Cosplaying Hiccup: Production Diary body armour

 I must admit, this was really hard, but after two false starts I got something I like. I started out (right after making the helmet) trying to craft everything out of plain craft foam. Needless to say that did NOT go well. I didn’t have a dress form and the foam was (in a word) crap.

So I dropped the project and decided that all I was going to make was the helmet. However, I eventually came back to the project, this time armed with a little more knowledge and some different materials.

Confession: I had to make the armour twice because I messed up the paint job on the first one. Some of the pictures are from the first, some are from the second. It shouldn’t really matter ‘cause they both turned out basically the same shape. 

Can't really post about Hiccup without posting a picture of Hiccup.

I used a yoga mat for this project. 

Okay, so I started out by cutting my pieces out of the mat. I used a pattern I made for a pattern drafting course, but I think you could use a t-shirt insteadl. Just make sure that it
A. Doesn’t have too much stretch (if the shirt is stretchy it will not turn out right, foam doesn't stretch)
B. You add an inch around the t-shirt. Better cut too large than too small

The two pieces on the right are the front. The piece on the left is half the back. If you look at the pictures you’ll notice it's split with a triangular dorsal-fin thing in between the pieces.

Once the pieces were cut out I got out my iron. To give the matt the texture of leather I used crumpled up tin foil and some parchment paper. Doing this also helps to heat seal the foam.

The next thing is to seal with glue (I used some sort of plain white glue… I can’t read Turkish) and once it’s dry, paint. I used some sort of black acrylic paint (again, can’t read Turkish) Ideally you’re supposed to seal it after with clear glue or something. But ain’t nobody got time for that!

Then I sewed it together using yarn and a GIANT needle. I used little scissors to make holes in the foam for my needle to pass through. Though you can’t really see it, I criss-crossed the yarn to make little X’s.

It was during this process that I made the armour fit me better. It was really easy because I had a dress form. I also added some darts at the bottom and around the arm holes, because, unlike Hiccup I am not shaped like a noodle.

ON TO THE DETAILS!

I used a belt buckle for the straps.

Up close of the shoulder strap. Googley eyes for rivets.

I traced something circular and then drew the dragon design free hand while looking at a picture. I ironed them, painted them, and then glued them together with hot glue.

Though Hiccup’s armour has a bit of a stand up collar, I decided to not put one on. Artistic Licence and all ;)

I think that’s everything… I’ll be back eventually with something on the bracers and shoulder pads!

Easy DIY Hidden Phone Pocket- Tutorial!

I like wearing skirts.
I like everything about them, except that they NEVER have pockets. And if they do have pockets, they're ugly.
 Here is a simple little sewing project that will help you avoid those awkward looks when you hike up your skirt to get at the phone that's in the pocket of your shorts.

What you'll need:
-A pair of leggings that you hate (or some stretchy fabric)
-Scissors
- Fabric chalk (or just eyeball it like I did)
-A way to sew it together


Start by putting on the leggings, make sure they fit snugly around the thighs. Decide where you want the phone pocket to be. Depending on the length of the skirt, I'd suggest a few inches above the knee. Then take your phone and put it on your leg to see how long the band needs to be. I'm recommending making the band about an inch longer than your phone, mark the beginning and end of the band with chalk (or with a little snip of the scissors).
Take off the leggings and cut the bottom (the side closest to the knee) straight. Cut out the top so that is has a tag at that's two or three inches in length. If you cut the band so that it has two tabs, cut one off. You only need one.

 The next step is cutting out the pocket for the phone. Put your phone on the fabric and trace around it. If you want your phone to have extra protection, cut more than one of this shape. Don't forget to add a tab at the top. Like so:

Next step is to pin the the pocket onto the band. To do this, I put the band on my leg and held the pocket in place. Pin the pocket to the band so that the tabs match up. Then take it to the sewing machine and sew three sides (Do not sew the side with the tabs!!).

Put the band on your leg and put your phone in the pocket and tie the tabs together. And bazinga! You are ready to go!

(Sorry if these instructions make no sense, I've never written a tutorial before.)