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[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

Arco Thyel Soft Goods WIP
[AR-koh THIGH-elle]

Key points of interest for this build’s soft goods:

• Post-Imperial detail stitching
• Aiming for Beast Tamer brigade (feline centric)
• Aiming for Light Melee brigade (throwing knife centric)
• Faux leather
• Scratch-built gloves
• Spats
• Kama
• Bandolier with rifle and beskad attachments
• One million knife sheaths

Su’cuy everyone, I’m working on my first build! I am new to all of this, so I greatly appreciate any constructive criticism. Don't be shy if you'd like to suggest alternative crafting methods or mention any lore considerations I may not have noticed. I'm here to learn!

I am still working on my overall concept and am more active in my concept thread right now, but since I wanted to begin working on my gloves, I’ll go ahead and get this thread started up with some WIPs.

My kit is Post-Imperial, and as I build for OM, I’d like to keep my intended brigades in mind: Beast Tamer and Light Melee. As far as soft parts go, the only brigade requirement to be concerned about for OM is the Beast Tamer track’s heavy weathering. Lots of fun possibilities there!

Here’s my current plans -- things are subject to change, but I'm attached to the general concept. Soft parts not included on the MandoCreator concept are the spats, a beskad sheath on the back of the bandolier, and throwing knife sheaths on the arms / belt / bandolier / any available surface that could be improved with the presence of knives.





[Update 4/2/23: here is my revised kit breakdown for app. The above breakdown is still relevant for upgrade inspiration.]







Weathering Considerations

For weathering reference, Arco breeds narglatches and tooka / loth cats:







Aaah, the three-clawed beasts! Mandos beware…

With these beasts in mind, I intend to have quite a few claw marks and hand-sewn repairs. I could be covered in fur from an affectionate loth cat or slobber from a narglatch. Cubs from any of these species may consider parts of the kit like the kama / sash / cape to be fun chew toys. Ever had a puppy steal your shoe or a kitten pounce your toes? Had a puppy drag you by your jeans or a kitten climb up to your shoulder, shredding your outfit the whole way?

My parents recently got a four-legged labradorian strill pup, a chaotic beast who takes great joy in slobbering and chewing on anything within reach. I expect she will gladly help with weathering my kit or turning the curtains into reference material. And by that, I mean she's already ripped a hole in the curtains to teach me what authentic bite marks look like!

Another key idea to help with weathering is understanding the biome Arco works in. I want it to be similar to my own so I can get nice pics! I live in an ecotone in northeastern Kansas, a transition between deciduous forest and tallgrass prairie biomes. All four seasons are expressed, with a rainy spring and snowy winter.

I’ll have to take some reference shots of my own when I go to the parks I want to get kit pics in. For now, here’s some online references that give an idea of these biomes:







I’ll have to consider the shades of dirt I see at local parks. These biomes have a lot of wildflowers, grasses, and spiky weeds, so perhaps there could be grass seeds or burrs on my kit. (Unless seeds from real plants are too Earth-y?)




Soft Parts

Here are the primary pieces for this WIP thread! The list may be added to / subtracted from as I get going.


Flight suit

I have espresso-colored scrubs that require some editing. Post-Imperial flight suits have distinctive detail stitching, and I’d like to incorporate some of that into the design -- plenty of research to do on that front.

I may scratch-build a more canon Post-Imperial flightsuit in the future, but that's for a version of me who actually has sewing experience!


Cape

This’ll be the last part of my build and subject to change, but I’m thinking a gray cape with Din-style pleats. As much as I'd love a cape, I've grown to love the amban rifle and beskad at my back more -- if I can't get them both to work, I may scrap the cape.


Boots

Boots are tricky to find! I would rather not buy leather, but am a bit flexible regarding secondhand leather if there are no other options. I went to all the thrift stores in the area over several months and tried on so many boots, and these are the only ones that semi-fit. I have no concrete plans, but I will make something like spats to cover the laces / red soles and will add sintra plates to cover the embossed logo. I’ll need to do something to make them more comfortable to wear, too. I’ll keep an eye out for comfier/laceless options as well.





Gloves

I didn’t find any at thrift stores, and I don’t like how the ones at the hardware store fit (most options were leather anyway), so I’ll try my hand at making my own! I have zero sewing skills, so hopefully that works out. I’ll be using this faux suede with the pleather as details. The armor piece is a paint swatch with the chrome and gold I'll be using for reference, don’t mind the super weird shape it's cut into. As you can see from the image, the pleather sands nicely, but the backside is unrealistic, so I’ll have to work with that. The suede on the other hand is reversible and stretchy.





