/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

Hopefully this doesn't sound whiny and/or entitled...

>have been cosplaying for a while (about 6 years)
>usually alter clothing/bought costumes/commission my outfits
>want to actually be able to make things
>not even remotely sure where to begin
>don't want to immediately suck at it and waste money on supplies bc I'm about to be poor af graduate student/adult

Most of my friends have taken a tough love approach with "you just have to do it and get frustrated and suck at it" which I understand but sucking at it and pouring money into things I'm not even sure I can make is frustrating when I'm getting older and need to be smart about my money. Like the idea that I could spend money on supplies and make plans and try my hardest only to not even be able to come up with a garment I want to wear is horrifying to me. I don't want to just stop cosplaying because I think I still have some good many years of it left, but I'm sick of spending so much of my extra money to commission when I know I could be making things myself...