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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Padme Amidala Handmaiden Costumes

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by HandmaidenEirtae, Aug 9, 2001.

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  1. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    The crushed velvet issue depends on what it's made of, whether it's a synthetic or cotton velvet. Also, when you prewash the fabric, make sure you don't have any fabric softener getting into the fabric. A double rinse is a good idea.

    I used the Dharma dyes/fabric paints to get the color on my sythetics; it doesn't affect the pile much, it's washable, you can spray it on, and curing it is as simple as using an iron. If your velvet still shows signs of the "crushed" look, you can dry in on a warmer temp and/or iron it before dyeing.

    Hope you are able to get it fixed!

    And thanks for the input, princessleia911!
     
  2. Amrita_Glittersong

    Amrita_Glittersong Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 30, 2007
    Oh, excellent. I'll get some of Dharma's dyes then; I thought my fabric was cotton velvet, but it probably isn't. I got it on ebay. :p

    Thanks for the tips! Hopefully I'll get it finished and get to use it for another con or event sometime. :)
     
  3. princessleia911

    princessleia911 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    Dharma has dye now for Polyester called idyes and their Pigment Dye system works very well also with any synthetic.

    You're welcome, GentleBant.
     
  4. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    Based on blowing up pics from FFAQ, I think that just slightly less than 2" x 3" is probably right...maybe somewhere around 1 7/8" by 3"...the width of the buckle seems to be about twice as large as the width of the belt.
     
  5. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    OK, back to trying to get the throne room gown *started* (I'm still not 100% sure about the velvet I bought for the cloak...). How do you go about attaching the type of trim seen in the detail shots? It seems to be at the bottom of the dress sleeves, around the neckline, and all around the edges/sleeves of the cloak. Do you hand sew it? And would it most likely just be a long braid of trim, or the kind with the extra part on it for sewing it on? Or glue it? And if you stitch it on, do you sew around it, loop-like, or pass the needle right through the center of it?

    I'm sorry; I've never done any sort of trim or piping or whatever like this, and I really don't want to mess it up.
     
  6. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    Depending on the trim itself, you might have to hand sew it. If it's got beading especially, hand sew it. You could try machine, but hand sewing has more control and precision.
     
  7. Benae_Quee

    Benae_Quee Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2002
    The trims look like they were cording that was couched on, that it something best done by hand.
    [image=http://photos.imageevent.com/benaequee/costumes/dressingagalaxynyc/RedInvasion10.jpg]

    Couching - http://crossstitch.about.com/od/glossa2/g/couching.htm
     
  8. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    Thanks for the link, Benae Quee. I was talking about the handmaiden throne room, but I believe the technique would be the same, right?

    And I'm sooooo excited! A family friend did this for me, and is working on a blaster for me, too.

    [image=http://gentlebant.com/images/costumes/ppmbattlebuckle.jpg]

    Now if I could just get the sleeves and lining to hang right all the time.../sigh
     
  9. HeatherD

    HeatherD Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 12, 2005
    Wouldn't this fabric be just perfect for Motee's costume! http://www.denverfabrics.com/catalog_itemdetail.aspx?ItmID=D5169
     
  10. Sister_Sola

    Sister_Sola Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2002
    Oh GentleBant that buckle is beautiful! What a wonderful thing for your friend to do for you!
     
  11. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    I'm not entirely sure...the color looks nice, but the crumpledness might be an issue...? Definitely not an expert, so that's just an opinion.

    Thanks, Sister Sola! I had my blaster done in time to use it with my Snow Bunny costume for Legoland in September, and it's beautiful. It's real, worked metal with a teak handle...he's even joked about mounting a small laser inside for me. :~D

     
  12. Darth_Eagle

    Darth_Eagle Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    Looking at the product info, I think it's the thickness that will be an issue as it's said to be semi-sheer:

    "One of 28 semi-sheer crinkle fabrics
    This fabric would look excellent as a scarf treatment or even puddled on the floor
    Suitable for Drapery
    100% Polyester"

    Unless you line it a lot with an opaque material in same color it might works.


    I had actually found a nice "Random" Crinkled Polyester fabric (something like Satin but non-shiny and a lot thinner) like that (but more crinkled) here in Singapore that might work for Motee's Inner Dress/Blouse but unfortunately it only came in Royal Blue and Dark Purple instead of the Lavender/Light Purple of the original. :(
     
  13. Twilekgirl

    Twilekgirl Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jan 20, 2004
    I have the Padme maroon battle outfit from TPM, and I need help with the hairstyle. My hair isn't long enough to do the style, so I got one of those drawstring/jaw clip ponytails. But I'm having a lot of trouble trying to style it. Any suggestions?
     
  14. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    How long is your hair?
     