Waist items

Belts, bandolier, sash, and holsters! Not much is set in stone here.

Since I’d like an amban rifle, I have reference images of Din’s bandolier in my concept thread, and I’ll have to keep the cape in mind for mounting.

I didn’t find any thrift store belts I liked (and again, most were leather!), so I believe I’ll try making my own from the same materials as the gloves.

I’d like a sash that drapes down and is more tattered than the kama, so I’ll need a more delicate material. I like the texture of this hopsack linen, and it can be dyed as needed.





Flak vest

Flak vest will be black duck cloth with brown trim, and that stretchy hex fabric as detail panels. Not sure if I’ll have the detail panels on their own for flexibility or on top of the duck cloth to prevent stretching. I’m not set on closures, but I think I’d like side buckles. I know it's not really seen in PI canon characters, but dangit, I love buckles!





Kama

I intend for the fabric to be the same as the flak vest, but this may be changed if needed -- flak vests are stiff, and although I'd love them to match, a flowy kama takes priority over color. For the overall shape, I’m really smitten by the eagle-tail motif of Altaïr's robes from Assassin’s Creed. I'd love to have a long double-layered kama like this if it passes CRLs, but even if not, I will most certainly take inspiration from it:







Dang, looking at those images, I may use him as inspiration for belts and leathers too. Bye guys, I’ma go replay ACR.

Anyway, I’ve begun work on the gloves, with the flight suit and flak vest to follow shortly. Progress pics to come!

Arco'thyel Wyshla Build Thread Index

Planning thread: A planning log that includes swatch tests, template development, reference screenshots, and lore considerations.

Soft goods thread: Includes in-depth build process of soft goods such as flight suit, flak vest, kama, leathers, and accessories. [you are here]

Hard goods thread: Includes in-depth build process of hard goods such as armor, helmet, gauntlets, weapons, and accessories.
Also serves as a master thread by sharing key updates from the planning log and soft goods thread.

[Cattriss Wren]

Wow, I love all lists and organization!! your inspirations are very cool! Congrats on a new puppy!🐕

[Kurshi BeJahaal]

Following here as well!

[Second Son]

/ any available surface that could be improved with the presence of knives.

Pretty sure EVERY surface can be improved with the presence of knives. Don't forget boot knives, and always have one set at your back hiding under your cape.

I'm with Triss, your lists and organization are impressive. I tend to just go into the Madness Place and see what I made at the end.

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

Wow, I love all lists and organization!! your inspirations are very cool! Congrats on a new puppy!🐕

Thanks! And man, she is a bucket and a half -- I've never had a large dog and she is 50 lbs of chaotic puppy energy, growing bigger by the day. Guess I better start beast taming in real life. If Arco can handle spiky pit bull lions, then hopefully I can manage a domesticated (??) dog!

Following here as well!

Thank you -- always glad to have your expertise!

Pretty sure EVERY surface can be improved with the presence of knives. Don't forget boot knives, and always have one set at your back hiding under your cape.

I'm with Triss, your lists and organization are impressive. I tend to just go into the Madness Place and see what I made at the end.

You are absolutely correct! I was planning on having a fan of knives for each spat, but I've been rewatching the show and also got a hankering for Din's boot knife, so I'm pretty sure that's in the cards too. Let's see how many knives I can add before it gets too ridiculous.

I hear ya, I have a tendency to go to the Madness Place for one project, then halfway through working on it I add a different project to the Madness Place, then the Madness Place kicks me out because I'm throwing duct tape and cardboard scraps all over the floor and I haven't finished any of my projects anyway. I'm hoping that by having some organization, as well as an inspiring community of builders, It'll be easier to see this through. I'm still pretty curious how much will change during the build process as compared to the concept!

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

So, here’s the progress thus far! I essentially followed this tutorial by making a duct tape pattern. I don’t have a sewing machine, so I did all of this by hand, and it is very tedious! I used a basic running stitch for most of it, then a whip stitch for the palm dart that didn’t have any seam allowance. I don't have much experience, so I welcome any useful tips!




I first took a disposable glove…



…cut off circulation to my fingers…



…and tested out the resulting pattern on an old bedsheet. Very glad I did so, look how tight the palm is!



So, I made sure to add extra length to the sides of the pattern. However, I forgot to do the same to the wrists, so I had to recut them, oops. In the below image you can see why sewing them is so time-consuming – the seam allowances are inconsistent due to the tight cuts, so you have to visually check each side of each stitch. In addition, all my markers kept rubbing off, so it was hard to see the lines. Lots of squinting and frustration, especially when I had to re-sew parts for alignment.



