Princess Leia Leia ANH First Gown...Help me... Obiwan Kenobi....;

Awww, Mirax, the three of you look adorable! Baby Yoda is getting cuter all the time.

Your dress turned out lovely and your hair looks pretty perfect. So glad you got it finished it time.

 

That's what I was trying to get at earlier, but you put it much more eloquently and clearly. I was also trying to make the point that cartridge pleating is a very specific type of pleat... gauging or just smocking by gathering rows of stitching is probably a more accurate way to describe the sort of gathering or pleating that may be going on with the Leia dress

Wee! Cute baby pix MiraxThorn! It's still funny to think the last time I saw you the baby was inside you.

 

As per the cartridge pleating:

Here are some websites with what I *think* was done in the center front and center back. If you check the last of the three sites it says "gauging is the 19th c. term for what is called cartridge pleating in modern terms." So we are all right!

http://www.vertetsable.com/demos_cartridgepleating.htm

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/cartpleat/index.html

http://home.earthlink.net/~gchristen/Gauging.html

Alli

 

Weren't we told at some point that the high-necked ANH gown was made in Japan seperately, unlike the other costumes made in England? If I was researching this costume I'd definately be looking for some information on traditional Japanese dressmaking for further clarification on it's design, it might not be a western method or fabric.

 

Blast! this dress is on my list for this year, and I was checking on the jet set poly on the Joann's website- and it's been discontinued!
I'm going to have run out to my local Joanns and buy it if it's still in the store... Of course, I've never seen it in the store, only online.

Link, for the curious.

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.jsp?CATID=cat2958&PRODID=prd32706

Now what do I do? Do I just use any old knit polyester?

 

Yikes! I envision a rush to all the JoAnn's across the continent to get what's left...

The fabric you want to look for is called "matte jersey" - that's essentially what the jetset was, a form of lightweight matte jersey. Matte jersey is generally used for drapey, liquid knit shirts and dresses. Several places online sell it - Fashion Fabrics Online and Spandex House, for example. It will be a bit more expensive than the jetset that JoAnn's was selling but still usually under $10/yard. Be sure to get swatches to compare if you can and choose lightweight types, as they do come in different weights; also they usually come in widths around 55"-60" wide so no worries there.

Hope that helps!

 

Well, the interlock knit sold at Hancock fabrics is the same stuff. It will work just as well Hacock also has a poly knit that is very similar if not exactly what I used on my Leia dress. Slightly heavier but a very nice drape.

 

Well, wonder of wonders, the Joann's Superstore in my area still had it, so I was able to get 8 yards (which was all they had). The regular Joann's did not have it. I talked with the person working, and she suggested that it might be discontinued only on the website.

 

Would you mind telling me what website you looked at? I'm looking for fabric to upgrade and I ordered a couple of swatches from Spandex World. My current dress is made from doubled swimsuit lining since I wanted to have that more fluid drape, but it's too drapey and thin. I'm trying to find a nice smooth jersey. I personally don't like the jetset at Joann's. It seems too thick to me, especially if you double it.

 

Oh, ha ha ha, nevermind.

 

Wow! There is so much good information in this thread! I just finished spending the past few evenings pouring over it and I've learned so much. Thank you thank you thank you to all who have contributed

My local 501st squad has a big event to do in April, and I'd really like to have this costume to wear for it. I'm picking up a used costume from a fellow costumer tonight, so it might be good enough to use. But now that I've read through this whole tread I know what vision of grandeur I can aspire to. I'm really hoping the gown is decent, because finding white poly knit here at home has been more difficult than I anticipated - most poly knits I've seen lately are being marketed as technical fabrics selling at $20CAN/metre.

 

ObiAnn: We can get a plain swimsuit lining here, so I wonder if that fabric you have serves a similar purpose. It's a very fluid nylon knit with no spandex here though. Online you can get matt spandex swimsuit lining more easily.
http://www.sewing.net/Lycra.htm
I think the "Swim Suit Linings, Style #D231" is close to what we have.

 

Howdy All,
So, I've been looking at making a new Leia gown. My major problem with my current one is the sleeves are too short. 60" fabric just won't cut it if your over 5'8". It was recommended to me on RL to use a waist seem and hide it under the belt, but I found some 108" tricot on eBay that *might* work. It's pretty thin, IIRC, but as the dress is self-lined this might be OK. Has anyone used tricot? Any thoughts would be helpful.

cheers!
Kat

 

Hi Kat,

To be honest, considering the tricot I've seen it might be too thin, even when self-lined. Also, tricot is often used for lingerie and it can have a very satiny sheen that would not be appropriate. I don't want to steer you away from it, but I would get a nice big swatch and see what it's like first.

Benae's waist-seam idea is excellent and I've been considering it myself. My own gown's sleeves hit just below the wrist (I'm 5'9", though most of my height is in my legs) and while I'm okay with the length, the waist-seam idea is extremely tempting to give just that extra bit of length.

 

I had a feeling that would be the case...otherwise I would have just bought it! Looks like waist seam it is!

 

My last two dresses had the waist seam, but my current one doesn't. I actually found the waist seam to be a pain, because if the belt moved, it would show the waist seam. Plus it added bulk to the dress.

I too have super long arms, but I've found that the 150cm wide fabric is just passable. So long as you do a small hem, it works!

I finally wore mine again, for the first time in over a year! Is it sad that I'm now contemplating Version 4?

 

Thanks to some unexpected good fortune, I came into possession of the Princess Leia/Luke Skywalker Star Wars Butterick pattern (#5174) from approximately 1997. Now, it looks like the dress pattern can be used (with minor modifications) for this costume. I know some of you have worked with this pattern before? From what I can see, I'll just need to cut out the pattern along the fold lines and modify the sleeves a bit, at least for the body of the dress. Am I right?

 

Yesterday I bought 7m of poly interlock so I can remake my dress! AGAIN! 4th time lucky I guess Planning to do it over the Easter holidays.

 

Hello everyone, I'm new here, but have been reading this thread a lot, and read ALL the pages!

I've just started making my own ANH gown, and have run into a little hiccup. The belt. The links I've found all point to a URL that doesn't seem to be active anymore?
I tried my hand at making my own pattern on newspaper, but it's just not quite right. Does anyone have some details about how thick the belt is, how much of a "dip" there is at the front, and how big the metal shapes are? I have bought some vinyl for a first try at it, and the button covers suggested.

Thanks everyone, all these posts have been a wonderful wealth of information! I even managed to buy the last bolt of White Jet Set at my local Joann's!

Best.