Padme's Closet

Tatooine Midriff Dress (AOTC)

2008-07-12T18:11:00.004-04:00

Padme wears this dress when she accompanies Anakin back to Tatooine from the Naboo Lake Retreat. Upon their arrival to Mos Espa, we notice that she is wearing a cloak over this dress. However, she dons the cloak shortly after their arrival to the Lars homestead, and we see this beautiful, yet fairly simple dress.

The skirt appears to be a wrap-style skirt, but it is actually one piece that is gathered at the front waist. The piece that drapes in the center is actually part of the skirt. The top is a wrap-style top, with a hood and cape attached. She wears a simple, yet elegant headpiece with this dress.

PATTERN

Simplicity 4887(B): used for the base of the top. Required modifications to acquire the right look (see information below)

McCall's 3033(A): used as a base for the cape. Required slight modifications to acquire the correct look

Simplicity 5914(A): for the skirt. Only slight modifications required on this one.

FABRIC

Light blue interlock knit (JoAnn Fabrics) was used for the main part of the top, cape, hood, and skirt.

Powder Blue Casa Satin (JoAnn Fabrics) was used as a lining

Gray Silk Charmeuse (Fashion Fabrics Club) for the piping

BEADS

3/16" chain with bead (JoAnn Fabrics)

For the top, I used the Simplicity pattern as a base, cutting out two tops so as to achieve the look of an "under-top" with a wrap around over that. I then used the McCall's pattern as a base for the cape, trying to figure out how to connect that to the hood and actual top. What I ended up doing was making an under-top of sorts that I split up the front middle, connecting the halves with hooks and eyes. The wrap portion of the top was made to connect to the cape...and connects to the back of the under-top with hooks and eyes (I apologize now for not having a diagram or sketch to illustrate this...it just took trial and error along with time and patience). I piped the edges of the cape, hood, and upper wrap portion of the top with some left-over purple cording (from the Loyalist Committee Gown) and the gray charmeuse. The silver design on the back of the cape was hand-painted onto the fabric. The beads at the base of the hood are attached to a triangular shaped piece of fabric that then snaps onto the hood.

I cut the front skirt panel slightly wider than the original pattern so that the fabric could be gathered. I had some problems with this, but did end up with a slightly gathered look in the front. For the "panel" that drapes down the front, I gathered the fabric so that it would drape with a triangle at the top, and then tacked the edges of the "falling" piece down. The beads are attached to a triangular piece of fabric that snaps onto the skirt (for washing purposes).

I used gray craft foam for the headpiece. I traced the pattern out onto paper, cut out the holes, and then traced that onto the foam. After I did that, I cut out the holes and then cut, shaped, and hot-glued the pieces together. Several coats of silver spray paint were needed to achieve the "metallic" look.

Here are some pics of the headpiece...and here are some of the finished costume.

Hoth Snowsuit and Vest (ESB)

2008-05-26T23:13:00.004-04:00

This is the jumpsuit/snowsuit Leia wears on the ice planet Hoth in Episode V. Here, she wears a vest, gloves, and grayish boots with leg wraps, or gaiters. Her hair is fashioned in a braid encircling her head. She also wears just the jumpsuit portion later in the film while imprisoned by the Empire on Bespin.

PATTERN

Jumpsuit:

Green Pepper 141: required slight modifications to achieve the right look.

Vest:

Green Pepper 109: also required slight modification to achieve the right look.

FABRIC

DWR Supplex in white (Seattle Fabrics)--for the outer layer of jumpsuit and vest
Cotton Broadcloth in white (Silk Connection)--for the lining
White cording (JoAnn Fabrics)
Gray vinyl (joann.com)

The jumpsuit consists of a quilted area around the mid-section of the top portion, as well as quilted patches to the upper/lower arms and thighs. The quilted portions are also piped, as is th collar. I had to draft the pattern for the top portion out of muslin, where I drew lines as to where I needed to cut to give it the right look. Once I did this, it was fairly easy to put together. I "cheated" a bit here on the jumpsuit and shortened the legs and used elastic at the bottom so that it would be easier to stuff the fabric into the boots.

The vest consists of a quilted lower portion on the front and back, as well as two faux pockets on the lower front. The actual vest is not a white, but an off-white. I achieved this look by dipping the cut, pre-sewn pieces into a dye bath of Tan RIT dye. Each piece was in the dye bath for approximately 30-45 seconds, so as to not make the coloring too dark (that was the trickiest part).

