This tutorial will show you how to convert a set of OD Green US Military Type Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) into the Green Colonial Fleet Utility Uniform (aka Green BSG BDUs).




Required items:

1. You will need a set of OD Green BDUs (preferably the darker tactical OD Green by TruSpec) as a base costume to modify. This tutorial is based using the 4-pocket BDU shirt, but you can use the 2-pocket tactical BDU shirt as well.

Propper brand BDUs in OD Green on the left and TruSpec brand BDUs in the darker (tactical) OD Green on the right.


2. You will also need some Olive Green suede type fabric for the shoulder suede panels (Ultrasuede, Micro Suede, furnature grade suede, or real suede will do), enough to make two panels 7" x 13".

3. You will need four 1" wide black side release plastic buckles for the pockets and cuffs.

4. You will need four 1" wide by 8" long dark forest green nylon webbing straps for the buckles.

5. You will need four 1" wide by 4" long dark forest green nylon webbing straps for the buckles.

6. You will need one 1.5" wide OD Green nylon webbing belt with 1.5" side-release buckle.

Optional items:

1. Two 1" Tri-glide buckles for your cuff buckles to make them adjustable.

2. One 1.5" Tri-glide buckle for your belt to keep the end secured.

3. 3.5" dia OD Green hook and loop (Velcro) circles for your command/ship patch to make them interchangable.


Note: There is a BSG BDU conversion kit available in the For Sale section and in the Members Only Store which has all of the required and optional items included.


http://www.scifihero.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=598


Once you have your materials you are ready to modify your BDU shirt...

The BDU Shirt Modification Instructions:


Step One: Deconstruction of your BDU Shirt. If you have the 4-pocket BDU shirt, you will need to very carefully remove the lower pockets, taking care not to cut or tear a hole into the shirt. Keep the fabric, you will need those for your belt loops. (If you have the 2-pocket tactical BDU shirt, you will need to carefully remove the epiletes from the shoulders and you should have gotten the extra long/tall BDU so you would have extra fabric to make your belt loops.)





Step Two: Modifying the upper pockets. Take two of the 1" x 4" straps; two of the 1"x8" straps; and two 1" side-release buckles...


The 1"x8" strap will secure the male (pronged) end of the side-release buckle to the bottom of the chest pocket and the 1"x4" will secure the female (main body) end of the side-release buckle to the pocket flap.

Take one of the 1"x4" straps and feed it through the slot on the female (main body) side of the buckle and fold the strap over in half.

Take the two ends of the straps that are together and sew them on the the underside of one of the upper pocket flaps.



Repeat this process on the other pocket flap.

Now on to the upper pocket itself. Carefully cut the threads under the bottom of the pocket that connect pocket to the shirt, about 1 1/4" wide in the middle. Take one of the 1"x8" straps and feed about 1/2" of it into the openning you just created. Then sew down the pocket and strap, over the threads you cut. I suggest over sewing about 1/4" on either side of the broken threads to make sure it doesn't unravel by itself.



Insert the male (prong) end of the buckle into the female side that was already secured to the upper pocket flap and feed the 1"x8" long strap into male side slots so that the end of the strap point towards the bottom of the pocket.


The strap should come even with the bottom of the pocket, if it is to long, you will need to cut it even and melt the cut end to prevent it from fraying.

Repeat this whole process for the other upper pocket.

You should end up with something that looks like this (the picture of Starbuck is to show what we did was correct.




Step Three: Modifying the cuffs. One the show, they either just added the strap and buckle on top of the existing cuff and buttons, or if the sleeves are to long, they shorten the sleeve length by removing the existing cuff, and folding over the end to make a 1" wide cuff. In this example we are going to show you how to make it shorter.

Carefully remove the existing cuff, then fold over the end of the sleeve, first 1/4" inch, then fold again 1" wide. Put in a top stich around the wrist to secure the cuff to the sleeve, thus creating the 1" wide sleeve.








Take one of the 1"x4" straps (you might want to shorten this to 1"x 2") and feed it through the slot on the female (main body) side of the buckle and fold the strap over in half. Sew that down to the cuff on the front side about where your thumb connects to your hand, with the buckle heading forward. (If you don't removed the existing cuff, sew it onto the wrist adjustment flap with the button hole with the female side of the buckle heading away from the flap).


Take one of the 1"x8" straps (you might want to shorten this two 1"x4") and attach it on the other side of the cuff so that it is will meet the female side on the bottom side of your wrist.


I found if I wanted to have the straps adjustable, you need to put on a 1" tri-glide buckle on to the strap


and then feed the strap into the slots on the males side of the buckle and then back through the tri-glide buckle


Then fasten the male to the female side of the buckle.




Now onto the shoulder suede panels!

Step Four: Installing the suede shoulder panels. Take the suede materials and fold over the edges to make panels that are 5 1/2" wide by 11" long.








Either pin or glue the panels so their edges stay sharp when pinning the suede panels onto the shoulders.



Flatten the sleeve and shoulder of the BDUs flat, then center the panel so that one half is on the sleeve and the other half if on the shoulder. You want to allow for 1" around the dia of the shoulder patch on all side but the top, there you want 2" to the top seam.





Once the shoulder panels are in place, stitch faux top shoulder seam, following the curve of the orginal top stitch. This will make it look like you openned the shoulder seam and sewed the suede in two panels joined at that seam.

Optionally, I would cut your loop/fuzzy side of your velcro into a 3 1/2" diameter circle and sew that on to the sleeve, centered sleeve portion of the suede panel on the wearer's left arm. It should be 1" from each side and bottom, and about 2" from the shoulder seam on top. Sew on the hook side of the velcro to your patch. This will allow you to change patches as you want, and also protect your patch from laundering.





Now onto the pants!

The BDU Pants Modification Instructions

Step One: Disconstruction of your BDU Pants. first we need to remove the blousing ties (strings) at the bottom of your BDU pants. If you have the extra long pants and do not need the extra length, cut off the extra fabric and sew a new pant cuff.



Second, carefully remove all of the belt loops and optionally the waist adjustment straps.






Third, make the three large belt loops. If you had the 4-pocket BDU shirt, you will have material left over to make the three large belt loops. If you gotten the long BDU pants (and don't need the extra length) you should have enought material to make the three large belt loops.

Remove the buttons from the removed lower pockets



Measure out and mark out the three large belt loops, remember to add at least 1/4" to get folded over on all side. The final belt loops should be 5" wide by 2 1/2" tall (add 1/4" to 1/2" on all side for the parts that will be folded under).







You can glue or stitch the ends down to keep them folded over



The three large belt loops get sewn at the top and bottom, with one in the middle of the back of the pant


And the front ones starting with one end at the edge of the hip pockets


Forth, insert 1 1/2" belt though the belt loops.


The buckles could be painted gold as they were on the mini-series, but over time they just either let them wear out to black or just didn't paint them anymore.

TUTORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS:

I will over time, add more pictures and maybe patterns. Most of these pictures are from when I proto-typed my very first BSG BDU costume so some of the measurements were off, and the belt pictured is actually a 2" wide belt and buckle instead of the 1 1/2" size it should have been. The measurements were corrected in this tutorial.

The shoulder suede panel size should work for most sizes, but of course small BDUs would need to be shorten and XXXL would have to be lengthened. The suede panel ideal should be 2" from the collar.

Good luck and have fun making your own costume!

This space is being reserved for examples of costume made by Lostncybr or others using the tutorial.