Interview with Yarntastic: Crochet cosplay

[interview conducted in 2022]

There are all kinds of ways to make a cosplay. There are tons of materials and techniques out there.

You can sew your costume, 3D print it, build it out of foam… or do what Eve, aka Yarntastic Cosplay, does, and crochet it.

Yes, really! Yarntastic makes all their cosplays crocheted. The clothes, the accessories, and even the wigs!

We chatted a bit about their passion for crochet and how they paired it with their love of cosplay.

How it all started

✂ How long have you been crocheting?

I started in 2016, totally by chance. For Christmas, I got a mini kit for making little Star Wars crochet figures. It came with yarn and a small hook.

I'd never crocheted in my life, but I thought, "Oh my god, this is so much fun!"

So I taught myself crochet (because the book that came with it was way too complicated…) and found a million tutorials on YouTube.

Little Yoda was the first thing I ever made in crochet.

✂ So you're pretty much self-taught…

Yeah. I started by following patterns in the little book, but then, there are a million patterns online. And I started modifying them and improvising. I'd mix things up: the head from one, the body from another, the legs from someone else's. And at some point I started making my own patterns.

✂ And what got you into cosplaying in crochet specifically?

It's really random. It wasn't even supposed to be a cosplay… I'd just moved into my new apartment, and my bedroom had this big empty wall. I wanted to put something up, but I wasn't feeling an IKEA print.

So I thought, "I'm going to crochet a giant sword!" And I decided to make the Master Sword (from Zelda).

I cut the shape out of cardboard. I add a metal rod with duct tape. I cover the whole thing in crochet… and yay, it works!

So I put it up on my wall.

It was pretty easy… so I thought, well, since I made the sword, I might as well make the sheath.

And then, might as well make the shield too.

And at that point, I figured I could just make the whole cosplay!

✂ Were you already into cosplay before that?

I'd just started. I think I'd made one cosplay, but eh... I wanted to do more, but I had zero sewing skills…

And at the same time I was starting to get into crochet… and going completely nuts over it! I figured I could just make my cosplays out of yarn.

All the stars aligned and it all happened at once.

✂ And Yarntastic was born!

Yup!

✂ Do you also teach workshops?

I did a panel at a convention. I really like passing on what I know.

And I've also started teaching here and there… to friends who wanted to try it. They see my stuff and think it's fun. They get curious to try it, so I started showing them how to crochet too.

The materials

✂ You use "yarn"… but it's not really wool, right?

Yeah, that one's easier in English, actually — there's a bit of a linguistic gap in French, I know...

Side note!

In English, the word "yarn" covers any kind of knitting or crochet thread, no matter the fiber. If it's actual sheep's wool, you'd say "wool yarn." The problem in French is that people use the word for wool ("laine") to talk about the thread in general, even when it isn't sheep's wool at all… and that makes things a little confusing.

It bugs me. I needed to get that off my chest…

Okay. Said my piece. We can now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

✂ So, do you have favorite fibers?

Yes, I mainly use acrylic. Because, I'd say it's the best bang for your buck.

The big advantage with acrylic is that if I make a mistake, I can undo my stitches and the yarn won't be ruined. Because, for example, anything animal fiber, like sheep's wool or alpaca, is really delicate, so if you undo it, your yarn can end up wrecked.

Since I work a lot through trial and error… and the number of errors can get pretty high (!), I need something durable. And it also has to hold up once I'm wearing it — it needs to survive conventions.

Actually, I mentioned earlier my early projects, the sword, sheath, and shield. I'd used a polyester yarn for those. Because, at first, it was only supposed to be decoration, but in the end I wore it as cosplay. And now the yarn is all pilled…

Also, the other advantage of acrylic is that it doesn't cost too much. And let's just say I go through A LOT of yarn!

What I also like about acrylic is that you can transform it a bit. On my cosplays, all the wigs, the fur bits, that's all acrylic yarn too. And you can't do that with every type of yarn.

✂ Do you buy a lot of yarn thinking "one day I'll make something with this"?

No, I don't do that anymore. But at the start, yes… I used to shop at Deserres, Michaels, physical stores. And I'd think, "Whoa! All this yarn! I want this, this, and this…" But sometimes you buy on impulse, and the yarn doesn't end up being useful, or doesn't give you what you thought…

I learned from my "younger years" mistakes… like 2-3 years ago 😅. And now I prefer to buy per project.

Before ordering, I make a list with every color and how many skeins I need. And I place one big order.

✂ You said you used to shop more at Deserres and Michaels early on. What about now?

I order almost exclusively online. Because I noticed all the skeins I buy come from the same parent company…

And on the Yarnspirations site, it's cheaper, and there are way more colors. Plus brands they don't carry in stores.

✂ You obviously need a hook too… I'm guessing you have more than one?

I use quite a few hooks, actually. Depending on the yarn's thickness, but also for a tighter or looser stitch. My biggest hook is a 15 mm.

Usually, every skein of yarn has a recommended hook size. But you can play around with that a bit and use something smaller than what's recommended. If you want a really tight stitch — for example, for stuffed toys and amigurumi — I'll use a much smaller hook so you can stuff it and nothing shows through.

On the flip side, if you go the other way — using a bigger hook — you're asking for trouble.

