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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Chic, IL Star Wars costumes

Discussion in 'MidWest Regional Discussion' started by Schph_Gochi, Oct 31, 2004.

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  1. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    I have been out several times the past couple of weeks in my costumes...and people have begun to ask where they can get "one of those".

    Now that Celebration III and ROTS are fast approaching, there are a number of people that have begun to think in terms of making a costume...so I thought maybe starting a thread along that vein would be a help.

    No...I am not the worlds greatest seamstress...
    and...
    sadly....
    don't have enough time to sew costumes for people (I can barely get my own done)...I do have knowledge that I can share.....

    Here are some places to start...

    START NOW! If you have a costume in mind, you probably should have started by now.....more often than not...just strolling into a fabric store and finding the fabric you need just doesn't happen....it takes scouring fabric stores and on-line. If you wait to the last minute..your costume will look like a "last minute" thing...if you want something a little better...start NOW.

    Sewing patterns are on sale now.....after Halloween...patterns usually go on sale for cheap, cheap, cheap....

    While in the fabric stores and looking at fabric and patterns...if you don't sew....ask the ladies who work at the store....most of them sew or know others that sew and will take on "commissions"....

    Most Star Wars costumes include leather boots....start searching E-Bay NOW....there are usually a good amount of used boots on e-bay....nice leather boots that already have that... "they have been tromping around the galaxy awhile" look......both my Jedi boots and my Imperial Officer boots were purchased on E-bay...they both fit like a dream. If you find a nice pair of boots on E-bay...send the seller and e-mail asking him/her to take measurements on the boots...don't go by size alone. Before I bid on my pairs of boots...I asked for measurements like heel to toe, width at the ball of the foot, height of the boot, and circumferene at the top of the boot etc....and...as I said...they both fit REALLY well. If you don't find the boot you are looking for on e-bay...check again weekly....sometimes it takes a month or so...but I can almost assure you...you will find what you are looking for.


    A good quality costume of any kind (with all the bells and whistles) will cost you at least $400.00. Aside from the fabrics etc...the props are an important part of the costume...some of the "props" will have to be made...and some can be found...allow yourself time to find and make the props.

    I really stink at posting links...but if you put any of the names below into your search engine...I am sure you will find the right sites:


    For help with Imperial costumes:
    Go to the 501st-Midwest Garrison- You don't have to be a member to read the forums and there is a lot of good advice there and tips.

    For Rebel Costumes:
    The Rebel Legion
    Obi-Wan's Jedi Academy (they have more than just Jedi)
    A Padawan's Guide

    For Jedi Costumes:
    The Jedi Assembly (link is in my signature)
    A Padawan's Guide
    Obi-Wan's Jedi Academy
    Amber's Jedi Meditation Chamber

    For other "stuff"
    Dewback Wing (props)
    The Fan Force Costume and Prop forum

    Fabric on line:
    Thai Silks
    Fashion Fabric Club
    Phoenix Textiles

    For photos/research:
    Any of the DK Visual Dictionaries
    The New Essential Guide to Characters
    The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology
    Starwars.com



    I hope this post starts you thinking in terms of sitting down and starting to plan your costume....it is just a whole lot of fun to attend events in costume...

    If you have any questions....please feel free to post...I will try to help you....
     
  2. Mos_Eisleian_Radio

    Mos_Eisleian_Radio Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2000
    There was talk at the last book club about reviving our costume club. There are a few people who would like to do a costume for C3, but need help (like me, who would like to make a Quinlan Vos costume). Talking with Lionel and Emma the week before, they said if we were to revive our costuming club, they'd be willing to volunteer their home for a workshop. We did have a succuessful Jedi robe workshop a year and a half ago. It'd be nice if we could resurrect that.

    Phil
     
  3. Hawk-Bat

    Hawk-Bat Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2003
    Yeah that would be awsome I want to try building a rebel pilot costume.
     
