Again, let's start with material. According to my sources,
two kinds of material were used in making this jacket.
The first being Whipcord. Whipcord is the same fabric that
marching band uniforms are made out of. The second is
Wool Gabardine. I suggest, if you can afford it, make it out of wool gabardine.
It seems to lay better. This is not a project for the sewing
impaired. It is quite complicated. This jacket is like a military coat.
Very uniformed. Once again choose white and dye it burgundy.
The color is NOT red or bright red. I purchased my pattern
through RODDENBERRY STORE. With this pattern you
will need to buy the instruction book written by the designer.
Although the pattern comes with instructions, it is not good enough.
Read the book in it's entire before beginning. The materials
are all laid out in the book, so start laying your pattern to
the fabric. There are two parts to this jacket.
The outer shell and the inner shell. The outer shell
we are all familiar with. It's the inner shell we are not.
The inner shell contains the white, or tan fabric that
is exposed when the flaps open. This is a part of the
lining. So in a nut shell, you are making two
jackets and joining them together. Some helpful tip's!
If you follow the instructions, and have a basic knowledge
of sewing, you should be OK. One thing though..The pattern calls for the flap to be rounded..they are not rounded..As you lay the pattern down..follow the line and square it off... The hardest parts to this
jacket are: the piping, the shoulder strap and clasp,
and the right arm sleeve. I myself have not totally
perfected the arm sleeve, but mine is much more truer
than the ones that I see at conventions. Not to knock
anybody's hard effort! The process to raise the sleeve is
called Trapunto. It is a machine that shoots thread through
a needle to raise particular area. Because Trapunto
is very expensive, we will have to do ours by quilting.
Looks the same.

Next we move to the arm band or dept. band. This
consists of three parts. Dept. color on top of black
trimmed in gold lame. This took me several attempts
to get it right. Make sure you follow the books directions
not the pattern directions. This is the no# 1 mistake.
To be authentic the Dept. color should be 1 1/2" after
being sewn. This is sewn on top of the black that is 2" in
width. at the edge is the gold lame.. Most people follow
the pattern directions and their sleeve band is too wide.

Next mistake is the front piping. This is simple once you
know the trick. Do not sew the outer shell and the inner
shell together where the piping is to go. If you have
successfully sewn the two pieces together, you'll see that
the jacket looks inside out with the lining on top, and the
seams showing. Sew the piping in the unsewn area.
Once you turn the coat to the right side, the piping will
fall into place. The shoulder strap really isn't that big of
a problem, just sew it according to the book NOT the
pattern. For some reason the pattern is a little to giving.
Just a word of note: My advise is to watch the movies
and pause it if you have a good pause button and really
examine the jacket. Back and front, side to side. you can
substitute fabric, but you won't get the same look.
.




The Pants

These are very basic to make. just follow the pattern and
you will be ok. One word of note: Sew the pants like they
were bell bottoms. once you add the ribbing around the
bottom you'll have the same look. These pants actually should
be sort of a loose snug down to the knee's, then flared out.
Gives you that sailor look
.


The Tunic

Using your pattern, be accurate. this tunic is supposed to
hug your body. It is a very basic pattern. just follow the
instructions. It is best to use cotton lycra or spandex.
Use fiber fill to create the Trapunto look on the collar and cuffs.

One last note to this uniform: When sewing the jacket flap, you will
have to alter the pattern a little. The flap is not rounded, it's square.
Also note that you will need to buy black snaps and chains to go
along the piping. Lot's of hand sewing involved in this uniform.

Original Clasp
Katarra8
 

Original Chain
Katarra8
Now available

Snaps
Dritz size No.#2-Black
Local Fabric Store


Work in Progress 3/12/03
A lot of people ask me about my works in progress and to see photos
of what I'm working on. I have been recently making this uniform
for a good friend of mine and decided to take some pictures of the progress..
Well only 3 turned out but there will be more to come..


This is my hard pattern for the Wrath of Kahn uniform. You should always transfer
all your patterns into hard copies. saves you money in the long run and it preserves well.


This is the back of the uniform. the fabric is folded in half with the wrong side of
the fabric on the outside. Once you have traced it,... pin it, cut it then using your chalk
mark what it is or place a big X..do not unpin. turn it over and do the same. This will
help you identify the wrong sides of the fabric..


What you are looking at here is the center and sides of the back of the jacket
and the sleeves. I tend to when making this uniform to do the back and the sleeves
first. They are the fastest part of the uniform to do..
The Back Belt loop

I've taken scans of the process involved in making the back loop. most do this wrong..


start by pining then cutting out the loop


Sew all the way around leaving NO opening

cut the corners at an angle and cut a slit in the middle of the fabric..
ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE FABRIC. Make sure it long enough to
be able to turn the fabric inside out.

This is the loop turned inside out and the corners pushed so the seams are all the way out.

fill with fiber fill. make sure you are getting enough in there and that its really full
and all the way into the corners.

Hand sew the hole up..dont worry, this will be hidden but make sure it's
sealed all the way.

Turn over and machine top-stitch and wholla..you have your Loop.
One quick note though. This loop is hand sewn to the uniform. and don't worry how
much fiberfill is in there. Yes it will look like a mini pillow but when you top stitch
it will flatten down...

MAY 20 2003
Well the final touches are being made. the Turn clasp has been installed and all 
thats left is to seal and send. Well almost. Just an armband and belt loops and this
bad boy is done...For anyone not seeing what the chain braid and snaps look like
here is a picture showing them.

As you can see?. this uniform has A LOT of hand sewing. Not only is the black piping
half machine sewn but is also hand sewn down. not to say all the chains and snaps that 
need to be installed which a machine can not do. Don't worry about getting the chain 
100% perfect. there is really know way because of the nature of the links but the originals
were not perfect either. BUT you do want to try and get it close to being straight..

I had to lighten this photo a little. I think my monitor is going out so some images
look dark to me and I wasn't really too worried about the color just the chain.

July 2003

Here's more pics

Click on the picture to enlarge

THE COLLAR

There has been some questions regarding the collar area of the Jacket.
The jacket should come right up to the bottom of the tunic..But in most 
cases it is not going to unless you alter your pattern to be smaller in the neck.
Here is just a few examples of what I am talking about.

Click this picture to enlarge

In this picture the jacket is where it intended to sit around the collar
The next set of pictures are of the collar being wider than it should be



WOW thats extreem!!!!



I have found that the jacket seems to fit closer when the actor is seated. 
Maybe because the actor is sitting on the coat tails and pulling the jacket up 
in the front...One thing you will notice is the height of the collar on some of the actors.
It is my belief that they were created for dimensions..You wouldn't put a short
collar on a long necked person, it would make that persons neck appear longer. Just
as you wouldn't put a higher collar on a person with a short neck. It would make them
appear to have no neck at all...


More to come soon

 

If you have any questions,,,E-Mail me