And, first try on (well, mostly, anyway)! Pretty exciting stuff! The first glove fit nicely, but the second one had the thumb incorrectly aligned, rotated barely a centimeter off-center. It pulled tightly on one side and was sagging on the other. Gah. More hand sewing! Thankfully, second time’s the charm…



And here’s where I am now! I tucked in the ends of the fabric and added decorative stitching, as well as marked placement for the velcro. I still have to finish the left seam / pinky, I’m waiting until the velcro is sewn in for that.

At first I was bummed by how irregular and unprofessional the hand sewn stitches looked, but as I worked on it, I grew to appreciate the handmade charm. Even if I get regular access to a sewing machine, I may hand sew any decorative stitches for a consistent aesthetic.



I’m playing with handplate placement / sizing as well. It’s a tough balance – too small and it doesn’t cover your hand convincingly, too large and it hinders movement. I think I’ve got a nice middle ground here.






Seems the bulk of it is done! Up next, I gotta sew the velcro, finish the outside seams, and decide on any details to add.

[Kurshi BeJahaal]

Hey, I think that turned out great! Good job! It's always great to see your step by steps too!

[Cattriss Wren]

Awesome gloves hand pattern looking sharp too!! Cool nail polish!!

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

Thanks, guys!

I finished up the base gloves today. I was originally planning to add pleather detail panels, but I think I’d rather have the flexibility, since the plate will limit my movement anyway. I can always add more details later if I’d like, but for now, I can say it feels nice to have the first piece of my kit done!

Learned a lot from this, particularly about adding extra seam allowance. That would have saved me some headache with a pattern as precise as a glove -- every millimeter counts!







One thing I don’t love is how the wrist flares open wide enough to see the underside. I may look into adding a buckle there. For now, I’d like to get started on something else. Perhaps the boots / spats, or continue work on the chest plate concepts? More to come!

[vershnekit]

Thank you for showing how you made your gloves!! They look great and I will definitely be trying that for me :-)

[Karson Wren]

 

Love these!!!!

[Arceane64]

The gloves are wonderfully well-done so far! I'm personally a huge fan of the iron heart velcro design, it's something that most people will probably never see but it's such a cool, in-universe touch that makes a huge amount of sense, reminiscent of the paneling behind Din's chestplate that connects the plate to his armor. Utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing, it really is the little things that make kits special!

[treisedova]

I've already read through one of your other threads and am thrilled to find this one and see your progress. Design looks amazing! And the glove work is impressive, too. Well done!

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

Thank you for showing how you made your gloves!! They look great and I will definitely be trying that for me :-)

Nice! I hope these pics are helpful!

Love these!!!!

Thanks Karson!

The gloves are wonderfully well-done so far! I'm personally a huge fan of the iron heart velcro design, it's something that most people will probably never see but it's such a cool, in-universe touch that makes a huge amount of sense, reminiscent of the paneling behind Din's chestplate that connects the plate to his armor. Utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing, it really is the little things that make kits special!

I'm excited you noticed! One of my goals is to give even the hidden parts of the kit some charm. I  am entranced by the panels under Din's plates, I've actually been thinking of making one of those under-panels for my shoulder, since PI kits can troop with one shoulder off...

I've already read through one of your other threads and am thrilled to find this one and see your progress. Design looks amazing! And the glove work is impressive, too. Well done!

Thanks Treise! Glad you found me here.




Phew, been a while! Time for me to get back on my soft goods.

Since my perfectionism makes me reluctant to start building, I've reassessed my goals to match my skill level. Instead of diving into my dream kit, I'm making things simple and basic. After I've got some experience, I'll remake the pieces I want to pretty up.

I got another pattern drafted today! Complete with the iron heart motif because I simply cannot be stopped.



...Fine, yes, I am procrastimaking the spats because I'm too intimidated to do the scrubs. I'm still learning my way around the sewing machine, okay?!

Speaking of, I borrowed a friend's old sewing machine. When I tried using it, it made a strange metallic smell. I stopped using it out of caution until I get some sewing machine oil, so here's hoping that's all it needs. Guess we'll find out!

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

Today's update! I put the pattern to fabric. I have several thoughts...

• The fit needs adjusted -- the front is too baggy.
  
  
• The fabric doesn't really suit the boot... or does it just need weathering?
  
  
• I won't be able to add the hem or the detail panels I was planning on because it needs to be able to stretch over the boot. I can add the detailing if I open up the back seam, but then I need to figure out closures...
  
  
• Instead of adding the details I want, does this plain version work to make me wearable? Perhaps I should move to other parts of the kit and come back to pretty this up when I'm not on a time crunch?

