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Having difficulty locating a proper long-enough width scarlet velvet for the outer robe. I'm the kind of costumer that likes to touch before I buy, but I am running out of local options, and need to look elsewhere.

Any help?

Where abouts are you located?

I see they have a new member posting and it list they are from San Francisco I might be wrong

And to answer the question I know you would love to see the velvet before you buy it but you will find better deals from a online seller/store maybe you might find some that will send you samples in the mail

Venom13 wrote:I see they have a new member posting and it list they are from San Francisco I might be wrong

And to answer the question I know you would love to see the velvet before you buy it but you will find better deals from a online seller/store maybe you might find some that will send you samples in the mail

Correct. I am in San Francisco. I'm not going to be able to get down to the garment district in LA for some time, and the budget is limited, so online resources it is. Looking for a rayon velvet, summer-weight if possible, 60-width +. I'm 6'-2" in my boots, and looking to limit the necessity of seams.

summer weight that will be hard velvet is a heavy material I'm 5'10" and my robe is heavy

Venom13 wrote:summer weight that will be hard velvet is a heavy material I'm 5'10" and my robe is heavy

Hence the necessity for a lighter-weight cloth, plus cooler in summer troopings. Velvet comes in a variety of materials. Personally, I prefer rayon and other natural fibers like linen. Natural fibers also take home dye jobs much better than synthetics.

Rayon velvet would not be acceptable for a material for this costume. It is a shiny, stretchy fabric.

The only materials that are currently acceptable for the outer part of the cloak are proper velvet or velveteen at this time. (yes this is a hot costume... only one hotter that I am aware of is Darth Vader)

Sorry to pass on the bad news.

I got my velvet from SyFabrics online -- good prices and a good match for the colors and weight of the originals. I've worn three layers of the stuff (cape shell and lining, plus inner robe) in Georgia and Florida in August and I'm still here to tell the tale. My new inner robe will be suedecloth, and my new cape (when I've been able to save up the huge cost for the fabric) will be the accurate 21-ounce cotton velour theater curtain fabric, both of which breathe better than the synthetic velvet I have now.

--Jonah

Peregrinus wrote:I got my velvet from SyFabrics online -- good prices and a good match for the colors and weight of the originals. I've worn three layers of the stuff (cape shell and lining, plus inner robe) in Georgia and Florida in August and I'm still here to tell the tale. My new inner robe will be suedecloth, and my new cape (when I've been able to save up the huge cost for the fabric) will be the accurate 21-ounce cotton velour theater curtain fabric, both of which breathe better than the synthetic velvet I have now.

--Jonah

Velour is not an acceptable fabric for 501st approval

The 21-ounce cotton velour that theater curtains are made out of is nothing like the lightweight and panne velours that most people think of for the term. It's heavy and soft and smooth in appearance and less shiny than any synthetic fabric I've looked at. And regardless of whether it's 501st approvable, since it's what they used for the original film costumes, it's what I'm going to use for mine -- even if I can never wear that particular cape at official events. I've gotten far too used to the 501st's fallability in such matters over the years.

--Jonah