  15. Lelundrial

    Lelundrial Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 23, 2004
    I have always loved the parade costume at the end of TPM. I was looking around and I am very unfamiliar with fabrics and their names. But has anyone found a fabric to match the undershirt? I would guess its a kind of a lace but I am not sure.
     
  16. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    I've always thought of the undershirt as sort of a shimmery-sheer, very lightly moss-tinted cream color.

    Padawan's Guide has an excellent page on it here:
    Parade Gown
     
  17. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    I was watching my photos of the throne room gown today when something strange about the sleeve hit me.

    In this photo you can see the edge of the sleeve.
    [image=http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d103/bandykullan/costumes%20exhibit/IMG_0135.jpg]
    I've always assumed that the sleeve was pleated, just like the rest of the dress, but when taking a closer look I can't see any pleats. You have two parallell lines that can be ridges of a pleat, but even more strange is that it's possible to see the weave of the fabric, and it doesn't seem to change direction at all at those ridges, which I assume it would do if it was pleated. I also wonder what fabric it can be since to me it looks almost like a twill, with the diagonal lines.

    I have taken the photo and added some lines to explain what I mean.
    [image=http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d103/bandykullan/costumes%20exhibit/IMG_0135.jpg]
    The red lines are what could possible be a pleat, while the green ones are the weave of the fabric.

    Does anyone who's more used than me in examining photos like this tell me what you think?

    Personally I would guess that they didn't care to pleat the sleeve, since it's hardly visible anyway. It might also be that the sleeve is connected to the outer robe, and not really to the gown itself.
     
  18. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    It almost looks to me as though what is sticking out there isn't the sleeve of the gown but rather the lining...?

    In this pic at Padawan's Guide:
    Throne Room Handmaiden
    It looks pleated.

    But I could be wrong!
     
  19. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    That's probably right, I guess I just stared into it blindly for too long.

     
  20. Ranil-Starwing

    Ranil-Starwing Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2007
    Strange. I was just about to come find this thread and change the topic to another costume, when I find that it's right here! Funny how these things work...

    In any case, I was wondering if anyone has actually made the throne room handmaiden gown, and if they would be willing to post some pictures on here. It's one of my favorites of the handmaiden costumes, and I'd like to see what other people have done. If I get other projects done, I might even attempt it myself. We'll see.
     
  21. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    This is one costume that I don't think has been made by anyone so far. GentleBant started to gather material for it, but then got occupied with another costume. I have more or less thought out how I would like to do it, but I wont start it until I can really afford the best materials, and so for I haven't even gotten close to finding a suitable velvet for the cloak. It is definitely my dream project.
     
  22. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    I've bought the material for the dress and the obi and the cloak, but no linings and no trim yet.

    Then I found I was expecting and had to shelve the whole thing...but still keeping my eye out for "perfect" fabrics!

    I've also spent some time trying to figure out how to do the pooling effect at the bottom of the gown without a visible seam/hoop and also be able to walk!

    The gown itself, besides the pleating, seems basic enough, but I'm sort of very non-talented seamstress, so we'll see what happens when I get back to working on this.

    Have you started working on it?
     
  23. Neimhaille

    Neimhaille Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    I started patterning one years ago, but found I was unable to get a nice velvet in the volumes needed ;)
     
  24. GentleBant

    GentleBant Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 1999
    Recently came across this...any thoughts on this for the pleated fabric? (TPM Handmaiden Throne Room Gown)

    Curtain Fabric

    Still would be a few months away from being able to wear this one, anyway.
     
  25. Neimhaille

    Neimhaille Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    That does look pretty good really. The description threw me though... very weird. But I'm guessing what they mean is that is it a matelasse (which does require a jacquard loom) This means the back of the fabric is flat and the pleated are permanently woven out of floating fibres. Because of this though the pleats are permanently set to that and you will not be able to have the fabric stretch (pleats open) into the circle at the hem.

    I've just been looking through my old old files and I think I found some pics of my initial trial of this outfit :) It really is my favourite handmaiden ensemble.

    And yes, lack of fabric for the underdress is holding me back too. Does anyone know if it has been specifically officially called silk? I ask as body heat will make those pleats fall out during wear if just ironed so I suspect this may actually be a polyester or silk was chemically treated to remain pleated even with body heat/wear. Sabine had a guide on her site about making permanent wrinkles in silk using perm solution. This is a possibility but it would require quite a set up to get the full length perfect box pleats.
    And then I suspect the hem was also treated with a solution to "starch" the fabric. I just have not yet been able to see in any photos if there is a line where this ends.

    Oh and in some photos you can see the weave appears to be a twill. Z wale from memory. I have some silk twill that would be ideal but is a pistachio green ;)
     
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