accessible to beginners, and can be more flexibly applied than stitching if a sewing machine is involved.
1. The looks issue-
People often say that costumes that use lots (or for some people, any at all) of hot glue are very sloppy looking, and makes the costume look like it is falling apart.
Truth- It is true that sloppy use of the glue gun will make the costume look sloppy, just as it would with sloppy use of a sewing machine. However, the fact that most cosplayers are more versed in the field of sewing machines rather than glue guns, and with less skill, sloppier work can happen. If you are using a glue gun, just make sure that everything looks neat and make sure that when it solidifies, you can't see the dried glue on the costume at all. People can't comment on the fact that you used hot glue if they don't even know.
2. The strength of the costume-
It is true that hot glue MAY be weaker than stitches, and that it could pop a 'hem' far more easily than a thread hem. There isn't really any way around this, but a glue 'hem' will still hold under pretty high stress. Simply because it is weaker does not mean that it isn't usable. If you use hot glue take care as you would with all of your costumes. It will hold up to normal wear and tear but not much beyond that.
3. Is it lazy?-
Hell to the no. Hot Glue is stinky when using it, it is hard to use it make it look good, and chances are that you burned yourself while using it. If people get after you for using glue, simply hold up your very minor burns and say this mantra:
"Cosplay is pain!"
If it hurts, its cosplay.