Making a Self-Scrunching Obi, pt. 2: Tailored Obi

[Leia (Vera Campbell)]

Welcome to The Self-Scrunching Obi Tutorial Part 2!

This tutorial takes the same concept from my original tutorial for how to make a self -scrunching obi and applies some tailoring. For many figures, the straight, rectangular obi will fit just fine. However, if you have exaggerated curves from an hourglass waist or sway back, a bit of tailoring will help your obi lie better on your body. How we accomplish this is to add seams to the support layers, and the scrunched top layer will conform to fit.

First thing first, before you make your obi, you should have your inner and outer tunic completed to ensure that your obi is made to fit properly. I think the best method to tailor your obi to fit is to use either a dress form or to simply put on your tunics and have a friend help fit your mock-up. It is possible to do this on a flat pattern but will still require a fitting. As with the original, you want your final Obi to be a minimum of about an inch bigger than your belt both top and bottom. Measure and decide what size you want, and cut piece of muslin/mock up material at least this height and long enough to wrap around your waist. I prefer to cut it taller and fold the fabric over at top and bottom as opposed to having a raw edge to work with. Wrap this around your waist and pin at the center back. Even if your tunic is a bit loose and oversized, your obi should fit mostly snug. If you need tailoring, you obi will contact your body at the top and bottom but have some slack at the narrow part of your waist or back.




To alter the sides, you’ll want to mark where your side seams are, and then pinch in the center of that seam where your waist dips in and pin. Pinch and pin the excess fabric, tapering back to the top and bottom of the obi.



If you have a sway back (your back dips in at the waist/posture issues) and/or wide hips, you may notice that your straight, rectangular Obi slants downward toward the center back, which will be more obvious once you have your straight belt on top of it, the obi will not be seen evenly on top and bottom of the belt. This is when having those folded edges come in handy. On the top, center of the obi, pull up the fold on the muslin until it is level with top of your obi at the side seam. You can pin a string or ribbon to your side seam and wrap it to center back to help visualize what looks straight. You will then fold up the bottom back to match how much you moved it on the top.



You may also find that your center back doesn’t want to pin perfectly straight, especially with a larger hip-to-waist ratio. It is ok to pin the center back in a bit of a curve to match, it will look straight when it is finished. Now it is time to take a pencil and mark your changes on the muslin. Be sure to label top and bottom, center front, center back and side seams (on both sides of the muslin, along your pin line). Mark your top and bottom fold overs in case your creases come out. You only need to mark one half of the pattern, right or left side, unless you have an asymmetry you need to address. Now is also the time to throw a belt over top and make any changes to the shape of the Obi on the top and bottom, such as instead of a straight obi, you may want it to curve a bit at the top and bottom on the front only. Once you’re sure you have everything you need marked, it’s time to take your muslin off the form (or yourself) and turn it into a pattern.

Next Step: Truing Your Pattern
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Costumer of the Year - 2010
Current Build Threads: Meadow Gown: http://www.forum.rebellegion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=100662
Ceremonial Leia: http://www.forum.rebellegion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=986837#986837

[Leia (Vera Campbell)]

Truing Your Pattern

Truing your pattern means to correct/finalize your draped pattern to make sure things match up. Your drawn lines will probably look a little choppy when you lay your muslin out. Now when dealing with a pattern, usually you only work on half of your pattern, and then mirror it once you have everything trued up. Using a ruler, make a straight line connecting your center top and bottom marks and cut your muslin in half. If should look something like this. The green marks were my fitting draft, the solid black lines were from truing.



For this process, it’s very helpful to have a French curve ruler. I also like to have a clear gridded straight ruler. Sometimes it’s cheaper to find these in the drafting/drawing section of an art supply store rather than a fabric store as they mark them up insanely. Here’s a few of the various French curves/hip curve rulers.



These rulers are used to make smooth curves. Basically, you will move the ruler around the curves until you find the section that matches your drawn lines closest and then redraw a smooth line. Also you’ll want to make sure that all the corners are at 90 degree angles for about a half an inch.




Once you have your lines drawn smooth, you’ll need to transfer your design to paper. I like to get the big rolls of brown drop paper from the paint section at the hardware store, it’s cheap and heavy paper. You can either cut your muslin along the lines or place this on top of the paper and use a tracing wheel to transfer the marks. If you fold your paper in half along the center line, then you can cut out your front pattern mirrored. You will cut out one of your pieces (whichever one has the best looking side seam, and don’t worry about seam allowance just yet) flip it over and lay it on the other piece, matching top and bottom, and make sure both side seams have a matching curve. If it doesn’t, make corrections until they do.



You’ll want to be sure to mark your pattern, center back, center front, top, and seam matching marks. You can add seam allowances if you want at this point. I prefer to work with patterns without them and mark the stitchlines on my fabric, then add seam allowances then.



I also made an extension pattern for one side, which was basically a mirrored section of the back inch and a half. The next step is to make the pattern for the textured top piece.

