Tunic Shoulder Tuck Tutorial

[KrisAntilles (Amanda Burk)]

In the last few months that I've been working on my Jedi costumes, it seems like questions about shoulder tucks come up a lot. I had originally posted this in one of my WIPs, but thought it might be good to post it here.

I've used this method for both of my Jedi costumes, and it's worked really well:
Jedi #1 - WIP
Jedi #1 - Complete
Jedi #2 - WIP
Jedi #2 - Complete

More tunic and shoulder tucks information can be found in SithariRog's excellent tutorial as well:
Jedi Tunic Tutorials (plus tabards/obi), by SithariRog

If anyone has other methods, ideas, or good pictures of your shoulder tucks, please share them here, to help others who decide to venture down the Jedi path!

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Shoulder Tuck Tutorial

Since there was recently a question about shoulder tucks, for the heck of it I tried to take pictures as I was sewing the tucks in mine. I'm sure there are other methods and ideas, but basically this is the way I kind of understood it from the Simplicity 4450 pattern, and with some of my own interpretation, and so far this way has worked well for me.

On the dress form before the shoulder tucks (side seams are not sewn together yet, just pinned together for the picture on the dress form). Notice the distance from neck to shoulder/sleeve seam is extra wide:


One more, side view:


Iron the shoulder and sleeve seam flat, pressing it toward the sleeve (the dark fabric is the lining of the sleeve, the tan/brown fabric is the lining of the body of the tunic):


Lay your tunic down wrong side up. Figure out where you want your shoulder tuck seam to be, then measure in from the edge of the shoulder/sleeve seam to just past where you want your shoulder tuck seam to be. I used 3 1/4", marked that measurement in a few different spots, then drew a line with disappearing ink:


Form the tuck by bringing the edge of the shoulder/sleeve seam up to the line you just drew. Pin the seam into place along your line, but make sure you don't catch any of the sleeve material as you put the pins in. You're just tacking the seam down so it doesn't move around on you when you flip the sleeve over. I just pushed the pins through the seam and into the fabric underneath:


Flip your sleeve over so it's now right side up. This is why you want to make sure you don't catch the sleeve fabric with the pins you just put in. The reason you can't see the ends of the pins is because they're all inside and/or under the shoulder tuck you just formed, that way I knew I didn't catch any of the sleeve material and snag it when I flipped the sleeve over:


Pin down the sleeve along the seam that you pinned down inside, so it stays put when you pull the inside pins out:


Flip the sleeve back over wrong side up, and pull out all the pins that you tacked down the sleeve with:


Pins all removed:


Flip the sleeve right side up again. Add a row of pins on either side of the row of pins you have in the seam. Then go through and pull out the center row of pins since this is where you'll be sewing your shoulder tuck seam and they are in your way:


Figure out how long you want your shoulder tuck seam to be. Measure that out and mark a beginning and ending point for your shoulder tuck seam. I marked mine at 5" on each side of the center shoulder seam, and marked with disappearing ink. So my total shoulder tuck seam is 10" long:


Head to the sewing machine and sew down your shoulder tuck seam. If you're fabric is really thick, make sure you have a heavy duty needle. I actually used a leather needle for mine, because there's multiple layers I'm sewing through and linen fabric of this tunic is pretty thick:


Seam is stitched down:


Pins pulled. Under side of the shoulder tuck:


Top side of the shoulder tuck:


And looking at the finished shoulder tuck seam from the inside:


And on the dress form with both shoulder tucks complete:






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Jedi - Great Lakes Base
TS-50136 - Great Lakes Garrison
Follow my costuming adventures (both Star Wars and non Star Wars):
Dun Got Class Costuming Creations

[Jaina Solo (Shea Standefer)]

I gotta tell you, these shoulder tucks are driving me nutzo.

I get it totally if the shoulder tuck is just on the top of the tunic. But this picture implies that the shoulder tuck goes all the way around the sleeve:



Am I missing something? If the shoulder tuck goes all the way around the sleeve, wouldn't that change the shape of how the sleeve fits into the tunic?
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[EeanLedgor ()]

If you look closely at Amanda's tutorial, she does not sew this shoulder tuck stitch all the way around the sleeve. And...neither do I

I only sew about 4" - 5 " on either side of the shoulder seam...and not all the way around the sleeve. The results in a stitch that is 8" - 10" long. This stitch over the top of the shoulder is visible, but will be covered by the tabards.

