Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)] - DragonCon 2013 (Pic)

[andveryginger]

After seeing The Avengers last year -- and given that I'm a redhead -- I decided that I was going to try to pull together a Black Widow costume for DragonCon this year. My husband, usually content to wear civvies or his Royal Manticoran Navy costume, caught a bit of the bug and decided he wouldn't mind going as Hawkeye. While I think he'd prefer the "suited up" Hawkeye, we both agreed that the SHIELD variant would fit the time we had available to prep.

I've taken a LOT of screen caps, and the threads here have been enormously helpful. To date, we've managed to order:

- Blackhawk HPFU vest
- Bianchi 7210 Nylon Duty Belt
- Safariland 6004 Holster Leg Shroud
- H&K P30 airsoft pistol
- Blackhawk CQC Serpa LH holster for a P30
- X-Spot Ranger 2 strap armguard

For the knee pads and pants, we went a bit off screen accurate due to financial and time constraints: The Crye Precision pants were just too expensive, and I don't have the time to modify or make knee pads -- especially given everything else we've decided to do. We opted instead for a pair of TruSpec Xtreme pants, and a pair of Damascus knee pads. Not entirely screen accurate, but I'm trying to keep a lid on my OCD for the moment. =)

We've also decided that a screen accurate bow is a bit beyond our means for the moment... and I find it sacrilegious to buy, then Frankenstein, a Hoyt recurve for the costume of someone who doesn't even shoot. DH chose a LH Cartel Sirius 24" riser from Lancaster Archery, that we're likely going to pair with a set of Martin XR limbs. If they don't fit properly, we'll break down and order either a set of Samick Sage limbs (no paint needed) or a set of the Polaris limbs (paint needed). Arrows will be painted wooden dowels with black duct tape fletchings, secured down in the quiver via floral foam; DH will have a single 30" (fake) arrow available for photo opps. (We're figuring a well-placed fake arrow can help conceal the necessary peace bonding/zip strip.)

And, because we're currently living at the end of the supply chain, most everything I've listed above is currently in boxes at my parents' place in the States. I did, however, start on two things: Modifying the Blackhawk vest and designing the quiver pattern.

The vest started like this:



After I removed the velcro (and the tag, of course), I went to work on the collar. I wanted to make sure I had enough to tuck under to give myself a finished edge; I also wanted to try and make a seamless transition between the original stitching and the new. One side done:



I finished up the other side and...



Ironically, it kinda reminded me of Han Solo...but that's a costume for another time. =D

That done, I think I'll need to take it in just slightly -- maybe an inch? -- under the arms, but the fit still isn't too bad. One of those times when my husband being a bit barrel-chested comes in handy. =D

Hawkeye also has a cordura back quiver. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of those readily available in the real world, and those that are simply don't have the right shape -- an oval-shaped cylinder with a slightly sloped top edge. So I spent the better part of today working out the pattern. After a bit of trial and error (mostly error), I finally came up with the top portions:



The reference screen caps I took show a seam a few inches down from the top, so I made the top cylinder in two parts. I'll still need to draft up the oval end cap, but that should be easier than this was. I was very glad to have my loverly French curve to help with the gently sloping lines.

...and I discovered I really need a T-square. But that's what this is all about, isn't it? The learning curve? =D

Hoping to tackle the last bit of the pattern tomorrow and maybe a muslin for a final check of the pattern. Cordura is a terrible thing to waste, after all.

 

[Fly4v]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

"Living at the end of the supply chain" is a great way to put it.

I shall be following you work with great interest. It looks like a good start.

 

[andveryginger]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

"Living at the end of the supply chain" is a great way to put it.

I shall be following you work with great interest. It looks like a good start.

As frustrated as I sometimes get, it's also the most diplomatic response I could muster. =D Just ordered some casting materials and it was $30 just to ship. Ugh. Not bad in the grand scheme, I suppose, but it does make me miss the availability of things back in Houston.

And thanks! It feels like a pretty good start, which is encouraging, too.

 

[P4r4dox86]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

Goodluck with this build! It's looking like a great start so far.

