Padme Amidala Padme's Picnic Dress v2.0

Kay Dee, the rose making tutorial is excellant unfortunately I've already started making mine with ribbon. They use up a lot of ribbon, I'm going to do the ones on the cape a bit smaller to save ribbon and time, not that the ones on my corset have all turned out the same size, oh well. Obi-Dawn are you outlining all your embroidery with gold stitching. I don't know if I'll have time to do that or the gold swirls. liannb

 

Obi-Dawn, I'm glad you liked my tutorial If you give it a try let me know if the roses turn out OK. There may actually be a 3rd layer of pentagon stitches on some roses, I'm going to experiment more. Oh - and your secret is safe with me Glue was actually something I was considering for my headband.

Ferd, I spent a good 35 minutes picking out new floss for my roses yesterday. I'm going to play around with these 4 colors in the Anchor floss:
78
77
76
74

I think the photo of Padme inside the Vanity Fair issue (not the cover) is accurate to use as a color guide. My headband trim from Britex matches the photo exactly. It's too bad they don't show more of the dress in that photo - then we'd know what color the dress fabric was made out of!

liannb - I realize you already started making your roses out of ribbon. I'm sure they will look good. I just figured I'd make a tutorial for those who were trying to figure out how to embroider the roses with floss

-Kay Dee

 

KayDee, I think I might actually try your method on my cape and see how it works, it will take tons of ribbon to do the cape with all those roses and floss is much cheaper, I bought some varigated floss before when I was going do them all in floss so I'll experiment and see how it turns out. Maybe I should rip out the ones I've done on my corset and do them all in floss. liannb

 

MiraxT, unfortunatly we can't afford game tix this year ( after all, we're still paying off our wedding debt from December! LOL

Sakura good luck with your fabric! Be sure to update and let us know how you're doing! We love pictures!

Speaking of pictures, I just finished a roll with corset pics on it...I'll post them as soon as they are developed. Man I need a digital camera.

 

liann, I am outlining all the yellow parts with gold. In fact, I did that on my first one as well and now they are 'branching' out into swirlys.

kay_dee, your tutorial is so helpful! I sat in front of it last night and made two roses and they turned out marginally well. I think with a little practice (well, a lot of practice) they will look as good as yours. Thanks again for taking the time to make that for us.

 

Mrs MayimNaar

I know you don't want to use another layer of fabric on your corset, but I really would suggest a layer of coutil. It's thin, it won't bulk up your corset, but it'll give you a smooth line. My coutil corset did almost as good a job supporting me before I boned it as my boned Victorian corset made out of cotton twill lined with regular cotton. Admittedly, I am extremely small (the average 5th grader outsizes me in every direction) but the difference was incredible. The coutil corset is thicker than the other since I have 2 heavy layers plus a decorative layer, but it's not at all bulky.

What kind of bones are you planning on using? I used steel bones from Farthingales (www.farthingales.on.ca) which are thicker than most. They were perfect for the picnic dress corset, since I didn't want to cinch in my waist to leave a little room for the skirt , but too thick for the Victorian corset I just finished, no matter how hard I pulled the laces they wouldn't flex. I had to unpick the corset and replace the bones with thinner bones from Grannd Garb for (www.granndgarb.com) (Grannd Garb also just lowered the price on coutil to $15 a yard). I've also heard very good things about German plastic boning, also availible from Farthingales. Anyway, steel bones are vastly superior to featherweight boning.

Another benefit of coutil is the bones won't work through the tight weave like they would in a looser fabric.

And if you're one of the people lucky enough to live in the Bay area (I can't keep track ) they carry coutil at Lacis. (www.lacis.com)

The first thing I noticed about the corset in the movie was how much it "moved" like a real corset. Although I didn't make an exact reproduction, this was a feature I wanted to keep. Didn't hurt that I already had experience making corsets, of course

Katherine

 

Another great source for corset (and costume) supplies is Amazon Drygoods. I believe they are based out of California. I have ordered from them often, and they are great. They have a catelog, and do mail orders.

I heard back from one "embroidery expert" I had written about the roses. She said it is a wool rose (although not done with wool in this case, she added) She suggested the book A-Z of WOOL embroidery which describes this rose in detail on page 57. I personally am not familiar w/ wool emb. or this book. BUT if someone has/sees this book you could check it out.

Ferd

 

Corset coutil question -

Katherine, did you say you used 2 layers of coutil in your gold corset? I'm trying to decide if I should do one or two layers of it since Padme's corset looks pretty thick.

Thanks,

Kay Dee

 

Kay dee

I used 2 layers of coutil, and a layer of dupioni flatlined with cotton sateen, so 4 layers of fabric all togehter.

The 2 layers of coutil were sewn separately and then sewn together with the right sides together, then turned right side out. Then I sewed the boning channels in and inserted the boning. I made the decorative layer separately and sewed it to the coutil layers, on the top and bottom seams. This secured the silk and closed the boning channels. Also, no boning channels showed on the decorative layer. Then I bound the top and bottom with bias tape and hemmed the back edges. It was really very easy. Writing about sewing always makes it seem more complicated!