Get a fresh piece of paper and make sure it’s at least twice as tall as your obi base. You’ll want to clip your obi pattern together at the side seams; don’t worry about the curves, just match the top and bottom so they’re in the general final shape/curve of the obi. Draw a straight line in the middle of your paper and line up the center of your obi pattern.



Make a mark on the line at least 2 inches above and below the obi. You could always add more for more volume, but I wouldn’t add less. Mine was 2.25” each way. Trace your obi onto the paper so you can move your pattern.

Now extend the line from the center back and make a mark 1” from each top and bottom. You’ll want some gathers but not too many at the back closure. You’ll taper your lines from the center to the back, like so.



Lastly, you will use your ruler to make a 45 degree line on your pattern. This is the grain line direction. The top layer needs to be cut on the diagonal of the fabric, called the bias, to achieve the proper scrunched look. The fabric has a lot of stretch in this direction which will allow it to mold and conform, especially to the curvature of your fitted seams which will make it indiscernible that you tailored it at all!



Next Step: Construction...
_________________

Costumer of the Year - 2010
Current Build Threads: Meadow Gown: http://www.forum.rebellegion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=100662
Ceremonial Leia: http://www.forum.rebellegion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=986837#986837

[Leia (Vera Campbell)]

Construction

Now it’s time for the fun part! You will be making the understructure for the drape, the lining, and the drape. Remember that your drape is cut on the bias so depending on your fabric width you may want to account for more than you would a straight obi. Fortunately with the smaller pieces, you’ll be able to work around your drape when cutting. First you’ll need the two side pieces (mirror them, obviously and the center front piece of the understructure. If your fabric is not particularly stiff, I like to add a woven fusible stabilizer called Shapeflex to this, and you can always use a stiffer material for this part as it won’t be seen. You don’t want it overly stiff, just a bit of crispness. Add your seam allowances. My fabric was a loose weave, so I serged my seam edges. Be sure to transfer your markings, especially indicating the center top and bottom (and mark TOP).



Here is the understructure and the bias-cut drape piece. The drape will also need seam allowances and to mark center top and bottom.



The next step is to attach the drape to the understructure. You’ll be placing this right on top. Starting with the top of the obi, match up your center mark and start to pin towards the edges. Since this is on the bias it will stretch, but you want to try not to stretch the fabric. Just gently match the seam up as best as you can. It’s ok if there is a bit hanging over, you can trim that later, or work on trying to ease it in. Once you have the drape pinned, baste it to the understructure layer.



Now you will do the same with the bottom, just pushing the excess fabric from the drape to the side.



Now that you have the drape basted on top of the understructure, you can do the fun part; putting in the crinkles. You’ll need an iron capable of steam for this step, and set your iron on the temperature based on your fabric choice. The iron will usually only steam on settings meant for natural fibers. Lay your obi on your ironing board, face up with the loose fabric on top. Start arranging your crinkles and pressing and steaming with the iron lightly. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect right away, you can keep arranging and pressing until you get something you like. The center will be covered by the belt, so you’ll want to make sure you place your belt on it from time to time to see how it looks. You don’t want to crush your fabric, but they will probably soften over time. You can also make adjustments once your obi is done, also, and hand-tack them down if you want full control of where the crinkles are sitting. Also be sure to arrance and press on the sides. You may have extra fabric hanging off the sides that you can trim. I filmed a short video so it would make a little more sense.




Once this is complete, you can serge the edges of both to prevent fraying. Next is to attach the lining. The lining is the same as the understructure but with one exception; on one side you’ll want to add an extension for the closure. I extended about 1.5”, then doubled it for a fold. I did not use interfacing except on one side of the extension.



Sew the extension side of the lining to the obi, open and press. I pressed the seam away from the extension. Also press the fold into the extension.



Flip the lining back over the obi, being sure to fold at the extension fold. Match up your seams and center points, and be sure to push your crinkles out of the way so they don’t get stitched into the seams. You’ll want to leave an opening for turning, I chose the end, but it might be easier to leave one on the center bottom. Stitch your obi together, turn, and press.



Hand-stitch the opening shut and add your closures. I used skirt hooks. I would also topstitch at the edge between the extension and the obi.



As an extra; My old obi would collapse a bit in the back (half because it wasn’t tailored or interfaced) and was difficult to use the closures. When stitching, I left a ½” gap on the bottom just past the extension to insert a piece of german plastic boning. When the obi was turned, I top-stitched where the extension met the obi, inserted the boning, then hand-pick-stitched a channel next to the boning to keep it practically invisible.

Your tailored obi is complete! One the whole costume is done, you can steam and arrange your crinkles around your belt how you like, and you can hand stitch some tacks under the crinkles to lock them in place if you wish.





_________________

Costumer of the Year - 2010
Current Build Threads: Meadow Gown: http://www.forum.rebellegion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=100662
Ceremonial Leia: http://www.forum.rebellegion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=986837#986837

[Lora Skywalker ()]

What a great tutorial! Very helpful for anyone wanting a self-scrunching obi.
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Nordic Base BMO | DL of Aurora Delegation | CRC | She/Her They/Them

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