Hawkeye is Finished!

I finished the last sewing for Mike's Hawkeye costume. As a reminder, we're using the art by David Aja as inspiration:


Turns out a backpack quiver with two shoulder straps like Hawkeye has, where the arrows are tilted to the side, is kind of rare. Usually backpack quivers have the arrows stored perpendicular to the ground. If they are tilted, the quiver is usually on one main shoulder strap like a messenger bag, not two like a backpack. So this took a little more engineering than I originally thought it would.

1) I used less than 1 yard of 54" black cotton duck. Start by sewing an 8.5" by 6.5" rectangle by cutting two rectangles of that size plus 1/2" seam allowances. Sew the rectangles right sides together, leaving a hole for turning, turn right side out, and top stitch near the edge.


2) Sew D-rings to each corner of the rectangle. I used 1 inch wide synthetic webbing and 1 inch D-rings.


3) Take a 13.5" by 22.5" rectangle of plastic canvas. This is going to be the stiffener giving the quiver its shape. Trace around it on the cotton duck, but only add a seam allowance on the short sides. Make one of the seam allowances long enough for a hem. Finish all the edges with a serger or your preferred seam allowance treatment.


4) You are going to sew this rectangle into a tube, sewing a circle into one end. To draw that circle, I calculated the radius that would give the circumference I needed and used a compass. Circumference equals Pi times 2 times radius. An easier method would be to sew the tube first and then trace it to get the circle. Either way, remember to add a seam allowance to the circle and finish the edges to avoid fraying (I used fray check, because I'm not talented enough to serge in a circle).


5) Sew up the long seam of the tube, if you haven't already. Hem one end. Sew the circle to the other end.


6) Check that your plastic canvas piece can fit into the tube. I wanted this to be easy to take out, so I could collapse the quiver into a suitcase if necessary.


7) Optional: cover the top end of the plastic canvas with cotton duck so that it won't show if someone happens to see into the quiver.


8) Sew the tube at an angle to the rectangle with the D-rings, going from one corner across the diagonal to the other corner. I sewed this on by hand, with a whip stitch.


9) Attach the backpack straps to the D-rings. I included parachute buckles to allow things to be adjustable later. Make sure the straps are the right length to be comfortable for the intended wearer.


10) Cut a circle of foam to put in the bottom of the tube.


Done!