Jax - Tunic, Tabards & Obi

Today we are covering Jax's outer tunic, tabards and obi.

(click to enlarge)

Tunic

The pattern for the tunic is a mash-up of the tutorial by SithariRog on the Rebel Legion forums, Simplicity pattern 3935 and Jax's measurements. 

It really isn't as hard as it sounds, especially if you have done any pattern garment sewing. I used the pattern for things like the curves for the armseye and collar. I traced the parts I wanted from the pattern on tissue paper. Then I measured Jax and used that to draw the straight lines on my tissue paper pattern. After that it was just cut and sew.

For what I am calling the facing (the strip of fabric around the collar and the open edges in the front), I did the same way as the inner tunic. I cut two 4" wide strips on the bias and sewed them end-to-end so that I had one really long strip. I cut it on the bias since bias cut fabrics love curves. They like to bend and conform unlike straight cut strips of fabric. I pressed the strip in half with wrong sides together. I sewed the raw edge of the strip to the raw edge of the body of the tunic. Unlike the undertunic, I skipped the topstitching since the facing was not trying to flip down on its own.

I used SithariRog's method of making a "skirt" for the bottom half of the tunic instead of letting the whole thing open in the front like a robe. However, I put slits in the sideseams of the "skirt" to ensure that he could run.

The front stays closed with a sew-on snap. In the future I would plan and add the snaps before finishing the garment to reinforce them with interfacing and make them invisible.

Tabards

I went off of SithariRog's tutorial for this, just scaled it down to Jax's measurements. 

(click to enlarge)

I topstitched around the entire perimeter of each tabard with a 1/4" seam allowance. I used black heavy-duty thread. Be sure to use a large topstitch needle or leather needle (size 100+) if you intend to do this. Using a smaller needle in your machine will shred this heavy weight thread.

Tabard back ends sewn to belt.

I also added my own little modification. To keep the spacing right in the front and hold it together, I made a little belt from a scrap left over from the tunic, stabilized with interfacing. I sewed the tabards onto the strap and velcroed it in the back. This little belt is hidden by the obi. For the adult costumes I think I am going to use this method, but close it with snaps instead.

Obi

I sewed a big rectangle 5"x26" and put a strip of velcro on the back.

As I mentioned in the last post, I have since talked to members of the Rebel Legion and they recommended staying away from velcro. Apparently it doesn't hold up well at over long periods of time and is a huge hassle to wash.

What I learned:

1. Plan snaps before sewing so that they are hidden.
2. Snap tabards to tunic at shoulder seam near the collar.
3. Measure twice, sew once. (Somehow the tunic top, above the skirt, was four inches too long! I had to shorten it. But on the bright side, I didn't cut off the excess. I sewed a hidden pleat at the waist line. If I let it out, it will grow with him.)
4. Fit top half of tunic on person, then draw line where the skirt should attach or it won't lay right. Three pieces of fabric (left front top, right front top, and skirt front of tunic) do not like to play nice.
5. Do not use velcro or fashion tape to hold things together. Opt for snaps, hook-and-loops, or stitching instead.