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[Verco Nuhla]

If the App Team doesn't like the taser setup as is, you might consider making taser-knuckleplates. You hit them, they'll go every time.

Ooooohhh like the taser brass knuckles from CoD Zombies? lol that'd be sweet

[Ikaan Deema]

Um... I don't play CoD very often, but yeah. Same idea.

[StormMaker]

     After reading everything on this thread, I got just 3 words for you: "Go for it!!"

     Overall, I think the idea is unique.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Haha, thanks everyone! No real progress to show, will probably be a bit slow going since I only get paid monthly and this month there hasn't been much work to do. But the helmet, which has been the most expensive piece so far, is likely on its way! I'll probably do the soft parts next so I can repattern my torso pieces accordingly.

These are the fabrics I'm planning on using for the flak vest and then the optional cape/loincloth:

http://www.joann.com/jo-ann-stores-duck-canvas-fabric/prd23683.html#q=duck+cloth&start=1 for the vest, in Olive.

http://thefabricexchange.com/solid-metallic-foil-spandex-60-inch-olive/ And for the optional half-cape and the loincloth. I wanted something with a wet-look shine, but not satin/sequins. Had little luck with finding a lame in that color, but this looks like it could work! To me it looks pretty futuristic, and adds a little 'oomph' to an otherwise dark kit lol

Just gotta pattern things out!

[Kris Jasra]

Duck cloth looks good, metallics not so much. Foil fabrics look futuristic in a super spaceman way rather than a down to earth star wars way.

[StormMaker]

Duck cloth looks good, metallics not so much. Foil fabrics look futuristic in a super spaceman way rather than a down to earth star wars way.

     Yeah. I'm afraid Kris is right. The metallic will probably make you look like something from a Black & White SciFi movie. Many of the outfits/costumes in Star Wars really didn't use that.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Duck cloth looks good, metallics not so much. Foil fabrics look futuristic in a super spaceman way rather than a down to earth star wars way.

Darn, oh well! Better to know now before I buy it! Thanks

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Who's got two thumbs and is terrible at doing things in a timely fashion?

Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~.

But a couple of updates: I poked NME about the status of my order since it's been about 8 weeks since I placed it and I wanted to make sure I'd get a tracking number. He says it should ship on Saturday, woohoo! I'm also hoping to get some patterning paper this weekend, maybe order the leather fabric I'll be using to mod my turtleneck and then the duck cloth. Maybe I'll buy some yarn too to make the belt once I get a better idea of the duck cloth's color in person. Sorry for necro'ing, no new pictures or anything but hopefully getting that helmet will kick my rear into gear lol.

EDIT: So to avoid a double-post, just editing this one. I'm still looking at the duck cloth for my vest, but I also found some cool batiks and was wondering if any of these would be acceptable. My primary concern is the design being too flashy, but I'm not sure if batik designs are too earth-y, either.

https://www.fabric.com/buy/0384582/artisan-batiks-prisma-dyes-mottled-jungle
https://www.fabric.com/buy/0436714/island-batik-tuscany-sun-fern-dark-green
https://www.fabric.com/buy/0384579/artisan-batiks-prisma-dyes-mottled-aubergine

The second one in particular I really like! But if they are a no-go, I might opt for a darker green instead of the olive. It's lighter than I remember it, and I'd like something just a tinge darker.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

So I finally bought my fabric to make my vest! Gonna be following the design of Jaki's side-opening vest (found here: http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=116746.msg1597095#msg1597095).

The outer fabric is just a basic purple Kona cotton. It's a little darker and less blue than the picture shows. I'll be lining it with some quilt batting to give it a little more heft and structure (no more pleather vests for me.. learned that lesson last time!).



Also, obligatory pic of my ferocious beast. He's a noisy pain in the shebs, and I've no doubt my kit will have a distinct orange tint by the time it's done, haha!



Hoping to put this together soon. Still have to pattern it out, shouldn't be too hard to throw together in an afternoon, though. Then I need to buy some pleather to modify my turtleneck... progress! Baby steps!

[StormMaker]

So I finally bought my fabric to make my vest! Gonna be following the design of Jaki's side-opening vest (found here: http://mandalorianmercs.org/forum/index.php?topic=116746.msg1597095#msg1597095).

The outer fabric is just a basic purple Kona cotton. It's a little darker and less blue than the picture shows. I'll be lining it with some quilt batting to give it a little more heft and structure (no more pleather vests for me.. learned that lesson last time!).



Also, obligatory pic of my ferocious beast. He's a noisy pain in the shebs, and I've no doubt my kit will have a distinct orange tint by the time it's done, haha!