For the rank badge, I ordered the plain resin copy from Corellian Exports. They were out of the arm controllers at the time, so I ended up making mine from Sculpey clay. Both the badge and controller required painting, and I used Folk Art Acrylic Paint #662 Metallic Silver Sterling; Folk Art Acrylic Paint #667 Metallic Gunmetal Gray; Folk Art Acrylic Paint #663 Metallic Solid Bronze; Americana Acrylic Paint in Ultramarine Blue; and Americana Acrylic Paint in Primary Red. Here is a close-up of the painted badge and the painted controller.

I found the boots on e-bay, using the following "code" in the search bar: women's gray boots (in whatever size you need). I do not have any photos of the actual boots, but they are a flat boot in gray, with insulated fabric going from the ankle to just below the knee. The gloves are basic white Isotoner brand womens gloves.

I used the gray vinyl for the lower leg covers she wears. Because the color was too dark, I lightened it with the same silver acrylic paint I used above for the badge and controller. For the strips that encircle the legs, I used the plain gray vinyl and attached it to the back of the leg with black sticky-back velcro.

Without further ado...here are some pics of the finished costume.

Bespin Escape Jumpsuit (ESB)

2008-02-27T02:44:00.004-05:00

Leia wears this simple white jumpsuit while imprisoned on and escaping from Bespin. This particular jumpsuit is also worn earlier in Episode V on the planet Hoth. However, this time Leia does not wear the vest, keeps the hairstyle she had when in her more elegant cloak ensemble, and wears white boots.

PATTERN

Green Pepper 141: required slight modifications to achieve the right look.

FABRIC

DWR Supplex in white (Seattle Fabrics)--for the outer layer
Cotton Broadcloth in white (Silk Connection)--for the lining
White cording (JoAnn Fabrics)

The jumpsuit consists of a quilted area around the mid-section of the top portion, as well as quilted patches to the upper/lower arms and thighs. The quilted portions are also piped, as is th collar. I had to draft the pattern for the top portion out of muslin, where I drew lines as to where I needed to cut to give it the right look. Once I did this, it was fairly easy to put together.

I found my boots on ebay--using the following "code" in the search bar: women's white size (whatever size you need) leather boots. They have 3 inch, chunky heels, but they were the closest I could find to what I needed--cheerleading GoGo boots.

I am doing something brave here...the photos of my costume will be of the costume on me. I did not look right on the dress form, so I did not even try to take the photos. Without further ado...here are a few pics of the finished costume (please excuse the glare of the light on the white fabric...I needed these photos quickly for something else).

Blue Tatooine Poncho (AOTC)

2008-01-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

Padme' wears this outfit while staying at the Lars homestead on Tatooine. The scene where this one makes its appearance is one of sadness...Anakin returns from the Tusken camp with his mother's now-lifeless body. Anakin admits to Padme' that he had slaughtered the entire tribe of Tuskens...admitting that he was a Jedi and knew he was better than that. Padme' tries to comfort Anakin during this difficult time the only way she knew how...by offering food and drink and a helpful ear.

The costume consists of a bluish slightly off the shoulder under-dress with a plunging neckline and a dark royal blue poncho. The African and "space nouveau" design on the front of the poncho demonstrates a more casual feel to this costume.

PATTERN

Simplicity 7964 (F): for the under-dress. This is a very relaxed, casual dress that tends to run slightly large. I probably could have gone with a smaller size with this one.

Simplicity 5153: essentially used as a base only for the poncho. I ended up with an entirely new pattern when finished with the modifications.

FABRIC

Under-Dress

Cotton Gauze (#6099421; Silk Connection)

Poncho

Wool Coating in Royal Blue (from Denver Fabrics, which is still selling out their stock with the change in ownership)
Cornflower Casa Satin for the lining (JoAnn Fabrics)

BEADS

African Krobo Glass Trade Beads (SKU TR40; Afrodesign Studio)

RIBBONS

**All Offray brand found at JoAnn Fabrics

TORORG
YELGLD
LTORCH

EMBROIDERY THREAD

**All Sulky brand

1296 = Hyacinth
1235 = Deep Purple
1242 = Nassau Blue
1226 = Dark Periwinkle Blue
1024 = Goldenrod
1168 = True Orange
1187 = Mimosa Yellow
1193 = Lavender

Bobbin lt Poly = white (882-0010)

Traditions White Crochet Yarn (DMC; #4522116): color B5200; Lot 156981; size 10; for white stitching around neckline, sleeve hems, and in lower circle.

I dyed the cotton gauze in Evening Blue RIT dye. The fabric is naturally crinkled, so no further crinkling was required. As I mentioned above, the dress is loose-fitting and comfortable to wear. For the poncho, I essentially had to draft my own pattern, using the Simplicity one as a base. The colored design on the sleeves and bottom front were machine embroidered with satin stitch. The fleur-di-lis and smaller designs on the circle were also machine embroidered, but were done so on separate pieces of fabric that were then hand-stitched onto the poncho. I lined the poncho and then attached the ribbons and beads with hooks and eyes, to make taking it to the dry-cleaners easier.

