Costumes and Performances by Tab Kimpton

How to make a loki costume part 12- Dat Coat

 

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Here’s how the coat came together step by step:

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First things first, I cut the lining out of the dyed noile silk. The pattern was taken from the mock up I sent the client- you can see me adding the seam allowance to each piece as I go.

 

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I got a very sunny day in the work room- here’s the lining sewn together. I embroidered my logo on the nape because it’s pretty and interfaced the collar to give it some support.

 

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Here’s the lining with the collar sewn on and tested over the tunic.
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The pattern was then cut down into further parts. The back was hard to get references for so I guessed most of the way, but this is my best estimate for what it looked like in the film.

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Here’s all the pieces carefully arranged on a leather skin. Leather doesn’t have a grain (though you do need to watch out for patterns and random holes) so you can work it until you make the most of a single skin.

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I made sure to include snip marks to match up the pieces exactly later. Everything is very carefully labelled including direction marks so I know which way up the piece goes!

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Here’s the leather cut out including all the shoulder pieces. The shoulders were cut from the patterned leather and edged in a line of plain black.

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The back of the shoulders have a weird little cape bit going on- here they are cut out of the green.


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I keep all the pattern pieces arranged on the floor and sew each bit together, checking they fit as I go.

 

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Tricky corner seams but they look soooo good so I left it in.

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The collar and front were constructed as one big bit then sewn together at the shoulders.

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The lining pinned to the body- this is the same technique often used on waistcoats. I sew along the front and around the arms leaving the sides and bottom free to turn it out.

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Turned the right way out- victory!

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The base of the coat looks something like this.

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The back middle seam is left free ready for the shoulder pieces.

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Then I sew the flaps to the bottom like this. With all the metal bits I’d describe the experience similar to battling Doc Oc.

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Testing the shoulders to see if they fit properly. These were cut from the patterned leather and then backed with black EVA foam.

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Using contact adhesive to glue the shoulder leather to the foam.

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I secured the leather down again with some rivets. I love rivets, more cosplayers should use them.

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Shoulders laid out flat- they look wrinkled but you have to take into account that they’ll be curved over the shoulders.

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Rounded out they look something like this.

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Hand stitching the back of the lining to the flaps inside.

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Then add ALL THE ZIP TOPS.

 

 

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AND THE COAT IS DONE- next finishing the armour!

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