Props We Are ODST Flag

[Achille]

Well, it's about time I put this up. I've been planning and have had the materials since the trailer came out, but finally fixed our sewing machine and got to work on this sucker just a while ago.

The logo I am using is the image inthis post. It's not actually accurate to the flag in the short (Most noticeably the nose and teeth are different) but I think it looks far more menacing and therefore cooler. I also think this logo is the best looking out of all the ones that have been posted. (But I might be a little biased in that respect )

On to what everybody cares about... The pictures!

This is the front of the flag. Only the skull and flames have been sewn in.

This is the rear. It's difficult to see the lines, but it's important to see that there is red fabric behind the yellow to understand the next step.

I've started to cut away the yellow fabric in select places to allow the red to show through. A very nerve wracking step, since one wrong move means an irreparable rip in the flag. I still need to seriously clean up the edges and get farther on this step.

Unfortunately that's all I've got photos of so far. In addition to this, I've started outlining the banner.

Thoughts, comments, crits, etc?

 

[S1l3nt V1p3r]

It looks very good, man! Kudos. :3

 

[Achille]

Went on vacation for a week, so I didn't get a chance to work on this again til now.
Skull is fully cut, just started work on the flames. Will probably update again tonight/tomorrow.'

Crappy cell phone picture ahoy!

 

[Achille]

Well, it's not letting me edit my post, so sorry for doubles.

I guess that I've got the hang of it now, churned the flames out three times faster than the skull.

I had an "$#!%" moment in which I cut through both the yellow and red fabric, but it's only a short tear. Gonna run down to the fabric shop, pick up some more thread and fabric glue to patch that up. Hopefully tonight I'll sew the dropship onto the flag. I've had insomnia the past couple of nights, might as well make it useful!

As always, comments, crits, etc.?

 

[juliet76]

That-

is looking very good so far Achille. Are you going to make it full size? And what division are you going to put on it?

I always thought an ODST flag would be cool to have but I never thought much about how to do it. Keep us updated, I'm looking forward to seeing more of this.

 

[Achille]

Are you going to make it full size? And what division are you going to put on it?

The total size of the flag will be about 3'x5'. That's a standard flag size, and it looks about what they used in the short.

As for division, I hadn't really thought about that. Probably just 19th BN, what it says in the short. I'm not in the military/big on Halo's military system, so I don't have any sort of preference.

 

[Shadow1336]

That's pretty sweet.

 

[Achille]

Got the Drop Pod all sewn and subsequently cut out.

Pictures:

And a size reference (I'm about 5' 11")

(Apologies for the terrible pictures, they were taken with a friend's phone)

Next is cleaning up edges, and sewing on the banner. Then figure out how to embroider the letters on...

 

[LeeKegan]

Great job, Looks awesome. I will keep watching.

 

[Castellan Craft]

Next is cleaning up edges, and sewing on the banner. Then figure out how to embroider the letters on...

As a word of encouragement from someone who's first costume included a LOT of embroidery, doing it by hand really isn't so bad. Just a little tedious depending on the stitches you use. If you decide to do it by hand rather then rent/highjack an embroidery machine (those suckers are EXPENSIVE), I'd just recommend you use an embroidery circle to avoid any puckering. Keep up the good work man! ^_^

 

[Liquidfire3]

As a word of encouragement from someone who's first costume included a LOT of embroidery, doing it by hand really isn't so bad. Just a little tedious depending on the stitches you use. If you decide to do it by hand rather then rent/highjack an embroidery machine (those suckers are EXPENSIVE), I'd just recommend you use an embroidery circle to avoid any puckering. Keep up the good work man! ^_^

THIS. So much this.

@Achille: Hehe, if I wasn't so damn busy atm, I'd say send it to me to do all the embroidery work since I have a machine that I paid $3,000 last Christmas LOL.

 

[Castellan Craft]

THIS. So much this.

@Achille: Hehe, if I wasn't so damn busy atm, I'd say send it to me to do all the embroidery work since I have a machine that I paid $3,000 last Christmas LOL.

