Home of the Sovereign Protectors

Edit: As of 11 September 2020, I still have a long way to go on this costume. I would like to finish it for an event at the end of the month, so I’m back at work.

When the new detachment coin was announced last week, I decided it was time to get my own Sovereign Protectors costume built. I’ve been planning this costume for a couple of years, but I’m easily distracted and already have dozens of costumes in progress.

I am hoping for approval in time to order my own detachment coins next month. My local garrison is quite large, so approval may take a long time (unless I’m incredibly lucky). All I can do is finish my costume as quickly as possible and hope for the best.

At this point, I have in my possession a pattern (Butterick 5370) and fabric (https://www.fabric.com/buy/0537816/teli ... suede-wine) for the gloves, as well as a pattern (McCall’s 2060) for the inner robe.

I also have a piece of car window film to adhere to the Rubies helmet visor when it arrives; I know I will eventually need to replace the visor, but the visor I ordered from Ogleprops (https://www.etsy.com/listing/495972836/ ... r-mounting) probably won’t arrive in time. The film will be good enough for approval, and I can upgrade later.

I am waiting for my outer robes fabric (https://www.fabric.com/buy/0416182/kauf ... en-scarlet), my inner robes/sash/lining fabric (https://www.rijstextiles.com/en/fashion ... deaux.html), and my helmet (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005N516AA/).

I already own a nice pair of Jack boots (https://www.hessenantique.com/Dress_Jac ... 116515.htm).

While I know the Force Pike is optional for approval, I am tracking down parts for it now. I plan to use a 2-piece pool cue as a base and add the necessary parts as I find them. I already have primer and spray paint.

The last item I plan to purchase is a Troopacooler system to help keep me alive.

While I’m waiting for my robe fabrics to get here, I will be preparing the patterns to fit my body and my height. I wasn’t able to find a suitable velvet fabric in the preferred 60” width, so I’m adapting the patterns for the 44” wide Kaufman fabric someone suggested in this forum.

I’m looking forward to joining your ranks!

My gloves are cut out and ready to sew. I’m a bit nervous about the process, since I’ve never sewn gloves before now. I hope to have them finished this weekend.

The inner robe fabric I ordered from the Netherlands arrived this afternoon. Unfortunately, the company sent me 12 meters of burgundy JERSEY, despite the fact that I clearly ordered burgundy TWILL. I am hoping they will answer my email by Monday, so I can get this fixed quickly.

For anyone who is about 6’ tall considering making this costume out of 44” wide velvet, my calculations show that you’ll need close to 20 yards. That’s assuming a 220° arc around the back and sides, with each piece being about 72” long to allow for proper hem length over the shoulders. I chose to make the three-piece front shown in Pandora’s pattern, since I do not want a center front seam. My velvet should be here sometime next week, if all goes well.

I will post photos of my gloves as soon as they are finished.

Well, I absolutely will not get this costume done in time for the coin run.

After a week, I still do not have my burgundy twill fabric. I emailed on Friday, immediately after receiving the package, and again Monday evening. On Tuesday, I finally heard from them, asking me to send a photo of the fabric I received, which seems a bit insulting (do they not think I can tell the difference between twill and jersey?). I did that. No response. This morning, three days after I sent photographic proof that I received a stretch jersey and not a woven twill, I sent another email asking for a status update. Seven hours later, they tell me that the warehouse is certain that I was sent the correct COLOR.

I just want the cotton twill fabric I ordered. Why is that so difficult???

My costume could have been done within a week if I still lived in the states. I am really frustrated right now, so I am going to take a break until I feel better.

My cotton knit jersey is finally on its way back to Rijs Textiles. Apparently, my complaint got lost in translation, but they finally figured out why I was upset. I hope to have the correct fabric sometime next week.

Making my own gloves was, shall we say, not a very successful endeavor. I ordered some from a German medieval faire company this afternoon. I hope they will look as good in person as they do online. Link:
https://www.andracor.com/en/p/suede-lea ... dy--103116

I have most of the materials for my force pike, and my replacement visor has arrived. My velveteen is waiting for the twill to get here, then I’ll go to the laundromat and wash both fabrics at once.

I have three events to attend this weekend, so my focus right now is on the costumes I’m close to finishing. After these events, I have absolutely nothing scheduled, so I’ll be able to finish my royal guard with no deadline pressures.

So much for finishing this costume quickly!

I ironically ended up making my gloves out of jersey. The inner robes were the suiting fabric, but the gloves are jersey. I took a swatch to the store to get fabric that matched, and it was extremely easy to make them.

Echo wrote:I ironically ended up making my gloves out of jersey. The inner robes were the suiting fabric, but the gloves are jersey. I took a swatch to the store to get fabric that matched, and it was extremely easy to make them.

My mistake was using faux suede fabric for the gloves, when the pattern called for a stretchier material (my fault for not reading the envelope). There wasn’t enough room for my fingers, and I had all sorts of trouble trying to manipulate such tiny seams with bad eyesight.

I wish I could have justified keeping the jersey fabric, but I had no way of actually using 12 full meters of it!

After more than a month of emails and stress, my burgundy twill fabric FINALLY arrived today!

The color is very close to the same color as my suede gloves, so I expect no trouble with approval in that regard.

I’m on my way to the laundromat to pre-shrink the fabric, then I’ll be able to start cutting out all of the pattern pieces.

I can hardly wait to finally get this costume finished!

It sounds good. Id prefer to see some photos of your progress to be sure everything is up to standards. Cheers.

CrimsonGuard wrote:It sounds good. Id prefer to see some photos of your progress to be sure everything is up to standards. Cheers.

As soon as I have something worth sharing, I’ll post photos.

Right now, I’m struggling to find adequate space to lay out the fabric and pattern pieces for the outer robes and lining.

Yeah youre right you definitelyneed a lot of space to lay out the material as theres over 7 metres from what i recall. My seamstress cut the shapes out of two sides and back and then pinned them together. I stood on a box while she draped it over me. A client walked in and thought i was being kitted up for a Santa Claus costume.