Single Pattern Contest

Single Pattern Contest

Please review the ICG Masquerade Guidelines for information on skill levels, divisions, and participation.

About the Single Pattern Contest

Welcome to the Single Pattern Contest! This contest provides entrants with a small selection of commercial patterns to construct and put their own spin on the finished product.

For this competition, you will take one or more of the patterns that we have set for this competition and make it. The patterns listed are to be used as a starting point for creating an outfit. Participants may stay close to the original pattern, or alter it dramatically, but the final product must be recognizable as being made from one (or more) of the patterns.

Novice sewers, this is the perfect opportunity to get your feet wet with constructing a costume or being on stage for the first time! Sew it together, glue it together, just have fun!

Participants must be registered members of CC42 to enter or model garments in this contest. Supporting members who are not attending in person MAY have their designs presented by a model. Participants may make and enter more than one garment, but an individual may appear in front of the judges only once (If you recruit some models, you will present the costumes to the judges all at the same time).

Human entrants only! No dolls, pets, depressed robots, or sofas.

Video

Videography provided by Eric Cannon of Rare Recorded Videos. Please email rrvorders@yahoo.com for more information and ordering.

Photos

CC42 Official Photography provided by Underhill Imagery. Photos require 3-6 weeks processing time and are estimated to be available late April/early May.

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Single Pattern Contest Safety & Security Policies

• All entrants must possess a CC42 Membership to participate.
• All entrants must abide by the CC42 and Shiny Garden Convention Policies while on convention premises.
• Costumes and props must abide by all facility regulations, as well as local and federal laws.
• Costumes may not contain or display elements that disparage, harass, or attack any person, gender, gender presentation, pronoun choice, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, national origin, language, culture, religion, age, or affiliation.
• Costumes may not represent any national or international tragedies.
• Costumes must adhere to local decency laws. In practical terms, this means “bikini areas” must be covered at all times for all genders. Footwear is required on convention premises.
• No real weapons (including but not limited to firearms), even if you have a permit or a license, are permitted on convention premises. No live steel (aka blades of metal that can take an edge), projectiles, or realistic-appearing firearms. No liquids, aerosols, silly string, or projectile foam.
• Props resembling futuristic or fantasy weapons, boffers, or oversize objects are allowed provided they are not handled in a careless, threatening, or destructive manner against persons or property.

Failure to comply with these policies and/or the instructions of staff or security personnel may result in immediate removal from the convention without refund.

Photo & AV Policy

By entering the event premises, you consent to interview(s), photography, audio recording, video recording and its/their release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction to be used for news, web casts, promotional purposes, telecasts, advertising, inclusion on websites, social media, or any other purpose by Shiny Garden and its affiliates and representatives. Images, photos and/or videos may be used to promote similar Shiny Garden events in the future, highlight the event and exhibit the capabilities of Shiny Garden.

By registering for the event, you release Shiny Garden, its officers and employees, and each and all persons involved from any liability connected with the taking, recording, digitizing, or publication and use of interviews, photographs, computer images, video and/or sound recordings. By entering the event premises, you waive all rights you may have to any claims for payment of royalties in connection with any use, exhibition, streaming, webcasting, televising, or other publication of these materials, regardless of the purpose or sponsoring of such use, exhibiting, broadcasting, webcasting, or other publication irrespective of whether a fee for admission or sponsorship is charged. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video, or audio recording taken by Shiny Garden or the person or entity designated to do so by Shiny Garden.

Presentation, Audio & Stage Direction

Presentations for the Single Pattern are in the format of walk-ons. No skits will be presented and there is no tech rehearsal for this competition. Entrants will walk in front of the judges in the Green Room for workmanship, then present on stage. We will be playing continuous pre-determined music to accompany your walk-on. You may stop at the end of the catwalk for a maximum of 3, 5-second poses before walking off stage.

Volunteer stagehands will be available to guide you on and off the stage safely, and we encourage entries to engage their own handlers. Be sure to include them in your preregistration to ensure staging area access. Costumers with limited-visibility, bulky, or any costume that might impede mobility should contact the Masquerade Director in advance to discuss accommodations.

Documentation

Documentation for the Single Pattern Contest is optional and may be presented to the judges in the Green Room. Single Pattern documentation should be no more than two (2) single-sided pages.

Skill Divisions, Judging & Award Structure

Competition with one’s peers is the cornerstone of fairness. Contest entrants are divided into competition Skill Divisions to ensure that both beginning and experienced costumers have a reasonably equal chance to win awards.

Skill Divisions

The Youth Division is a non-competitive division for attendees 12 years old and younger who participate in the design and construction of their own costumes. The Youth Division typically opens the show!

The Novice Division exists to encourage people who are new to costuming and Cosplay Contests to compete. This might be your first cosplay contest; this might be your 5-6th and you’ve won 1 or 2 awards in Novice. You might have between 0-5 years of experience costuming, depending on how you craft. Judging and providing documentation is completely optional for this skill level.

The Journeyman Division is for costumers who may have won awards in the Novice Division, but who feel they are not yet ready to compete in the Master Division. You may have mastered (a few of) the basics (or dabbled in many!), developing your style and strengths, and may have more costumes or competition under your belt (the one you made, hehehehe). Judging and documentation are not required but recommended for this skill level.

The Master Division is open to any costumer who wishes to enter. Experienced costumers and cosplayers may seek new challenges in this Division or deeply dive into their favored skillset! Stage, film, and dance costuming professionals who hold membership in a union or guild are welcome in this Division only. Judging and documentation are required for this skill level.

Division awards are subject to consolidation based on number of entries. If you need more guidance regarding your Skill Division, please contact the Director at singlepattern@costumecon24.org.

Judging

• Single Pattern judging will be held in the Green Room immediately prior to the competition. More detailed schedules will be available in early 2024.
• Contestants will have approximately 2 minutes to present their work to the judges.
• Single Pattern judging is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please arrive early to ensure enough time.
• Judges may reassign skill-level at their discretion.
• Groups must compete at the highest skill level applicable to their entrants.
• Judging is based on skill level and pattern execution.
• If the chosen pattern is not obviously visible in the final product, contestants may be ineligible for awards.

Green Room, Official Photography, and Call Time

Participation in the Single Pattern Contest can require a commitment of more than three (3) hours including check-in, judging, queuing, photography, performance, and awards. Water, snacks, and repair tools will be available. You’ll be assigned to a “den” where a “parent” will be available to assist you and coordinate visits with the official photographer, judges, and MCs as necessary.

LAST CALL for contestants is 6:30 PM, Friday, March 29th, 2024. Late arrivals will not be permitted to take the stage and are ineligible for awards.

While we will do our best to create a safe space, the green room is NOT a secure location; leave belongings AT YOUR OWN RISK. CC42 is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

Costume-Con 42 Contacts

Questions about the Single Pattern Contest can be sent to the Director, Jessy Ramos, at singlepattern@costumecon42.org.

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Pattern Choices!

Here are the chosen patterns and variants for the “Single” Pattern Contest. There are “styles” that we are showcasing this year, and not just a single exclusive pattern. Because we wish any of our creators to make the designs for themselves, we are also making sure that alternatives to the Simplicity and McCall’s patterns are given to allow for all body types and shapes. The alternative patterns are also DIGITAL availability, so that folk from outside of the USA can purchase and print the patterns, and thus participate in the contest.

Costume-Con 42 Contacts

Questions about the Single Pattern Contest can be sent to the Director, Jessy Ramos, at singlepattern@costumecon42.org.