-Off Topic-
AND we posted right next to each other about Joann's coupons in another thread. I spy another seamstress! *Fistbump*
-On Topic-
All this is if you decide to go the cheap hand route. Poked around and thought I should post an example of what I was talking about in case you're unfamiliar with embroidery/quilting circles: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3463&PRODID=xprd1130226

Also, a word of caution cause I've seen a few new folks do it, make sure you use proper embroidery floss and not standard thread or you will be at it forever since thread is so much more fine and you have to make uber tight stitches to make it look good.

 

[Achille]

For the letters, my first thought was to just trace the letters with the sewing machine. Quick and relatively easy. However, since I think I broke the machine finishing up the drop pod, I may have to do it by hand anyways! Another option is to send it off to a company that does embroidery and see if they'll do a custom job.

Thanks for the advice, I'm sure it will come in handy.

 

[Liquidfire3]

-Off Topic-
AND we posted right next to each other about Joann's coupons in another thread. I spy another seamstress! *Fistbump*
-On Topic-
All this is if you decide to go the cheap hand route. Poked around and thought I should post an example of what I was talking about in case you're unfamiliar with embroidery/quilting circles: http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?CATID=cat3463&PRODID=xprd1130226

Also, a word of caution cause I've seen a few new folks do it, make sure you use proper embroidery floss and not standard thread or you will be at it forever since thread is so much more fine and you have to make uber tight stitches to make it look good.

Off topic: *fistbump* Heck yes I'm a seamstress LOL! Haha, you are right, we totally did! XD It's so nice to see more of us popping up on this board, if you ever wanna chat sewing crap and whatnot, hit me up on IM on MSN, mine is liquidfire3@hotmail.com

On topic, once again, I agree with Castellan, embroidery floss is definitely the way to go.

 

[Achille]

The banner has been attached. For this bit, I actually traced the outline by sewing, then cut around the outside of the seam, and used fabric glue to attach it to the flag. I dislike how it is asymmetrical (The banner tips are a little off), but I can live with it.

Yeeeeeaaaahhhh.

I'll probably do the gold trim before the letters, just because.

 

[AceNat]

oh my god, i just stumbled apon this and its amazing!
im making dutch at the minute and i was thinking it would be cool to make the giant flag from the tv spot, wow ...
you have officially inspired me to do one...
good work man

 

[Achille]

After getting distracted by other things, I triumphantly return to my flag. Well, halfway triumphant. I still need to put the letters on. But it's got an edge now.

In progress:


Edged:


Again, still need to do the evil letters, but it could actually pass as a real flag now. I'm expecting this done within the next month; gotta finish it before I head off to the dorms for college.

Comments crits etc.?

 

[Achille]

Double posting powers, ACTIVATE!

I finished the flag. Yay. I tried embroidering the letters, but they looked to handmade (Could see stitches etc.) so I went with what I had planned all along; sewing the letters on the sewing machine. I started with the ODST and went with 19th BN for the red text. Put in the little gold bits on the banner. All that good stuff.

Pictures, glorious pictures!




(On a random note, I now have 117 pictures in my photostream. Coincidence? Most definitely.)

Anyways, you can totally tell that I did the ODST first, it looks not so great. I will, in all likelihood, go back, rip out some thread, and redo it, as well as re-outline the banner in brighter thread. But for now, I put this on the finished projects list and hang it on the wall in all it's glory.

 

[Castellan Craft]

Nice work man! Great to see it all come together in the end. Sorry to hear the hand stitching didn't work out as expected, it does take some practice. I'd love some tight shots on the letters though to see how tight your machine work came out. That right there is worth of a nice wood quilt/tapestry hanger to keep it on the wall. ^_~

 

[Achille]

What? Pictures with a real camera, and not crappy cell phone pics? It's a miracle!

Here's the ODST letters:




And the 19th and BN





Quite clearly, the ODST sucks. I tried to do everything at once instead of in stages, and only went over the lines once. In the 19th BN I doubled each line up for a more solid font. There are still a couple of stray threads I need to clip, as well.

I'm thinking I'm going to go rip out and re-stitch the ODST to make it better today... Seeing it this close through a camera is showing me how bad it looks! D: