Padme Amidala Padme's green velvet robe from Episode 3

Your dress looks fabulous and your daughter is adorable.

 

You have made a very good job !!

 

I have a couple questions.

As far as the hood goes, can anyone tell me what that is lined with? I can't tell from the FIDM pictures that I have access to.

I am also thinking about the sleeves. For those of us who can't get the backed velvet, but do have the squarish pattern lining fabric--how are you getting the purple to show under the symbols? I am thinking of double lining the sleeves to do it, but that will make them very heavy.

Thoughts?

 

Kay_dee - I posted the yardage total that we have for the velvet order, and asked again if anyone is interested. I'll let you know if I hear anything!

As for the hood lining, I was just looking at the pics last night and I think it is lined in velvet.

You can see it in this exhibit pic of mine - you'll have to cut and paste the link into a browser, sorry!

http://padawansguide.com/fidm/maggie/green4.jpg

 

Be sure to secure the lining with a few stitches to the velvet, or else the two layers will slip over each other.

 

Yes, when I saw the costume at the second exhibition at fidm I noticed that the hood was self lined with velvet. So our observations match Maggie.

Thanks for posting the yardage update at Padawan's Guide. We'll see what happens.

- kay dee

 

Ugh! I wish I can hop into the wagon for the velvet too but got other costumes to settle first (especially that Biker Scout Armor of mine. Strangely I dun have the money right now to even get the Jumpsuit & Vest Tailored or Base Boots bought etc).

Maybe if there is another order this Feb or Mar, I can try to hop into the wagon.

 

I've actually been working on the muslin for the Padme green cut velvet robe. I just need to do the sleeves and a real sash muslin. I'm pretty happy with the hood. And I drew out a pattern for the Naboo symbol and printed it out and pinned it on to see if I have the right scale for it. I thought instead of trying to do a stamp, I might try making a stencil. I'll have to experiment and see what I can get to work. I'm not going to cut any of the velvet until I decide how I'm going to etch it.

I might, however, take the other green velvet I have and do mockup 2.0 out of it. Yeah, it's expensive to use for a mockup, but some of it has serious wrinkles and creases in it. And I'd like to see how it will drape and gather with velvet, so I don't screw up the really expensive stuff! I might try my initial fiber etch experiments on it as well.

Some things I've noted from images - the hood looks like it is lined in velvet. It looks like the bottom edge is gathered and sewn to a different fabric (possible the same stuff used on the piping), and that fabric is what is sewn into the neckline of the gown. Probably to reduce the thickness because where the two layers of velvet are gathered is probably pretty thick. You can see this on the image below.

(Sorry, you'll have to cut and paste the links into a browser!)

http://www.padawansguide.com/padme3/mustard/art1.jpg

I've already decided, from what Biba-Fett told us, that the gown is lined in purple, and I believe it matches the sash fabric. The velvet's backing black silk chiffon, and I believe the purple lining shows through. The front of the gown is folded under - looks like about 3" - I need to increase the seam allowance on my muslin. The purple lining is tacked over the folded over velvet on the inside. The bottom edge of the purple lining is hemmed and hangs free. The hem of the velvet is faced with the diamond brocade fabric.

Other useful reference pics:

http://www.padawansguide.com/fidm/maggie/green2.jpg
http://www.padawansguide.com/padme3/mustard/symbol.jpg
http://www.padawansguide.com/padme3/mustard/sash.jpg

Just thought I'd post my notes so far!

 

Well, I've started my work on my green gown. This project seems so daunting!

I decided to start with the underdress. I looked closely at the webdocs to see the underdress made for Natalie--and realized it's a farthingale with an attached bodice. Farthingales are like hoopskirts, but made a little differently. They are an Elizabethan style undergarment.

I am going to do that part in white muslin, and then make a lightweight overdress in olive green broadcloth, so that the white doesn't show through. They are also 100% cotton so I'll keep cool under all the heavy velvet.

As soon as I have some decent pictures of the undergarment, I'll post them for reference. All I've got is the bodice of it so far.

Lesley F.

 

Just an update from the ebay seller Maggie got her velvet from. They sent me swatches of thier new shads of olive in stock and neither is a close match to the real costume. The lighter olive they have might be close to something some fans have used, but it is quite a bit browner and paler in comparison to the swatch provided in DAG.

Good luck with your costume Maggie! I can't wait to see it as it comes together

 

I was skimming through this thread and I don't think I ever posted a link to the notes I took when the back side of this gown was visible at the FIDM motion picture exhibit. The costume was in the dark sith room, so some things were hard to see. I recently edited my notes and added a few more of my rough sketches (I'm not an artist, I was only trying to make a quick note of the layout of the symbols and count how many of them there were. Most stuff isn't to scale at all.). I think it is helpful to cross reference my notes and sketches wtih the photos at padawan's guide.

http://kay-dee.net/fidm_research2006/index.htm#star

 

Unlocked.

 

Thank you Sola!