 

[andveryginger]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

So I've been tinkering with the pattern for the quiver and finally put together the muslin/prototype, albeit backwards:



Like the screen accurate version, it has an oval bottom, which turned out to be quite a learning experience. First cut of the pattern, I'd added too much seam allowance, so the quiver tube wouldn't meet at the back seam. A bit of revision and some cursing at it later, I ended up with this:



In reviewing the movie again, though, I've realized that this isn't quite right, either. The base of the quiver, against the back, comes up over the shoulder and connects to the strap with a square ring. So, it'd really look something like this:



Now the question becomes exactly how screen accurate I want to be. The OCD side of me wants to try; the other part of me, looking at the calendar, is wondering if I have the time.

- - - Updated - - -

Goodluck with this build! It's looking like a great start so far.

Thanks! Slow progress is still progress... Though things are going to have to pick up in July and August so I can get everything done in time!

 

[andveryginger]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

Since I travelled most of May, I didn't get as much done as I would have liked. I spent a few hours in the sewing room tonight, tweaking the quiver pattern. I wanted a more screen-accurate shape against the back, as well as a better place to anchor the chest straps. So I'd gone back to the drawing board to see what I could come up with, per my drawings above. I ended up with a three piece pattern: a "bottle" shaped back, a half-tube pocket, and a half-round endcap.

Starting with the back, I cut two, then stitched them together along the sides to give me a good, sturdy base. Turned it inside-out and pressed (the muslin material is a cotton-poly twill), then I turned to the half-tube pocket. There, I tucked under about 1/4" to finish the top, and about 1/2" a few inches down from the top to simulate another seam. Once that was done, I turned a 1/4" on both sides of the tube piece, pressing them down, and then stitched it to the back.

Attempting to stitch on the half-round endcap, I got more than a little frustrated. I ended up with quite a few wrinkles in the seam, and was definitely not happy with the end result. Taking the endcap off, I pleated the tube at the end, and then stitched it down, creating an almost box-like effect, while still allowing room for the foam we'll be using to secure the fake arrows.



Looking at it, I think I'm going to try one more prototype tomorrow. On this one, I'm going to go for a more tubular shape by not top stitching the sides and making them a "normal" seam, though I think I'm going to keep the bellows pocket-style seam on the bottom. Not entirely screen accurate, but a slightly easier solution that will work better with the cordura than attempting to rework the endcap.

During the trip home this time, we were able to pick up a pair of boots for DH to wear. The originals have a seam near the toe, curved sole, 9 eyelets, and two loops on the back. My best guess is that they are a black pair of Timberland Earthkeepers Original Rugged 6" Boot, or the like. In the end, we settled for the "Don" boot by Harley Davidson:



They're made by Wolverine Boots, so I'm thinking they'll need an insole (as most of their boots do), but DH will have to wear them and find out.

While home, we were also able to pick up the holster; belt; arm guard; tac gloves to be modified for the archery glove; and some knee pads, too.

Pics of those tomorrow, after I drag them out of the suitcases.

To do list:

• Archery glove
• Webbing for leg shroud
• Quiver
• Arrows
• Find fitted black tee

...I don't think I'm forgetting anything there. I'll probably come up with something...

 

[andveryginger]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

Just about finished the quiver today. All I really lack is checking the fit and adjusting the strap length before I attach it to the bottom of the quiver pocket. Theoretically, I should have measured ahead and stitched the strap into the bottom when I closed it up. Unfortunately, I (a) forgot and (b) simply didn't plan far enough ahead. Needless to say, I'm taking notes for the next project.





This marks the second time I've worked with cordura, and my first since making my Abigail Whistler jacket back in 2006/2007. It's not terribly hard to work with, but I did have to make a few adjustments: 1) using a teflon foot, and 2) not using pins to hold pieces together. Since the cordura was coated on one side, the normal presser foot wouldn't feed through evenly. Switching to the teflon foot made it a breeze; the walking foot was also useful once I started stitching through more than 2 or 3 layers. And, since it was coated, using pins to hold seams together for stitching would only leave permanent holes. Instead, I used some clips I found at the dollar store. Small office binder clips work really well, too.





For the shooting glove, I ordered a pair of the 5.11 Tactical Taclite2 gloves that I found for a reasonable price. I was looking for something with a spandex/lycra body, and leather fingertips -- these were just what I needed. I'll practice on this one before I go for the left hand.



I also went ahead and ordered a set of the "Monster Hinges" from ABC Plastics. Minimum order was $15, so I have a lot of extras. I'll likely toss up a junkyard thread in July, once I can ship them from home.



