Cummerbund and Pouches Complete!

After spending another evening with the sewing machine and iron, my cummerbund and pouches are complete. :)  I think the trickiest thing about the pouches was joining the inner and outer parts, make sure they all aligned and looked neat. Here are the results...

One pouch ready to be put together. On the Left you can see the upper flap, the middle it the outer pouch, and on the right is the inner pouch.

The pouches and cummerbund completed. Phew! :)

A close up of the pouch with the flap open to show to the detail.

Biker Scout Helmet

Nick B was down south for the weekend for the 'Weird Al' troop and he brought with him Scout helmet that he had kindly cast up in resin for me. Yeah! :) Very exciting!  Thank you Nick! :)
Here are some photos of my new bucket.

The back and faceplate (separated for the photo)

An air bubble appeared in the front face plate during the drive down.  There is also a small hole at the base of the face plate.  Nothing some sanding, metal mend and bog won't fix. :)

Inner part of the face plate.

Pouches

Last night I have marked up all the panels for the pouches in 2B pencil to make my seaming easier and more accurate. I also added interfacing on all the panels (but only one set of interfacing per pouch). The interfacing is only on the panels themselves and not on the seam areas, that would make the seams hard to turn out and very bulky. I have also pre-pressed the panels, especially the ones with the interfacing.

Photo of the front and backs of the panels to show how the interfacing was ironed-on.

Close up of the panels.

I would have gone further except for two little issues:

1. I realised I didn't have the 1.5" Velcro at home for the tabs. Purchase of more Velcro will have to wait till I can get into town on Friday.

2. I didn't know if the seam was needed on the outside of the flap of the pouch to where the Velcro goes. After posting a question to BSN, I found I need to have the seam visible on the top of the flap to be screen accurate. That does make it easier to sew. :)

Cummerbund

After a bit of tinkering with the pattern, I have made my cummerbund. It is tailored to a more feminine figure to result in a cummerbund that fits to my shape, but also doesn't have lots of excess material making me look like Michelin Man, and makes the cummerbund look more like the screen one on me. The taper along the upper waist will be hidden by the pouches. The bust area is hidden under the armour.

The cummerbund is made of a double layer duck cotton and a dense iron-on wadding in between.

I have already cut the fabric for the pouches and all I need to do now is sew them and attach them to the cummerbund.

One thing I almost forgot to mention. Prior to sewing, I washed and pressed the duck cotton to get the starch out and allow the fabric to look like it has been worn at least once. It also means it takes the shape that I am trying to get it into better, which will be important with the pouches.

Making the boots

The boots were easier to do than I thought, thanks to Biker Scout Boot Tutorial and lots of Selley's Shoe glue.  The hardest part was to find a pair of tan soled boots that would fit me.  I tried every place that sold shoes that I could find between Devonport, Launceston and Hobart.  I could find nothing that wasn't in size mens 10 or greater, and they were old stock in Target.  The fashion for chunky tan soles on boots is over, or at least in Tasmania.

I did have a pair of old army JP's, which has a solid coloured sole, rather than a semi-opaque one that most people use, making it look darker, especially in the photos against the white vinyl.  With nothing else fitting, I have gone with them.  They just look like a dirty tan boot in real life, so I hope it will be ok.  I have seen some Scouts use a deep brown soled boot and they have passed...  So fingers crossed.

Here is how the build went...

The boots before...  I cleaned them up with oil and wax remover so that the glue would bond better to the surface.

I made a template then cut the tips from the vinyl.  To heat the boots and vinyl up for shaping I put them in oven at 50°C.  Once shaped and cooled, I glued on the vinyl and then the trim.

Checking the upper paper template prior to cutting the vinyl.

Vinyl cut.

The back of the vinyl with marking on which side it is.

Top part is now seamed, and Velcro added. Ready to glue!

Velcro back.

White laces I bought as to lace the upper part of the boot but making sure the laces won't shine through the vinyl.

Top part now glued & riveted.

Flap is added. Boots complete!

Trying on my new boots over my jeans.

Biker Scout Build so far...

The last couple of months I have been putting together my Biker Scout costume, and here is what I have done so far and bits I have sourced for it...

Gloves - done (Sitharmor)

Under-suit - ordered (Cucblack)

T-Bits - done (Don Jarr)
Nose Detail - done (Don Jarr)
Tank Plate Detail - done (Don Jarr)
Thermal Detonator Bits - done (Don Jarr)

Armour - organised (straps already purchased, just need buckles and 2" cotton webbing for the belt)

Helmet - organised (or mould)

Balaclava - done (one of my motorcycling balaclava's I had)

Boots - done (using the Boot Tutorial)

Cummerbund & pouches - duck cloth purchased, pattern made

Blaster - started