  4. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Well....for you Hawk-Bat...my first advice is ...
    FOCUS!
    I don't want to be cruel here...but jeez...last year you wanted to do a Jedi costume....a month ago you wanted to do a Rebel Trooper.....now you want to do an X-Wing. You really have to figure out what you want to do...or you will get NOWHERE! I say this out of experience....I was trying to do 3 costumes at once...and finally....have put the others aside and am focusing on one. X-Wing is a fairly expensive costume to do....a good helmet is gonna cost you, even in kit form...and there are a LOT of pieces to be made/bought. I know that you have posted at the RL looking for someone to take your hand....where we can HELP you...we will not DO IT FOR YOU....now that I am done with the "tough love" ....please settle on one costume.....

    Phil...Quinlan Vos should really not be too much of a problem.....his tunic, tabbards and sash appear pretty standard Jedi....and I have patterns that will work.....the pants should be no problem...I suggest you just look for pants off the racks....you don't see much of them anyway....just find a color of pants at the store that are close in color to what you want. Also...start looking for fabric for the tabbards ans sash now...you will probably need at least 6 yards of the dark brown fabric (for outer tunic, tabbards and sash) and another 4-5 yards for under-tunic (if you want to do a full undertunic...less if you want to do a "cheater"....you will also need the same color fabric to wrap your arms up to the elbow.....stick with natural fibers like cotton, linen, and possibly silk.

    If you want your Quinlan to be regognized as Quinlan....you need to start looking for boots and belt. Find your boots first....then they can be taken to a leather worker (shoe repair shops....if you can find them...usually can do most anything in leather) to add the detail to the boots....that will cost around $75.00....the belt is also something that can be made for you at around $75.00 also....It looks like Quinlan carries standard Jedi fare on his belt....I can provide you with links on where to buy the correct pen caps and hemispheres for the food capsules.....the pen caps are Staedler Roller pens that I have been told are still available at Staples (I ordered mine on-line) and the hemispheres to cover the end of the caps are available at Plastruct (on line)...

    Hope that give both of you a place to start.......
     
  5. darthgoat

    darthgoat Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 6, 2001
    As someone who has a few costumes done, focusing on the project is extremely important. If you lose focus, you'll never finish the costume or it wont be as good as it could have been.

    Also keep in mind your budget and resources that are available. This will help you keep realistic expectations.

    Time is your enemy at this point, especially if you want to be ready for C3. If you're gonna bust out a killer costume now's the time to get started.
     
  6. Bosh_Talk

    Bosh_Talk Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    The request to organize an official CF Costume Club has not fallen on deaf ears.
    We are currently in the process of getting one organized, and hopefully we'll have our first meeting by January. We've got a centralized location and just need to hammer out the details.

    Thanks for the ideas and support for this project from everyone involved.

    Bosh

    +++++++++

    Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man.
     
  7. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    January sounds do-able....and would give interested parties enough time to start deciding what they want to do and time to start searching for the items they will need to accomplish what they are setting out to do.

    We know that Phil is on board with his Quinlan Vos...

    who else out there wants to do a costume...

    Please post with what costume you are interested in doing so that we might get a handle on the numbers...

     
  8. shwanzi

    shwanzi Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    Well, once we are done filming the Pathways Trilogy in April I will be putting the costumes up for sale on Ebay. If anyone is interested, drop me a line.
     
  9. darthgoat

    darthgoat Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 6, 2001
    "Please post with what costume you are interested in doing so that we might get a handle on the numbers..."

    And materials/time required for each costume.
     
  10. RexGetz

    RexGetz Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jun 13, 2003
    Bosh wants to know if it's posible to make a CLOWN costume for him.
     
  11. Hazmatt

    Hazmatt Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    That's a little insensitive, considering his father was killed by a clown.
     
  12. darthgoat

    darthgoat Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 6, 2001
    You mean he's not already wearing a clown costume?
     
  13. Bosh_Talk

    Bosh_Talk Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    Yeah, that's why hate Darth Maul. Space Cl*wns suck!

    Seriously though, I'd like to do Palpatine's robes (RotJ).
     
  14. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Palpy's robe should not be too much of a problem....
    I have a pattern for a good one...

    start looking for fabric....
    ;)
     
  15. Lily_Wan

    Lily_Wan Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2004
    I am working on an AT-ST Driver costume and would like to be part of the costuming group. If anyone has advice on where/how I can buy the helmet (it's also the Snowtrooper helmet) please let me know. I have the goggles already.
     
