Wash, DC Lancaster County Garrison planning

For those who are participating in the Lancaster County Garrison costumes, please send me information on your helmet so I can make your Amish hat! I'll need to know the type of helmet you'll be wearing, how deep you want the hat, and the width of the helmet at the top and the bottom of the hat (and in the middle if it's got much of a taper. Thanks!

-Lori

 

Lori, just tell me how your making the hats and I'll make my own.

Can't forget the only PA resident of the Lancaster County Garrison.

 

As soon as I figure out what I'll be wearing, I will let you know. May have to borrow a helmet.

And begin my quest for overalls.

 

I have a big bolt of buckram (say that 10 times fast), which is fabric treated with starch that stiffens when you get it wet.

The hats have a round wide brim, and straight sides, with a round top. I haven't figured out the dimensions yet- it will depend on what type of helmet we use.

Each piece of the hat will need several layers of buckram, in order to make the hat so it won't bend. You sew the buckram layers for each piece together around all the edges before assembling the pieces. You'll probably need to hand-stitch the buckram; it doesn't handle well on most machines because of the starch in the fabric. You can use big stitches, since they won't show in the finished product- the object is just to baste them so they don't move around.

You cut out several pieces of buckram for the donut-shaped brim and sew them together; cut out several pieces of buckram in rectangular strips for the sides of the hat and sew them together; and cut out several round pieces of buckram for the top of the hat and sew them together.

Once you have the buckram layers for each piece sewn together, you sew the ends of the side pieces together to make a circle, and sew on the top and brim.

Once the pieces are all sewn together, you need to find something to use as a form, so that the hat will dry in the shape you want. You'll want something like a deep pie plate with flat sides to set the hat on when you get it wet, to hold the base and sides in place while it dries. You place the hat on the form, wet the hat thoroughly, and let it sit undisturbed while it dries.

Once the hat is completely dry, it should be stiffened in the correct shape. If it is floppy, sew more layers of buckram on the problem areas and wet it again to make it stiff enough.

Once the hat is the right shape and consistency, you cover it with black fabric and you're done.

Please let me know if you have any questions- this is a lot of information.

-Lori

 

I think I got the basic idea of the hat making Lori. When is the deadline on getting these costumes done? Farpoint or Dragon Con?

 

Ummmm... I looked around a bit on the web, and I really haven't found any Amish wearing overalls. Even when they work. It's kinda just pants and suspenders w/ a collared shirt. Or are we doing the overalls for general effect?

 

Well I own some, so I'm happy wearing those.

 

I've no idea. But overalls are funnier. And I'd guess easier to find than suspenders.

 

BTW, anybody know where to buy a cheap helmet? Seeing as I don't care much if it's up to 501st standards since I'll only be wearing it for the Lancaster County Garrison, I'm more concerned about a cheap pricetag

 

Your best bet is probably to get a cheap Don Post helmet from eBay.

-Lori

 

I believe we were shooting for Farpoint- I can have the hats done by then if I get the measurements soon.

-Lori

 

Charles is right- they don't actually wear overalls. The men wear dark-colored pants with suspenders. They wear shirts or coats without lapels. Their clothes are fastened with buttons, snaps or hook and eyes. They have long beards but no mustaches. The men wear black felt hats or straw hats (we're going for the felt version- I found some nice black felt on sale at JoAnn's yesterday).

The women wear solid color clothing in modest colors (dark green, blue, red, but not orange or yellow). They wear dresses that are mid-shin length or longer. Their clothes are fastened with stick pins or snaps. They wear a prayer cap- white for unmarried women or black for married women. They never cut their hair and wear it in a bun on the back of their head.

Of course, the object of the costume is comedy, not canon, so just have fun with it!

-Lori

 

The men wear what I wear in my re-enacting black cotton pants with buttonflys and suspenders white cotton shirt, and also a large brimmed straw boater. The differance is I wear a 9 button military vest (their's 9 button 19th century pattern) And I wear a Millitary frock coat no lapels. They wear a black civillian frock coat no lapels.

