zediyeti

Few things to update today. First, I reworked my boots a bit. There were multiple things I was unhappy with and that I tried to make peace with for a few days, but I just could not. So I ripped everything off and started over. What I fixed is: - Better positioning on the velcro closure in the back - Neater glue work on the back/side of the tube - Better alignment of the tube - Moved the dog bone shape up to be above the 1/2" trim - Loosened up the top of the boot where I had glued the vinyl on too tight. Much easier to put on now I did most of this with the boots on my feet this time, because my initial method of stuffing the boots into shape was not working out for me. Here's how they turned out, for round 2. I still need to do some fine tune glueing on the edges, but I hope they are looking better overall than my first go! I got my Wampa Wear gloves in the mail, size Small. They fit perfect. The cummerbund was my next task. I played around with a few layering options to determine what would best get me the look I wanted. I did not want to put interfacing on both sides because the stifness on the front would not give that plush quilted look, but I knew I wanted to add some interfacing for stability. My first full attempt was (back to front) sateen cotton > stiff interfacing > cotton batting > sateen cotton. I just used the heat n' bond craft extra firm interfacing, the purple packaging one. Here's it all sewn up and inside out, also showing the elastic. I was not a fan of this result, the fabric wrinkled weird and while it didn't necessarily bunch up, it just didn't look good. And I thought the quilting did not look nearly plush enough. I also found it to be a touch too wide, so I trimmed it by about 1/2" on each side and added a second layer of batting. Here is the final result, it doesn't have that weird wrinkling anymore, and overall is much sturdier and smooth looking. Finally, here's my pouches! They're made of white canvas, but I will probably do some tests with tea dyeing to make them more of an off-white, as I like that effect better. I'll wait until I've decided on what dropbox strapping to use before I dye them, and then match the color to those. These follow the 5x6x2 pattern and are closed with velcro. Now it's just a waiting game for the armor and helmet to arrive or be avaliable for pickup. I'm hoping it will be any day now! Questions: - How is everything looking? Anything that jumps out as needing to be remade or adjusted at the moment? - When making the cummerbund, how do you measure how tall? Top of the belt and 2" under the chest? Or is there overlap under the belt as well? - How do you have the strap for the cod attached to the back? I left the elastic very long so I have many options, but what works well?

Wouldn't smaller be better on a speeder anyway? Less weight, less surface space. Fast and aerodynamic! Okay, I said I wasn't going to do the boots until I got the armor but I lied. I was too impatient and finished them up. I tested and it would be no problem to adjust the height lower if needed, but they should be fine, I hope. This week I picked up everything for the boots, lexan scissors, rivets and washers, sateen cotton, and the armor itself from SC. It's all coming together! I followed the pinned boot tutorial, so this is going to be mostly just pictures that follow that. Most of the materials laid out before getting started. I used the white marine vinyl from Joann's, and only got 3/4 of a yard. It was plenty for me. replaced the lower laces with elastic, it's just 1/4" threaded through and tied in place, nothing fancy. I used 30" black flat shoelaces to lace up and tie the remaining 3 holes and it was the perfect length. I could've done elastic all of the way up, but I need the ability to adjust how tight that part of the shoe is because I am particular about that. Heated, wrapped, and pinned Glued and trimmed That 1/2" strip makes such a difference! I glued it down onto the sole a bit to hide that "stitching" as much as possible. It's just the rubber moulded to look like stitching and I could've cut it off, but this looks better to me. Tubes cut out and marked to make sure I put the velcro on the right way. Also my notebook in which I planned out all the measurements beforehand. I was so nervous to do this wrong. Test fit with velcro on! I did add a tab to the back of the boots, which I have found very helpful in taking them off dogbones glued in place and here's them on, with the pants!

Great! I've got plenty of leather left to replace it if needed down the line, at least. Thank you! I was pretty okay at it before, but my skills have really grown since joining the clubs. Here's to hoping the rest of the soft parts goes smoothly!

I think I've got the flight suit finished, just checking in for any adjustments that might need to be made. I used Joann's 100% cotton sportswear twill for the fabric, and based the pattern off of my mando flight suit. The riding patches and butt flap are pigskin suede, and the straps are 2" elastic. I know we're moving away from the mandarin collar but it's the only kind I know how to pattern and sew so that's what I did. If I need to or want to change it to an open collar one day it'll be easy enough to unpick and replace. I'm unsure on the butt flap, is it too narrow? I'm not standing square to the camera and I don't have an experienced enough eye to tell. Anything else that I should adjust or fix? The shirt is looking weirdly shiny on camera, which the fabric is not at all in person.

