BBC Robin Hood - Season 3 Costume build

[Nibenon]

While I hunt or wait for accessories for Faramir, Flynn Rider, or the Dread Pirate Roberts, I figured I’d use some of the experiences from these builds and build a replica I’ve wanted since I was a kid: Robin Hood, specifically his Season 3 outfit.

Say what you will about the campy show, I’ve quite enjoyed rewatching it on the CW Seed, and it’s provided a slew of clear screenshots:

Looks like lots of leather quilting, piping, binding, rivets, eyelets, buckles and straps, braided cord, green sueded leather (hood and decorative X’s), and some square leather cord twisted around almost every edge. Whew.

I’ll start with drafting a pattern, although I truly don’t know if there’s anyone else who’d be remotely interested in making this, too. Hello to all fellow BBC Robin Hood fans. (All 5 of you )

 

[Nibenon]

Here’s my account of quilting leather without any of the recommended tools. It doesn’t just apply to Robin Hood, though

First, a basic doublet pattern.

the pieces were then cut out from a soft plonge-weight leather, as well as from some plushy artificial wool bonded to a microsuede backing.

You could always make your own quilting layer by combining wool, batting or foam with a fabric backing, so long as those 2 layers are GLUED together. There’s a lot of shifting and warping that could happen, and you want to minimize it.

Anyway, the leather is NOT glued to the quilting, because I needed to sew open channels for the piping.

I used some twisted cotton for welt cord, and after all the piping was threaded through (creating lovely raised sections) I ran a basic stitch around the border to minimize warping for the INSANE quilting that’s about to happen. You can see it’s already been started.

 

[SMP Designs]

I love this and am looking forward to progress!

On the backing you mention, in the US we have what’s called headliner foam. It’s actually used as the upholstery on the roofs of cars but comes in quite handy for padding costumes. I use it in almost all of my projects somehow and it works brilliantly.

As to not gluing the leather/facing material to the backing, I’m in slight disagreement.

I use a product called Super77, which is a spray mount to tack my face materials to the backing. It keeps them from pulling and warping and, once basting or seams are finished, it can be pulled away from the seam allowances to remove the bulk.

the trick is to use only enough spray to stabilize the layers while fabricating but allow you to pull away the backing where it’s not wanted/needed.

When piping is needed between the layers, you can mark and lay the piping on the padded layer. Then, when you spray mount the facing material and lay it down, you will have very smooth layers, can press the top layer around the piping cord and then use a cording foot to stitch on either side. I’ve used that method a few times, most recently for the “woven” effect on a Ragnar tunic.

 

[Nibenon]

Hey SMP, that’s some fantastic advice for leather quilters!

As a matter of fact, I DID use Super77 as the adhesive for 99% of the bonding across this build, but even a light layer proved too difficult to pull a welt cord through the sewn channel. That absolutely would have been different if I’d owned a cording foot, but until then I offer up my crude Macgyvering.

Anyway, here’s the quilted doublet, several hours of meandering later, and the start of the little details:

 

[SMP Designs]

It looks STUNNING! I really love this build, so glad I found it

 

[Nibenon]

I thought my Faramir build was going to be the ultimate eyelet-based replica, but I was quite mistaken.

These edges alone have already consumed as many eyelets as Faramir’s entirety.

The leather whipstitching is Tandy Kodiak lace. I suspect I’ll be using most of the spool.

 

[pinder91]

I always thought this version would make for a fun build. You're doing an amazing job, as with your Faramir!