KAT ARMOR BUILD - with custom undersuit *WIP*

[Annanymous]

This looks great!! I'm so excited to see this progress.
I too am goingto be doing a custom reach undersuit soon, so I was curious at to what foamy material you are using to make the details? Is it just some soft foam sheet that you cut out and then sew some fabric over (and then sew it to the main part of the suit?)
Thanks, and can't wait to see more

[Prettyfloralbonnet]

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses. I tried experimenting with craft foam, vinyl, and lycra and the results were unclean and unreliable. My sewing machine just couldn't handle the materials together.

[ACDCrockr209]

Wow, dudette! You're doing an AMAZING job!

Can't wait to see it all done!

[zacic]

looking good, looking good! I was thinking of doing a similar method for a star wars undersuit.

[LilTyrant]

Thanks everyone for the support! It definitely helps to keep me workin'

I too am goingto be doing a custom reach undersuit soon, so I was curious at to what foamy material you are using to make the details? Is it just some soft foam sheet that you cut out and then sew some fabric over (and then sew it to the main part of the suit?)
Thanks, and can't wait to see more

I'm using a couple of different things (and may still mess around with some other options). Right now, the hip pads are NU-Foam (densified batting used for chair cushions) inserted into an enclosed pocket. No stitches actually go into the foam, so it's kind of like a pillow. The NU-foam is a little stiffer than I'd like, so I might try something else (depending on how it acts with the final fabric). The stomach, neck, and elbow detail just have regular quilting batting sewn into the body, like an extra layer of fabric. The shoulder is a knit fabric layered on top of itself like an applique, so no foam. Hope that answers your question! That's awesome that you're gonna make a suit too. I'll have to check out your thread and see how it goes!

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I haven't made a lot of progress, but wanted to give an update since it's been a bit since my last post...

I've attached the right (mechanical) arm to the torso, so now I have a better idea of how much is really going to need to change. Sorry for the cruddy pictures ...the camera was on a funky setting and I didn't realize it until after I had already started seam ripping the model. Hopefully you can still kind of see what's going on. The red marks are where I've started noting some of the needed changes with a Sharpie. I like to mark the model while I'm wearing it, so I have a better idea of where things actually line up.



Unfortunately, as much as I was trying to avoid using a lot of stretchy fabric, it looks like my movement will be too limited if I don't . My machine doesn't have a lot of versatility with super stretchy stuff, so it'll be a challenge. I'm working on making some tweaks to the arm/shoulder area, then testing out the adjusted pattern using the final fabric (for a more realistic fit). If I'm lucky and the pattern works out, then I can use the tweaked arms/shoulders for the final. We shall see...

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Back to the newsprint for some pattern tweaks...then on to a new set of arms!

[Annanymous]

Thanks everyone for the support! It definitely helps to keep me workin'



I'm using a couple of different things (and may still mess around with some other options). Right now, the hip pads are NU-Foam (densified batting used for chair cushions) inserted into an enclosed pocket. No stitches actually go into the foam, so it's kind of like a pillow. The NU-foam is a little stiffer than I'd like, so I might try something else (depending on how it acts with the final fabric). The stomach, neck, and elbow detail just have regular quilting batting sewn into the body, like an extra layer of fabric. The shoulder is a knit fabric layered on top of itself like an applique, so no foam. Hope that answers your question! That's awesome that you're gonna make a suit too. I'll have to check out your thread and see how it goes!

-----

I haven't made a lot of progress, but wanted to give an update since it's been a bit since my last post...

I've attached the right (mechanical) arm to the torso, so now I have a better idea of how much is really going to need to change. Sorry for the cruddy pictures ...the camera was on a funky setting and I didn't realize it until after I had already started seam ripping the model. Hopefully you can still kind of see what's going on. The red marks are where I've started noting some of the needed changes with a Sharpie. I like to mark the model while I'm wearing it, so I have a better idea of where things actually line up.


Unfortunately, as much as I was trying to avoid using a lot of stretchy fabric, it looks like my movement will be too limited if I don't . My machine doesn't have a lot of versatility with super stretchy stuff, so it'll be a challenge. I'm working on making some tweaks to the arm/shoulder area, then testing out the adjusted pattern using the final fabric (for a more realistic fit). If I'm lucky and the pattern works out, then I can use the tweaked arms/shoulders for the final. We shall see...

-----
Back to the newsprint for some pattern tweaks...then on to a new set of arms!

Hey it looks great, I really like the side and shoulder details. I'm not a big sewer or fabric person, but would it be easier to hand-sew the foamy piece details to a stretchier material if your sewing machine can't handle it? Or maybe there is a fabric that would give you more movement but isn't like...as stretchy as spandex.

also thankyou for answering my question about what materials you are using I hope that I will be able to figure out a way to make a suit without a sewing machine haha. I'll be doing a lot of hand sewing...

[LilTyrant]

Hey it looks great, I really like the side and shoulder details. I'm not a big sewer or fabric person, but would it be easier to hand-sew the foamy piece details to a stretchier material if your sewing machine can't handle it? Or maybe there is a fabric that would give you more movement but isn't like...as stretchy as spandex.

also thankyou for answering my question about what materials you are using I hope that I will be able to figure out a way to make a suit without a sewing machine haha. I'll be doing a lot of hand sewing...

Thanks for the feedback/thoughts. It's for sure a good idea to use some medium stretchy stuff. I've been testing out some cotton/rayon/spandex blends that seem to be working pretty well. As for the machine, it's not so much that it can't do stretchy, it's just not the ideal (or fastest) tool to use. In a perfect world, I'd have a serger/overlock machine...but for now, I'll make do with what I've got...

As for you sewing a suit by hand... insanity !!! All the power to you if you're dead set on doing it without a machine, but machines aren't that expensive (or hard to learn), and it'll save you a boatload of time and trouble! I'd highly recommend using a machine

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Update time!

So, I know I said new arms were next...but once I dove into it, I encountered an "if you give a mouse a cookie" moment. Since I'm planning on testing the arms in the final fabric, I figured I should test the chest/shoulder pieces in the final fabric...and if I'm testing the chest pieces in the final fabric, then I may as well test the neck piece...

...which lead to this:




I'm using marine vinyl, a knit cotton/rayon blend, and some meshy stuff. Originally, I was planning on having more texture on the shoulders, but I realized it's not really going to show at all...so I left it off. Fingers crossed that it will fit right this time...it'd be nice not to have to sew it again (that vinyl can be a pain)!

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Up Next: Okay...back on track. On to new arms. For reals, this time.

[ACDCrockr209]

Wow!

Keep it up, dudette!

[BioDelta]

well this blows everything i ever want to do out of the water. Well done XD. i cant wait to see it all

[Katsu]

It's coming along beautifully, especially the mesh and vinyl of the neck. Great job!

I agree a sewing machine is worlds nicer, and the time you save using it easily offsets the cost of one, and it opens the door for a lot of future projects and clothing customization as well. I had to repair a leather glove by hand, and stitching it was a gigantic pain that took a long time. You're fantastic with using a machine on those different materials.

How well does that cotton/rayon lay down? A lot of body suits out there can end up looking like pajamas when they're actually put on the person, not form fitting properly, but I don't know much about the properties of different fabrics. Going to be helping another member with her N7 suit, so I've got to start looking into fabric options.