Here are the pics of the finished costume.

Sorry for the Long Absence

2007-12-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

I just want to apologize for my extended absence from posting and updating this site. As everyone knows, real life sometimes gets in the way of things, and other things must be put on the back burner...and for me that has included this site. I have completed another costume, but just have not had the time to write things up here. I will hopefully have that completed soon...sometime within the next couple of weeks.

I just wanted to give you all a quick update here. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a wonderful New Year!! May the Force Be With You All.

Taking a Short Break...

2007-09-16T15:13:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone. I just wanted to let you all know that I will be taking a short break from Star Wars costuming so that I can finish my Halloween costume and possibly one or two more for other people (they still need to let me know if my services are needed).

My next Star Wars project will take a little time, too, so my updates will not be a frequent as they have been. I will probably be tweaking this page with links for fabrics and photos of some of my materials, so please keep checking back. Do not worry, I will return again :D

Remember...The Force Will Be With You...Always!!

Navy Linen Dress and Shawl (ROTS)

2007-09-12T14:35:00.001-04:00

Padme' wears this closer to the end of ROTS. In this scene, Anakin asks her why Obi-Wan had visited her earlier that day. He then confesses his doubts about himself, the Jedi Order, and his desire not to lose her.

The dress is described as a simple linen gown with a jet-black necklace and belt. The belt does not go all the way round, but rather stops near the sides, decorating only the front. A black lace shawl is occasionally worn over this dress. This dress also can be seen under the long velvet cloak (Leia Buns cloak) near the beginning of the movie.

PATTERN

Butterick 4018 (B)--pattern is out of print; some modification required

FABRIC

Dress

Italian Linen in Dark Denim, medium weight (Denver Fabrics--site is now in the process of changing owners; not much available in stock at this time)
PPK3 Lace (JoAnn Fabrics)

Shawl

Black Chantilly Lace
Black Cupped Scroll Sequins
4" Black Poly Fringe

ACCESSORIES

Necklace

Czech link chains, 8mm beads in black (#522814; Crystal Freedom)
Silver necklace closure

Belt

50mm Round Faceted Jewel (J21BK; Harmony Glass)
1-1/8" Black Faceted Buttons (LaMode; JoAnn Fabrics)
7/8" Black Faceted Buttons (LaMode; JoAnn Fabrics)
6/0 Czech Glass E-Beads in opaque black (JoAnn Fabrics)
Czech link chains, 8mm beads in black (#522814; Crystal Freedom)
Black Felt
Small silver pin closures

For the dress, I hand-dyed the lace with Navy RIT dye. The linen serves as the under-layer for the dress, and the lace over-lays the linen. The sequins and fringe were hand-stitched to the Chantilly lace, with the fringe on both the front bottom and back bottom to even out the weight distribution on the shawl; the sequins are stitched around the front of the shawl.

The necklace encircles the neckline, and has 8 smaller strands hanging from the center portion. For the belt, I hand stitched the beads to felt cut to fit the buttons/jewels, and then glued the felt to the jewels. The pin closures were also stitched to the felt, and then pinned to the dress.

Here are the pics of the necklace and belt; and the dress with shawl.

"Leia Buns" Cloak (ROTS)

2007-09-12T14:00:00.000-04:00

Padme' wears this long velvet cloak when she greets Anakin upon his return to Coruscant. The cloak helps to conceal her secret--her pregnancy--until the moment is right. Upon closer inspection, the under-dress is very similar to a dress she wears later in the film. Her hair is styled after Leia's classic "cinnamon bun" look from ANH, but with a slightly different twist, and this is the only time we see her wearing earrings.

PATTERN

No pattern was used for the cloak. I essentially draped the fabric across my dress-form, and went from there.

FABRIC

Cloak

Bright Crushed Panne Velvet in Navy (JoAnn Fabrics)
Burnout Velvet in Flagstone pattern (Silk Connection--there is still some left as of the writing of this entry; the company is selling out there stock of burn-out velvets)
Country Classics Solid Cotton in copper (JoAnn Fabrics)

Under-Dress

**See information under Navy Linen Dress and Shawl entry for this**

ACCESSORIES

Earrings

Bought these at Wal-Mart--fairly close to what Padme' wears

Pin

Blue Quarter Flat
Blue Felt
Navy Crushed Panne Velvet
Creative Buttons by JHB; 3/4" Navy
6/0 Czech Glass E-beads in Sapphire
Red Heart Fiesta Yarn in Buff
1/8" White Silky Cord
1/16" Twisted Cord in Light blue
1/16" Twisted Cord in White
DMC Traditions Crochet Yarn in white
Royal Metallic Rick Rack

**All materials for the pin were found at JoAnn Fabrics

I hand-dyed the burn-out velvet with Navy RIT dye, and flat-lined it with the copper-colored cotton, and then stitched those layers to the panne. To help the cloak drape across my body and to stay in place better, I used the stronger hook-and-eye closures.

