WWWIP 2019 Week 8: Crimsyn
Artwork by Zach Fischer Designs
Light Fury Transformation
Post #8: Attachments
Hi Everyone!
This week I have been working on the attachments for all of the armor. Some attachments are pretty simple, where others are more complicated and need a couple different attempts to make them perfect. Remember not to get discouraged if something doesn’t work the first time!
The first attachments I worked on were for the arm bracers and the shin guards. They are really straightforward, so I figured I would knock them out first. I attached four D-rings on the underside of each bracer, and six D-rings of the underside of each shin guard. These will provide areas where elastic straps can be sewn on.
Before attaching any elastic, I made sure to burn the edges so they melt and do not unravel. Once I did that, I was able to hand-sew each piece of elastic onto the D-rings. I could not use the sewing machine for this because the armor was too large to maneuver around the machine.
The next step is to attach Velcro. I attached 2-inch strips to both the top and bottom parts of the elastic so that when I fold the elastic over, the Velcro will secure the armor shut. I did this to each pair of D-rings. I recommended using “sew-in” Velcro because it is stronger and more reliable. The adhesive Velcro is not strong enough and can destroy your needle if you try and sew through it.
Now the pieces of armor fit snugly! Later, I plan on adding ½” upholstery foam on the undersides of the armor pieces. This will not only create a nice pad for comfort, but also provide friction so the armor does not move around so much while wearing it.
The next attachments were the most difficult--the chest and shoulder pads. My idea for this part was to have the shoulder pads loop into the straps of the breastplate so everything is super simple and snug. At least, I thought it would work that way. In the photos, you can see the small loops I made for the shoulder pads and how the breastplate straps fit right into them. Once again, I hand-sewed these all in because they wouldn’t fit near the sewing machine.
Here is how it all held up! It’s definitely functional, but up close it is certainly NOT pretty! However, I did learn some things from this! I learned that crossing the straps in the back and having them CONNECT is incredibly helpful for the security of the shoulderpads. The back is perfectly strong and safe, but the front is the part that needs fixing. (P.S. Can we take a second to appreciate how AMAZING the dangly chains look? I think they are so much fun and add an extra dimension to everything. How exciting is that?
Here is the issue I ran into with this part of the attachments. In this first photo here, you can see how the elastic strap is exposed far too much. In the second photo, I have placed the shoulder pad where I wish it would stay. So, I need to create something on the underside of the armor to guide that strap through the armor. One way to fix this is to simply recede the front D-ring further under the armor, guiding the strap underneath the shoulder. Hopefully that will fix it!
I figured for this week it was important to share difficulties I was having with the costume. I have made many sets of armor, but attachments always seem to be difficult in every costume. Just because something doesn’t work the first time doesn’t mean you should stop trying different ideas and methods! Katsu-crunch is starting to hit hard for so many people, so I wanted to make sure I ended this blog with a constructive note to show people to keep pushing through! You all can finish your costumes in time! I believe in you!