I switched blades and ended up having far more success on the soles. I was looking for a replacement blade for my xacto and found that I had a #17 chisel blade lying around. Switching to that made it so much easier, and I was able to do a decent job cleaning up the initial cuts and all of the ones I made after that were pretty dang clean. I'm much happier with it now! I think you can see the comparison pretty well here, and it is all but indistinguishable when you're standing and looking down at them. Once I got into the groove of things it only took about an hour to get both boots finished, and it was a breeze. Much much less scarier than the angled blade was. The soles had a really irregular pattern to the slots already cut into the treads between the "V" shape and the more rounded shapes, so I did my best to keep the pattern even for my own need for symmetry while also lining up with the cuts as much as possible. I certainly hope they hold up to the idea of "close enough"! Someone please let me know if any more pictures are needed at this stage. Hopefully I will have success with my illusion skills as well as I have on my previous costumes! We're smaller so we're sneakier, right?

Yours is exactly the thread I was remembering. Thank you! Did the soldering tip work for you? I'll test it out on the bottom as suggested but curious if it does neaten things up

Doing my best to make clean cuts but there is definitely a learning curve here, the first cuts I made are not so pretty or smooth. Is there any tips to clean it up, or is this okay? I think I recall seeing other people asking this same thing but I can't find those threads any longer to review. It's not really noticeable from a distance I don't think, but would like to check before I move forward.

I will check out that video! I saw it when it was posted but didn't get around to watching it. I went to go check out walmart per suggestion of @LittleScout, to try on the boots she linked and see if they fit. Near all of the stores around me were out of stock except for one, so I trekked out to see if I could find them. I actually did not end up finding the ozark trail boots, but spotted some that looked pretty similar in the kids aisle. Upon further investigation it appears that they are the exact same shoe, just smaller and rebranded under the "Wonder Nation" name. Here is the website picture vs the wonder nation boot. The smallest size avaliable in the men's shoe was a 7, which likely would've been slightly too big for me. This kids boot is a perfect fit though, as well as being $10 cheaper. It was such a lucky find! I can't find the kids version listed anywhere online, though. Here's the two for your comparison: I'm currently stuck awaiting materials before I can move forward with my flight suit, so I figured I'd give a shot at cutting the boot sole while I wait. I've sketched out one side and would like some feedback on how it looks before I go in with a knife. I know this part is not necessary, but I don't mind a project to keep me busy for a few evenings! The shaded parts are what will be cut out, and I will attempt to make it as even as possible regarding height of the cutouts even where the drawings are not as even 🙂

That’s great to hear about SC! I read through yours a few days ago and I appreciated being able to see the specific issues and solutions that could come with being of a smaller size. I’ll send you a PM for a specific question I have, actually. Standby! Someone in my garrison fb build group said “remember, ABC: always buy colorado” which was honestly what really convinced me to spend the extra on moncal because I thought that was clever.

That was my main concern, that it’s black. There’s another pair that’s similar but with a tan stripe that I’m hoping will come back in stock for my size as it was in stock while I was looking, but sold out yesterday. I’ll keep lookin’, maybe try out the ones duke linked and see if i can get them to fit!

I have to double or triple sock up in my sketchers boots (size 6.5) so i’m not sure the smallest size of those would fit as it’s a 7, but if it’s only a half size up so maybe i could get some bonus height with some small lifts while also making the shoes fit.. hm!

Coming in at 5'3" and 105 lbs, I'm not very physically imposing. I have more than once been assumed to be a child in my mando kit, though the illusion is rather ruined once I speak. I've already begun preparing responses to the "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" comments, which I'm sure will be plentiful despite the lack of being a stormtrooper. I was intimidated away from any sort of vacuum formed kit for the longest time due to my size, but it's something I've had my heart set on and I want to give it my best go even if I end up in a situation that will require some 3d print work. I've read through some great build threads on here, and it's my hope that this thread will one day be able to provide encouragement to someone the same way theirs have for me. Especially any short men such as myself, as it's all too easy to fall into height insecurity in a hobby like this where you are comparing yourself to those on screen. If my past costumes are anything to go off though, I know I'll feel great in this kit regardless. 😎 Now onto the build. I am going to be ordering a kit from SC, as soon as that sweet sweet tax return hits my account. After emailing with some questions, I've determined I'll be getting the smaller pulls as well as the smaller belt. I appreciate that needing the smallest kit possible means my vendor options are limited, it really helps with decision making. After going over the helmet comparison thread, I really found myself liking the MC helmet. They're local to me, so that additionally influenced my decision (local pickup = no shipping cost). I've already ordered this and it will be ready for me to pick up by the end of April. I know the SC helmet is smaller, so I will be ordering the kit with the helmet included just in case. I need a second helmet anyway for an Ezra Bridger costume, so I figured whichever one I don't use for the scout can be used for him. Ideally I will use the moncal for the trooper, and the SC for Ezra as it has a "softer" look to me. I am a fairly experienced sewer so I will be making the soft parts myself, starting with the flight suit/under suit. The sewing is the only thing I am not nervous for in this kit, haha. Gloves have been ordered from wampawear. I thought about making them myself just to have a project to do while I wait for the armor to finish the other soft parts, but I've settled that the $20 extra to have them made for me is worth it. Though not required, I'll probably print a blaster of some kind at some point just because they're fun to make and I have no projects planned on my printer at the moment. I will also make the boots myself, which is where my first question arises. Do these look like an acceptable base shoe? I have a small foot (size 5, 6 if if there's no other choice) so children's shoes are my best option. Is the stripe of black on the sole an issue for basic approval? Most of the other shoes have a distinctly brown and not tan sole, or are out of stock in the bigger sizes. If they won't work, has anyone got recommendations for smaller boots that would? That's all I've got for now, I hope to be back with a flight suit update soon. Cheers!