For the center two portions of the pin, I stitched the beads onto the Quarter-Flat fabric, outlined the beads with the fiesta yarn, white cord, and the twisted cords (twisted the blue and white together). For the outer two portions of the pin, I stitched the rick rack, white yarn, and fiesta yarn to the velvet. I then glued the fabrics to cardboard, glued felt to the back of the cardboard, and glued/stitched the pieces together. I then stitched two small pin closures to the back of the cardboard so that it would attach to the cloak.

Here is a pic of the completed pin; here is the completed cloak.

Classic Princess Leia (ANH)

2007-08-23T19:26:00.000-04:00

Whenever I think of Princess Leia, I think of this dress. This is the classic white dress she wears throughout Episode IV. There are actually two versions of this gown...the Alderaan Princess Gown (worn at the beginning) and the Yavin 4 Gown (worn during the Battle of Yavin). According to sources (namely the Padawan's Guide), the main difference between these two gowns is in the sleeves...where the Yavin version has larger sleeves. This costume really is comfortable...and I now wonder why I waited so long to make it ;)

The basic design of this gown is a T-tunic dress, with no shoulder seams. There are slits up the bottom (sides) of the dress that stop at/around the knee. The hood falls to just below the waist, and is not a full hood (i.e. is open at the bottom, not closed). She wears the classic "cinnamon buns" hairstyle that made this character famous.

PATTERN

McCall's 2339 (H) --**see below for information on alterations**

FABRIC

Dress:

Poly Jet Set in white (joann.com)

Belt:

Pioneer Vinyl in white for main belt (joann.com)
Aluminum sheet for metal pieces (Home Depot...left over from Ceremonial Gown belt)
Approximately 1" silver button blanks (JoAnn Fabrics)
Heavy Duty Snaps in white (JoAnn Fabrics)
White velcro to close belt (JoAnn Fabrics)
Quick Grip All-Purpose Permanent Adhesive

For the belt, I again referred to Obi-Wan's Jedi Academy for instructions, and used the pattern I traced for the metal parts on the Ceremonial belt for this one (since they are the same). I used the adhesive to attach the metal parts, button blanks, and snaps. The velcro was used to help hold the belt closed, since I had problems punching the snaps through the vinyl.

For the dress, I used the McCall's pattern as a base, as it has shoulder seams and cannot be used for the screen-accurate costume replication. I first stitched the pieces together using muslin, and then pinned the muslin to the jet set fabric so that the sleeves would not have seams at the shoulders. The dress is lined with the same jet set fabric, and has elastic attached to the inner layer to help hold the dress in place when worn. The hood is attached under the collar, both of which were drafted by me.

I bought white boots from JC Penney, as I was not willing to pay almost $500 for a pair of exact replica boots from here (maybe I will one of these days). I did buy a toy blaster off of e-bay, and I am planning to re-paint it black so that it is more accurate (a tip I picked up on from Obi-Wan's Jedi Academy).

Here are the pics of the dress, my boots, and the blaster. I will post new pics of the blaster once I have the re-paint job completed.

EDIT (8/31/07):

I have finished re-painting the blaster!! I used Krylon Fusion (for plastic) spray paint in black. I bought the "flat" sheen and realized I should have bought the "satin" sheen. I went back and bought Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating (1303) to coat the blaster, and it now has a nice shine to it. Here are a couple of pics of the painted blaster.

Ewok Village Dress (ROTJ)

2007-08-14T02:41:00.000-04:00

Princess Leia wears this dress while in the Ewok village on Endor. This is a simple dress, as the Ewoks live simply. In the movie, the slit noted on the right side of the dress really is not too noticeable. However, when looking at promo shots of the dress, the slit is obvious...and goes really high. She wears her hair long, and with a braid going across her head.

