Princess Leia Leia's Ceremonial gown from ANH

Oooh! Thanks Fenig! Mine is a bit different from yours, but I feel like I'm on the right track because there are some similarities. I'll have to keep playing with it when I get back from D*con. This requires patience doesn't it?

-Kay Dee

 

Patience, or a magic wand.

 

Fenig, you did a beautiful job on your dress. I'm anxious to see what it looks like with the jewelry and belt.

 

Thanks Ladystar. I've been fighting with the paint on my belt. I'm actually on my way out to buy a clear coat in hopes of sealing it. Everything else is done. It's just that darn belt.

 

Yay! The clear coat on the belt worked! It's done.

I tweaked the belt a little to get it to sit at an angle on my hips.

Full costume

Back of belt

I know it's not 100% canon, but I think I like it better this way.

 

The links didn't work for me but I just followed your sig. line and all I can say is BEAUTIFUL!!!! Another top notch job on this dress. Your belt is perfect so I really need to get my butt in gear and finish mine.

Congrats again on a super job!!!

 

It looks AWESOME, Fenig! Two very enthusiastic thumbs up. Can't wait to see pics of you in it!

Caitlin

 

Thanks y'all! Pics will be after the DVD release party or the THX 1138 thing next week. I'm going to draw up the shape of my belt if anyone would like it. I figured since Leia had hips and I have hips, I'm going to angle the darn thing.

Working Link

 

Well, I'm pulling my hair out - I can't figure out how to assmeble my bust/sleeve overlay with my dress underlay. (Shouldn't this part be easy?)

It looked to me like the overlay was sewn directly into the underbust seam as the bust and skirt sections are sewn together, but I can't figure out what order to sew all these pieces together so that my overlay will come out the side seam as a wing/sleeve... and still be able to sew my side seams!!! (did that make sense at all?) No matter how I piece this together, I can't get it to work and I'm feeling really stupid

If anyone can give me a hint on assembly I'd appreciate it!

- Kay Dee

 

I've decided that I want to do this dress for Celebration 3. I think on my day off, I will sit and read every page of this thread. I'm waiting for Ferd to get back to me on it.

 

Yay! We can have a Leia Ceremonial Party! I'm going to make this one for CIII too.

 

I'm down for it!!! As long as I get this DONE. I will be MORE than happy to join you girls

 

Attack of the Leia Clones LOL This was on my list too

 

I'm just curious, how did some of you who have made this costume finished the edges of the crepe georgette on the sleeve/wings? I've been experimenting with a 2mm rolled hem by machine but it seems so crisp and really stands out. I can't imagine hand rolling the entire thing.

I wonder if using silk thread would soften the machine rolled edge a bit?

- Kay Dee

 

I used the two-thread rolled hem on my serger. Nice and light.

Caitlin

 

Oh, thanks Caitlin for the hem advise! My serger is so new I didn't know it could do that sort of thing. I'll crack open my book and put my serger to the test (hope I have the right foot and that the repair job viking did holds up).

Any tips on how to catch my overlay sleeve in the bust, yet have it creep out so it's free from the side seam of the garment?

- Kay Dee

 

Kay_dee, perhaps if you did the rolled hem on the sleeve first, and then seamed it into the bust seam & gradually "tapered" it out, maybe an inch or so before the side seam? It's all very clear in my head, but I don't know exactly how to describe it. I can try again if this doesn't make any sense, though.

 

Thanks rvqavalon - what you said makes sense because that is the only way I could think of to do the bust seam overlay thingy. I just thought it seemed odd, you know?

-kay dee

 

What sort of fabric are you using, Kay_Dee? I've noticed a lot of people make this dress out of bridal fabrics, and as pretty as they are, prove too stiff for this dress. -=shrug=- That could just be me. I used a polyester base and tricot sheer layer. Needed no hemming on the sleeves, which was nice to keep the flow of the fabric, and ease of sewing.

 

*smacks head* Tricot! Of course! Fenig, you're a genius! Must keep that in mind for when I make my "real" version of this dress...

Caitlin

 

Gosh, I wish I had seen some tricot when I was picking out my fabric. I'm surprised it doesn't need any sort of hemming or finishing to the edges though? I've already shelled out the money on my crepe georgette, so I guess I'll be sticking with that. I know I might be starting to see things, but in some photos I feel like I'm seeing about a half inch folded type of hem. I think I'm just going to do the entire edge by hand - this is going to take forever!

- Kay Dee

 

Kay_dee, you are a braver soul than I. I only did the bottom skirt hem since there is that darn teaser picture with the shoes that shows a good sized hem. The rest of it... I was under something of a time crunch, and it's too late to go back now. BUt no, the tricot hasn't needed a hem. I've even washed the entire thing (horray for machine washable costumes!) and it's not frayed a bit.

 

Fenig Wrote: the tricot hasn't needed a hem. I've even washed the entire thing (horray for machine washable costumes!) and it's not frayed a bit.

Cool, I learn something new every day at these forums. I know it's going to take literally days to hand sew the hem on my sleeves, I just think it looked more subtle than the rolled hem my machine did. I hope I finish this in time for a DVD event on Monday, but if I don't my main goal is Halloween.

- Kay Dee

 

It is a daunting task--hand-rolling the hems for these sleeves, but that's exactly what I did and was able to finish it in one evening (plunked myself down on the couch after dinner in front of some movie on TCM and didn't move until it was finished--if I remember correctly, that was around midnight). And really I found the effect to be absolutely fabulous. It's worth the effort, and sometimes, no matter how glorious sergers are (believe me, there are days when I desperately wish I had one), nothing beats the hand-sewn result. I'm sure yours will turn out just as beautifully, Kay_Dee.

 

I'm sure it will too, Kay_dee. Your work is really top notch.