Children’s Jedi Tunics

May the Fourth be with you! Jedi costumes for my children were on my sewing list for this year, but I had no specific time frame for them. Then we got invited to a Star Wars themed party, and they moved to the top of my sewing list. My boys are now the most adorable Younglings in the Galaxy.

For the first time in forever I went out to buy something specific for a project – I have a reasonably large fabric stash, and often I can find something that works for whatever I’m working on in it, but it can’t hold everything. At a charity shop I picked up a double size cotton satin sheet in pale grey, and a valance in tan cotton – I’ll use the lace for another project.

From the grey satin I made a tunic for the six-year old. It is square cut, with a wrap over front. It flares at the sides from the waist down. I found this tutorial only just yesterday, but it’s close to how I made these, and is very clear, if you want to make your own Jedi tunic.

The tunic for the soon to be four-year old was made from my old Hobbit blouse, so I had to piece it a bit to make it work, but the construction is more or less the same as the grey tunic, though the collar is regrettably not as wide as I’d want it.

The tabards for both costumes and the sash/obi for the younger were made from the tan valance, and there was just enough of it for that. The tabards are cut on grain, and a seam hidden under the sash angles the ends out a bit, making them hang nicely when worn. I used this as inspiration for it. The sash for the elder was made from the same material as his tunic, interlined with fabric taken from their dad’s worn out trousers as it didn’t have enough body on its own. Re-purposing is a good thing. The sashes are just straight pieces of fabric, folded, stitched and turned inside-out. For all of these pieces, I made sure the seam was in the back rather than one side when pressing – that made a more elegant finish.

As these costumes will mostly be used for playing dress up (though being of high enough quality to be used for cosplay if ever we feel like doing that), I wanted them to be very simple to put on, but still look right. I stitched down the overlapping fronts of the tunic a bit on each side, so it can just be pulled on over the head.

A small snap fastener keeps it neatly closed in front, a necessity to prevent gaping when children runs around.

The tabards are attached to the shoulders of the tunic with a few stitches, and the sash/obi is attached to the tabards. When putting on the costume, all you have to do is pull it over your head, close the snap, and close the sash at the back with two pairs of velcro – done, and everything looks neat!

I want the boys to be able to use their costumes for a long time, so I built in some room for growth. The tunics are on the long side now, but as you see tunics this long on several Younglings, and indeed some full Jedi in the films, I’m OK with that. Tucks at the shoulder seams, while being screen accurate, can be taken out to add width, and the overlap in front that now goes all the way to the opposite side, can be unpicked and made narrower. The end of the tabards are folded and stitched to the inside of the sash/obi back, to be let out at need, and the obi itself has a great overlap at present.

The boys love their Jedi costumes, and had great fun wearing them outside so I could take pictures. They wore long sleeved white shirts under the tunics for the pictures, and for playing they pull the tunics on over whatever they happen to be wearing that day. If the costumes ever get used for cosplay I’ll make proper under-tunics as well.

I’m so chuffed with how they came out, and I want to make a Jedi outfit of my own more than ever. I even have suitable materials for it; there’s enough left of the grey cotton satin to make an under-tunic, I’ve got off-white raw silk/silk noil for the over-tunic, and just a week ago I was gifted exactly the yardage of brown wool needed to make a robe.

As is usually the case, I have other projects that needs to get done first though.