activation email

[Vercopaanir]

So I got my scrubs which I am planning on using as a two piece flight suit...need some altering before they fit correctly.


I also got started on my mock-up for my flight vest...I think maybe a little longer.

[Vercopaanir]

Update on my vest...I originally tried to alter a pre-made pattern but was unsatisfied with all the results.  I then decided to take a shirt that I liked and draft a pattern from that.   I haven't finished it yet but I have the main vest parts cut and sewn along with the lining for the vest. 


I still haven't decided on the shoulder placement...I may widen the attachment to provide a more streamlined look when the vest is on.
I plan on closing the sides with Velcro straps.

Work has begun on making a girth belt... I wanted something a little sturdier so I am planing on weaving/ knotting mine in this slight diamond pattern but at a greater width.  I was just learning the method with the small ones. 

[Vercopaanir]

Update:
   I have added sleeves to my vest!


I have also added the Velcro straps.  I do still need to finish the neck...I'm thinking a short mandarin collar.  I also need to hem up the vest as it way too long right now.

Unless I'm allowed to leave it long and tuck it under a sash???


Grith belt progess:



All that left for this is to add the leather straps to the end.

Sash:
I had no idea what I was doing but I wanted a sash that would lay flat not show a big twist or knot on the back where you cross the two sides when you wrap it around yourself so I tried to invent one.  There is a small hole on the one side where I pull the one tail through the sash to the front.  Seems to work pretty good.  I do need to make it a bit longer though as I want some to hang down on the front.  The blue was just my trial material...I am planning on doing the final one in red.


Everything so far:
So this is everything so far on me.


I feel a bit like I'm swimming in the vest so I'll have to add some darts and take in a few seam to see if I can tailor it in a bit or if I'll need to rip it apart and start again.

[Vercopaanir]

So I got off work early the other day and decided to invest my time in finishing my girth belt.
Straps are added and the ends are finished off.




The tips of the belt are hot glued down and then sewn to an anchor of felt that I stitched to the belt.

I also got a little work done on drafting and testing out a potential neck seal pattern.


Sorry about the quality of the image on that last one.  I am terrible at selfies.

[Vercopaanir]

So little things getting done.  I put a hem on the neck of my flight suit.  I finished patterning my neck seal and have cut out the pieces.  They await being sewn together.  I got my gloves in. I will have to remove or cover the logo still but am pleased with the colors. I also went out and found my old half chaps.  They're a little rough but with a bit of TLC they should be just fine, consider it the original weathering.  The best part...they already have a flap that covers the zipper on the outside.

[Vercopaanir]

So I had some time over the weekend and got a little work done.  I had asked about an armored kama/ soft cod/ war skirt in my armor WIP and  was informed that it was allowed so the crafting began.

I started with my sketch...drawn to scale because why do the math twice?



Then onto the patterning.  I started with the fabric.  I want to make sure that I liked it before I cut out the armor pieces.  I am sewing the kama to the sash so the pattern for the sash was altered to match the new design.





I definitely like it.


I also got carried away and made templates for my armor pieces and cut them out. 



I do want to widen the two pieces on either side of the soft cod panel by probably 1/2 inch.
I also experimented with different belts.  I was originally planing on the wider woven one...but the thinner black one is a bit more 'slimming'.  With a few pouches, a holster and a few other accessories, I think it will work with the sash and kama.  The buckle is not exactly warzy but I can cover it with a waist accessory. 




Now to make the real one since I got most of the bugs worked out with this test one.

Edit 2/13

I'm also thinking of adding some "kick pleat filler" between the side panels of my 'kama' (don't worry the cod will remain free, also probably the one in the back as well).  I want to add a bit more color and I think the red I was planning on using might add a nice flair.  I haven't decided yet.  I sense a test run in blue coming up shortly.

[Vercopaanir]

Hello all, I am back at it with an almost finished kama and soft cod.
After my test run with the blue I went at it with the red cotton and black pleather.
The sash is two layers of red cotton sewn at an angle to accomidate the hips.