Hoping to put this together soon. Still have to pattern it out, shouldn't be too hard to throw together in an afternoon, though. Then I need to buy some pleather to modify my turtleneck... progress! Baby steps!

     Oh yeah. The lovely baby steps, but she'll be running before you know it.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

     Oh yeah. The lovely baby steps, but she'll be running before you know it.

Haha, yup! Really the toughest part is just buckling down and working instead of slacking off or playing World of Warcraft.. but I've just about finished the mockup (good thing, too, or I would've wasted my fabric), and I may have to buy some more fabric anyway because I'm not sure I bought enough, but hopefully this weekend I can finish up the vest!

[Akiva Tal'korel]

Here I am again with little progress done. I'll post pics later but the vest is complete. Not 100% satisfied with it but I'm running short on time to get this done by Halloween. I can always make more tweaks later.

Unfortunately, one of the biggest downsides I've discovered from being out of the costuming/armor-making scene for as long as I have is that I'm extremely rusty, and it's rather frustrating. I've got a project schedule that I can follow, but right now I'm really struggling with sizing and templating my torso armor. :/ Especially when I'm trying to sketch it on Sintra and then find that pencil doesn't really erase on it so now I've just made a mess and still haven't gotten where I needed to go.

If y'all have any tips for how to best template (aside from doing it on paper, which I will) armor, particularly for a chica who is trying to keep her look as close to the male templates as possible (boob plate isn't practical for a jailer!), I'd really appreciate it. I'm finding it really hard to stay motivated on this project, or any project lately, but if I can at least get the torso armor sorted that's likely the toughest part.

EDIT: Found some templates on the dented helmet that should fit. Sized for someone who is 5'1", which is a half-inch shorter than I am so I don't know if I should go for that or the 5'3", which is 1.5" taller than I am.

[Kris Jasra]

I would heavily advise not templating until you have the vest if you're wanting to try for masculine plates and have a larger bust as you may have to add padding in a couple of places to lose the breast profile. If you don't think you'll need to pad then wear whichever bra or binder you plan on costuming with before starting.
I ended up making my template from scratch as I had no printer back when I started. I put on a strip of fabric to simulate where my girth belt would sit and measured from the top of that up to my neck. I then measured across my chest and then simply drew out a set of armour using Boba and Jango as my references for angles and cut it all out of folded paper so it was symmetrical. Then it was just a matter of refining a few parts that needed adjusted angles due to me being 3D and the flat paper not.

I did get my hands on some templates eventually and it turns out that I require the 5'5 ish set for width and 4'9 ish for height when I am 5'3. So the templates can be a great start but without the actors body shape you will have to adjust them to fit anyway - so grab a size and use them for the basic shape and angles but add and cut them till they fit you.

[Akiva Tal'korel]

I would heavily advise not templating until you have the vest if you're wanting to try for masculine plates and have a larger bust as you may have to add padding in a couple of places to lose the breast profile. If you don't think you'll need to pad then wear whichever bra or binder you plan on costuming with before starting.
I ended up making my template from scratch as I had no printer back when I started. I put on a strip of fabric to simulate where my girth belt would sit and measured from the top of that up to my neck. I then measured across my chest and then simply drew out a set of armour using Boba and Jango as my references for angles and cut it all out of folded paper so it was symmetrical. Then it was just a matter of refining a few parts that needed adjusted angles due to me being 3D and the flat paper not.

I did get my hands on some templates eventually and it turns out that I require the 5'5 ish set for width and 4'9 ish for height when I am 5'3. So the templates can be a great start but without the actors body shape you will have to adjust them to fit anyway - so grab a size and use them for the basic shape and angles but add and cut them till they fit you.

Thanks for the input! I do have my vest done and I'm just a little lazy right now, but I'm also thinking of changing it some. It currently velcros on the sides, but it's a little hard to put on-- are life-vest style buckles accepted for vests? They'd be on the sides, and black of course to match the flight suit underneath. Wanna make sure that's okay before I make any changes.

Once I can get some answers there and potentially refine my vest, I'll see if I can't have my husband print out some templates when he can and play around with sizing. I expect I'll have to make some changes no matter what, whether it's to width or height or whatever, and I'll probably start out with templates that I expect to be too big so I can shave them down instead of having to size up, if that makes sense.

Thanks again!

[Kris Jasra]

Life vests tend to use parachute clips - they're completely fine. Dont use elastic to attach them if it will be visible. Try and colour match the strapping to either vest or flightsuit if it's any other material. And try and use metallic buckles, or if plastic give them a spray with a metallic colour or use black and silver highlighting to make them appear metal.