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

Sith / Dark Side Works in Progress - What are you sewing today?

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by Lady_Belligerent , Sep 7, 2022.

  1. Fallen-Hero

    Fallen-Hero Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2009
    That's exactly why I was so hesitant about this. I didn't want straight "rigid" sleeves. Thank you both for your input!

    Considering there's accessories going around the cuffs, I might go for adding a 2" or so strip, just to help give it some stability.

    Message transmitted from an unidentified T65XJ.
     
  2. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    That makes sense or even 1.5" as you don't want the stiffness running up to far.
     
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  3. Seldes_Katne

    Seldes_Katne Force Ghost star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2002
    This is the bag I mentioned on Page 1. The owl doubles as a pocket -- it would probably hold an average-sized cell phone. The color is inaccurate; in real life it's more of a blue-green aqua, but you get the idea. The bag is made from part of a pant leg, so the side seams were already done. I'm reasonably pleased with the finished product, and I think I'll play around with different animals for the pocket.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2008
    @Seldes_Katne I love your bag! What a great idea, and the owl is adorable. The pocket options are unlimited, I’ve done some SW and Super Mario images in felt that would work for that.
     
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  5. Fallen-Hero

    Fallen-Hero Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2009
    Oh that is gorgeous bag! I love owls.
    Neat idea on using a pant leg too.
     
  6. Seldes_Katne

    Seldes_Katne Force Ghost star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2002
    Finally have the opportunity to attend a SF/F con for the first time in three years, and I wanted something new to wear, so I'm working on a Northern Water Tribe outfit based on art from Avatar: the Last Airbender. I'm using Simplicity pattern 8960 for a long tunic (dark blue fabric with white fur trim), and pattern 1294 for the shoulder cowl and hood. I'm even making a face mask with the Water Tribe symbol to go with it, as I'm still leery of being unmasked in a crowded indoor space.

    I have white leather and fur boots left over from a retired Winter Fairy costume, and will have to look through my closet for pants of some sort. (The 8960 pattern has pieces for pants, but I won't have time to do that before the convention.)

    Seeing all the costumes in this thread has been an inspiration! :)
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2023
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  7. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2008
    @Seldes_Katne both of those patterns are perfect for what you’re planning! Do you have navy opaque tights or even leggings that you could wear with it? Please share pics as you put it all together, I’d love to follow along.

    My sewing today has been boring. I’m altering a jacket and it’s not going now I’d hoped. This might be one for a professional. :p
     
  8. Seldes_Katne

    Seldes_Katne Force Ghost star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2002
    Neither, I'm afraid. There's a place nearby that sells leggings exclusively, so I might stop in to look, but I'm not sure how comfortable I feel about something that tight. Granted, the leggings will be mostly covered by the rest of the costume.... When I get time, I'm going to try the pants that comes as part of this pattern and see how that works.

    Thank you. I'll see if I can get some pics up in the next day or so.
     
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  9. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 29, 2008
    @Seldes_Katne I totally hear you on the leggings. I’m not really a legging fan, and seldom wear them myself, but I love opaque tights.
     
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  10. Fallen-Hero

    Fallen-Hero Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2009
    May I join the "Not going as I'd hoped" club? Trying to get a well fitting bodice for Princess Jupiter and I have soo many alterations that need to be done in the chest area... still, what kind of alterations are you trying to put in your jacket?

    @Seldes_Katne I'm not much of a tights, much less leggings type of person, but I have to admit it does help level up certain costumes. They also do come handy for holding thigh socks or knee high boot covers. Still, the important point of cosplay is to have fun, and if you're not comfortable in what you wear, than you'll miss out on some of the fun.
     
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  11. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 29, 2008
    The shoulders are too big, but the rest of it fit just fine. Think the style is Raglan-yoke, so it means practically taking it apart, which is a little overwhelming. :p It was kind of pricey, so that’s why I’m leaning towards getting it done professionally.
     
  12. Fallen-Hero

    Fallen-Hero Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2009
    Oh, yeah that's definitely not a little alteration. Depending on the price they charge, I would probably bring it to a professional as well.
     
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  13. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2008
    Here’s something different. What’s your experience with making gloves?

    I really, really want to make these! They are fabulous with the beading giving the appearance of blood. Would you take the shortcut and buy the gloves, or make the whole piece? I kind of want to take a shot at making the gloves too.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Seldes_Katne

    Seldes_Katne Force Ghost star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2002
    I have this pattern (Vogue 7949) for gloves but haven't tried it. I picked it up because most gloves tend to be too long for my fingers, especially the pinkie. I think I'd give it a try just for the challenge. (And if it works, because I could then make fitted gloves. Shorter length, of course, for everyday use.)

