Princess Leia Princess Leia Hoth & Bespin city costumes

Good to hear--the larger hoop should be a great help. But now, get some rest, enjoy the holidays and come back fresh and ready to get to it in the new year.

Then again, resting during the holidays really is an oxymoron, isn't it?

 

You have a good holidays, too.

 

I've been contemplating doing the Bespin outfit for a while now, and with the announcment that Billy Dee Williams will be at our local convention in April, I know have a definite reason to do it.

Originally, this outfit never really caught my eye, until I started gathering reference images, and then I fell in love with it. It's really a beautiful dress, and I agree when people say that this is defiantely her 'princess' dress. I have a goal of making all of Leia's outfits, and this was one that I thought I wouldn't make for a while, due to the embroidery. However, Whilst browsing through Padawan's Guide, I came across a costumer here in Aust who had made a beautiful version using fabric paint. While I will definately be making one that is embroidered (eventually, I know it's a very long process) I think that in the meantime, a fabric painted one will still look pretty good.

After the Christmas spell (When I have a bit of time) I will be going through this thread in more detail, and gathering information and notes to help me make it. When I buy my overjacket fabric, I will buy twice as much, so that I have enough for both the painted and embroidered versions. I picked up some ruby coloured chiffon on sale, which I thought would be good for the lining of the overjacket, and I'm thinking of going with a microcrepe for the top and pants.

I think the most confusing thing at the moment is the colours. I read on PAdawan's Guide that the most likely colours are cinnamon and ecru. However, with my pale colouring, I don't know if cinnamon will really suit me, so I was thinking of going for a more burgundy shade, with more red than brown.

I look forward to reading this thread more thoroughly, and joining the Bespin ranks

 

Welcome to the project!
And there was definitely someone who did a really beautiful version of this costume with fabric paints. So I think your idea of having a 1st version with that and then upgrading to the embroidered one would be great--especially since you will be having a reason do it!

On my 5 hour drive each direction to my Christmas desitination I worked quite a bit with the digitizing of the lower half of the X's in the pattern. So the digitizing of this project is 1/2 done! (And the top 1/2 has less in it than the bottom half, did ) I will still play with the shapes a bit to make them as perfect as can be, but I'm encouraged by the progress. I've got to get this done for me and Lavagrrrl in time for C4! If I have time, I'll play with the embroidery machine this week and see how the new hoop does and how the stiches look. Wish me luck!

 

I am tring to figure out which dye(s) to order for the tunic/pants and inner layer of the cloak
I was thinking that the Red Wine or Burgundy look good for the first link. Or perhaps the Vermillion or Crimson from the second? Or a combo with another color? I think the more red/pink side of the color spectrum would work best with my fair complexion.

Fiber Reactive dyes

EDIT: I also found these dyes
Acid Dyes

Any suggestions would be appreciated since I have't tackled dyeing fabric before (hence I haven't done my Pastel Lake gown yet. LOL)

 

LeiaYT1300 gave me the link for that brick fabric. Thanks so much!

I've taken a break from the actual embroidering to continue working on the actual drawing and digitizing of the pattern. I have finally completed the bottom half of the pattern in the computer.
Now I've started on the flower section in the center of the triangle.
Over 1/2 way done on the pattern now! Yay!

 

I'm continuing to make progress on the embroidery programming.
I have the upper flowers programmed.
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Bespin%20Leia%20project/Photo_012207_001.jpg]

And I still have to clean up some of the detail work in the upper x's but it looks pretty good in the computer so far:
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Bespin%20Leia%20project/Photo_012207_002.jpg]

Please forgive the blurry pics. The computer screen casts a glare.

After I finish with the programming I'll go back to trying to align these things on actual fabric. Wish me luck!

 

Wow, that looks great! I wish you continued luck.

 

Woohoo! Pics! It's looking fabulous!

 

OKay. I got some work done last night (on commercial breaks of Idol. LOL)

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Bespin%20Leia%20project/Photo_012507_002.jpg]

Don't mind the shiney. Its the dissolvable stabilizer.
And you can't see the white very well. I had to use my palm pilot camera and it doesn't have a flash.

But the lining up did amazingly well! The stabilizer on top and underneath made all of the difference in the world.

Its good that I'm practicing a bit first, though. The stitches for the dark brown are too far apart. And there are a couple of areas that I'm not sure why they didn't "print" right. So I'll go in and fix those as I go along. But I'd like to continue practicing this one all the way to the top to see how it does.

I'm pretty happy so far, though.

 

BRAVO!!! its gorgeous!!! I can't wait till you finally get it done, its looking so Beeutiful!!!!


God bless!!!

 

Looking great so far I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

O, that looks gorgeous and that is only the result of working in the breaks? Can't wait to see it finished!