I wanted to post a find that I randomly came across the other night. Discount Fabrics USA has a GREAT diamond-pattern fabric that looks like it would be a beautiful match for the lining of this dress.

http://www.discountfabricsusacorp.com/diamondplum.html
[image=http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/discountfabricsusa_1994_231331113.jpg]

It's not exact, I know, but it's awfully close!

 

kreleia, thanks for posting it. I'm in the process of collecting materials for this one - finally.

This is the silk velvet I'm using from Thai Silks sitting next to the swatch of velvet from DAG:

with flash:

[image=http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/ObiDawn/washedvelvet.jpg]

without flash:

[image=http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c107/ObiDawn/washedvelvet1.jpg]

It's their washed silk velvet in the color called tourmaline.
http://www.thaisilks.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_9&products_id=693

Not exact, but close. I just don't have the time or inclination to dye this much velvet with a toddler in my house. Too much potential trauma involved.

 

That looks like a really close match from your pictures Dawn! Does it look that close in person too? Not having to dye velvet is always a plus!

 

Hey Dawn, I remember getting a swatch of that velvet when visiting Thai silks. I agree, it's pretty close. I remember it was either just a bit dark or lighter, can't remember which and don't want to dig it out. But aside from the stuff Padawan's Guide lucked out finding (which I think is the same exact velvet from the movie - she really found a perfect match down to the black silk backing) the Thai silks velvet is the closest I've found.

Thanks for that brocade link Kreleia! The colors look perfect, I guess I just worry that it is too heavy and stiff because it is for upholstery. They also say it is a 7" repeat, so there is a chance the diamonds are just huge. I ordered a little swatch for fun. Not like I should be adding anymore costumes to my out of control list!

 

Hi kay_dee. Yeah, this is that same velvet I mentioned to you ages ago after I got the swatch. I finally got around to ordering it this past weekend, even though I'm not sure if I'll be able to even think about starting this until after Dragon*Con. I've always loved this costume and decided to start collecting materials for it.

Sola, it's defintiely a close enough match for me, but I do think it somewhat lacks the bronze/coppery undertones of the original.

 

Yeah, good pick-up Kay-Dee, I got that fabric and the pattern is WAY too big but color is good so it is too bad. And that velvet is not bad from Thai Silks, I got the black background with the natural pile so I can dye this myself, just like the stuff Maggie found. Don't mind dyeing it since it seems to be a funny color, like this: http://fashiontribes.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/05/fashion.jpg

The first color on there, Golden Olive, looks like a great match to me. I found some stuff on Manhattan Fabrics, http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l107/princessleia911/Padme%20Costumes/Green%20Velvet%20Robe/MiscStuff006.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l107/princessleia911/Padme%20Costumes/Green%20Velvet%20Robe/MiscStuff001.jpg

 

First, you're welcome.
Second, yeah, I'd wondered about the upholstery fabric being too heavy, as well, but decided to post the find anyway.
Third - I can't believe I missed the description saying that! It's definitely too large at that size.

eep! Yeah, not so much.

I've seen the fabric from Manhattan Fabrics that princessleia911 is talking about. It's absolutely gorgeous - I'm wondering if it can be dyed to match the green, and still have the plum stand out. They actually used to carry that same fabric in black and gold. I eyed it for a looooooong time, wondering if I could use it for the pre-senate kimono obi. Unfortunately, I waited too long, and they no longer have it. Ah well.

Sorry for the false hopes on the upholstery fabric.

 

No worries, kreleia.

 

Ooooh - how heavy is that fabric? And what is the fiber content? If it's 100% poly it might be impossible to dye (sometimes I can get polyester to dye, sometimes it won't budge). It might be possible to put it in a green dye bath to just get it to be a bit greener without totally covering over the purple.

 

I know I'm a little late but, Obi-Dawn I can't wait to see your finished costume! I love all of your work!

~Laura


PS- apparently green is the color for 2008

 

Yeah, no worries, kreleia. That stuff isn't too heavy, just the pattern is huge and the color don't look as good(of course). The other stuff I have is not that heavy either, like a table cloth but not too thick and since I was going to be dyeing the velvet, I can test a square to see but it still was closer than the black and gold stuff from Fashion Fabrics Club. At least this stuff has the purple

 

Hi girls!

Sorry for my later post,but I must take from you opinion about fabric,which I find.Here is a swatches.

This is a Dark Green Olive silk Velvet
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/Padmochka/silk_velvet_dark_olive_green.jpg

And this is Olive silk velvet
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c209/Padmochka/silk_velvet_olive.jpg

So,what do you think,girls?
Who can say,where I can get right fabric?))

 

I ordered both of those swatches off ebay a while ago. Neither was a good match for the real costume.

The best alternative match we have found (since the real exact match velvet seems to be sold out now.) is from Thai Silks. You can order there:

Washed Velvet - Tourmaline Green

Obi-Dawn posted photos of the fabric just a few posts up in this thread.