Seattle Zam starting!

SeattleZam

Jr Hunter
Hello TDH members!

First of all, wow. This is an incredible website. The graphics, the pictures, the community, the information... amazing. Just freakin' amazing. Makes me wish we had this level of "elite" costuming available for all Star Wars efforts.

So quick intro - this is my first post, and I'm shy to post on boards. I'm Deunan Shiruba, notoriously Jedi up until this point. Did generic Jedi, did Obi-Wan robes, 45% complete on a screen-accurate, expensive, Luminara Unduli costume now.

Then I hung out with some cool 501st people, including a Boba Fett, and surprise! I want to go bounty hunter too. And Zam looks like my kind of challenge. I'm a leatherworker, beginning resin-caster, experienced painter, and nitpicky soft parts sewer, so this is going to be fun.

I'm also good at making patterns. I mention these things because I do favors for friends, and y'all are now my friends. :)

I read the Zam messages, and it's intimidating. I'm still game. I'm 5'7", so I'm only an inch taller than the actress. By the time I'm finished, I'll be about the right profile weight as well (lost 15 pounds so far, about 10 to go). How forgiving/evening out is the neoprene as a fabric?

Advice, constructive corrections, bad jokes, puns, and other notables welcome. Making Zam is an undertaking, and I salute those who have done so much work already, making our job easier. I am going to use your example to make a Luminara ref disk and instructions for others who want to go nuts on that one (and it's much more involved than it looks).

Good to meet you all!!

Deunan
 
Hey Deunan! Luke(the Boba Fett) from GarrisonTitan here! Awesome! Good luck taking on the Zam project, it will be cool having that character up in our area. :)
 
Welcome I am the other fett from Titan ( East). Working on a Jango ( half done) will be SWEET to have a zam in the area
 
Deunan!!

I saw this name, Shiruba, and asked Mark, Shiruba from Seattle, wasn't Deunan talking about her?? I am sure Di must know her. Ha Ha, My famous early oldtimer's strikes again!!


How cool to see you over here!! I know your Zam will ROCK!. I just hope you don't give up on Luminara!!

Welcome to the wonderful world of TDH!!!
 
Hey there Lady Deb and everyone,

Thanks for the warm welcome. And hi Skirata! Good to meet you too! Yep, it's me. The Jedi gone Bounty Hunter. And no worries, my Luminara is progressing nicely, I'm in the labor-intensive phase. Design phase is nearly over. Whew.

Hey, experts on Zam, where can you get the boots?? Those are Prada boots, yes? I don't have tiny feet (I'm a size 8.5 for Prada, Euro ladies 38.5). I checked Ebay, how often do new boots show up there?

Can we adapt anything else to work?

Thanks for the help!!

Deunan Shiruba
 
Welcome Shiruba. We have been expecting you

I'd say the neoprene is like stepping into a tube of toothpaste :)

It will hurt behind your knees and your elbows so i had a new top made for Becky just out of the neoprenes lycra cover.
Becky (languir666) now says it's far better to troop in. If you make t accurate and tight enough, then it will hurt
 
So very cool again, to see you here. I am glad ItThatGuy, Tony's Zam reference CD is helping you out!! Miss you. Have been soo crazy busy. But I will try to get on messenger tomorrow.

*hugs*
 
Hey, experts on Zam, where can you get the boots?? Those are Prada boots, yes? I don't have tiny feet (I'm a size 8.5 for Prada, Euro ladies 38.5). I checked Ebay, how often do new boots show up there?
While I no expert, I just won a pair of the correct shoes off there last week. I had been looking for about a week when those appeared. Search there but use generic prada searches. Mine were called Prada work boots.
 
Hey there!

Has anyone heard of "superflex neoprene?" It's apparently an improved form of neoprene that has spandex in it for more flexibility.

What thickness of this stuff are people using and what works?

Also, FYI, some people are allergic to neoprene. I'm going to test a sample next and make sure I'm okay with it.

Thanks!
Deunan Shiruba
 
Hi Deunan,

Sorry for the late Hello, I was out of town for a bit... freezing my shebs off! :D Welcome to the Wonderful World of Zamming... sure to drive you mad! ;) I think this costume has more parts than any other out there... I really do!

My best advice is to look through the "stickied" threads and to also do searches through the various threads to find the information you need on each part you're working on. It's all here - somewhere.

To answer a couple questions... Yes the boots are Pradas ... I don't know if they are "workboots" but they do appear on eBay every once in awhile - just keep searching. I think it took me 4 months to find my size.