 

Thanks for the encouragement, ladies

Tenyon, I'm not completely sure what you mean, but hopefully this answers it:
The long stitches are probably because I mistakenly programmed them that way. I'll have to go back into the program and change that.
I'm not sure why some of the burgundy-ish parts didn't stitch right. Again, I'll have to go back into that part of the program and play around to see what happened.

I was going to use that 3 position hoop so that I didn't have to re-hoop so often, which I was hoping would decreased the number of alignement errors. But the hoop didn't work as I was told that it would. And I don't think my computer program is compatible with it. So I'm taking it back.

In the mean time, what you see above is using a 5X7in hoop and embroidering in sections. I make a grid ahead of time on the clear stabilizer so that I can line the hoop up as correctly as possible. I played with it again on my lunch break and am learning some other little things that might help get it to line as much as is possible.
But so far it is working quite well. And as I get better practiced at the proceedure, I hope to get it more accurate.

When I have more done, I'll post more pics of the "1st draft"...

 

What can I say? It looks fabulous!

 

Thanks all for your encouraging comments.

I think I figured out the problem with stitch length and a couple of details and will fix that with my next "draft." But I got more work done tonight. I still and learning how to get things lined up properly--so its not quite as perfect as I would like yet. But that's what practice is for.

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Bespin%20Leia%20project/P1000491.jpg]

 

That looks great!

 

My son's girlfriend really wants me to make this Bespin costume for her. I explained to her that it was not just the costume she sees but there is detailed embroidery to do. I told her about all of you making this and the work put into it!
Is there anyway someone would be willing to send me the patterns you used for the embroidery? Then I can see if I have the time to do it!
She isn't going to C4 but models for me at our Comicon panels and she loves it.

Here is her pic with the Leia ANH that I made for her.


[image=http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l154/SingerSewer/Leia%20and%20Han/PICT0130_edited.jpg]

 

Jade-Walker that is coming along beautifully! I always thought that having the embroidery machine would make it easier, but it's definately just as difficult as doing it all by hand!

I will be starting on this in the next few weeks, as I need it for April!! I finally got around to taking pictures of my fabric I made the most amazing discovery at a fabric warehouse - The perfect shade of fabric for the tunic and pants, and the perfect fabric for the overdress!! Originally I was going to go for a more maroon colour, as I figured it would be easier to find, but I happened across this, and it was perfect!! The only problem I might have with it, is that it might be a little hot (especially with our heat and humidity!) but we'll see how it goes. I picked up 2 different fabrics for the overdress material. The fabric for the painted one is a sort of micrfibre stuff, it's a good colour, but cheaper, since I plan on having an embroidered one. The fabric I picked up for the embroidered one is just perfect! It's got a great texture to it that really looks like 70's curtain fabric! It's not sheer, but I think it will still look fantastic! So, here are some pics:
Here are the two main fabrics
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/Last_Chael/Costumes/Princess%20Leia%20-%20Bespin/BespinLeia013.jpg]
This shows the difference between the fabric for embroidery and the one for the painting
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/Last_Chael/Costumes/Princess%20Leia%20-%20Bespin/BespinLeia003.jpg]
And here is the stuff I thought I'd use for the lining of the overdress. It's a ruby coloured chiffon, I'm hoping it matches well enough
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/Last_Chael/Costumes/Princess%20Leia%20-%20Bespin/BespinLeia009.jpg]

Now I jsut have to start working on the pattern!

 

Nice finds on the fabric. I think the two colors will bring out tones in each other to make them a nice color for you.

I did find some poly brick chiffon at Hancock fabrics yesterday that is pretty much exactly like the brick silk chiffon that I got from Thai silks. I think it is the one called crimson here: crimson chiffon
So I think that is a good alternative to the silk--esp since if you sign up for online coupons, you could potentially get it for 40% off at some point.

 

I think I'm getting a much better handle on the alignment process.

Updated photo:
[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Bespin%20Leia%20project/P1000492.jpg]

 

Thanks Jade-Walker! I think finding the right fabrics is always half the battle! That crimson chiffon looks to be a good colour. Though I live in Australia, and I'm pretty sure they don't ship overseas! That's cool, I'm sure I can hunt out something appropriate!! We don't have all that many good fabric sources here, but I tend to make some good finds when I look hard!

The embroidery is looking fabulous! It really makes me want to get started on mine!!

 

I have finished my first practice run of the pattern.
I still have some more practicing to do for alignment, but its looking pretty good for a first run, I think.
I'm getting excited about this!

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/Jade-Walker/Bespin%20Leia%20project/Photo_013107_001.jpg]

I found some thread that is inbetween the brighter red that I used here and the lighter brown that I previously used (in a couple of trials). I've also found a nicer yellow that looks more like gold and a little darker ivory that I used here.
I need to pick up some of that brick poly chiffon to practice backing the pink florettes with. Wish I thought of that today when I was at Hancock's. *rolls eyes*