PATTERN

McCall's 4490 (C): required some modification, primarily shortening of skirt length

FABRIC

Microsuede in tan (Fashion Fabrics Club)
Country Classics Solid in white (JoAnn Fabrics)
Suede lace in beige 1/8" (JoAnn Fabrics)--for lace ties and braid wrapping
DMC cotton floss #738 (JoAnn Fabrics)--for accents
Offray Ribbon: 1017SFS Navy, 3/8" for wrist accents/ties

This costume was relatively easy to make and is very comfortable to wear. I used Heat-n-Bond iron-on adhesive hem for the hemline. I bought a pair of crochet-style cork-wedge sandals to wear with this...they were originally $50, and I got them for $15!! They are very comfortable as well.

Here are the pics of the sandals, and of the finished dress.

Mustafar Outfit (ROTS)

2007-07-31T14:57:00.000-04:00

Padme' wears this outfit when she ventures off to Mustafar to confront Anakin about what Obi-Wan had told her.

I had originally done this one for Halloween in 2005...my first sewing "adventure." Although I still own this original costume, I decided that I needed to re-do this one, for it was far too inaccurate for me (now that I have done several screen-accurate costumes since then).

TOP

Pattern:

Butterick 4393 (A)--required modifications

Fabric:

Moleskin in a light tan/beige
Casa Satin in gold--for lining

Leather straps:

Latigo Strip 1" X &2" (Tandy Leather Factory; #4761-00)

Brooch and Buckle:

Ordered from Shadow Dale Creations--price was much cheaper when I ordered them

PANTS

Pattern:

Butterick 4201 (D)

Fabric:

Country Classic Solid in Ivory
Jet Set in Nude--for contrast panel

Here are some pics of the original costume (I did not own a dress-form then). And here are pics of the updated costume, the new gauntlets, and the brooch and buckle.

Dressing Robe and Gown (ROTS)

2007-07-31T14:00:00.000-04:00

Padme' wears this costume near the end of Episode III. In this scene, Obi-Wan comes to plead for her help in locating Anakin...and he tells her of his (Anakin's) dark deeds at the Jed Temple. In the movie, it appears that she is only wearing the robe, but photos from the Dressing A Galaxy book reveal the presence of a gown under the robe. This costume was relatively simple to make, and is very comfortable to wear.

UNDER-DRESS

Pattern:

McCall's 4001 (B)

Fabric:

Casa Satin in White
Casa Lace in Grape
Casa Satin in Mystic Purple--for ribbon around waist

Trim:

Black Russian Jacquard

Charm:

1.5" Color Tear-Drop Crystal in purple (Crystal Freedom: #C63)
4mm Swarovski Crystals Fashion Crystals in Purple mix (JoAnn Fabrics)
Placques Findings in gold (Fire Mountain; #H152431FN)

ROBE

Pattern:

McCall's 2853 (A)

Fabric:

Short Hair Poodle Fleece in Purple
Casa Satin in Amethyst--for lining

**All fabric and trim was found at JoAnn Fabrics or joann.com

Beads/Tassels:

6/0 crystal beads (JoAnn Fabrics)
Seed Bead #11, transparent rainbow purple hank (Fire Mountain; #H146877SB)
Seed Bead #11, transparent rainbow clear hank (Fire Mountain; #H146872SB)
Bead Seed-beaded light purple 18mm (Fire Mountain; #H156236GB)

HEADPIECE

Main headpiece:

I used light gray craft foam from JoAnn Fabrics. I traced out the pattern for the strips, cut them out, and stapled them together. I then covered my styrofoam head with plastic wrap and pinned the headpiece to the head. I painted the foam with Folk Art Acrylic Paint, #662 Metallic Silver Sterling. Because the foam wanted to soak up the paint, I had to keep adding more until it looked smooth (approx 14-15 coats).

Pony-tail Holders:

I used Sculpey clay in silver. The clay was molded to look similar to the real holders, and baked according to the directions. Once the clay was cool enough, I used the same acrylic paint as was used on the main headpiece to obtain a more accurate color. I slipped the holders over a pony-tail made from artificial hair extensions (in red) and attached them with clear rubber bands (they wanted to keep slipping down).

Here are the pictures of the final product: under-dress; robe; the trim on the sleeve; and a close-up of the charm.

Steel Blue Veranda Nightgown (ROTS)

2007-07-07T18:16:00.000-04:00

Padme wears this gown early in Revenge of the Sith. This is a simple, yet elegant gown, and the first one where we see her pregnant abdomen. I revised part of this costume from my original version to make it slightly more accurate...moved the position of the pearl strands and redid the back drape. However, I did not do the fancy stitching (fagoting) seen on the front of the original. I am still not 100% happy with the back drape, but it will do for now. Currently it is attached via hooks and eyes, and consistently falls off...so I will be stitching the drape directly onto the straps.

