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xHylianKnightx — Hauberk Progress
Published: 2011-04-01 02:07:29 +0000 UTC; Views: 720; Favourites: 3; Downloads: 2
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It's a sea of silver~This has been the bane of my existence at the moment. Only because of the deadline to get it done for the upcoming convention. I love weaving chainmaille, it's relaxing and peaceful. I rarely find it tedious or stressful.
Unlike my Twilight Princess hauberk, this one is stainless steel. It also hates my hands, and wants to kill them repeatedly. Thanks chainmaille, I love you too. The spring back is pretty big with this metal, so I can't do as many rings each day as I want. It's your basic 4-1 European weave, and the rings are actually pretty large to accommodate Skyward Sword's design.
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Comments: 34
Hi, I just wanted to ask, what did you do to make it like a shirt. I know how to make pieces of chainmaille and put them together but do you need some sort of pattern?
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There's a couple ways you can go about it, I used a "t-shirt" pattern as a rough draft. You want to make sure all the rings are going right to left across your chest, not up & down. This allows better movement, and you can add riding slits at the bottom, depending how long you want the skirt to be. If you don't plan to have it fall just above the knees, you won't have to worry. The pattern should always be very loose on you, since metal doesn't stretch. If its too tight, you won't be able to move properly, might have breathing problems, etc.
Same with sizing, if you have any sort of curves, you might want to add or subtract rings by adding diamonds into the pattern, that pulls in, and expands the pattern. Usually around the waist is the best place to put these. As for the collar, there are many different ways to go about it, you might want to search some patterns online and see what works best for you. The sleeves are also optional on which direction you want the rings to fall. I preferred having them fall in the same direction as the bodice, so I had to weave two-in-one at the shoulder since they're perpendicular. No matter which pattern you decide on doing, always make sure there is PLENTY of space under your armpit, otherwise it'll gather & pinch...
Geez, this is a lot harder to explain with words. There's a great forum, with helpful people on theringlord.com. They also have picture tutorials, and beginner's help on larger projects. Hope the rambling helped a bit.
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yes, very much so. 
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No problem, glad it helped~
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I hate to bug you, but I was wondering how much your chainmail cost to make. xD And I can't tell what diameter would be best for the rings, maybe 5/8-3/4 of an inch?
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No worries!
It cost about 150$ (including shipping/discount) for stainless steel rings. I had about 7700 rings, since the ID ratio was so large compared to a normal chainmail shirt.
Between the two, I would go with 5/8 at the very least. Both are very large, so it might be best to stick with a 12g, that way your aspect ratio is stronger. You can go with the thinner... but I would be worried about normal wear and tear, since it's extra pressure on each ring (and you're taller, so more rings that need to be supported).
I'm picky though about my weapons and armour, so if you just want something cheaper, and for costume effect (if you plan to just make the sleeves, and skirt, rather than full hauberk. The thinner 14g ones will actually work just as well. Anything will last a lifetime with proper care~
Hope it helps!
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Wow.... that IS expensive. D: I did consider only making the pieces that poke out, but I'm not sure how to hold them up. Possibly by sewing them into the white shirt?
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That is actually cheap... XD
You could always buy your own wire spool, and manually shape & cut each ring. This is much cheaper in the long run, but you do need the tools to accomplish it. I don't have the proper cutting tools to try, or workshop for that matter... bleh.
You can sew directly, just make sure you're using a strong thread like upholstery thread, or even leather string, etc. In that case too, you want thinner, and lighter, so it doesn't tug on your shirt. I used steel, but you can use cheaper metals, or even plastics.
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I've considered using plastic rings, but I'm not sure how washable the shirt'd be in the end.
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You'd have to hand wash it.
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D: Terrible! xD Oh yeah, I also can't really seem to figure out how Link's belt works. I mean, the buckle doesn't have a little piece to fit through a hole! Got any tips for that? xD
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Mine actually wraps around to the back, and attaches there. I hide it behind my pouches~
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Ooh, nice! xD So you have one side attached to the buckle, and run it around to the back? xD Smooth one! xD
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Yup! You could also hide it under the buckle itself, but it's thin, and would be hard to work with.
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I did consider that, but as you said, it's thin. Plus, it might fall out. I'm thinking of adding a snap onto the belt for the end, since there's no hole to put the buckle through at the back. xD Oh yeah, do you have any pictures of the seams near the bottom of the arms? I'm just wondering how it would fit. And for the seams, did you sew them over top of the fabric? Or did you sew them side-by-side with it? Like on the edge. I'm sorry for all the questions, I just think that asking you would be much better than trying to do everything and fail completely. xD Thanks!~
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Do you mean the border of the tunic? Seams are where the fabric joins together, where you sew. The border was added along the side, because it would have been too thick otherwise. The only seams on the border, are right under the armpit, and at the top sleeve connected to the collar along the shoulder. If you look at any reference pictures from the trailers, you'll notice them better.