I hope this helps, I think I went a little beyond your question

Oh, based on what Ferdalump said I tried to stand the corset up tonight. Stands on its own, no problem

Katherine

 

Thanks for the info Katherine. I wasn't sure if 2 layers would be too much, but if it worked for you I guess it should work for me! My pattern calls for the coutil layer to be sewn behind the decorative silk layer to make one piece. Then it called for the last layer of lining that touches your skin to have the boning sewn on to it, but this seems way too flimsy to me! I think if I add a second layer of coutil for my boning layer that will be much sturdier.

I'm just having trouble sizing my muslin version of the corset because I'm too darn flat! LOL!

-Kay Dee

 

Ferd, thanks for the info about the 'wool rose' stitch. I hope I can find the book in a store - I'd hate to order it online only to find out that it isn't the right stitch, or I was doing it right all along anyway!

Maybe between all of the regular posters here, one of us will find the book?

-Kay Dee

 

Hey all,

Ok, I'm only 15, can't sew and I really want to make this dress. I've been watching this thread and my mom's going to help me make this wonderful dress. I have looked at all of the patterns you guys have recommended and I was wondering... I found a couple more that I thought might be good, but I need more opinions on them. Sorry I don't know how to do a linkbut here are the pattern numbers:
Simplicity 8499
and McCall's 3538
Anyways, thanks for all the tips so far!
-Khan

 

Astra - I think your choice of patterns depends on how close you want your corset to look like the *real* one. I think the Simplicity pattern you found is good for the skirt, but the corset is too curved at the neckline. Maybe your mom will be able to help you alter it to make the neckline strait? The corset on the McCall's 3538 pattern has a lace up the back - and the *real* corset uses hook and eye. (I had initially purchased this pattern before I realized the back was not quite right)

I had to buy a seperate pattern to use for my corset. I am using this pattern:

McCall's 3315

I then used another pattern for the skirt and blouse:

Butterick 6196
http://www.angelfire.com/art/kathys/butterick6196.htm

And for the cape I altered this pattern:

McCall's 3003
http://www.angelfire.com/art/kathys/mccalls3003.htm

Good luck with your costume! It's not really a beginner's project, but if your mom knows how to sew and she is willing to help you I'm sure it will turn out great!

-Kay Dee

 

Kay Dee-

Thank you for your opinion and help! I know the corset on 8499 was not right but I thought the skirt looked good. I plan on getting the closest patterns I can find for each individual piece so I don't have to do a too much altering. My mom is going to teach me to sew and I thought I might be able to learn while working on this.

-Khan

 

I know this is off topic, but I thought I'd share a little something with ya girls. I was looking around for a good pic of Amidala in her gold dress to use for my icon. I found a tiny little adoption page, with a hard to make out icon of her. Unsatisfied, I gave up and made my own. I thought I'd share it with you all In case you wanted to use it! ^_^ Here it is:

http://www.members.aol.com/grenciamars/padmeicon.jpg

Side note, if any of you all have been saving up to buy that certain (whatever that may be) upholstery fabric for the corset at Joanns, a majority of them just went on sale for 25% off.

Khan-Don't let your age hold you back! I'm only 16, and I made the dress already. (I learned how to sew 2 years ago by sitting down in front of the sewing machine and saying "listen you, I don't like you, you don't like me. The sooner we get this done, the sooner I'll leave you alone" aka trial and error) Though I need to redo that corset ::smacks herself for slacking off::

-Van

 

Koshka -- wow! I didn't know there was so much involved in making corsets! I've never made one before, so I'm just kind of learning as I go

I was actually planning on using the cheap plastic boning that you buy at the fabric stores in the notions section. Will those not work??

Guess you learn something new every day! LOL

Well, My financial backing (a.k.a. husband) has run dry for a while so I can't start on my embroidery yet. But as soon as I buy the flosses and stuff I'll post more updates!

 

Quick question to anyone: Where do you buy "coutil?"

 

Koshka mentioned Grannd Garb and Farthingales (she gave addresses a few posts ago)
I use Amazon Drygoods out of California- here's their link
costume supplies link

You can request a catelog-or I would just call them and place a mail order to save some time.
Good luck in your search! Ferd

 

Does anyone know where I could find the text of the People Spring Style issue feature on this dress? I've looked online all over and can't find it. I've also unfortunatly misplaced my copy of the magazine!

If someone could post it, that would help me immensly!

Thanks!

Dana

 

Have you tried ebay? Also a lot of used book stores keep back issues of certain magazines. You could probably borrow a copy from the library. Or maybe your local doctor's or dentist's office might give you it if they have it laying around. I'll keep my eyes peeled
Ferd

 

Well, I don't need the actual magazine (besides it will probably turn up around here somewhere soon). I just need to know what the text of it was.



I have the picture out of it archived on my computer, so I don't need that.

 

Here you go Mrs Mayim--I had to search a little but I found it for you

"It's a dress you can fall in love in" says costume designer Trisha Biggar. In 50 yards of hand embroidered silk Natalie Portman does just that on a picnic with Jedi apprentice Anakin Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen). "We wanted a sense of movement and romance, the skirt flowing in the breeze" Explained Biggar. What's with the ear gear though? Biggar insists Portman is not wearing training buns for the iconic hairstyle worn by Anakin and Amidala's future daughter Princess Leia. "No one mentioned it" she says. "I just liked the style."

Hope that helps you out!!
Ferd

 

FERD you rock!!!

Thanks you soooo much!