Pattern

McCall's 4995

Fabric/Accents

Casa Satin in Cornflower (JoAnn Fabrics)
Pre-strung pearls
Wreath-shaped rhinestone pin on front
Swarovski crystal closures on drape
Darice Jewelry Designer Acrylic Bead Assortment--Blue 1977-47
Silver rhinestone tiara

Here are the photos of my original gown. Here are the photos of the revised gown.

Updated 7/7/07:

I finally finished the revisions to this gown!! I added a light blue trim to the front and sides of the gown. This trim had the fancy stitching very similar to the fagoting stitching used on the original gown, so I couldn't refuse. I also revised the back drape...using three charms instead of two so that the fabric falls better. I also stitched the drape to the straps, which I also revised slightly.

I also made a Japor snippet out of Sculpey clay in tan. I then painted it with Folk Art Acrylic paint in Country Twill (602) and the grooves with Americana Acrylic Paint in a dark brown (color not indicated). I then sealed the paint with two coats of Folk Art Artists' Varnish Satin (885). For the chain I used a small-link silver chain by Blue Mountain...I had to cut this to size and add a clasp.

Here are the pics of the newly revised gown...and here is a pic of the Japor snippet I made!!

Princess Leia's Bespin "Gown" (ESB)

2007-06-22T21:44:00.000-04:00

Princess Leia wears this outfit in Empire Strikes Back while she and Han are on Bespin (a.k.a Cloud City). It only appears on-screen for a few brief minutes, but it instantly became a favorite of mine. When I started the research for this project, little did I know just how much detail was on the cloak. Once I knew just how much time would be involved, I had to figure out how much time I had between the time I started the project in January until I left for CIV in May. I spent approximately 20-25 hours/week working on the embroidery for the cloak...in all, close to 400 hours, just on the embroidery!!

Following will be the details on the construction of this "gown"...patterns, fabrics, embroidery floss, etc. The outfit consists of a long top/dress with a triangular-shaped belt; harem-style pants; and a heavily-embroidered cloak. The original cloak was actually a curtain panel!! The collar, hem, and wrists of the top have a coppery-colored trim, as does the outer edges of the cloak. The embroidery on the cloak is shadowed to show through a sheer inner layer. Her shoes match the color of the top and pants, and are a slight wedge-style. Her hairstyle consists of a bun and two looped, cascading braids. Others who have made this costume state that the most difficult part of this project, aside from the embroidery, was figuring out the color of the top and pants...with the color appearing different at different angles and lighting. I just chose something that looked close to what I could figure out from pics I have seen and that would compliment my skin/hair-tone.

TOP

Pattern:

New Look (Simplicity) 6673(E)

Fabric:

Sueded Silk Charmeuse in Cayenne (Thai Silks; number 011D-615)

**See below for trim information

BELT

I drafted the pattern for the belt with the assistance of detailed pics and information provided by fellow costumers. I used the charmeuse for the fabric, since it is supposed to match the top and pants in color. I then used fusible interfacing to stiffen it up a bit, and cut a piece of craft foam to slip inside to help hold the shape. Snaps were used to close the opening at the back where the craft foam is inserted, and heavy-duty hooks and eyes were used to connect the ends of the belt in the back.

PANTS

Pattern:

Simplicity 5359 (B or C would work)

Fabric:

Sueded Silk Charmeuse in Cayenne (Thai Silks; #011D-615)

CLOAK

Pattern:

I essentially drafted my own pattern by trial and error. I took some relatively cheap sheer fabric with the hang and flow of my good fabric, hung/pinned it on my dressform, and cut it. I then estimated about how much fabric would be used to make the cloak, and cut that from the yardage of good fabric I had ordered. Essentially, it turned out to be 2 yards of material for the embroidered portion of the cloak, and less than 1 yard for the triangular-shaped collar.

Fabric:

10mm Silk Chiffon (54") in Natural White (Thai Silks; #070E-000)

Embroidery Floss: All DMC Brand

838
975
301
3078
Blanc

**See below for trim information

**The outer layer (embroidered layer) was left as the natural white color. The inner contrasting layer was dyed using a 1:1 mix of Scarlet and Sunshine Orange RIT Dye to make the color paprika. When the fabric was washed out after the dying, the color lightened to more of an orangish-red...lighter than the fabric used for the top and pants. However, when the cloak is placed over the under layers, the dyed chiffon looks darker. The triangle-shaped collar consists of several layers: outer layer = natural white chiffon; second layer = dyed chiffon; third layer = thin fusible batting; inner layer = sueded silk charmeuse in cayenne. The collar is also "quilted" with the same color thread that was used to stitch the top and pants together.

