finished my Mara jade

[Guest Anonymous]

but still the wig!! so keep that in mind!!!

i actually found a good one at a store one of the guys from the CTG took me!!! and then he helped me to pick the best one... the lady said the color is copper red!

buuuuuuuuut!!! since i decided to go for a good quality wig.... i can only vuy next month... you know... after paying RENT!

LOL

but everything else is ready... oh... and i also want to get leather gloves...

it's been hard to find it though....

hard to find leather gloves in the summer!!!

hahaha

 

but i want to thank everyone around here... this forum is amazing!!! i might have read it and looked at pictures here a gazillion times a day!!

 

and huge big thanks to Pam!!!!! i just can say enough about how nice and amazing she is!!!

thanks thanks thanks!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ladyb]

Congratulations, that will be exciting to see with the last couple details.

 

Did you make the suit, buy it, or have it made?

[Guest Anonymous]

Congratulations, that will be exciting to see with the last couple details.

 

Did you make the suit, buy it, or have it made?

 

thanks lady b!!!

i made the suit!!! i got the kwik sew pattern Pam suggested on her site.

it was the most exciting and fun process ever!!!

i even learned how to sew leather...

and a couple of months ago i had no idea what awl was! =P

 

or piping!! i remember reading the standards for the suit and going: "oh gowwd... i have no idea what that is." LOL

[Guest Anonymous]

Amazing! Wow, you look great! Clearly, Mara Jade should have been Brazilian..

[Guest Daritha]

i even learned how to sew leather...

and a couple of months ago i had no idea what awl was! =P

Sewing leather ... urgh. Aching fingers, my sewing machine steaming ... okay, the last thing never happened ... well, but it could. ^^

 

But anyway: Great Mara! You've got the right body for her and the costume and its accessoires are very form-fitting. Excellent work.

[Guest Sakara]

great suit!

 

wow looking at you, have you ever thought of doing Dame vaako from Chronicles of Riddick? you look so much like Thandie Newton!

[Guest Anonymous]

hey everyone!!! thank you so much!!! kris jade, you made me laugh so hard!!! i had to tell the people at the brazilian 5O1st. LOL

and can you believe they have not one single MJ there???

 

Daritha... did you use your regular sewing machine??? i did it with an awl, but i kept wondering what would happen if i tried with the sewing machine.

 

Sakara! thank you!! i am brand new to costuming. this is actually the first one i've ever made. i have never sewn anything before besides some crazy attempts to quilt! - it def didn't work hahaha

actually before the final suit i made 2 mock ups and that was all.

 

i hadno idea who dame vaako was... had to google!!! =P she's got some pretty cool outfits!!! maybe next project!!! IF my unconditional love for Star Wars let me!!!! =P

 

oh by the way... the CTG GML sent my pix to Thomas and he said and i quote:

"Thomas loved it! He had a minor issue about refining the leatherwork but said it was fine."

 

soooo... do you have any tips and ideas how i could work on that???

i got the sort if "square" blaster... should i then make the holster on the back??

i really like the one on the side, that's why i made it... but i got extra leather [tons of it actually.]

 

how could i refine my leatherwork??????

 

thanks

[Guest Anonymous]

I've sewn thinner leather on my machine with no problems at all.

 

As far as refining leather work, I learned a couple things when I worked on my Mara. I can't really tell if you did these things or not, but here is what I learned.

 

1. Use either some sand paper or, better yet, an edge beveling tool to round the edges some. Not only does it make it look more professional, it makes it much more comfortable.

 

2. Work the leather after you dye it. Just bend it in all directions and even take a scrap piece to rub against it. It gives it some natural looking wear to it.

 

3. Before you dye it, use some sand paper to rough it up some. It doesn't need to be deep, but it will help with the naturally worn look.

 

4. Use a leather finish. It'll even out your dye and give it a more professional look, as well as protecting it from bleeding if it gets wet.

 

5. Go ahead and wax/polish the leather after you put the finishing seal on it.

[Twi'lek Pam]

You've got a beautiful costume. It has been a real pleasure for me to follow the progress that you've made.

 

Some bits of advice:

 

When you order the wig (if you don't buy one that has already been made), make sure to take the head measurements with your hair up in a wig cap. Your hair is about the same length as mine, and I can tell you from experience that wigs feel a whole lot tighter when there's a bunch of your hair stuffed up inside of them. You have to keep that extra bulk in mind when the measurements are taken, or the wig will be too tight!

 

If you decide to refine your leather pieces, my advice would be to use thicker leather. Thin leather tends to wrinkle easily and it looks fragile, while thick leather will give a sense of durability and strength. Heavier leather pieces will look like they can be counted on over and over again, even on the toughest assignment that the Emperor might think up! Thicker leather will also take on a better weathered look, which makes a big difference. For now, my main suggestion would be to finish the edges of your leather pieces. The rough, brand-new "suede" look of the edges can be fixed by rubbing them with a tinted finishing wax, or use beeswax after the edges have been colored.

 

Well done!

 

Pam

[Guest Anonymous]

hey Pam!!! i never thank you for your advice!!! sooo sorry!!!

and thank you!!!!

 

my first wig was measured and all... i went to this nice store... got one that was just perfect with ALL my hair in the wig cap!!! =]

the wig was approved and all but at the same time i was told some people thought the wig was not red enough =(

 

oh the search for the PERFECT wig started!!! hahaha

 

i know i read soooo many people telling me to not get the cheap wigs from ebay... but well... i had to try!!! i couldn't resist and i did it!!

 

well... the wig ended up being the thing ever!!! got many many compliments on it... and my friend, who is sort of a Wig expert [she lost all her hair a few years back and since then has learned a lot about wigs]

she saw both of them and was truly impressed how the 5O dollar one looked much better than the $25O one!!! =S

 

here is a pic of me wearing it... this was taken in an event last year for the Make a Wish Foundation

 

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[Guest Daritha]

Aww, you look soo cute! =)

[Guest Anonymous]

Wow! You look fantastic. Well done.