Chic, IL Costume Club-X-Wing Flak Vest project

Costume Club won't be meeting in January, but in February, we will be starting our X-Wing Flak Vest project. Several members had expressed wanting to upgrade or make a flak vest....so....
here is the supply list:

2-3 yards of white nylon woven fabric (it has been recommended that Joanne Fabrics has a good choice called "sport nylon"....and it might be found in the area of the store where craft and utility fabri is found)

40 feet of clear PVC tubing- 5/16" outside diameter (found in plumbing section of Home Depot/Lowes...and possibly at a pet supply store for aquarium use)

8 feet of white plastic coated 14-gauge wire (electrical dept of Home Depot)

1" wide white elastic - 1 foot

1" wide white twill tape...about 3 yards

Craft paper to make pattern

Closures...insertion locks...can be ordered here...
http://p082.ezboard.com/fpropreplicasfrm39.showMessage?topicID=375.topic

A buckle for the back adjustment strap....kinda one of those things that might be and adjustment part of a carrier sling...I will try to find these also

The usual supplies of white thread, a washable fabric marking pencil/chalk...

I have a tutorial by Angela Anderson-Cobb from the Rebel Legion and some photos and diagram of pattern pieces....a big Jedi bow for the great tutorial...

you can view the tutorial here....it may help in locating some of the aforementioned buckles....and....you might want to make and cut the pattern pieces in advance.....
http://www.echobaserebels.com/reference/xwingcostume/vest.php



so....get out there and start assembling your supplies...

Costume Club will meet the first Saturday of February at Lionel and Emma's Studio....we will talk about the time a little closer to the event...

probably starting early to give everyone as much time as possible....

I encourage you to bring your sewing machine...

 

Thread, usual? Yes
Fabric chalk? Not so much

Thanks for the list. I'll try to be very prepared.

If you go to Joann.com you can sign up to be on the mailing list. You'll get a coupon for 40% or 50% off one item on a near weekly basis.

 

And...you will need to purchase a double needle for your sewing machine...these are available in the notions department of Joanne's....

If your sewing machine is a portable...we will probably ask that you bring a machine.

Also...I would encourage you to go to the tutorial...and if you are comfortable doing so...to make your pattern using the template at the tutorial....

 

I read through the tutorial. Nicely done!

Where does the use of the double needle come in and what is the advantage or necessity of using it?

I'm asking because the machine I usually use isn't capable of accomodating a double needle. It's a 1930's Singer, so I doubt I will be able to find a double-wide throat plate to fit.
My 1970's Singer does have the zig-zag throat plate and I could use a double needle, but that machine balks on heavier fabric applications.

 

The double needle makes two rows of stitches at once...I used one for my Han Solo vest...and it works pretty neat....

I think you can use a double needle on any machine that can accomodate two spools of thread on top....

 

I think this is the fabric that the tutorial talks about....
http://www.joann.com/catalog.jhtml?CATID=95008&PRODID=54445&source=search

I think I will try to stop by Joanne's in Orland on my way home tonight....see if they have it....

 

Update:
Went to Joanne's...and sure enough...I found the fabric just as Angela had said...it is in the utility area...near the felt....I could not find it at first...but the one nice saleslady that I always bother when I am there did help me find it.

It is unusual fabric, to say the least...and probably one that I would not have picked...BUT...if Angela says it is the stuff to use...that is good enough for me....

 

I emailed the gentleman that does the insertion locks. He says he is currently out but can order more. I sent a reply back how long that takes. So it might be good to order together.

 

To be honest with you Carrie...unless you are looking to do a canon flak vest and join the Rebel Legion...I wouldn't worry too much about those locks....we can figure out something else to use for you...like those plastic lock sets they use on backpacks etc...which can just be purchased at Joanne Fabrics....

But if canon is your goal..then..make sure to order those pieces...

 

Furthermore if they are denying your membership based on the "wrong" type of locks you probably don't want to be a member of that club anyway.

 

I'm not sure they would deny membership for the locks...

I honestly don't pay too much attention to that facet...

the only costumes I have been asked to evaluate are Jedi...and then only rarely.

I sat down and made the pattern pieces and the cardboard spacer thingies....and washed the fabric....

I hope to get some actual sewing in on it this weekend...so I know how much hair dye to buy...lol..

 

I am going to Sandy Eggo tomorrow, and I saw just the right kind of grey strap for the "parachute" rig on the legs of the pilots in a surplus store there... if they still have it, I will bring some back, it's softer than the seatbelts cut out of the wrecks at the junkyard. Then we fly on to LA and Hollywood, where you can get some pretty nice helmets in the costume store on Hollywood blvd. pretty reasonable.