The cloak is heavily embroidered...and here is the pattern I drafted with many pain-staking hours of research, sketching, erasing, and more sketching. I spent approximately one month, a few hours each night (3-4 nights/week) drafting this out. I first drew the pattern in pencil onto a light brown paper, and then traced over the pencil with pen. When it was time to start the embroidery work, I traced the color-coded pattern onto Sulky Totally Stable stabilizer, which was supposed to stick to the fabric after ironing it on and to be removed by tearing it away. However, since the fabric was 100% silk and the pattern was so long, I had problems with the stabilizer sticking to the fabric. Luckily my embroidery hoop helped with keeping the stabilizer in place during the embroidery process.

TRIM

I used a metallic cord for the trim on the top and cloak. To attach the cord to the garment, I used DMC 5279 (metallic copper), and it matched perfectly.

The cording was a metallic rattail cord in copper. I ordered it from Greenberg & Hammer, Inc (www.greenberg-hammer.com) back in November 2006. I just tried looking for it online, but could not find it (the item number provided on the invoice was not valid).

SHOES

I had problems finding shoes that were either ballet-flat or with a slight heel, satin, and dyeable. I finally found a local bridal shop that carried satin, dyeable ballet-flats...so I paid the small extra fee to have them custom dyed to my fabric swatch. Here are the shoes, and here they are next to the fabric.

HAIRSTYLE

For the hairstyle, I had to order extensions, as my hair is definitely not long enough. I found an on-line company that carries red pieces/wigs...and red that matches pretty closely with my own natural red. I ordered a "switch" for the bun and two long braids. Here are the pieces I used (they look slightly brownish in the pics, but they are red).

Here are the pics of the final product. This outfit truly is comfortable to wear, and I cannot wait to wear it again!!

Princess Leia's Ceremonial Gown (ANH)

2007-05-06T09:35:00.000-04:00

Princess Leia wears this simple, yet elegant gown at the medal ceremony at the end of what is now known as Episode IV: A New Hope. This is my second favorite gown of hers...the first being her Bespin "gown" (write-up to come soon). I made this at this time for a specific event at the up-coming Celebration IV in LA. From the moment I put this dress on, I truly did feel like royalty...name Princess Leia Organa.

PATTERN

Simplicity 4630(D)

FABRIC

White Casa Satin (JoAnn Fabrics)
White Silk Double Georgette (Silk Connection; #2018452)

NECKLACE

Ordered this from Sister Sola on e-bay. This saved me a tremendous amount of time!!

BELT

Gray vinyl for the main part of belt (joann.com)
Aluminum for metal pieces/hardware (Home Depot)
Approximately 1" silver button blanks (JoAnn Fabrics)
Heavy duty snaps (JoAnn Fabrics)
Quick Grip All-Purpose Permanent Adhesive
Folk Art Silver Metallic Acrylic Paint

For the gown, I followed the pattern, with no alterations. The back of the real gown comes up to the shoulder line...mine is slightly lower. I drafted the sleeve/"wing" pattern myself by studying photos of the real costume. As I said, I ordered the necklace on e-bay from a respected and talented fellow costumer.

For the belt, I used a tutorial specific for this belt found on the *Obi-Wan's Jedi Academy* web site. I used their dimensions for the main belt part and for the metal/aluminum accents. The pieces were attached using the Quick Grip adhesive...and they really do stick well. I had problems attaching the snaps, so I ended up using the adhesive for these, too, and have not had a problem losing these items. The vinyl was painted with the acrylic paint prior to adding the accents.

Here are some pics of my finished belt, the necklace, and the finished gown (minus the belt).

Loyalist Committee Gown (AOTC)

2007-04-23T02:22:00.000-04:00

Padme' wears this gown near the beginning of Attack of the Clones...when she and the other members of the Loyalist Committee meet with Chancellor Palpatine and members of the Jedi Council. She is also wearing this gown when she reconnects with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker in her apartment.

Then gown consists of several parts: a bodice, skirt, velvet overcoat, brooch, choker, and head-dress. The gown was inspired by Elizabethan-Era styles, while the headpiece was inspired by central African styles. The overcoat is in a burn-out velvet that appears to be in a "flame" pattern. The long, open, flowing sleeves are connected in the back with a beaded brooch. The sleeves of the bodice consist of inner and outer layers, where the outermost layer is heavily detailed with a scrolled pattern. The bodice also has a heavily sequined triangle on the center-top, outlined with a V-shaped border with a similar scrolled pattern as the sleeves. The skirt contains a tabard with a detailed scrolled pattern very similar to the sleeves of the bodice. Following will be a description as to how I made this costume...broken down by piece, including pattern, fabric, accents, etc.