The Safariland leg shroud is awaiting nylon/scuba webbing and some elastic before I can really do anything with it. Once again, I'm thwarted by living at the end of the supply chain...having to wait for my family to send some of my supplies north.



And for the kneepads, we went with "close enough," to save ourselves another modification project. These are made by Damascus and, because they come with the neoprene and velcro already attached, I don't have to worry about trimming, fitting, and attaching anything. Yay!



I feel like I've just about got this together. I'll need to multitask on my own stuff soon!

 

[andveryginger]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

So, it's been a while... Not only did I slip away for a bit of a vacation, but I also had to wait until some more of my supplies came in. Thank Heavens for UPS! (Even if it is stupid expensive to ship here...)

The project for this morning was to put together Hawkeye's shooting glove. It took me forever to find a pair of gloves to fit my needs:

- Black
- Fitted, made with spandex/lycra
- Leather fingertips
- Without an obnoxious logo that would get in the way
- Lightweight

After a lot of searching, I ended up with a pair of 5.11 Tactical Taclite 2 gloves. They are meant as a pair of lightweight pistol gloves, but suited my purposes very well. This is what they looked like before:



I was shooting from the hip today, so I don't have any step-by-step images. To sum up:

1) I had DH try on the gloves, marking the cutting lines on the top of the glove with chalk, and on the palm of the glove with black Sharpie. The Sharpie showed up just enough for me to be able to see where I needed to cut. I was also cautious to trace, then cut, around what would have been the meaty part of the palm, covering the thumb joint.

2) Very, very carefully, I cut along the marked lines with a pair of sharp scissors, removing the excess material.

3) I measured out the length of each finger back to a central point. I then cut a length of fold-over elastic (FOE) long enough. Because the FOE was too wide, I then used my quilting ruler to cut it down the middle, essentially cutting it in half. This proved to be just wide enough to work.

4) I hand appliqued the elastic to the back of the glove. (One of my least favorite things to do...)

5) Using the leather from the palm of the right glove, I cut the odd shape for the area just above the velcro. I used a glue stick to temporary adhere it while I sewed it on, then went over to the sewing machine and did so.

This is the result, shown with my reference pic:



The hand stitches look a bit wobbly, but they look much smoother when stretched over the hand. Maybe I can have DH model for some pics later. =) For now, I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out. Now to see if I can keep some momentum going on the rest of our stuff! I still have to finish the wrist support, holster rig, and arrows.

 

[andveryginger]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

Another gorgeous day on the island, if a little windy and cool. Meant that I was just fine working out in the shop/garage, doing a little multitasking.

Since my attempt to sew a belt for my Black Widow costume wasn't a complete success, I decided to try gluing one together. I snipped some cordura for testing, grabbed the contact cement and the various bits and bobs for the Hawkeye holster rig and headed out. While the contact cement was curing, I started work on the holster.

This is what I started with:



As you can see, the mountings are off just enough to be annoying. While standardization would be fantastic, I had to settle for a drill and a Dremel knock-off. I clamped the shroud into a vise to keep it steady and started extending the existing holes, doing a little carving into the plastic. I then used the Dremel knock-off to clean things up and smooth the plastic back closer to the original form.

I discovered a couple of things in the process: 1) I need more practice with power tools. 2) There's a reason the Dremel knock-off was only $15.

The end result looks okay from the front:



But the back shows the extent to which (1) applies:



The holes are slightly canted, and I've not managed to drill the third one at the bottom. The slightly canted angle on the top is barely noticeable, which I'll live with (again, need practice!); the drill bits available to me, however, were unable to cut into the shroud enough to gain traction for the third. In this shot, you see the screw caps I added to help clean things up and avoid snags. If I decide not to drill the third hole, I'll tap them in a bit better.

I also had to replace the original screws that came with the CQC holster. They were just too short to accommodate the contours of the leg shroud after the alterations. I replaced them with 3/8" 8-32 machine screws. They border on being too long, but the extra length is really needed to help stabilize the holster against the shroud.

Next, I'll be trying to get my husband to stand still long enough for me to take measurements to fit out the leg straps. I've got some 2" elastic I ordered from Strapworks waiting in the wings for that. In the process of sorting through all the various odds and ends, I discovered that I hadn't yet ordered the 2" buckles to use with it. I have a trip back to the States in a few weeks, so if I can't find any locally, I can at least try at home.