 

wow...lol...I got Lionel to post...
Have a great trip guys....

I had to go to Joannes yesterday to pick up another double needle...and found some other strapping and buckle options....

I washed the fabric....egad....lost over 2" of it to fraying....I am going to try a few things to cut down on fraying when I cut the fabric today.....my first reaction would be to run to someone (I have a fellow Garden Club member who has a serger) who has a serger...but am trying to figure out how to control fraying without one because not all folks would have access....I found some bonding tape...so I might cut the fabric around 1/4" larger than my pattern piece and outline the fabric with the iron-on bonding...

I am heading to Home Depot a little later to buy the tubing....I will see how that goes...

 

Merry Christmas Costume Club...

Having some time off has allowed me to work on the Flak Vest project....
I have cut some extra copies of the pattern pieces that I made...if anyone is interested in having a set of the patterns...please send me a pm. It will save time if you can have certain things done before the workshop.

Some other items of note so far.
Fabric issues:
The fabric, as noted, frays like crazy! I purchased that heat bond stuff and tried it on a scrap piece of the fabric...the sole purpose was to try to use it like a form of fray check. The manufacturer instructions say that you should not sew fabric bonded with this stuff. So I also stitched the scrap piece
of fabric that I tested out the bonding on....it works pretty good...so I did all of the pattern pieces using the bonding tape to "glue down" the outer seams...and then stitching the seams as per the tutorial. The bonding tape works fast (3-5 seconds) and seems to do a nice job....ideally...if you have access to a serger...serge your pieces!

When you purchase your fabric...store it rolled instead of folding it...it ends up with creases that are nearly impossible to get out even with an iron....DO NOT use too high of heat settings on your iron when pressing......too hot and you can almost melt the stuff.

One of the things I was terrified of with this fabric was how it would "take the curves"....I am happy to say that the curves came out great!

The other thing that I am going to do with the straps to cut down on fraying issues is to use folds in the fabric rather than cutting the strap as 4 pieces...I am doing it as one and then stitching the folds to make the pieces look "stitched together"....you will get the same look without giving the fabric the chance to fray some more!

The Supply list:
Home Depot had all of the tubing and wire that the tutorial calls for...so I would say that I was 100% successfull in getting all of the pieces to the puzzle.

Out of curiosity...I added up the expenses so far...

Fabric...... 13.98
Tubing...... 6.38
Wire........ .72
Twill Tape.. 2.78
Elastic..... 1.29
Thread...... 3.29
Twin needles 9.78 (two different widths)
Strap adj... 1.29
strap clip.. 2.29
" " 2.69
Hem bonding. 1.59
strap option 1.99
so....
so far a little over $48.00
now you know why some costumes really still cost a lot...even if you do it yourself...

I have also spent around 3-4 hours so far just
with making and cutting pattern pieces, cutting fabric, bonding and stiching the main pieces...
I haven't even gotten to the tubing channel yet....
lol...
that is when the fun begins....

I will keep you all updated as I continue on this journey.....I am trying to make all of the mistakes for you....and have a completed unit for the workshop....

 

Another hint....
After you purchase your tubing...hang it somewhere to "relax"....lol...
I worked on the vest quite a bit over the last two days....and am almost done with the front....I will have to make some adjustments to my pattern after I complete the front...probably will have to do the same with the back....

It is actually moving along pretty good....

 

How are we all doing on getting the supplies needed?
Anyone doing anything with regard to this project?

 

I wrote down a list of supplies I need to get and I checked to see if my machine takes two needles (it doesn't). Not project specific related, but I've been sewing other things to practice sewing in a straight line.

 

A double needle is actually not two separate needles..but two needles attached to one "base"...and that one "base" inserts into your single needle hole

Joanne's does have them....they are made by a company called Schmetz....and come in three widths...you can especially use the 6,0/100 and the 4,0/80 size...the key to the double needles is having two thread posts on the top of your machine....

One of the things I found already is that you have to add around an inch or so to the pattern piece called "outer front"....I pretty much ran out of room...I have the front piece done....

 

I only have one thread holder though so unless Peaches wants to hold a spool of thread for me... (plus I only have one hook right before you thread the needle. My old machine had two and two spool holders.

 

I guess i could be useful

 

This is a project that should help you a lot, Peaches. I hope you had a chance to check out some of the links Pyllis put up.

 

I will bring my machine to the meeting....

I will be starting on the back of the piece this week...hopefully....
I was working on the strap a little yesterday.....that and about 10,000 other projects....

Hawkbat....how much of your X-Wing costume have you gathered up so far?

 

of the flak vest?

 

no....of the entire costume...

 

I am starting from scratch again the parts I have don't either fit me or are not good enough but thats ok.