  16. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Well....I have got some bad news for you....and some worse news for you.

    In looking at the 501st members...there is only ONE completed AT-ST driver...which means...probably no one has a helmet. You will have to make that entirely on your own. I have sent you a pm with the e-mail address (I don't know if it is still current) of the person who has the completed costume...he may be able to help you......but it looks like you will have to find a simple bowl style helmet...and modify it with fiberglass.....

    there are also very few snowtroopers....
     
  17. RexGetz

    RexGetz Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jun 13, 2003
    Hey LilyWan,I might know somebody, that knows a guy, that knows someone that can hook you up. Get my e-mail addy from the profile (anyone leaves some unwanted MSGs, be ready to get some back). We are here to help, regardless of what you heard about me.
     
  18. DarthAstuart

    DarthAstuart Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    i have a few sorta-related costume questions.

    my big ambition for CIII is to have a shirt made out of a set of Star Wars bedsheets. i think it'd look hellacool with that vintage sheet fabric.

    i've been looking on ebay already for the sheets, but i thought the more experienced seamstress folk out there could help me with some more info.

    1) can i do that with the average sheet fabric, or will it be too thin?

    2) how much do you think i can expect to pay a seamstress to make me such an item?

    3) is it a complicated project, or something easy for a seamstress to tackle?

    thanks.

    vote quimby.
     
  19. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    The sheets will be on the thin side....probably not a good idea if you are trying to make a "dress shirt".....
    .but I have seen one of the 501st members that made pajama like pants out of vintage SW bed sheets...they do look cool. Would be great for "casual"....

    It should not be a difficult job for a seamstress to tackle at all....

    one thing you might want to do....is look at men's shirt patterns and pick a style of shirt that you like...

    ..you can look at patterns on-line at Simplicity or McCalls or Butterick....



     
  20. flippingyodacola

    flippingyodacola Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 27, 2003
    We are definately going to hold the costuming workshop here, at my house. Weve got the space for it...
     
  21. Bosh_Talk

    Bosh_Talk Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    Wow, that is a cool idea Matt. Like that one lady we always run into that made that jacket out of those Threepio towels. You'll be just like her.
     
  22. Dex_Luminara

    Dex_Luminara Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2004
    I am realllly considering doing a "Vader" costume. Thanks in part to Emma's suggestions that I be our group's Vader given that my SIZE and STATUREmeet the obvious requirements. And since I have no projected time-frame (i.e. I'll have it completed when I need it, whether that be my first D-Con or other), and money is no real issue if I'm that into it, I think I'm gonna give it a go. Now I just need to decide if I wanna get the armor pre-fab or make a vaccu-form table which I'm not really sure I have the space for. And I need to brush up on sewing skills that I haven't used since the 8th grade. If I'm gonna do it I'm shooting for the sky! What's the best fabric for Vader's cape do you think? And should I add weight to the bottom hem to make it drape properly or will the fabric be heavy enough on it's own?
     
  23. flippingyodacola

    flippingyodacola Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 27, 2003
    Well, we were thinking of setting up a vacuum form table here for the costume thing and because Phyllis and I were talking about making armor. I know Hawk-bat would probably also like to get some armor, or whatnot.. Its a big project, but if we all go in on it, it gets alot cheaper.
    I know Bosh wanted to start this round january, but if we wanna cast armor by then, we may need to start soon.

    Ive got a whole sheet written out that Im gonna post sometime soon about this costume club
     
  24. darthgoat

    darthgoat Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 6, 2001
    You wanna make a vac table?

    http://www.studiocreations.com/howto/vacuumforming/index.html

    That is the best place to start or so I've been told.

    Vader is a massive undertaking. Its gonna depend alot on your budget. You'll make a great Vader Dex! I'll see what I can dig up for you.
     
  25. DarthJurist

    DarthJurist Admin Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2000
    There's a couple routes the club like this could go. There could be 'workshops' where someone that's skilled in an area talks and demonstrates, etc. There could be 'group projects' like in school (this week class, we're making lightsabers, everyone meet at the Home Depot). Or there could be regular meetings where people meet up to work on whatever they are working on.

    I don't really have anything in the works at the moment so I'll be happy to help other people out.

    ~H~

     
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