Meadow Picnic Gown (AOTC)

Padme' wears this gown while on a picnic with Anakin when they are to be in hiding on Naboo. This is my favorite costume of hers, and my first attempt at a reproduction of an intricately detailed costume, taking approximately 6-7 months to finish. I learned quite a bit while working on this: different embroidery stitches, the art of pattern alteration and improvisation, and crocheting (something of which I still am not real good at doing). Although my skirt is a little short compared with the real costume, I am happy with the work I did. Following will be some of the details regarding the construction of this costume, broken down by part (blouse, skirt, corset, cape, headband/snoods).

Blouse & Skirt

Pattern:

Simplicity 9966 (A) for blouse
Simplicity 4599 (C) for skirt--required lengthening

Fabric:

Gold Silk Chiffon from Thai Silks (outer layer)
Gold Casa Chiffon from JoAnn Fabrics (middle layer(s))
Gold Casa Charmeuse from JoAnn Fabrics (inner layer)

Sequins:

Hand punched with Butterfly Mini craft punch out of Shimmer sheetz in white iris
(from Rubber Designs)
Attached to fabric with Fabritak

Beads:

Darice Jewelry Designer 1101-40 glass transparent rainbow seed beads 10/0 light
green and 1101-18 glass rocaille beads 10/0 light blue

Embroidery Floss: DMC brand
Vining: 3045
Flowers: 3046

Corset

Pattern:

Butterick 4452(B) --minimal alterations

Fabric:

Double Weave Crinkle Habotai from Thai Silks---dyed with Tan RIT dye
Gold metallic crunch from JoAnn Fabrics
Gold Casa lining from JoAnn Fabrics
Natural Duck Cloth from JoAnn Fabircs

Embroidery thread: DMC brand
Flames: 742; 743; 727
Arches: 676; 744
Leaves: 522; 523
Roses: 3685; 3687; 3689; 778
Daisies: 745; 746
Gold Stitcing: 5282 (looks great, but pain to work with)

Other:

Used Sulky Dissolvable Stabilizer for embroidery pattern
Poly boning used
Closed with hooks & eyes
Embroidery floss was run through white beeswax to add stiffness and to help prevent
knotting
Embroidery pattern traced by hand (sorry it is turned length-wise rather than width-wise)

Cape

Pattern:

Essentiall drafted myself. Draped muslin and cut from there

Fabric:

Antique Rose Curtain Panel from Wal-Mart dyed with Tan RIT dye (needed to cut
extra roses to tack over those that soaked up dye)

Edging:

Scallped edge covered with Sulky variegated embroidery Thread #2114 (Avodado)

Pin:

Dragonfly pin found at Target

Other:

Used Sulky Tear-Away Stabilizer for edging
Attached to blouse with clear snaps

Ribbons

Headband:

Offray Flair Gold3 5/8" (outer layer)
Sheer Creations Item M9960 5/8" (middle layer)
Offray Grossgrain Olvdrb3 5/8"(inner layer)
* Ribbons were glued together and then hand embroidered with floss used for
corset roses

Armbands/Hair: All Offray, and 7/8"
SprMos3; Moss5; Wild Orchid5; LtPink5; BMaize5

Other:

Armbands attach to blouse with clear snaps

Snoods

J & P Coats Thread/Yarn: Metallic Knit-Cro-Sheen (Article A-64M: Color 90G Gold/Gold;
Size 10)


Here are the pics of the final product. Please ignore the Myrtle Beach shirt under the costume...I needed a long-sleeved shirt to hold the shape of the blouse.