New Adventures

Hello everyone!!

I deeply apologize for the lack of updates around here.  I guess I sometimes forget that I have this blog, especially since I have my Facebook page...and the fact that I have not completed any costumes recently!  Unfortunately I will not be attending Celebration Anaheim next week, but we will definitely be saving up for the next one!

That being said, some of you may know about my new adventure as a featured blogger with The Cantina Cast.  I recently published a post about Costuming basics, and here it is  :)  My hope is to make this a recurrent series, and I am in need of your input as to what I could cover in future entries. Check out the first installment and let me know what other questions you have or about what other things you have questions.

Thank you...and hopefully I will have more updates as soon as I finish some of my in-progress costumes :)

Do You Take Commissions?

I have had this question pop up in a few posts lately and I just wanted to put this out here in a different spot. My stance on taking on commissions is on the sidebar of this blog, included with my "about me" information. However, for anyone wondering about whether I would commission something for them...

 I do not take on commissions!

I currently barely have enough time to do what I absolutely have to do...like housework, work, grading, and my personal projects.  I cannot, in good faith, take on any other projects where others are depending on me to complete something in a timely manner. Add to this my past bad experiences in doing something for others I thought were friends, I just cannot do this at this time.  I hope everyone understands, as I do not wish to offend anyone.  I have this blog so that I can share my costumes and the information/research I found helpful when completing them in the hope that I can help someone with theirs.  Thank you for your understanding with this, and I do hop that you continue to follow me here :)

Celebration Anaheim!!

Two weeks ago it was announced that Star Wars Celebration is coming to Anaheim, California in April of 2015.  Although at first my husband and I thought "there is no way we will be able to go this time," mostly because our son will be in preschool at that time, we have since discussed the timing of the convention and decided that, as long as all goes well and we are able to save enough money, we will be able to make the trip out to California!!  This time, we plan on taking our son, as he will be 5 years old at that time, and will be taking a few extra days to visit Disneyland and maybe some other attractions.  When tickets and hotel rooms went on sale this past Wednesday, I was able to secure us a room for 10 nights (although the length of time we can stay may change)...but at least we have a room :)

Now the planning begins...not only for the trip itself and what we plan to see and do besides the Convention, but also for what costumes we will be taking (rather, the costumes I will be making).  Currently, I am planning on finishing some of the costumes I have started for myself and add one or two that are on my current "plan to make" list; my husband would really like for us to start his Wookiee Warrior costume soon so that we can have it finished before then, and we do have his Bail Organa costume that still needs a few finishing touches; and finally, I am still in the planning stages for a couple of costumes for my son (he WILL have been introduced to the saga by then).  At this time I am considering the following costumes for my son:  a X-Wing pilot, an Episode I Anakin (maybe the pod-racing costume), a farm boy Luke, and possibly something else like Boba/Jango Fett or Ewok/Jawa or whatever else, all depending on whether he is ok with helmets or what-not.  I will definitely know more in terms of costume plans in the months to come, but I just wanted to throw some ideas and updates out there.

I will keep you all updated in the coming months on any progress and plans!!  Until then...May the Force Be With You All!!

May the Fourth Be With You!!

Hello everyone!!  I just wanted to take a moment and wish you all a very Happy Star Wars Day...and, May the Fourth Be With You...Always!!

Also, I have finally gotten my sewing room re-organized after getting new carpet in the room...yay!!  Hopefully things will settle down around here some so that I can get back to work on my projects.  Until then, I wish you all well in whatever your ventures may be!!

Something to Consider

I came across this article through a fellow Legion member, costumer, and cosplayer.  With the convention season fast approaching, the start of this movement could not be better-timed.  I have not been a victim of this type of behavior...and I hope that I never am.  However, I do know some fellow costumers who have been subjected to the demeaning comments and actions some con-goers feel entitled to do.  Currently, my husband and I are not planning on attending any conventions this year...but I just wanted to help get the word out about this movement.  So, for any of you attending any number of conventions this summer, please be attuned to your surroundings and please do not be afraid to stand up for yourself and anyone you see being treated horribly.

Follow Me on Facebook

I just wanted to let all of you know that you can now follow me on Facebook!!  I created a fan page for anyone who is a member of the site.  Just click here and hit "Like".

Just like with this site, I do not always have the time to update the page, but I hope to keep up with that one a little more.

Thank you all for your continued support.  I hope to get back to sewing as soon as our carpet is installed and I get my sewing room back together.

Happy Holidays!!