BODICE

Pattern:

Simplicity 4508(B) -- Required modifications

Fabric:

Purple Costume Satin (joann.com)
Crepe-back Satin in lavender (Joann Fabrics)--for outer-sleeve lining
Crinkle Silk Jacquard (Silk Connection)--hand dyed with mixture of approximately 2 parts Navy to 1 part Purple RIT dye
Purple tonal cotton (Joann Fabrics)--used for flat-lining
Purple Quarter Flat (Joann Fabrics)--for sequin applique

Sequins:

5mm Black Iridescent (Cartwright's Sequins)
Black Iridescent rocaille beads (Cartwright's Sequins)--to anchor sequins to top

Other:

Featherlite boning used in bodice to help keep shape
For cording pattern...see below

**All cording was hand-sewn onto the gown, using a couching stitch. Here is the hand-traced pattern I used for the V-shape on the bodice and for the sleeves.

SKIRT

Pattern:

Butterick 4452(B) -- Required bustling after project was completed
For the tabard, I drafted my own pattern, using a table runner as my guide

Fabric:

Purple costume satin (joann.com)--skirt was two layers of this fabric

Other:

1/2 inch Horshair braid trim was used in the hem to help stiffen and better-define hemline
For cording pattern...see below

**All cording was hand-sewn onto the tabard using a couching stitch. Here is the hand-traced pattern I used for the tabard.

PETTICOAT

Pattern:

McCalls 4109(B)

Fabric: (all from Joann Fabrics)

White Satin Taffeta
White Bridal Lining
White Spandex Knit
White Nylon Netting

OVERCOAT

Pattern:

McCalls 4697 for bodice
Simplicity 4508 (B) for sleeves
Butterick 4452 (B) for skirt

**All patterns needed heavy modifications...essentially the overcoat in an entirely new pattern**

Fabric:

Burnout Velvet in Flame pattern (Silk Connection) *fabric no longer available here*
Cotton Broad Cloth (Silk Connection) -- for flat-lining velvet
Crinkle Silk Jacquard (Silk Connection) -- for lining of overcoat

**All fabric was hand dyed using approximately 2 parts Navy to 1 part Purple RIT dye

Crepe Back Satin in lavender (Joann Fabrics) for piping

**The overcoat was attached to the bodice at the junction of the triangle using heavy-duty skirt hooks and eyes

CORDING

2mm Rattail cord in purple (M&J Trim) -- Required hand-dying with pure Navy RIT dye to obtain a more accurate color to match gown (original purple was too purple)
Kreinik Metallic Cord in purple #8 (012 10M)

BROOCH

5mm Peacock Blue Iridescent sequins (Cartwright's Sequins)
Peacock Blue Iridescent Rocaille beads (Cartwright's Sequins)
Toho 11/0 round treasure beads in navy (Joann Fabrics)
4.5mm Black Iris Bugle Beads (Cartwright's Sequins)

Quarter Flat in Blue (Joann Fabrics)
Navy felt (Joann Fabrics)
1-1/4" Steel pin back
Cardboard

**Pattern for brooch was traced onto quarter flat, and sequins were hand-stitched onto fabric, which was then glued onto cardboard. Felt was used on back of brooch, and pins were attached to this. The brooch holds the long sleeves of the overcoat together in the back

NECKPIECE

Featherlite boning (7 approximately 16" pieces)
24 gauge wire
7mm Brass Spring Ring with eyelet gold plated closure

**Wire was wrapped around boning, and then hand painted with Folk Art Acrylic Paint #660, Metallic Pure Gold

HEADPIECE

Activ-wire diamond aluminum mesh
18 gauge wire
24 gauge wire
Felt in cranberry
Micro braid synthetic hair #27 Straw Blond (Ebony online)
1/2" Faux leather strips
Folk Art Acrylic Paint #660, Metallic Pure Gold

UPDATED: 6/22/07

**The aluminum mesh was used to provide the base for the headpiece. The 18 gauge wire was used to help keep the shape of the headpiece, while the 24 gauge wire was used to attach the pieces. The wire base was then covered with felt, and the synthetic braids were glued to the felt (I had attempted to stitch the braids onto the felt with invisible thread, but it was taking too long). The faux-leather strips were painted with the Metallic Gold paint, and glued to the headpiece over the braids. I glued two comb-like headbands to the opening at the bottom of the headpiece (inside), and used alligator hair clips to attach the headpiece to a bun I made with my own hair. Because it was so heavy and tended to fall off of my head without additional support, I had to further attach the headpiece to my head with a number of bobby pins.

Here are some pics of the finished gown and choker. Finally...here are the pics of the finished headpiece!!

Meadow Picnic Gown (AOTC)

2007-04-07T03:50:00.000-04:00

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.