✂ There are metal hooks, wooden ones, plastic ones. Do you have a preferred material?

I really like aluminum ones, because the yarn glides well.

With plastic ones, you have to be careful, because they can be lower quality. I once had one snap in two… right in the middle of a project. Nooo! …It could've at least waited until the end of the row. 😝

With wood too, you have to be careful. Sometimes you get cheap ones that chip or are poorly sanded…

Aluminum is my favorite.

The process

✂ When you build a cosplay, what are the steps? How do you plan things out?

My process is so compulsive! Ha! Ha!

But once I've settled on a project, I start by:

• trying to figure out all the colors I'll need;
• but also trying to see how the cosplay is constructed;
• and also which stitch I want to use, if I want any special effects;
• then I look at, okay, are there accessories, weapons, that I'll need to make;
• and after that I try to estimate my quantities for ordering. How many skeins I'll need.

The upside of being as obsessed with crochet as I am is that I can pretty accurately gauge how much area one skein will give me once crocheted. That helps a lot with online orders, because if I run short a skein, I can't just go back to the store…

Once my yarn arrives, there's always that terrifying step of starting. I never know how to begin… I think, "what have I gotten myself into!"

So I end up starting with one easy little section. Then another little section. Then another little section… And once I'm done, I think, "Ha! That was fun!"

✂ Do you write up patterns for yourself?

Yes, I make my own patterns, but they're mostly just scribbles. I make a kind of rough plan and jot down what works and what doesn't.

Basically, you need to learn how clothes are constructed. For example, if you don't know how to make a sweater, you can look up several patterns online to study how it's built and understand the basics.

Personally, I start by deciding which stitch I want to use. Usually I make a small swatch to see, concretely, how big the stitches and rows will end up. Then I try to figure out how many stitches and rows I'll need. I test things, take notes. Sometimes it doesn't work. So I try to see what works, what doesn't, and why it doesn't. At that point I note my corrections and keep going.

Honestly, it really just comes down to being able to shape things with crochet and understanding the volume it creates.

It's a bit like sewing, where you have different pieces to build shapes. It's the same principle with crochet, except instead of having several pieces you sew together, you have just one piece you're working on, and you have to build the curves and shapes into it yourself.

✂ And do you go back to your old patterns? Or is it more spontaneous notes for the moment?

Yes! For example, the Link on Epona cosplay — I'd already made a Link tunic, so I just reused my old pattern and shortened the bottom.

Also, since I take notes for all my clothing pieces, I already have a rough idea of how many stitches I'll need.

✂ And you even make your own wigs?

Yes! It's a really handy technique. I make wigs, but also fur pieces. Because, you know, faux fur at Fabricville is pretty expensive, and it doesn't always come in the color you're looking for. But knowing how to make fur with yarn is really practical. Because it's not too expensive, and on top of that, it's fairly easy to find the exact color you want — especially if you shop online.

Side note!

Yarntastic wrote a guide on making fur out of yarn! It's available in the shop.

At the very least, it's a genuinely fun skill to have, just knowing how to make fur. And the great thing is, you don't need to know how to crochet to do it. You can use all kinds of bases. For example, the first wig I ever made used a dollar-store toque as the base.

✂ What do you recommend for someone who wants to start crocheting?

Find someone to help you learn! I learned from YouTube videos myself, but the problem is you have to absorb a million things at once at the start — how to hold your yarn, how to hold your hook, managing your tension… it's a million little things to do all at the same time. And if you get even one of them wrong, it just won't work, and you won't know why…

Having someone teach you keeps you motivated. And that person can correct you as you go.

When I started, nothing worked and I couldn't figure out why. It was really hard to find answers.

Since then, I've taught different people, and each one had their own little thing that wasn't working, not always the same one. But it was a lot easier for me to point out exactly what to fix.

✂ Do you suggest a particular kind of project for beginners?

Start with something really small. Like a coaster. A simple little project lets you get used to the motion, how to hold everything, what to do and what not to do.

✂ Any other tips?

For beginners, it's easier to work with something bigger. When your stitches are bigger, it's easier to see how everything works.

When you're making stitches, you've got yarn going in every direction, and you always need to go through the right spot. Working with thicker yarn lets you see and understand what's happening much more clearly.

Also, at the start, avoid dark yarn! You can't see a thing with black yarn. 😅

And finally, don't give up! Big projects can feel overwhelming, but you shouldn't quit.

Final words

✂ What do you find the most difficult?

Honestly, trying to stay motivated… especially because my projects are really long. And other project ideas keep popping into my head, so I have to stay focused… ha ha!

✂ And what do you enjoy the most?

Finishing a project! The moment I weave in that last thread. There's always this little moment where I think, "Oh my god, I did it!"

✂ Your favorite geek universe?

Zelda!

✂ What do you listen to while you crochet?

My sweet spot is being wrapped up like a burrito in a blanket, watching Star Trek — probably Next Gen — and crocheting away.

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[note added November 24, 2025]

A huge thank you to Yarntastic for this interview and all their wonderful advice.

Sadly, they passed away on November 19, 2025, following their battle with breast cancer. To help keep their talent and craft alive, and to pass their knowledge on to the crafting community as a legacy, their yarn fur guide remains available in the shop, with all sale proceeds donated to the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.