Princess Leia Princess Leia Hoth & Bespin city costumes

For my costume, I used crepe chiffon for everything. The tunic and pants are underlined with a peachskin fabric that I happened upon by chance which perfectly matched the color of my chiffon.

On colors, yes, look for a nutmeg and an ecru. But really, the best thing to do, IMO, is to bring as many pictures as you can with you to the fabric store to compare the fabrics for the closest match. As you have probably gathered from the discussion on color earlier in this thread, this costume is a little tricky. At the end of the day, you just have to decide what color you think looks closest and will make you the most satisfied.


-sg

 

Thanks for all your help SG, i cant wait to get started!

Does anyone have any good advice for the Hoth costume? I am having a hard time thinking of some ideas for it....i was thinking some quilt type of fabric and jsut get a top and pants patterns, and just make it a 2 piece....the vest wont be too much of a problem, since i have one pretty close to it....does anyone know what the patch on the coat says? i cant find any pictures that have the words or symbols up close.

 

Because I wanted as accurate a costume as I could get, I went with silk georgette and silk chiffon. I ordered them through Anjoorian Silks, where, after sending swatches of the colors I wanted, I had the fabric hand-dyed to my specifications (they were the only one in the country I could find that would dye to specifications--most silkeries only offer set colors, which I found severely limiting). It came out great, and it was worth the expense, as I could not find comparable silks in my area (Milwaukee's pretty barren). And I found that embroidering on silk versus more synthetic fabrics was a joy, and it drapes very well.

But Surlygirl is right about color. You have to decide what you think is best personally. I took more fabric swatches into various lighting just to get what I wanted--it was a difficult decision, especially since the gown looks so different in person than it does on screen. But in the end, I'm happy with my choice. So it's up to you!

PS--I got your PM, Zam, and I will be forwarding those pics to you tonight (I'm at work right now, but the pics are at home).

 

Thank you so much!

 

OMG! Thank you guys so much for this thread! I have been looking ALL over for ideas on how to make this costume! All of the ones you guys have made are fabulous!!

 

Welcome, Sarafina1977! Glad we could help out a bit.


-sg

 

Hello, Sarafina1977! Feel free to ply us with questions.

As for my recreation, just a humble update:

The embroidery is almost done (working on the rosettes now). And things are going swimmingly... knock on wood... I should be putting the whole thing together at the end of the week in time for the costume contest at GenCon on the 10th.

I have to say I am excited, but seriously worn out with the embroidering. It'll be awhile before I pick up a hand needle. I can definitely say I know how you felt, Surlygirl!

 

I cant wait to see you in it!!! I also thank you for all of your time spent with sending me detailed emails and pictures. You are an ANgel, and I hope that you will send pics of the finished product!!
I am thinking that since I am a Novice at sewing, that I am going to put this off until my husbands mom can help me with it, it seems like something I would get in over my head with. Any comments on this?

 

No problem, Zam! I am planning to have pics taken at GenCon (and members of the Wisconsin Fanforce will be there to cheer me on in the contest, a few of whom will be armed with cameras, so I should get a few shots from there as well). After the 10th, I will be scanning those shots and putting them on a temporary website or photobook, which I'll link to in this thread so you can have a look. I'll let you know the moment it's up.

I wouldn't say this is necessarily a difficult costume. The first version I made in high school was done with minimal sewing experience, but after learning the basics of drafting (and the purchase of a French curve--truly a necessary tool--and a body form), I was able to create better-constructed/altered patterns than I had for the first version. I don't think you need to be the most experienced of seamstresses (even I'm still learning as I go at times), but help would be good. If someone can aid you in draping a muslin pattern right on you, you will find it somewhat easy.

If you would like, when you are ready to tackle this costume, I can write up instructions and drawings, and email them to you, as a guide for your own. Just let me know when you've decided to start it. Depending on the patterns you choose for the tunic and pants, you won't need to do much, but I can definitely send instructions on how I did my cloak and belt, as well as pics of my finished embroidery.

I hope you decide to do it. It's such a wonderful costume, and well worth the effort. It's a very unnoticed gown, but one that deserves serious attention (which is tough against a flood of gorgeous Padme gowns--Leia got jipped, I tell ya! No, Leia has some very beautiful costumes--they're just not as embellished or outrageous, and, frankly, it's hard to be outrageous while on the frontlines).

And I promise to post pics asap after the 10th!

 

Instructions! That would be AWESOME!! I know that might take you a while to type out and what not, so if you would that would definitely be rad! I want to do this SO bad.......I havent ever cut out patterns or used a sewing machine, so If you would send instructions, i could take them to my husbands mom, and she could look it over and help me from there! She is going to teach me how to sew while making this particular costume, so it will be a memorable one for me! Thanks so much!