I still need to attach the Velcro closure to keep the two sides together but I think it came together pretty nice.



I attached the panels behind the two layers of the sash to give more of an underneath 'separate' look to them.


I haven't attached the cod to the sash yet as I am still debating weather I should sew it on or use velcro to allow it to be adjustable...Opinions anyone?

[Vercopaanir]

So I decided to scrap my original flight vest and start again.  This is my newest version but it still needs to be hemmed and have the sleeves added.  I will probably open the sides as well because it makes it so much easier to get in and out of it when that is an option.




Dug out my boots I think I might use and fixed up my half chaps.


I added the velcro to my sash to hold the soft cod in place and keep the sash on.  I also made a belt. 



And this is everything so far (except the gloves...I didn't put those on for the photos.) 

[Veris Bralor]

Those are some nice looking soft-parts! Vests are the worse to get dialed in but everything is looking great.

[Vercopaanir]

Those are some nice looking soft-parts! Vests are the worse to get dialed in but everything is looking great.

Thanks Veris Bralor!

VESTS!!!  I really wanted to make everything myself but I am about ready to buy a ready made one.  I got the sleeves on my second one and opened one side for ease of putting it on.  Then I tried it on.  The shoulders were too small with the sleeves added.  I think I can adjust it by both shortening the sleeves and reducing my seam allowance.  Hopefully that will be enough to make it fit properly.

[Vercopaanir]

So I did end up adjusting the sleeves but they were still pretty constricting.  So I decided to look at the CRL's to see if I had to have sleeves.  The vest doesn't have to have sleeves.  Armed with this information I am going to pull them off and see about mounting my plates to my shirt.  I might add a strap from the vest to help keep them from sliding down my arms as well but I think I will be much  happier without the sleeves to deal with.

[Veris Bralor]

Yes, you don't need to keep the sleeves. The local cap sleeve free mandos I know all added shapeless flaps (so a thin rectangle of fabric sewn where the sleeves would be) to their vests to support the weight of the shoulders, and the shoulder plates covers this entire flap. Just keep in mind that per the CRLs, the gap between the collar and the shoulder plates can't be more than 2". Don't want you mounting them to the sleeves to find that the gap is too big.

[Vercopaanir]

Yes, you don't need to keep the sleeves. The local cap sleeve free mandos I know all added shapeless flaps (so a thin rectangle of fabric sewn where the sleeves would be) to their vests to support the weight of the shoulders, and the shoulder plates covers this entire flap. Just keep in mind that per the CRLs, the gap between the collar and the shoulder plates can't be more than 2". Don't want you mounting them to the sleeves to find that the gap is too big.

Thank you Veris Bralor.  That was what I was worried about. 

I did end up pulling off the cap sleeves...they were far to limiting for my range of motion.  Then I added some bias tape to the edge of the arm hole.  I also did a bunch of top stitching to try and get some of the inner seams to lay flat.  Faux leather and most irons do not get along.  I will add those shoulder blanks for mounting the plates. 






Then I mounted the plates for my hand armor to my gloves.  Due to the shelter at home order (and not having any grommets of the appropriate size on hand) I did it the same way I make eyelets for Renaissance clothing.  I marked the holes for the glove and triple checked the alignment.  Then I cut the hole with my seam ripper.  Next I did a ring of stitches around the hole as both an anchor and a guide.  Finally I did a modified version of the ladder stitch around both to reinforce and prevent unnecessary stretching.

[Avior Braisa]

Those hand plates look really good!  That's a really neat way of mounting them too! Keep it up.

[Vercopaanir]

Those hand plates look really good!  That's a really neat way of mounting them too! Keep it up.

Thanks Avior Braisa. 

Update:
  I did a little work on my karma/loin war skirt.  I marked out the placed for attachment for my armor pieces and then debated attachment methods.  Still haven't decided so I stopped there for now.