And yeah...for me, the shoulder tucks are probably the most difficult part of a Jedi outer tunic. I pin, try it on, then usually spend a while repining to get everything even.

I will also say that I sew the shoulder tucks in place just after I've attached the open sleeves...and BEFORE I sew the side seams (and therefore, sleeves) together. For me, it's easier that way. I hope that made sense.
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Past Offices held within the Rebel Legion: LMO, Asst. LMO, Legion Costume Judge, DCO and DXO KJO, BCO and BXO Tranquility Base
Writer of many costuming tutorials.
Maker of costume props and costumes for Rebel Legion and 501st members.

[KrisAntilles (Amanda Burk)]

Yup, what Roger said!

I basically based my shoulder tucks off Obi-Wan's ROTS tunic, since that's the one I was trying to replicate with one of my Jedi costumes, and I used the same shoulder tuck for my other Jedi costume too. Obi-Wan's shoulder tuck seam definitely doesn't go all the way around the sleeve, just across the top of the shoulder:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/cope2392/Obi1_zps9eb6b592.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/cope2392/Obi2_zpsb662aa43.jpg

I haven't looked real close at the other jedi, but I think most of them are just stitched at the top, not all the way around. I think.....
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Jedi - Great Lakes Base
TS-50136 - Great Lakes Garrison
Follow my costuming adventures (both Star Wars and non Star Wars):
Dun Got Class Costuming Creations

[Aima Fordyce (Amber Olsen)]

THANK YOU.

I have been following the wonderful and detailed tutorials on this site for many months before diving into the project. But last night, I started sewing. And this "tuck" business was messing with my brain! This is a life saver.

[KrisAntilles (Amanda Burk)]

[Woone Desal ()]

This tutorial was a great help!
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“For over a thousand generations, the Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic — before the dark times. Before the Empire.”

[Matty8393 (Matt Melton)]

Since I am working with the 5840 pattern that does not have the shoulder tucks, what kind of allowances or modification should I do to the pattern in order to make the tuck? Make the shoulder area of the tunic wider and sleeves a bit longer to make room for the tuck?

[EeanLedgor ()]

Generally, I just make the sleeves longer and tuck the sleeve under the shoulder, hiding the shoulder-to-sleeve seam. Oh....and I make the sleeves longer on the sleeve end.

Hopefully someone else will chime in too to give their opinion as well...there's more than one way to skin a gundark



The 5840 pattern is okay...but for my personal tastes, the body of the tunic and the sleeves are a bit form fitting.
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Past Offices held within the Rebel Legion: LMO, Asst. LMO, Legion Costume Judge, DCO and DXO KJO, BCO and BXO Tranquility Base
Writer of many costuming tutorials.
Maker of costume props and costumes for Rebel Legion and 501st members.

[Cobalt-60 ()]

this is how I do mine. it's basically the same as Amanda's.
just remember, the tuck comes from the shoulder of the tunic; NOT from the sleeve.
take hold of the seam that joins sleeve-to-tunic, fold it under, and stitch along the exact same seam.
the new seam is covered by the tabbards.
http://imageshack.com/a/img593/6339/jk3i.png


the result looks something like this
http://imageshack.com/a/img198/393/5hgj.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img826/6264/szv8.jpg
(probably not the best pics but you get the idea)
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[Matty8393 (Matt Melton)]

[Ixam Let'si (max)]

[serephent ()]

My question isn't about the tuck itself, but actually about the whole OT. I see you have what looks like an extra set of seams running up it? The whole think seems much more form fitted (and probably flattering) than the normal one? Is this specific to a named character, or generic?

[Alplily ()]

Is there any chance of this tutorial being updated with visible photos? Tx.

[Lora Skywalker ()]

Hmm, I can see the photos, but I also have a photobucket add on to my browser. Might be what makes the difference.
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DXO of Royalty & Senatorial detachment

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