ArpBoop's Pilot Build

[ArpBoopBeepBoop ()]

Ok, so I'm starting off from scratch which is less than I thought I had. I had purchased a harness from COSTUMEBASE (ugh, I know, I know) for a FCBD event before I had decided that I wanted to join the legion (back before I knew there was such a thing) and figured I could modify it to make it up to snuff.

After examining it and comparing it to reference photos I just don't think that's going to happen. Minus the gray webbing, I'll need to replace just about everything, so...yeah...there goes that idea.

Moving on from that I have started preparing patterns for the vest and gauntlets shown below. These are based heavily on Philonius's patterns as well as reference photos.



Thankfully, I've been sewing and making my own costumes for a while now so I have a good idea of what I am doing. Dotted lines note top-stitching that need to be made to the finalized piece. Also, not pictured are the athletic fabric pieces that attach to the inside to hold the "buckle" in place.



I plan on making test pieces of both of these out of scrap fabric once I get my measurements just to make sure everything is going to fit right before I go ahead with the poplin. This will also make sure I get the right angle for the bars on the vest.



This...this is going to be the tricky bit. Unfortunately I can't really get any accurate measurements for this short of drawing out my hand. Once I do that, I'll have a better idea of things. Also, there seem to be two different kind of gauntlets in the reference photos. One pair looks puffy like winter gloves, the other are thinner like riding gloves. I'm going for the later for comfort sake as well as personally, I think it makes much more practical sense for a pilot to have a glove that allows for easier use of the digits.

Finally, the jumpsuit...I have no pattern for this yet, but I have a solid source. A few years ago I went as Kyoryu Blue (a super sentai character) and got a blue jumpsuit for it that fits me pretty well. Since then it's been kicking around so the plan is to rip out all the seams and use the pieces as a baseline for the jumpsuit pattern. Also, this allows me to cannibalize the extra-long zipper.

That accounts for all the major pieces. I'll be updating my progress with photos as they warrant. Will probably start with pulling apart the jumpsuit as that's on hand at the moment. It may also help other folks out with their builds too, so there's that. Yay, community!

Advice and criticism is welcome!
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"Hi children, it's me, Joe Starwars! And this is my robot ArpBoopBeepBoop!"

[Blue Banshee Leader (Alex Buirch)]

Looks like you're on the right track. Good luck!

There are patterns for coveralls out there if you don't want to cut up your jumpsuit. I used a coveralls pattern for my TFA pilot suit and then made the appropriate modifications to it. I still have the pattern package if you want the brand and item number. I think it's Kwik Sew but I can't swear to that.
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B-wing Pilot - Jedi - Resistance X-wing Pilot - Temmin "Snap" Wexley
-Former RLSC XO - Former RLSC Costume Judge - RL Pilot Costume Mentor

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[ArpBoopBeepBoop ()]

[ArpBoopBeepBoop ()]

Things are slow going, but that's life.

Finalized the measurements on the vest and after checking and double-checking, and re-checking my double-checking to make sure everything is as close as I can get it to the source material, I have finished the patterns for the vest.

Using Philonius's designs as a starter I made a few of my own alterations. Materials are slowly being acquired, thankfully my local JoAnne's has just about everything I need minus the cotton herringbone tape.

Also did some preliminary shopping for gauntlet and jumper fabric. I'm hoping to get away with pleather but as of yet I'm not finding anything with the right texture or weight. The jumper fabric is a little easier, it's just a matter of seeing if I can find some with the correct color or if I'm going to have to do some dyeing.

At any rate, progress is being made.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/7Y4aYj6.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/LYVY5a3.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/TxkeuHfl.jpg[/img]

[ArpBoopBeepBoop ()]

PROGRESS UPDATE!!!

So, yeah...I move slowly if you haven't noticed. I want to make sure I get things right and save myself some hassle in the long run. Anyways, enough excuses...

Right now I've finished the two top pieces of the inner vest, leaving the tops, bottoms and inner flaps unstitched for attachment. I'm using Philonius's tutorial as a guide which has served me well for the most part. The only hitch is the damn zipper foot...I don't know what foot he's using, but mine is nowhere near that narrow, and my local craft shops don't have anything that narrow either. So, as you can imagine, the padding was a bit of a beast to deal with. That in mind, I'd like some feedback on my stitching. Ignore the stray strands of thread, I'll be trimming those off later.

Please find the gallery link below, thanks in advance!

[url]https://imgur.com/gallery/XH6RemW[/url]