Wow, I had a real blast at the California ScienCenter. There were a lot of old friends and a few I only knew online until now. Amazing turnout. I figured out how to transport my costume on three buses and one subway train without killing my back. That took some doing, but basically entailed rolling up the garment bag and stuffing it into my book bag I use at Woodbury.
I have the start of one helluva patch jacket now, including a huge LP-sized Rebel Legion logo for the back, a smaller RL patch for the front, a patch given to me by Singaporean 501st Legion guys who I ran into the day after New Year's in my local Sith*Mart...they were looking for SW toys they couldn't get back at home...and a few other random patches either I have now or are coming to me via eBay or RL sources. Since I really don't trust iron-ons (I lived through the 1970s, iron-on patches have a tendency to get lost after a while) I'm using the iron-on stuff as substitute for basting before each actually gets sewn on.
Anyway, I love these guys. Geeks are good folk, and these are good geeks. Even the ones who carry red sabres or wear white armor. Imperial or Rebellion, we really are family. At least here in LA. I hear tell it's different elsewhere.