A New Adventure: Making Armor

So I’ve been readin (and watching) up on how to make Costume Armor. My background is in sewing, and prop making has been a largely new arena for me in the past few years. I can mod Nerf guns like nobody business. (tutorial and pics to come) But the whole making armor thing I can honestly say I’ve never attempted. Well, with this green arrow costume coming up, that’s going to have to change, and frankly I am terrified. I’ve read a few ways and am having a brain storing meeting with an SCA friend this weekend. But there seems to be sooooooo many ways to doing it, and I am (as always) worried about da $$$.