WIP - Drake Poldragon - Generic Jedi

[Drake Poldragon (Jamie Searle)]

Hi, I'm Jamie, I introduced myself recently in the Wampa's Cave (Nordic Legion Base) as a total newb planning on making a Jedi costume in time for The Force Awakens.

Well now I've started, and I thought I'd try and keep a WIP thread as best I can to record how this all goes. My goal is to create a generic human Jedi ala Obi-wan in RotS, it seems the best use of my almost McGregor level good looks If the process goes well then perhaps in the future I can 'upgrade' to a Twi-lek Jedi.

In the meantime, I've bought myself five meters of dark brown cotton, thinking that'd be enough to have a trial run at sewing and cutting and all these costumey things I'm going to have to learn. The brown was pretty much the cheapest material they had in the store so I figured I'd make a start with that and it may be usable as a robe at the end too. It turns out that five meters won't be enough for a robe, I'll need four more to create the other half. Should leave me with plenty of parts to practice on at least.

Originally I was planning on using the template available on the Jedi Assembly site by Ani-Chay Pinn, but after finding SithariRog's tutorials here in the Rebel Legion I've chosen to base my robe on his Jedi Master's Robe Tutorial. After a round in the washing machine this is what I had...


Followed by some measuring and scrawling I'm heading to bed tonight having got this far...



All very challenging (Lord only know's how I deal further into the project), and fun so far. As I go on I'd be very grateful for encouragement and even more for advice.

Thanks, Jamie

[Dust ()]

Hello Jamie! A fellow jedi from the Wampa's Cave here

Thumbs up for choosing a jedi as your first sewing project, it looks like you're off to a great start. Post a lot of pictures so we can follow your progress. What are your plans for the belt? Buying or home made? Leather working is fun to do and not as hard as one might think
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Out of my mind. Back in 5 minutes.

[Drake Poldragon (Jamie Searle)]

Thanks, I hope to post up plenty of photos, I've been looking this morning at the Photobucket App for my iPad so I don't need to transfer everything to the PC whenever I want to make a post.

My plan is to only purchase boots, trousers and perhaps belt pouches. I saw a tutorial here, also by SithariRog I think, for making a belt, so I guess I'll be giving that a go. There is a leather shop here in Lillestrøm so I'll see what they have in the way of blanks and tools before I order online.

I feel a little like Jasmine on the magic carpet right now, "a whole new world". Thankfully it's also a lot of fun as I learn.

[Anakin Skywalker ()]

We'll be looking out for you don't worry
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"All who gain power are afraid to lose it."
"The whole thing stank, but our noses had been out in the cold for too long..."

[Lora Skywalker ()]

Looks like a fine start. In my experience a short person can get by with 5 meters for a robe, but most people need at least 5½ - 6 meters. And of course, to be careful with the placement of the pieces.

I'd also highly recommend making your robe out of wool. For one thing they used wool robes in the movies, and it's water resistant! Great when trooping outside. (Just remember to think of shrinkage when buying wool).
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Nordic Base BMO | DL of Aurora Delegation | CRC | She/Her They/Them

RLGS Detachment website: http://www.senate.rebellegion.com/

[Drake Poldragon (Jamie Searle)]

Just got home from work (Woo Hoo Easter Holidays) and have my next 4m of material going in the washing machine. I have cut out the first half of the robe, it all seems to have gone very well, an I couldn't resist taking my first 'in costume' photo...



I've bought 9m of this material now, I could definitely have done it with only 8m, likely 7.5m, if I'd realised how much I needed when I started. The original pattern I was looking at had the parts of the robe much more broken up so I had planned to spread them about the material more carefully. SithaiRog's pattern, whilst easier for me has 'wasted' a lot of material under then arm and such. It's not a problem, I've learnt for when the times comes to make a woollen (more expensive) version.

[Drake Poldragon (Jamie Searle)]

OK, going is slow at the moment, although progress on second childs bedroom and bathroom refurbishing is good.

I have found the time to learn how to thread my seeing machine and got it all ready with some nice brown thread.

And MAN is sewing hard!

I've made a pigs ear of a few pieces of offcut cotton and am pushing on and getting better. So I'm going to keep practicing, I need to get three things right before I can actually make something. These may sound obvious but I'm finding them a challenge.
1: I need to learn how hard to push my foot on the pedal to control the speed.
2: I also need to get better at keeping the material straight as it pulls through.
3: Learning to fold small amounts of material straight along a distance for seams.

Any tips for these things would be appreciated, although I reckon practice is the key here.

[Lora Skywalker ()]

1: I need to learn how hard to push my foot on the pedal to control the speed.
2: I also need to get better at keeping the material straight as it pulls through.
3: Learning to fold small amounts of material straight along a distance for seams.

1: It's basically like learning to control the speed of a car. Practice and practice some more.
2: Most machines will feed themselves, so you only need to help keep the fabric in place and guide it. In some cases you will have to pull on it, but be careful with that and do it very lightly! Pulling may break your needle.
3: More practice. But if one piece is longer than the other then start with pinning it in place in either end. Then find the middle of both pieces and pin them together. Find the middle between one of the outer pinnings points and the middle you just pinned together and pin those together. Keep on finding the middle and you'll get a very even distribution of your folds.
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Nordic Base BMO | DL of Aurora Delegation | CRC | She/Her They/Them

RLGS Detachment website: http://www.senate.rebellegion.com/