Regarding the sewing machine, it's working better since I oiled and cleaned it, but I noticed something. Occasionally when I put a small amount of pressure on the pedal, the engine whirrs and the needle does not move, then that metallic smell comes back. Perhaps it's better to sew at the library's machines for now?

In addition to the spat, I seam ripped some pockets and logos off of my scrubs. I have an armor party coming up this weekend, so maybe I should spend the next few days planning for my sleeves and neck seal? It would be great to get the intimidating flight suit done this weekend with the others' help!

[Noot Braska]

Not a lot of people will be looking at your feet.  I thought I've seen someone reference most fans at a troop are going to notice your helmet first, then your upper armor, then probably weapons.

I think Its probably best to use them as is and modify them afterwards.

Personally I've scaled back a lot of my own ideas because in general your first kit will not be your best kit.

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

Great point! I know I eventually want to make each part of the kit as if everyone is analyzing it, but you're right, most people aren't going to be looking at my feet. Someone in my clan said it needs to be more than raw fabric, so I'll pretty them up before application, but for my con deadline I'll fix the fit and leave them as is.




It's about time I tackled the part of the kit that scares me the most: the flightsuit. The things I need to do to make it wearable are to tailor it, add a neck seal, and add undersleeves. I decided to start with the neck seal.

I've gotten better at drafting armor patterns, but boy howdy, fabric patterns are a lot harder!

I started with a paper template. I measured a rectangle with the height/circumference of my neck, taped it into a circle, traced that circle onto paper, and extended the skirt outwards (with extra space for the v-neck). After trying that on, the back of the neck pulled up pretty badly. I realized the back of the neck piece needed to be extended so that the skirt would lay nicely on my shoulders / back.



That fit better, so I decided to move away from the paper template and test it on an old bedsheet.







'Daww, baby's first hem! And boy, can you tell. This was a great practice piece to learn about seam allowance, right/wrong sides to mark on, and feeding curves through a sewing machine.

I figured I should try it on with the balaclava to ensure it covers my neckmeat.



The skirt doesn't sit flawlessly on my shoulders, but under my flightsuit, it looks great and serves its purpose. In the future perhaps I'll play with it until it sits perfectly even without the flightsuit on top. For now, it's time to transfer this to the final fabric!

Fun fact, if you wear a balaclava with a raw 3D print, then it feels like you have a T-visor and then you'll grab your armor templates and stare in the mirror for 20 minutes.



Oya!!

[Two_Bears_HF]

Looking great!

I find it always so amusing how people go about the same idea differently - I started from the opposite direction, working from the base up - flightsuit/soft parts first, and now that that's done in a place I'm happy with (and with upgrades already starting to be planned), now moving on to armour and hard parts.

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

If I recall, finishing the soft goods first is the best way to do things! Especially before you go to sintra, since your soft goods will change the fit of your plates. I admit, I was procrastimaking the cardboard templates because the soft goods intimidated me so much. Now that my cardboard is all patterned out, I have no choice but to do the scary things!

Star Wars armor party tomorrow! I'm nervous and excited to meet people from all the different clubs, and hey, maybe someone there will know how sleeves work!

[Noot Braska]

Your progress has been great.  Good luck on your armor!

[Arco'thyel Wyshla]

Thanks!

Had a great time at the armor party! I got a few tips and a lot of motivation. Let's get these soft goods knocked out!

At the armor party, it was determined I don't need to take in the pants above the knee. However, considering I'll be strapping my thigh plates, I decided to try taking it in a few inches to see what happens. I think it looks a lot better, but they're right, It's pretty snug when I sit down. Should I go for comfort or style points?



I'll take in the other leg tomorrow. Then it's time for sleeves... not looking forward to that one!

[Tramp Graphics]

Thanks!

Had a great time at the armor party! I got a few tips and a lot of motivation. Let's get these soft goods knocked out!

At the armor party, it was determined I don't need to take in the pants above the knee. However, considering I'll be strapping my thigh plates, I decided to try taking it in a few inches to see what happens. I think it looks a lot better, but they're right, It's pretty snug when I sit down. Should I go for comfort or style points?



I'll take in the other leg tomorrow. Then it's time for sleeves... not looking forward to that one!

Comfort; definitely comfort. That and mobility.

[Noot Braska]

I've heard from my clan members that a lot of members can't even sit down in their armor.  Just in my flight suit I can sit but after attaching the waist items I can not.  I'd say plan for what youre comfortable with.  I intend to not have a lot of mobility in favor of aesthetics, this being my first kit I'm comfortable with that compromise.

[Karson Wren]

I don't know exactly what good is, but it looks pretty good to me 

[Cattriss Wren]

Looks good nice job!