perfect! that’s what my mando flight suit is, so i’ve got tons of it leftover.

Hm, I'm unsure if it's heavy or medium weight. Joann's website doesn't say. I'll have a look around next time I go to see if they have anything heavier that isn't duck cloth. I have a flak vest made of duck cloth and batting and that feels like it would be too stiff and thick for the sleeves.

Awesome, thanks! I need to take a trip to tandy for another project, so I’ll be adding black suede onto the shopping list. Can the vest be made of the same material? (not the suede, the cotton ) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm planning to make a two piece under suit, for comfort and ease of restroom usage. I have two pairs of pants that I've made, and I was wondering if either or any are good bases to use for the under suit bottoms. First are these pants I made for a Jedi. The fabric here is pretty thin and stretchy and they have been stored in a box for months, so excuse the wrinkles. There are side pockets that cause the hips to flare out, which of course would not be included if I use this pattern. My main question is regarding the overall shape of the legs. Is it too loose, too tight, just right? Pros: Pattern is ready to use Cons: Not sure on the fit Second pattern I have is the bottoms of my mando flight suit. These are made of the same material I plan to use for the scout suit, so you can see the drape of the fabric better (way less wrinkly and folded). I'd have to solidify the pattern into fewer pieces to get rid of all the extra seams that they have. It's not a big deal, just extra work to do compared to if the tan pattern would work fine. (The hem is a bit long, but the bottom of them is generally hidden away so no one sees) Pros: comfortable and easy to move in, appear to be the right fit Cons: would have to rework the pattern into fewer pieces Any opinions on if one or the other is better to use, or if I should find something else? I know they're just about the same, but I'm at the stage where I'm overthinking everything on a new project and just need some help picking a place to start. Also, this is the fabric I was thinking of. It's 100% cotton sportswear twill from Joann's. Is it okay to use? The lines are more pronounced where it flops over that edge but overall are not noticeable unless you get pretty close, as you can see from the rest of the swatch.

Wow, what a great wip thread. I'm definitely going to be referencing that a bunch as I go, not only for the similar size but also the detail in which you documented everything. Excited to have a read through Jen's as well, thank you! I am trying to avoid 3d printing if I can get away with it. I have a printer and wouldn't mind using it if I must, but between just finishing my mando kit and now the blasters I've been working on I'd like to avoid filling and sanding prints as much as I can. I'm also thinking about the longevity of prints, because I've already started seeing some imperfections on my mando bucket of where the outer part is kind of sinking into the infill and making weird patterns when heated in the sun. Have you had any issues so far with fragility or anything of the sort, or has the fiberglass mostly taken care of that?

Exactly the type of answers I've been looking for, thank you! I've got lots of research to do before I order anything, but will definitely be checking out both those shops. Thank you for the trooper profiles as well, I look forward to having a read through!

Hi! I've been thinking about building a ROTJ biker scout for the last year or so, but haven't gone for it due to my height. I'm only 5'3 and just over 100 lbs, and while I know it's possible I am looking for some advice from other short people out there. My main question is, where is the best place to source the hard parts from? I'm a very confident sewer so I am not worried about the soft parts, but the armor I am. I've heard that WTF is slightly smaller, but was told by their admins on FB that I wouldn't be able to fit into their adult size and the kids one would not be approveable. I have seen people who have made his fit so I don't fully believe that and am hoping there's someone out there who can point me in the right direction. I'm just looking for any insight from people who have made a kit fit, or who know someone who was in the same situation. Any tips on vendors, construction, or even just words of encouragement, anything at all is welcome! I've joined the a little short for a trooper FB group but am just seeking out as much advice as possible before I commit the money to purchasing a kit from a vendor. Learning to navigate a new forum style is hard, and I'm still getting used to it! 😛