    As requested, I have some pictures of my Water Tribe costume:

    [​IMG]
    The only thing not finished is the neckline, which will have wide white ribbon rather than fur. The cuffs and bottom fur serve as both decoration and part of the hem (sewed right side of fur to wrong side of tunic, then folded it to outside and topstitched, then sewed the top of the fur in place).

    [​IMG]
    Short cape with hood. RIght now the hood has no decoration, but I'm looking at various trims and may end up making my own out of felt. The only thing I have left to do is sew a large hook and eye on the inside of the cape at the throat, to keep the cape on.

    I'm also adding:
    [​IMG]
    Repurposed from my Winter Fairy costume, the piece with the large snowflake will be sewn on snaps and placed at the throat of the cape. I'm thinking of adding the other two pieces at the bottom corners of the cape.

    My ultimate goal is to refine this until it's ready for competition in a convention's Masquerade, but that's a ways down the line. This version will just be for a hall costume.
     
  15. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 29, 2008
    @Seldes_Katne That’s beautiful and I love the fabric. Those embellishments will be perfect on it.

    I think I found the trim that looks like blood dripping, so maybe I’ll check out patterns while I’m there tomorrow.
     
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  16. Seldes_Katne

    Seldes_Katne Force Ghost star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2002
    If you try the gloves, let us know, particularly if you need to make adjustments. Do you have a costume in mind to go with those gloves, or is it just for the practice?
     
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  17. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 29, 2008
    I’ve been wanting to try gloves for a long time, and then when I saw these I knew I had to make them. For a long time I did a lot of beading for stage costumes, and these gloves let me do beading which I love.
     
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  18. Fallen-Hero

    Fallen-Hero Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2009
    Those gloves look like it's spandex or some other stretch fabric. That really shouldn't be too hard to sew. McCall's has a Yaya Han pattern with a bunch of glove types that would work great for this.

    I'm still trying to "master" the art of non-strerch glove making. Those gussets...

    Water tribe costume is looking good! Those embellishments will be a lovely addition.

    Message transmitted from an unidentified T65XJ.
     
  19. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    I made gloves once, I traced my hand on paper, cut it out, put it on lycra and cut to that size, and once sewn, they fitted my child.

    So next time I traced husbands hand to make mine.......I went big and it worked, when I went up the arm I did the same, measuring his arm. Its easier to take stuff in if it's a bit big. ;) You can shape the for your arm too with chalk.
     
  20. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2008
    I’ve picked up a couple of patterns I’m going to try, and I also have a couple of pair of elbow length in black I’m going to experiment with. I’m just a bit concerned that lycra might not hold the weight of the dangling beads involved. I think I need a medium weight, I think that’s 5.5 oz to try? @Fallen-Hero am I overthinking? :p I had quite a bit of heavy weight spandex, but in the wrong colors.
     
  21. Fallen-Hero

    Fallen-Hero Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2009
    Oh you'll definitely want a thicker lycra so it doesn't sag under the weight of the beads. I have to admit, I barely know what the different onzes translate to in textiles (I know it's the thickness from denim experience), so I'm really not an expert on that front.

    I tend to shop by feel. It's why I have such a hard time with the online shops

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  22. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 29, 2008
    Yes! Thank you! I find some great deals online, but then I’ve been disappointed by the weight and quality.
     
  23. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    She's right, there is nothing better than walking through the fabric store, looking at patterns, fabrics and textures. It's fun! There is a place near me where the lady buys all the discontinued stuff from the big stores, and she has sheds and sheds of everything from upholstery, to dance, to clothes and quilting. Its a maze and you have to spend time, cause there is so much to see.
     
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  24. Fallen-Hero

    Fallen-Hero Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2009
    @Adalia-Durron that sounds like a place folks can dump me first thing in the morning and have to come looking for me with a search party weeks later. [face_laugh]

    In other news, I have sewn the lining of my duster and realized that I somehow overlooked the ridiculously large cuffs with my mock-up. I had to take in the cuffs by 4". I need to figure out how I wish to attach the pauldrons before I can sew the lining to the fashion layer. Once I got that done, I'll share a picture.
     
  25. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 29, 2008
    Awesome @Fallen-Hero I’m looking forward to seeing it.
     
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