Deciding on Fabrics - What do you Recommend?

[Guest Kilryth]

What breathable fabric do you recommend for a slightly weathered Darth Revan, if he were implemented in the movies? (slightly weathered: some black wash, a little armor sheen, but toned down to not be so glossy)

 

It's hot & humid here, so breathable fabric is a requirement. i.e. no Polyester. I want a mid-weight fabric that has good drape but isn't excessively heavy, since there will be so much pleating. It would be nice if it held pleats and didn't wrinkle excessively, but I'll likely have to sew the pleats all the way.

 

Here are the options I'm considering for the Hood, Cape, and Hakama:

 

Raw Silk Noil - used in the majority of the highest quality Darth Maul, Darth Nihilus, and LOTR Ring Wraith costumes

 

100% Cotton Twill - used by TwinRoses and MystikMerchant for jedi/sith robes in hot/humid climates.

 

Tussah Silk - this is similar to a heavy, coarse textured linen

 

Other Silks with minimal sheen (please suggest)

 

Other Cottons with texture and good drape (please suggest)

 

Although wool and wool blends have the best drape, they tend to be heavy, hotter than cotton & silk, and require dry cleaning (something I prefer to avoid).

 

I'm leaning towards the Raw Silk Noil or Cotton Twill, since they're both popular options with some of the better looking costumes I've seen.

 

Polyester looks great, but it's just too dang hot.. and I'd never wear my costume lol.

[Guest Aysel]

Linen's and linen blends are probably going to be your best bet for the look you want and the breathability . They will hold the creases but will need to be pressed every time if your not careful with hanging them up. The raw silk from Dharma would work but you'd really want it professionally pressed since it's nubby. It's also machine washable which is a plus, if you machine wash it do that first before you make the costume since it will shrink. Twill will get heavy in the heat and I wouldn't recommend it for warmer climates.

[Guest Kilryth]

Thanktwillsel!! I'm leaning towards the raw silk for its texture and breathability. Haven't found any tightly woven linen or blends that i like. They have all been too Transparent so far. Do you hadn't any linen recommendations?

 

I Will avoid the twill, thanks for the advice!!

[DarthTagion]

I'm no fabric pro, Aysel is probably a much better pro in that area. Other than the red drape, most of the fabric you see is with a little texture and a decent amount of breathability. The lighter fabric is still super hot in the heat, but better than say... a velvet royal guard. (Friend of mine today was dying out there). With a lighter fabric if you need cold gear, you can get warmer gloves, and throw a few layers UNDER your normal "under" gear. I've worn heavy pants, and extra shirts, and surprisingly, the armor is a great wind block and as you'll find, is also really great at keeping IN heat. Your core will stay relatively warm, whether you want it to or not.

[Guest Kilryth]

I know what you're talking about with armor keeping heat in. I have a custom Mando with full sintra armor, Nomex flight suit (not very breathable), and a pleather vest. I regret the choice of Nomex and pleather... it's miserable to wear in any season hotter than Winter! lol As a result, I never wear it: which is a real shame. So all costumes for me from now on must be comfortable to wear in at least a moderate climate.

 

Anyhow, I did some more comparison of swatches, reading up online, etc... I decided that I'm definitely going with a Silk. It drapes better than cotton, wrinkles less, is almost as cool as linen, and can be machine washed on gentle cold cycle. Not sure how pleating will be, but I'm prepared to sew the pleats if needed.

 

I actually found several different texture patterns in Silk Noil also. Which of these textures do you guys like and don't like? http://www.thaisilks.com/index.php?cPath=1_21

 

Which Silk textures do you think would look best for the Cape/Hood? Which Silk textures for the Hakama? I may have them share the same texture, or use two different Silk Noils.

 

I'm contemplating whether or not to make my own shirt or just buy one. I don't want it looking too "off the shelf", and I'd like for the texture & drape to compliment the rest of the soft parts. Any recommendations on shirt materials to go with these Silk Noils?

[Guest Aysel]

you can get that same silk noil at dharma trading for a few dollars cheaper, also since dye batches vary, you should avoid mixing your blacks

[Guest Kilryth]

you can get that same silk noil at dharma trading for a few dollars cheaper, also since dye batches vary, you should avoid mixing your blacks

 

Thanks Aysel! Dharma is great and I will probably order the basic Noil from them. I love the swatch they sent me, and I've been very happy with buying dyes from them in the past.

 

The only reason I'd order from Thai Silks is if I got one of those patterned Noils. They have some very unique patterns in their Raw Silk. Though I emailed them about swatches and have not heard back.

 

What's your thoughts on lining and/or double-layering the Silk Noil? Before washing, the threads leave enough spacing to see light through it. Would it help the drape or give it a thicker appearance, since most SW costumes have multiple layers to give depth, but Revan's only has one or two layers?

 

Darth Maul's hood is definitely double-layered, as you can see the seam on the outside of the hood, much like a double-layered hoodie or a pillow seam. I was surprised at this since most Jedi robes avoid showing seams, but I discovered this in one of the high res close-ups in the Tattooine scene.

 

I may just wait and see how it looks. Thanks for all your input

 

BTW, my wife has decided she wants to do a Visas Marr costume, so any tips on breathable, color-correct fabric & patterns there would help out as well!

[Twi'lek Pam]

 

BTW, my wife has decided she wants to do a Visas Marr costume, so any tips on breathable, color-correct fabric & patterns there would help out as well!

 

Visas is a lot of fun to wear. The overdress is hot, but it's worth a giggle to say "Who said that?" when somebody standing right in front of you asks, "Can you see?" (It's the most frequently asked question when you're in a Visas costume!) I highly recommend making sure that the red fabric has some stretch to it, such as a knit fabric. That will make shaping the veil soooo much easier! Stiff fabric doesn't drape well, and you end up looking like the flying nun!

 

I listed my pattern choices here:

 

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1506

 

Pam

[Guest Kilryth]

 

BTW, my wife has decided she wants to do a Visas Marr costume, so any tips on breathable, color-correct fabric & patterns there would help out as well!

 

Visas is a lot of fun to wear. The overdress is hot, but it's worth a giggle to say "Who said that?" when somebody standing right in front of you asks, "Can you see?" (It's the most frequently asked question when you're in a Visas costume!) I highly recommend making sure that the red fabric has some stretch to it, such as a knit fabric. That will make shaping the veil soooo much easier! Stiff fabric doesn't drape well, and you end up looking like the flying nun!

 

I listed my pattern choices here:

 

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1506

 

Pam

 

Sweet! Thanks so much! BTW your Visas Marr and Chucrew friend's Nihilus are amazing.

[Guest Aysel]

Instead of highjacking your thread to talk about Visas, see the PM I sent you

 

and yes to the double layering, you can totally wash this in cold water and it'll tighten up a bunch

[Ketchup]

Linen's and linen blends are probably going to be your best bet for the look you want and the breathability . They will hold the creases but will need to be pressed every time if your not careful with hanging them up. The raw silk from Dharma would work but you'd really want it professionally pressed since it's nubby. It's also machine washable which is a plus, if you machine wash it do that first before you make the costume since it will shrink. Twill will get heavy in the heat and I wouldn't recommend it for warmer climates.

 

I know this is from a few months back, but I'd love to know where you can get the silk professionally pressed? (Somewhere you trust, at least...) Also, will the silk hold the creases permanently or do you have to have it professionally pressed every time? The silk seems like a great idea, and it would look beautiful, but I'm leery of having to trust someone else with its regular maintenance and upkeep. Thanks!