neimhaille:

Currently light side costuming. Mainly I want a costume I don’t have to be glued into and is relatively easy to use the loo. So sick of getting sick from costumes that once on stay on until the end of the day with no food, drink or loo breaks.

 industrialarts said: question!!! what kind of stitching do you use for the inner vest/shirt? Ive been meaning to make a neck seal for my Mandalorian costume but Ive tried a few times and it always looks so horrible.

I first took the full width of fabric and made the basic lines: I basically pin tucked the back- overlocked/serged in one go. The fabric twisted a bit but not enough to be a worry. Then I machine stitched each tuck to make the spaces a little bit narrower.

Then cut both front pieces on the bias sewed the front seam (which is slightly S shaped) and finally topstitched the tucks from the topside, making sure all the tucks lay pointing down.

There is only enough to be seen, so that I could still be comfortable- there are so many layers at the waist I’m a little worried 😉

Also the machine stitching on top is very very short. A lesson learnt from Victorian period techniques where the tiny stitches make it look hand sewn or sewn by anything other than an industrial machine 😉

Another tip though: knit fabric will creep at different rates under the serger/overlocker and sewing machine. I help the fabric through by alternately stretching and pushing the fabric as needed. It’s a feel thing, something that takes practice to do. I also rarely pin fabrics any more- if I can’t hold the fabric in place then it’s probably going to need to be basted. Velvet. And slippery poly chiffon or slippery silk habotai etc…

And finally faux suede has a nap that can drag on the sewing plate r foot if you sew against it. And coated fabrics can also do the same thing. Except glazed. That obi has glazed cotton on the outside so far and it’s wonderful to sew. There is a reason it was ideal for Victorian garments.
Next up is to make the lekku again. I was going to strip back my Talon Lekku because that would be easier. But I wore her when I met lovely people and I have such very strong memories tied in that I cant. They are just going to be retired as they are 🙂
I have three bottles of white airbrush ink to tint and the “crappy” latex should still be fine for this project. I need to water it down anyway 🙂 And have a day where I can spend time out in the workroom with a fully functioning brain.
There should be just enough of the faux suede to make the wee helmet, which nicely hides the entire hairline. Body paint is easy peasy when you aren’t also trying to blend prosthethic seams….

Now I also need to see what kind of lightsaber she uses and decide to just use what I have or use some of the piping dug out from under the house (I am incredibly happy we got all our plumbing replaced after a house fire in 07 but boy did they leave a lot of pieces under the house!) Yay for some funky pieces for random buttons on random props.

So to bed so I can have a head start in the morning. While doing this I have also started a nice historian style outfit from some rust red-brown raw silk. I will be offering it to anyone in NZ as a bribe *ehem* to join he rebel Legion. I have helped a lot of RL members over the years just not so many locally.

Hense why I am having an open workshop this weekend and plan to pass on costume pieces 🙂 The crepe used for the tunic was a great and cheap find. I want to say Nick’s Fabrics but it may have been Geoff’s Emporium. But I got it essentially for my Shaak Ti (The Force Unleashed) costume. Yes I bought 15m just tomake sure i had enough for what took 1m tops.

I kind of want to make Master Fay’s robes from it too….

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