 

No problem! I'm thinking by the end of August, I should have the instructions completed. Meanwhile, may I suggest you purchase a tool for which many of my measurements are based off of: a curve and square, otherwise known as a "French curve". I used it to draft sections of the cloak and capelet, as well as my tunic and pants (I did not use store-bought patterns for this costume, but as this is your first time sewing, I would recommend using store-bought patterns for at least your tunic and pants). A French curve will also help in making alterations to ready-made patterns, like changing a neckline, for example. In my opinion, a French curve is a sewing necessity, and I wish I would have had one from the very beginning. You can order one through the following link:

http://www.denverfabrics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=001&Product_Code=FG0012&Category_Code=FG

(I tried to link up to this, but it seems to not be working, so I apologize for forcing you to copy/paste...)

As this is the one I use, I ordered one for my sister from this site (as sadly the fabric stores in Milwaukee decided to carry only inferior French curves recently). This one is very nice, as it is made of clear, hard plastic, with basic instructions on how to utilize it, as well as little extras, such as button-hole templates built-in. And it's relatively inexpensive. It's a great tool, and I highly recommend it for any aspiring seamstress. Also, having ordered from Denver Fabrics before, I can vouch for this company's good customer service, fast delivery and security.

I hope you can purchase this item, as my instructions do depend on it for the cloak/capelet. And good luck learning to sew! It's very rewarding, when you can construct your own garments/costumes.

I'll keep you posted!

 

Ok thanks for the tip! I will check out the link, and see what i can do about ordering one.......... I am hoping that this project will be a learning experience and something that i will be proud of afterwards. I am very good at hand sewing, but I have found that it just takes way too long ......I am certain that I can learn to use a machine , as i have been tinkering around with it every so often...... i am going to follow surlygirlys suggestion for the patterns as far as the tunic and pants go. And I cant wait to see your instructions for the costume!! Thank you so much, you have been extremely helpful to me already! *hugs to you*

 

GenCon has come and gone, and after fighting to get my scanner working, I have been able to at least post some pics of my costume. These are only temporary, as I hope to be able to get a number of more professional shots in the coming months. Just click on the link below and click on the Bespin Gown folder:

Bespin Gown pics

I'm a little bothered by how pink it looks in some of the photos, but the color is so chameleon-like, that I'm crying uncle on that aspect. Anyway, thanks for looking!

 

Lovely work, LeiaYT1300!
I totally hear ya on the color photographing strangely, but we've discussed the pesky color of this thing before!

Really beautiful job! Be proud!


-sg

 

Yeah, that pesky color... *sigh*

But again, thank you, Surly--I really appreciate your compliments.

 

Oh, I thougth the color was fine! I spent the morning browsing through pictures someone took of the Magic of Myth exhibit, and this ourfit shows up rather pink, except in the close up of a portion of the embroidery. And having seen that close-up I greatly admire y'all's patience in getting it finished.

 

Yeah, you're right--it is rather pink. Even my own photos show that. But I still think there isn't enough brown in it. And when I look at the costume, sometimes my first instinct is to attempt a re-dye (but then I chicken out, as I am so afraid of shrinkage--this silk has been notorious for that already). And I'm such a perfectionist at times. Well, perhaps one day, I might find a better fabric...

But I'm glad you think it looks good!

As for the patience it took to embroider, I will say there were some hairy moments when I really hated it (which was just before GenCon, my deadline, really). Yet, often, I found it a great way to relax after dinner. I mean, I've been cross-stitching/embroidering for years, so it was always something I did. I've just never done it on this grand of a scale before.

But it's worth all the patience you have.



[edit: I just can't seem to spell today...]

 

Thank you so much for posting the pics! It turned out BEAUTIFULLY and I think you did an exquisite job! I only hope that one day I will have one just as beautiful! Thanks again for the awesome pics!

 

You're very welcome, and thank you for the lovely compliment!

Please let us know the moment you start yours--we'll definitely want updates. And if you have any questions, just ask.

I am sure yours will turn out just as beautiful. Good luck to you!

 

AW gosh, thank you I can only hope and dream that mine will turn out as beautiful as yours! Thank you so much again for all your help, you have been the most informative person that I have met on the costuming forum, and it is greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks, Zam! (Now you're making me all blushy, too! )

 

Maggie at the Padawan's Guide posted a few pictues of the Bespin outfit she took at the Brooklyn MoM exhibit: http://www.padawansguide.com/leia_bespin/index.htm Some very nice shots of all that embroidery...

 

Very nice, indeed! A big thank you to Maggie!


(And there's that pesky color thing again--in her pics, the color looks almost rust, but in mine, it's a dusty rose. *sigh* I give up...)

 

Whoops! I posted under my fiance's (SoloYT1300) login instead of mine by accident--now I know I'm tired...

Sorry about that!

 

I know this topic is pretty inactive - but I just wanted to say that I'm glad you found my MOM pics!

I also looked at surliegirly and LeiaYT1300's Bespin costumes and was way impressed!!!

I would love to do this costume too - but I have a long list of other things that have to come first. Plus I'm just gotten finished with the Padme Tatooine poncho costume and I'm all embroidered out for now!!

Maggie