Red Hood (Arkham Knight DLC) build [late to the party I know]

Well it's been a couple of months since I've posted on therpf and my first time posting in the DC board! I finished my Cap suit back in early October, and ended up taking a break from sewing to recover. But, while I was resting I played through Arkham Knight and the DLCs and fell in love with Red Hood's design in the story pack! I knew I wouldn't have enough time/money to get the whole done for my next convention in February. But, I thought it'd be a fun project to slowly work on and keep my hands busy.

My plan is to make the jacket and shirt from scratch, and modify a red hoodie to the right fit/length to wear underneath. The helmet, guns and shinguards I'll be buying (got my eye on a couple sellers that I'm just waiting to hear back on time/price about). And I'm going to try and 3D print the thigh panels, ammo clips, belt pieces, and the minor shirt greebles myself using a mix of ninjaflex printable rubber and regular 3D printing filament.

I started working on a pattern for the jacket about a month ago, and last night finally reached a point where I felt like showing some progress. I started using a McCall's pattern for a basic fleece jacket. I made a mockup in the right size using muslin and threw a quick zipper on just to check how it'd sit when zipped. This ended up being VERY loose (not that big a surprise), so I took in the side seams heavily and added the curved seams on the back of Jason's jacket to take it in better. I also hemmed the jacket and the sleeve cuffs to the proper length based on where I wanted it to sit. I thought the collar was too loose around the neck for what's basically a motorcycle jacket, so I redrew that part of the pattern to pull it in closer and changed the length of the collar to match. I also drew a new sleeve pattern from scratch using a sleeve cap drafting guide I found online to make the sleeve sit in better!



This all resulted in new paper pattern pieces and a second muslin mockup. This time the mockup fit MUCH better and already had some of Red Hood's seamlines established in the construction (the back seams and the yoke). The collar also fit closer just the way I wanted it to instead of awkwardly drooping down. I spent last night drawing out the rest of the designs/construction details on the jacket onto the mockup and got almost all of it where I want it to be. I'll be cleaning it up a bit tonight before I cut it apart to make my final paper patterns.

Chugging along with some more progress! After I finished drawing up the pattern, I cut it apart to make my final paper patterns. I ended up with 2 (technically 3) sets of paper patterns; ones specifically for the liner, ones for the shell, and ones for both! I decided to use the original paper patterns for the liner as they were simpler shapes to sew together and the fit didn't change in drawing the details. So I really just had to draw the additional ones that were needed for the shell; the modified yoke, the different sections of the sleeves, the front panels, pockets, and short flaps on the shoulder.



Then I got to work on the liner! I used a nice, red polyester satin that I got on sale and assembled a chunk of the back first. After that, I attached the yoke and front panels. Before starting the sleeves, I decided I wanted to add a couple of liner pockets and attach the facing. For those I used the same black fused leather I'll be using for the shell since I thought it'd be a good to get used to working with the material as well. it definitely wasn't my cleanest work since I've only made liner pockets once before, but it doesn't look awful and they've got enough space to tuck a phone into! Stole my girlfriend's phone to take an example picture So, now I've just attach the sleeves and then I can start working on the shell!

Nice pattern work, brutuswayne! Looking great so far. Pattern work is a bitch, but yours look great!

Vox said:

Nice pattern work, brutuswayne! Looking great so far. Pattern work is a bitch, but yours look great!

Click to expand...

Thank you! Patterning is one of the few things I'm actually pretty confident in, plus it helps that I always end up doing at least 2-3 drafts of a pattern before I settle on the final one

Just a quick update to show that the liner's done! Setting the sleeves in wasn't as nearly as stressful as I thought it would be, then again this is the first time I've had a properly drafted sleeve cap. Only hard part was remember to not sew all the way to the cuff on the backs of the sleeves so that I know where to sandwich the cuff zippers between the liner and the shell! Now I just need my rolling presser foot to get delivered so I can start on the shell, all that topstitching is gonna be a fun time haha

Got a bit more to show! Slow progress is still progress I got delayed by family events and because I had to order a walking foot for my machine to make it easier to work with the leather. Pretty straightforward, made the back using white and black leather and topstitched the seams. As for the yoke, I actually mulled over how I was going to do it for a while, ultimately deciding to make the 'ribbing' section by sewing extra sections of leather under the one piece yoke, and lightly stuffing it with polyfill. I basted additional stitches where the topstitching would go to hold the batting in place until I could do the actual topstitching. Unfortunately, lost the pictures showing the progression of that because of my phone crashing, so I've only got pics of that once it was done and attached to the back. Excuse the wrinkles and rumples, because of the curvature of some of the seams the material doesnt really lay as flat. The wrinkling at the unsewn front of the yoke will be stretched back out to normal once it's sewn to the front panels.



I think next I'm gonna do the front panels with the mini-stormflaps, breast pocket, and zipper pockets. I'm planning on doing the sleeves last since I've got a couple ideas of how to topstitch both the front and back seams without having an off-the-arm sewing machine, but I'd rather get the rest of the jacket done first.

Did you ever finish this