seekerofgiants
Active Member
I've always been scared to make something complex like this, so to see it done with such skill is truly inspirational!
Don West Lost in Space (netflix 2018) space suit.
- Thread starter Danlex9
- Start date
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
Moving right along with building the harness. At this point I have to stop and refinish my buckles before I can sew anymore as the buckles are basically sewn into place as the front of the leg and belay loops are constructed. Outer leg loops built with grey webbing and black elastic, might not be totally accurate but it’s what I was able to source.
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
Climbing harness scratch build is finished.
This was the bear of the project, I hope.
Building it is now a bit of a blur. I changed the thread colors and machine settings so many times for this thing. Measurements are basically all guess-estimates. It feels like I’m making having no idea what I’m doing look easy, it’s not lol.
This was the bear of the project, I hope.
Building it is now a bit of a blur. I changed the thread colors and machine settings so many times for this thing. Measurements are basically all guess-estimates. It feels like I’m making having no idea what I’m doing look easy, it’s not lol.
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
Back to the suit! Jumping to the arms, plan is to attach them to a T-shirt that I’ll wear under the jacket(or Vest). This solution will give me more mobility in my arms and the open arm seam will help with air flow for staying cool while wearing the suit for long durations.
So I’ll start with the forearms. Using this tuck and roll instruction I found on YouTube to create the pleats. Fairly simple, my pleats are 1” wide and 1/2” tall so my top fabric is space 2” apart and bottom is 1”, sew together and stuff with foam(the hard part).
*The wrinkles smooth out when the piece is rolled over my arm.
So I’ll start with the forearms. Using this tuck and roll instruction I found on YouTube to create the pleats. Fairly simple, my pleats are 1” wide and 1/2” tall so my top fabric is space 2” apart and bottom is 1”, sew together and stuff with foam(the hard part).
*The wrinkles smooth out when the piece is rolled over my arm.
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
The inner forearm is a piece of hex pattern with lace loops on either side and laced with a black cord. To mimic this I’m using black bungee cord and lace loops made from black bias tape, triple stitched with grey on either side and zigzag stitched done center with orange. My inner forearm hex piece will have a seam down the center, this is to make it easier to sew all the ribbon/ banding down the sides with my sewing machine. I believe the seam will be hidden well ones the black cord is laced over the top of the fabric.
I will be doing the same thing for the elbows but they will have orange piping down the center just like the knees.
I will be doing the same thing for the elbows but they will have orange piping down the center just like the knees.
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
Sometimes you mess up, when you do there’s often a voice in your head that starts saying things like: “why do you even bother, this is terrible, you have no idea what your doing, what right do you have trying to make these things when they come out looking like that!”
And you have to learn to tell that voice to shut the hell up because you’re busy and you need to try again because that voice is wrong, always!
And you have to learn to tell that voice to shut the hell up because you’re busy and you need to try again because that voice is wrong, always!
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
I went through about 8 needles trying to get the vest assembled. Sewing machine did now care for the painted pleather shoulder pads. Other than that it went pretty smooth. Pieces together the front and back separately then the attached shoulders and then finally inner side pieces. Tonight I’ll be adding orange bias around the edges and at the very least the front zipper, which I decided to go with a grey zipper since the orange ones are too pale off an orange, grey one matched the grey piping on sides.
KailaFalcon
New Member
WOW!!! I've been thinking about making Judy's spacesuit and seeing your progress makes me believe it's possible! Amazing work!
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
You’ll likely have an easier time, bigger variety of matching blue fabrics. Plus the female suits have less sewn in foam padding, which wasn’t super difficult just would have been easier to skip.
KailaFalcon
New Member
That's true! I have come to notice that in my searches and hours staring at reference images! On a side note: If you ever found some time, do you think you would be able to share your patterns? Maybe digitize them some way? What you have created so far would be SUPER helpful for anyone else who would want to follow behind you! Just a thought!
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
Using the same method of stitching through foam interlacing that I used to make the stomach sides and lower back section I made the collar last night. The top and side edges of the collar have bias tap sewn over them while the the edge that meets the jacket was done differently. For that edge I stitched the bias tape to the outside edge of the jacket collar and stitched the bottom of the collar to the outside edge of the bias tape. So the bias tape there doesn’t actually lap anything it just bridges the gap between the jacket and collar.
To close the collar I think I will be hand sewing some magnets to the inside of the collar.
To close the collar I think I will be hand sewing some magnets to the inside of the collar.
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
For my cuffs I picked up a 3” pvc pipe coupler from a hardware store and carefully cut it into two rings, primed with filler primer.
Next step is to paint them silver as the orange anodized paint needs to go over silver.
I will then be using knurled handlebar wrap to make the center rings. I had to purchase white but I will be painting that as well.
Once painted and put together I think I will be attaching them directly to the sleeves and them my gloves will just get packed into the sleeves.
I’m choosing this over engineering and printing a set that actually connects the gloves to the wrists.
Next step is to paint them silver as the orange anodized paint needs to go over silver.
I will then be using knurled handlebar wrap to make the center rings. I had to purchase white but I will be painting that as well.
Once painted and put together I think I will be attaching them directly to the sleeves and them my gloves will just get packed into the sleeves.
I’m choosing this over engineering and printing a set that actually connects the gloves to the wrists.
Danlex9
Well-Known Member
Did a paint test on a bit of the handlebar wrap.
Paint is flat grey rust-oleum primer *for plastics. Wrap is still really flexible with no signs of paint cracking. Much success!
Now when it comes to these knurled rings around the wrists they appear to be segmented into two or three sections with a double set of lines at each meeting point.
And since the wrap tape has the brand name on either side every few inches I will be cutting all of my pieces out and adding the lines with a line bead of puff paint. Should be able to cut the logo completely out as the stripes I need will only be 5/8ths of an inch wide.
Paint is flat grey rust-oleum primer *for plastics. Wrap is still really flexible with no signs of paint cracking. Much success!
Now when it comes to these knurled rings around the wrists they appear to be segmented into two or three sections with a double set of lines at each meeting point.
And since the wrap tape has the brand name on either side every few inches I will be cutting all of my pieces out and adding the lines with a line bead of puff paint. Should be able to cut the logo completely out as the stripes I need will only be 5/8ths of an inch wide.