I just wanted to take a moment and wish all of you a wonderful holiday season, whatever holiday it is you celebrate this time of year!!  Here's to new beginnings and hopes in the New Year.  Until then...May the Force Be With You All :)



Green Velvet Robe (ROTS)

Padme wears this gown in a cut scene from Episode III and in a scene known as "Padme's Ruminations."  I always loved the simple, yet elegant design of this gown.  As a note, I started this gown back in December/January of 2007-2008, so some of the materials I used may no longer be found.  I will do my best to report what I remember from the construction of this gown:  the patterns used, the fabrics used, etc.


PATTERN

I used a combination of the following patterns for the base of the gown:

McCall's 4490
Simplicity 4508

I constructed a mock-up of the gown using the patterns referenced above.  From there I made the cuts along the lines where the seams were to be located so that I would have my pattern pieces.  For the sleeves, I essentially lengthened the sleeves from the pattern above and made a few minor changes to the angles of those sleeves.

FABRIC

Iridescent Silk Velvet in "spice"(Thai Silks) for the outer gown.

Silk Habotai in a light purple/lilac (Thai Silks) for the lining.

Silk Taffeta in purple (Thai Silks) for the sash.

Silk Charmeuse in a toffee/spice (Thai Silks)

Diamond patterned home dec fabric for the sleeve lining (cannot remember where I got this)


BROOCH

Iris beads in brown from JoAnn Fabrics

Clear brown beads from JoAnn Fabrics


The particular velvet I used was the one that gave me the closest look I was trying to accomplish...a brownish color in darker light and a yellow-green color in brighter light.  It is definitely not the green that many use for this costume...but it resembles the colors seen in the movie in different lighting.  I used left-over cording from my Loyalist Committee Gown and covered it in the charmeuse to create the piping around the sleeves.

For the Naboo symbols on the gown, I used FiberEtch to "burn" the symbols into the silk velvet.  I followed the directions on the bottle and the information provided on Padawan's Guide, and it was relatively easy...however time-consuming.

I was finally able to get some photos of me in the costume at a recent event!!  I truly hope they look ok :)  I have gained some weight since having my son almost 3 years ago, and it has been very difficult to lose it.  I have become very self-conscious about it, since I truly did not realize how much I have put on until I saw some pictures of me recently.  I do hope you all understand :)

Quick Update...

Hello there everyone!!  I hope all has been well for you all.  Things have been very hectic around here, with having to prepare for and attend Celebration VI, getting things back in relative order, returning to work and teaching, and fighting a cold, I have not had the time to post any new entries for a while.  I had started the write-up for the Episode III Velvet Robe I finished a few months back, but I have had a difficult time getting pictures taken of the patterns and the gown.  I have also finished Breha Organa's gown and my husband's Bail Organa costume.  I still need to finish a few minor details on the Breha gown and we need to find my husband the appropriate boots for his.

Overall, we had a great time in Orlando.  I promise to do a write up on that soon on my other blog (Padme's Legacy).  One of these days I will have the extra time to devote to a detailed entry with pictures.  Until then, I will leave you with this...

Quick Update

Time surely flies these days!!  I just wanted to leave a quick update on my costume progress since my last post.  I have finally finished Padme's Velvet Robe/Gown from ROTS!!  I just need free time to take some pics so that I can do a write-up (wish me luck with that!).  I am also starting to work on costumes for my husband and myself for Celebration VI at the end of next month.  I will be husband and children free this coming weekend, so I should be able to accomplish something!  I still need to order fabric for one of my gowns planned for the con, but I will be able to order that this week.  Also, I will be making a trip down to Amish country to get the fabric for my husband's Bail Organa costume...maybe I will find some other fabrics as well.

I do promise to write up these costumes...I just do not know when that will happen.  Please be patient as I continue to work on things :)


New Costumes Planned for Celebration VI

ME:

• Breha Organa
• Motee
• Atris

HUBBY:

• Bail Organa (ROTS balcony end scene)
• Han Solo

Has it really been since the summer of 2008 that I made a post ?!  Things have been relatively crazy around here...I started planning a wedding during the summer of 2008 and got married in February of 2009.  I gained three step-sons and step-daughter during that time...all in the age range of 7-13 years.  I also had a son of my own with my husband in February of 2010.  Needless to say, I have had little time to make any new costumes, let alone update this site.  Hopefully I will be able to start working on things again, now that my son is 2 and is able to entertain himself for at least part of the day ;)

I have no new updates to give at this time, but I do have three costumes in-progress with plans for a couple more before Celebration VI in August of this year.  I will definitely update as I have time.

Tatooine Midriff Dress (AOTC)

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)

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)

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)

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

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...

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)

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)

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)

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.