But I actually made the tunic pattern from scratch, you can always find pre-made patterns at Fabricland, or similar places, and modify to your liking. If you do make it like I did, you have to be careful to make sure all your measurements are correct, otherwise it won't fit properly. Take into account what you'll be wearing underneath also, chainmail is thick, so is 3 layers or more under that (summer or winter?). You want enough room to move, but not so baggy that it looks like you're swimming.
I'm not pro at sewing, but I can throw things together well enough.
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Yup, I meant the borders. xD My mistake. The problem is that most of the scenes I see don't actually show that portion, maybe I should look at the first trailer again. Thanks!!
I'm going to try to alter a pattern from the store sometime, and as you said, make it fit with the layers. xD I actually went to the store and bought four meters of clover green cotton and two meters of faux leather, but forgot the patterns. >_>
And your work is awesome. ;D Thanks once again!
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Haha, no worries. I actually based my entire costume from the first trailer only. I was just happy that they didn't change his design (only the sword) in later ones.
You're lucky... finding a nice green in my area is incredibly difficult... 
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xDD Yep, but the colour seems darker now. D< Oh well, I based mine off the concept art, but I bought faux leather that looked like the in-game colour. xD
I actually compared two greens on the shelf for ten minutes (they looked very similar and were seperated by darker greens) before checking the type and realizing they were exactly the same, so I'd say that I'm rather stupid. xD You did Twilight Princess Link? Why haven't you uploaded any pictures? D:
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Oh man... I've stared at fabrics for like hours sometimes... the staff finally know who I am, and let me be my slow self. XD I usually pick colours that look good both in person, and in photos with or without flash. Seems daunting, eh? The pleather I have looks really dark in photos, but looks great in person, so there's always things that could improve~
I only wore Twilight Link for Halloween (my group kept ditching for conventions, so I never had the chance to wear it at one), I have a few costumes I never took pictures of...
I never had a camera for the longest time too, just this past year.
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xDD I'm friends with two of the people who work at the store, they go to conventions as well. xD I may even apply to work there just for the deals. xD And your costume was amazing to see!
Will you wear it at a convention, though? 
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Nice~ XD I met new friends at my store too!
Ah, my Twilight hat got destroyed since I ran out of fabric. So I took it apart to make Skyward's instead. If I ever find that fabric again, I'll make a new hat. So probably not, I stole the pants for Skyward too, that's why they're so light coloured, and fit funny. XD
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xD Nice!
Aww, you destroyed it? D: But I suppose it was for the greater good.. xD Oh yeah, can you give me any hints on how to attach the pouches to the belt? I was considering buttons or sewing them on.
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I have loops that slide along the belt, so I can remove or place them back on. Buttons would probably work really well too. Just make sure if you sew, that you can still take off the belt.
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xD True, if I do sew it I would still have to make it so I can take off the belt. Thanks!!
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xD Did you use a zipper for your boots, though? I think that they'd be hard to take off without. xD The boots I was working on before didn't actually work out (the cotton tore and they were too tight), but I was using a zipper to remove them.
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Yup, I have a zipper. Makes life easier, because I hate boot covers with a passion of doom. D:
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xDD Sweet. I'm a tad afraid to start working on my Link outfit, actually. xD I hope I don't screw up.
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Aww, no fear! Have courage right? Haha
I think you'll do well~
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Haha, I think I used up all my courage doing zip-lining.
And thank you. ;D I have possibly two last questions, sorry. xD How did you attach your sheath to your baldric? I saw a reference which showed a belt buckle on the back (where it connects), but I know there's one on the front of the sheath as well. :/ And how did you get the seam allowance to work on your gloves? The one tutorial I know basically has no room for seam allowance. D:
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Ask away! I'm terrible at explaining, but I can answer much better when asked specific questions~ XD
My sheath does attach directly onto the baldric (I wrap the leather around). So I actually take off both as one piece, rather than it separating. That way I was able to add the belt to both sides, and just have the clip on the front. I could remove the sheath, but I'd just have to unlatch the deadgrip I have on it so it doesn't fall off. XD
With gloves, you don't want any large seam allowance, because it'll curl/fold in the fingers, and not fit properly. The allowance should be almost on the edge where you sew. I always make mine by hand, I can never use a machine... I actually have glove patterns, because gloves in general are some of the hardest things to make. Sorry that there isn't a quick/easy way to make them.
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Ah, okay!! xD Thanks!!
Hmmm. I'll see about doing that, but I may just sew it on.... xD
And gloves are a huge pain, but I'll get a pattern for them. xD Thanks!!
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