Zam vest construction

Hello Zammers and TDH at large!

I'm working on the Zam vest right now, had a few technical questions for those who have completed the vest...

Looks like from the pictures (especially ref picture DSC04219), that there is leather behind the lacing on the sides of the vest. Gauging from the wear line vertically on the front vest piece, and the seams attaching leather to the edges of the sides of the vest, it's a pocket flap (terms failing me here).

Like a big fold, with the lacing on top. Unlaced, it would allow the vest to expand (theoretically, although it's zipped shut). The flap is stitched, probably, to each edge of those sides visible in that picture (front and back left side).

Any thoughts? Anyone make it this way? I'll go ahead and mock it up like that and see how it looks.

Also, how did Zammers finish the neck, especially in the back? Did you do a high neck? The hood covers it.

Any measurements on how far up those shoulder foldover thingies go?

And one last question... any favorite sources for lacing and the copper-colored grommets on the sides?

Thanks! I'm using orthotic cow leather, white, seems to be the right weight and it is very cheap (as leather goes, anyway). It's split.

Deunan Shiruba
Jedi Knight gone Bounty Hunter

I started making my wife a costume and was wonding about the vest also.

Yes... there is a second layer of leather on the sides - where the eyelets go through and where the arm-holes are. On my mock-up I have facings (about 1 1/4" not counting seam allowance) all along the side and up through the arm. I also have facings where the zipper goes. (I hope I understand what you're asking...)

The neck on my mockup is fairly high even though the faux-hood covers it. I figured that would be the way a real vest would be... and yes I will finish the seams (I always do).

The finished flaps on my mockup are 4 3/4" as sewn in (about 1/2" seam allowance on either side of that give or take a bit). The eyelets are about 3/4" in from the finished edge (you'll have to eyeball it on your own to see what looks right) and should fold over naturally onto the shoulder seam. Get a copy of the picture of her posing with her blaster - it'll tell you how it should look.

Ahh.. the grommets - well. There is a whole thread on that here. http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/showt...copper+eyelets

In short I found that in the SEWING Dept. you need 1/8" eyelets. In the SCRAPBOOKING Dept. you need 3/16" eyelets because they are measured differently. You can find them in either but under different brands, and sometimes you have to look around.

The lacing - you can make it yourself or you can buy some premade lace from Tandy or another leather resource. It's more of a rounded leather and you should dye it yourself.

Thanks, MaulMaus!

Hey, is that fake hood actually hood-shaped, or just a triangle on the back of the neck? I haven't looked at it yet in detail.

Did you sew the leather on a sewing machine? I suppose that would be determined by how heavy your leather is, and how tough your sewing machine is.

Was your leather pre-tanned and then you added dye over the top?

Thanks!

Deunan Shiruba
Jedi Knight gone Bounty Hunter

The hood is more of a faux-hood. Mine is more or less triangle shaped... (I need to get some pics of it posted in my Zam album for you. (I could also post pics of my vest mockup to explain what I'm talking about... )

I haven't sewn the vest, but I did sew a cummerbund using the same leather (white lambskin) - and didn't have any problem with it whatsoever. I do have a Pfaff machine though, with a built-in walking foot which I think really helps in the sewing of the leather (and the neoprene). The thing with the leather is - be darned sure where you're sewing - because you only get one shot at each seam. Once the needle goes through - those holes are there forever!

The leather was pre-tanned white. I was going to try dyeing it first this time around... then sew it together - rather than sewing it and trying to dye it evenly once it's a vest. I don't know if it'll work, but I'm going to give it a shot. ;)

Update: Found a weirdness in the pattern tonight while reverse-engineering the look.

The shoulders are meant to look flat-shelf straight at a 90 degree angle from the neck. To do this on the actress, they padded the shoulders with approx. 3/4" tall of padding inside the vest (measured at the end of the shoulder point). To cover up the gap that made on the side of the armhole, they put a leather piece over that, then attached a second flap for the epilautte (Sp) flap-over thingie.

I found seams and stitches in some of the pics, I can list them later if you need em. Also, they extended the edges of the shoulders out past the shoulder points to create a "V" look, with the waist at the smallest point of the V. I'll be modifying my pattern to match that.

There are no darts in the back, and it appears the vest is one of the costume's big weaknesses - Hey, experienced Zammers, jump in here if my theory is right - but it slips out from under the belt in all the pictures. The minute the actress moved, the bottom of the vest was fighting free of the cummerbund/belt.

I'm working on a solution for that in the back and sides. Not much I can do for the front.

OH, and I switched to patterning and mocking up in denim, since paper was driving me nuts and not easy to get on and off.

hugs !

Deunan Shiruba
Jedi Knight gone Bounty Hunter

Well, I can't start a thread of my own yet because I'm a newbie.
But this thread is close enough.

I was wondering what pattern I could use to make Zam's vest.

Side note, I keep reading about this mysterious CD with reference images. Are these still available somewhere?

Zam Pattern: Do a search... There are several listed in the threads here. The one I used came from Montana Leather Company (which I bought on sale), but there are others out there.

Reference CD: No more reference CD's. :( However... If you go to the New Gallery Link at the top of the page ... and follow the Zam links, you'll find the same pictures that were on the CD, now on the site.

Shiruba: Yep, I noticed that weirdness about the vest too... and have tried to incorporate the padding into mine as well. Regarding the length... I just made mine longer (canon or not... I didn't want it falling out ;) ).