The neoprene I have was a custom run we did a couple years back and is very thin - but lined with spandex. There are a couple of sources for neoprene other Zammers have found you might try.
 
i found some cold weather pradas for jamie's zam that were the exact soles and boot but had some type of winter top cuff like thing to them...with the shins covered they look spot on...ebay is a good source but very hard to find some stuff...if you need anything feel free to pm me...
 
Good luck with your Zam! I have a completely uncompleted complete Zam. hehehe I have everything for it and none of it done. The mound of stuff is a bit overwhelming BUT....all the information and resources you could EVER need is here.
 
Hey Zammers!

Got some questions if anyone might be able to help with newb stuff...

1. Any other Zammers here have long hair? I do, and I assume I'm going to have to coil it under the helmet, which will add some bulk. Help to use an Underarmor head cap? Have we tried that already?

2. I think the original actress' height was what, 5'6", and I'm 5'7", would I need scaling tricks to make sure everything is still in proportion in the outfit? I'm assuming yes, since she's got a longer torso and I have longer legs instead.

3. I read a lot of postings about the bodysuit being in two pieces, pants and top. Uh, how did you all figure that one out? I'm wondering what got you to that conclusion. I can't find any pictures in my meager collection that help.

4. How is that face cover hooked on the helmet?

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the help and this community IS outstanding.

Deunan Shiruba
 
Okay... Hmmm lots-o-questions there.

1) Long hair. ZIA has/had long hair. She put it back into a pony-tail and hid it under the faux-cape as far as I know. I also have long hair and when I put the helmet on, I prefer to pin it up. (Also kinda cushions the hardness of the helmet). Though, I haven't "trooped" with this arrangement - so I don't know how that'll work under those conditions.

2) Leanna Walsmann is 5'6" I believe. To be honest, I don't think 1" either way makes much of a difference. If you were 5'0" then, yeah, you would need to scale down, or 6'0" then scale up... but for 1"? The torso/legs issue would be more of a fitting issue I'd think. I'd concentrate more on the overall "Zam" look.

3) Did you get a copy of the Reference CD from Iceheart? It's worth it! If you look closely on several of the pictures (some are posted on the relevant threads here) you can see where the top is and where the waist on the pants is.

4) I used hooks/eyes to attach the veil to my helmet... using a little chain on the helmet itself. I can get a picture of it posted later if you want.

Hope that helps... :)
 
jamie has long hair and pins it up into a small bun style and it all fits under the helmet.

as far as the veil...we used magnets to secure the side that we allow to hang free when not covering the face and used a wire clip sewn onto the edge to hang it from on the other side.

on your past question regarding the comfort and "forgiving" aspect of the costume...i will tell you that what ever problems you have with yourself will be magnified ten fold when you look in the mirror donning this costume...lol

jamie still is not happy with her appearence in the costume...although i think she looks great.

with the vest being a very thin leather(we may opt to get one professionally made in a much thicker lamb skin just for trooping durability)that even does very little to hold in anything that youre not happy with. it really is a tough costume to wear and im glad that i dont have to wear it!
 
Heya Zammers!

JDFett: Sounds like Pilates or crunches for me, then. Unforgiving costumes. Great.

In other news, I am about to pick up the boots tomorrow, the neoprene (stretchhouse) is on the way, I'm experimenting with the colors to get the Zam palette I like, and MonCal's most excellent unfinished kits may come my way. I already have deerskin and cowhide here from other projects.

Question for you costumers:
1. What size grommets are those in the side of the vest?
2. What leathers did people use for the vest?
3. Anyone know how long the FIDM gloves were under the vanbraces?

Thanks!
Deunan Shiruba
 
Oh, and one more killer question for the Zam community:

In the spinning pictures, you can just see the edge of something under her skirt, in the back. Looks like tails or something. Any ideas?

Thanks
Deunan Shiruba
 
:lol: on the second post... the infamous "butt pillow" Don't ask. We just call it the butt pillow.

1) Grommets on the vest are listed someplace on the site here... Depends whether you buy them at the leather store or a craft store like JoAnns/Michaels. (They measure them differently for some reason - the diameter of the hole vs. the diameter of the whole thing) I'm thinking 1/4" for some reason - got mine at Tandy's.

2) Vest leather - again posted elsewhere on the site here. White sheepskin leather - washed and stretched (believe it or not!).

3) Long enough to keep from falling off... but not so long as to stick out the back end of the gauntlets. ;)
 
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