 

Well, we can go for the pants and suspenders look. I'm sure there's somewhere to buy suspenders online. Mostly I'd just all like us to look like we're doing a group costume, so we should aim for a similar feel either way. We doing the fake beards too?

Edit: Would something like this do? I could prolly justify spending that much.

 

Ok TK buckets, I can talk about this.

That is a latex helmet, it will be ungodly hot and hard to see out of. I know no one here is going for 501st standards for the buckets and the price is ok for what it is, but getting a hard helmet and inserting a hard hat liner would make all the difference in the world when your walking around the con.

I remember in the first chats about this project that we were considering switching out imperial costumes with Amish replacements, like using "Amish" quilts for robes and capes. Has the costumes themselves changed direction? I am unsure of which helmet I will be using: IRG or Snowtrooper, but I know I would want to throw in a quilt in either case.


Hey Lori, what if I used felt with fabric stiffener to make my hat? How tall are the hats going to be anyway? Is everyone making a beard? I was hoping to shave before I go to the con.

 

Well, I've got black pants, and so does Ken. I may have suspenders somewhere, though I suspect they're 1982 rainbow patterned ones.....

I'll have to look into helmets online for Ken and I. I know Ken cannot see without his glasses, so maybe he'll finish his security trooper helmet at last - an open face is key or I'm stuck leading him around all the time. How unfun. I, on the other hand, can wear anything since I've got contacts. (that said, we do have a cheapo Vader mask)

Wendy, I think we're still thinking replace all robes with quilts, though that'll be hard to do by Farpoint. Unless you're in a quilting frenzy!!!

Any thoughts on fake beards? And how to peacebond our hoes?

 

Well hell, then. Let me know if you find good helmets Eugenia. I don't know where else to look.

 

I'm planning on doing the Amish Vader.

Now all I gotta do is find a black quilt...

 

It looks like that mask is a floppy vinyl mask- you'll want a rigid plastic one instead. I have extra Don Post stuff if anyone needs it.

-Lori

 

I'm still planning on switching out pieces in my Snowtrooper to make it "Amish". I've picked up some pre-quilted white fabric that I'm going to make a duster out of...I've bought fabric to add "quilted" Imperial cogs onto the duster. I'll have to play around with accessories, but it's a good bet I'll make some sort of white suspenders that will go over the armor to get the Amish look.

Fabric stiffener might work if you start with some pretty solid felt. It might work better though just to make a cardboard base and cover it with the felt...then you wouldn't have the fabric stiffener showing through the cloth. I found a nice black wool felt at JoAnn's locally for 50% off, so it came out to about $3 a yard.

I'm adding a beard to my Snowtrooper helmet. I'm going to pick up a beard from Masters Costumes and fasten it to the cowl of the helmet. I haven't decided yet whether to go for the nicer quality beard, or to get the $3.99 cheap beard and chop off the mustache..

-Lori

 

Check at JoAnn's- they had some pre-quilted solid color fabric you could use to make a cape. They also had some patterned "cheater's quilt" fabric in various colors that you can use to make the cape. Either option would probably be easier to find and to work with than using an actual black quilt.

-Lori

 

Hold on here, Lori your doing a Amish Snowtrooper!?! lol

Ok now I know I have to do that as well.

 

Ok, maybe I can help with some of the quilting, however, I'm not so sure I'll be able to do the stuffing and the backing, but its the effect we're looking for. How many are we needing and who is making their own?

Joann does indeed have prequilted stuff. I'd suggest pricing it first. Otherwise, probably get some natural colored (by that I mean, no metallics or bizzar patterns and things, and it must be cotton)remnant fabric, cut it into squares and sew them together. It might be time consuming, but believe me it it'll be easier than making an authentic looking quilt. (You have to press seams, sorry, can't get out of that one, LOL.) Staying in the same color family might work too.

Alas, I don't have a bucket, so I think I'm out of the actual costuming itself unless someone wants to make me a quilted imperial officer's costume in time, LOL.

 

I have extra Don Post helmets I can bring if you need one.

-Lori

 

I bid on 2 on eBay, but only time will see if I actually get them /sigh. This is why I hate eBay and would prefer to order from an online store....