 

[andveryginger]

Re: WIP - Hawkeye - SHIELD Variant [The Avengers (2012)]

...I find it sacrilegious to buy, then Frankenstein, a Hoyt recurve for the costume of someone who doesn't even shoot. DH chose a LH Cartel Sirius 24" riser from Lancaster Archery, that we're likely going to pair with a set of Martin XR limbs. If they don't fit properly, we'll break down and order either a set of Samick Sage limbs (no paint needed) or a set of the Polaris limbs (paint needed).

Trying to order the Cartel Sirius riser from Lancaster turned out to be a bust. Cartel didn't want to make the riser in LH, so we opted for the Cartel Triple Riser instead. And, because we decided the Martin XR limbs were too short, regardless of the riser, we also ordered a set of the Samick Sage limbs. They arrived a few weeks ago, and I finally was able to pick them up on the last trip home. The full bow, unstrung, and without modifications:



And a closer view of the riser:



Given the composite construction and slick handle, I doubt I'd choose this set up as a regular shooter, but for costuming purposes (and the occasional shot in the back yard), I think it'll work. I might try and replace the limb bolts with something a bit more low-profile, as well as put something better for grip on the handle; I also need to add the monster hinges in such a way that the flex of the limbs won't be an issue.

At $110, this is the most expensive part of the costume so far. I just couldn't bring myself to skimp too much on it. That DH is 6'1" also played a factor -- a child's bow just wasn't going to be proportional.

Hoping I can get DH to sit still long enough this week for a test run of the full kit, and to help me cut and sand arrows!

 

[andveryginger]

...and the completed kit, as seen at DragonCon this year, with my Black Widow. Photo by Bryan Humphrey:



There are a few tweaks we both agree need to be made. DH is dead set on building a rotating quiver and push-button bow, so we'll see how things shake out in the next year. =)

 

[Web Head]

...and the completed kit, as seen at DragonCon this year, with my Black Widow. Photo by Bryan Humphrey:

View attachment 227719

There are a few tweaks we both agree need to be made. DH is dead set on building a rotating quiver and push-button bow, so we'll see how things shake out in the next year. =)

FANTASTIC! For the budget constraints this is awesome!

 

[andveryginger]

Thanks! Hoping the other shots we have coming will show detail a little more. In reality, the only things we didn't spend for were the Hoyt bow; real carbon shafts with plastic fletchings; and the Crye Precision pants and knee pads. I actually splurged on the Oakleys at the last minute, and I'm kinda glad I did. Yeah, we could have gotten the Precision pants and pads for what I paid, but at least DH will actually get more wear out of the sunglasses. Meanwhile, I'm really trying not to think about how much we spent on this. DH had a blast, and that's all that really matters to me, in the end.

His favorite moment of the con, dressed as Hawkeye? In a crowded Marriott elevator, a few folks started to heckle him about how he wouldn't be able to do much, fighting in close quarters with no room to draw the bow. He pulled the P30 out of the holster, held it up to about eye level, and said "I'm good." =D

 

[Panzer]

Great work, I've been hacking away at this costume as well, but I've still got a ways to go.

 

[andveryginger]

Thanks! There's a lot of little things to it -- I actually started collecting the bits and bobs in November of last year, I think. Or so my Amazon order history tells me. =)

Ironically, I think the prop bows for the quiver took the longest: Cutting the dowels, then sanding them and throwing on a couple layers of paint. DH then burned through a roll of duct tape for the fletching. Finished in the hotel room on Saturday. We're hoping to have more time to wander around in them next year!

And, if you need them, I think I'll also be selling some of the extra monster hinges I have left. Bought a whole box, and will have access to them again when I'm home in November/December.

 

[Elias]

Yeah! That looks great! :3

 

[KenKenobi2]

Excellent! Good bow choice (P.S. The Samick Sage is an EXCELLENT bow price aside if you really want to learn archery!)

I did mine from found parts in a week! Some of the pics are here with more to follow. I copped some of the look from late generation comic book incarnations



The build up thread is below:

http://www.therpf.com/f78/my-found-items-one-week-hawkeye-build-component-photos-228135/

This is my wife and I doing the similar routine this year. I all game for amping it up with better quivers etc. and I would take a set of the hinges possibly too!

Keep up the great work and stay in touch!

KK2