Padme Amidala Rainbow dress

Hey everyone Ive been reading through this post since i first found this board -that is, a few days ago - and i was wondering how much it costed, for the people that made the rainbow dress, to buy the material and dye and everything. Im going to try and look into all the prices where i am, but i was just looking for a price so as to maybe expect my expence to be around there Thanks for any help

 

The price would depend very heavily on WHAT kind of fabric you plan to use. Silk (which would be most accurate) would run about $11-15 yard, regular poly chiffon is much cheaper (about $5 yd) but poly doesn't dye as well. For my "mock up" version I'm working on I used a satin for the under dress (3 yards at about $7yd on sale) lining (3 yds at $3yd) The over dress part which extends to arms and up the front and bunched in back I decided to practice with a home decorator sheet white voile (poly) it was 118" wide I am using about 4 yards ($9.00 yard) to get the draping right. I used RIT dye and extremely HOT water and I got the poly to dye to a wonderful shade of yellow. I then dyed the fabric in a ombre style in pink and soft lavender ( 3 boxes of dye approx $3.00 each)I majorly modified a pattern for the fitted underdress ($1.99 on sale) and am just drafting the pattern for the rest (free) The thread and zipper ($5.00) satin binding ($5) and haven't gotten to the necklace and arm bands yet-so add a little more for those but all together about $90.00 (***AGAIN--this is a poly version NOT silk--I wanted to practice on less expensive fabrics so I could get the design and draping correct) It's turning out quite nice---just remember silk takes dye much faster and deeper than poly -so PRACTICE on a test fabric-whichever fabric you choose!! GOOD LUCK--hope this helps you!

 

Yes! That does help very much! *see, im 14 and i havent left the house to try and find a job yet lol, within 4 months with my allowance, i figured i could have 180 dollars saved. My mom believes thats what it would cost for everything. Buuut, Now i can expect to need much less than that, whatever material i use
Thankyou so much for all the pricings, they surely do help me alot

 

Now that everyone has seen the movie, is there any more insight into how this dress is made? I am thinking about making it, but I need help! Does anyone have any drawings or insight into how it is put together? What material is it for sure? Any help would be appreciated! And if anyone has made their dress, let us see it!

 

I have finished my dress! As soon as I get my pictures from the celebration developed and can use my friends scanner I'll post them!

hmmmmmmmm, prices, I think I spent
about 200 dollars total. But I used a TON of chiffion! Like about 25 yards, and it alone was about 150, but I'm sure I could have done it for cheaper, but we had to order the right colors, since our fabric store didn't have them.

 

OK, my little sister wants me to make this dress for her for Halloween. One problem. She is twelve. A backless dress is hardly appropriate! I've thought of making it with a flesh-toned backing on the dress. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

I think a flesh colored backing would be just fine. I wouldn't want a backless gown on a 12 year old either. I wouldn't know how to do it though.

 

Help! I've finally bitten the mythical bullet and decided that I absolutely *must* (emphasize the must, please) make this dress to the best of my ability. Okay, so part of the reason was because my boyfriend thinks it would look amazing on me...even if I'm not exactly Natalie Portman's size.
So, I've been looking over pictures and fabrics. And I have not yet seen fabric like the "Rainbow Dress" features. And I know that this project could cost rather a bit of money. But I'd really love to maybe simplify the sleeves a little (maybe use a yard less of fabric), raise the back, and tweak other parts of the dress so that I can wear it more than once or twice. I have plenty of time, and I'll be able to eventually get my hands on what I need. So, does anyone have dye brand or type suggestions, and how I can do the dye-thing without ruining the tub and thus incurring the wrath of my parents? I'm also looking for a close-up of the front of the dress, so that I can sketch how 'flowy' it is, and simplify it to what I'd like. It may not be a full-copy, but it'd still be close!

 

To the poster who wanted to know how the dress is put together: I would highly reccomend getting your hands on the "Art of..." book. It is an excellent resource! This dress is pictured on pg. 56.

 

How about making a flesh color undershirt thing. It would help keep her warm since it will be in the middle of the fall.
Study how figure skaters do their costumes. Most of them have "backless" costumes, but use the same technique of the flesh colored back.

 

Fragility: Well, I finished my dress, and from what I've been able to find out, they don't really make fabric like is used in the dress. You have to buy silk chiffion and dye it, or do what I did and get several differnt colors of regular chiffion(its alot cheaper) and because this dress is so drapey, the places where you layered the differnt colors or sewed them together don't show.

 

Looks like I'm not the only one using the word "drapey" all the time lately. I'd love to see a picture of your finished dress, maybe in a pose so that I can see what the front of the dress looks like? I'm rather sure that everyone else still looking at this thread would also love to see the finished product. Natalie Portman always has that hand in front of her in the pictures I've been able to find, conveniently covering part of the dress with her hand and her sleeve. Well, time for me to go find a reasonably priced sewing machine (the old one died a good death and was buried honorably).

Christine

 

I am new to this page and have been reading the posts from the last few months. I have a friend who is going to make the rainbow dress. I am making the yellow dress. You mentioned the "Art of..." book. Can you tell me the full title please? That way I can recommend it. Thanks.

Laramis

 

The Art of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones

 

Ooh, lookie what I found! at www.dharmatrading.com they sell all sorts of dyes for natural, protein, and synthetic fibers. In addition, they also sell undyed fabrics, which you can get by the cut yard or in a bolt (11 yards or 50 yards). As far as I know the average non-Padme (heh) dress needs 4-5 yards..but since the Rainbow dress has lots of extra fabric, it's much less expensive to go for a bolt of fabric than cut-yards. Example: 11 cut yards of silk chiffon at Dharma Trading is $54. Eleven in a bolt is $46.64. So, you save money. Have I mentioned that pre-dyed silk chiffon runs $11-20 per yard? I just need to call these guys tomorrow or whenever to find out if they can give me advice on what to use for the particular multi-color dyeing that the dress requires.

Christine - feeling rather hyper

 

Amidala_Leia -
They make a sheer lycra fabric that ice skaters use that is kinda like panty hose with a slight shimmer to it--they call it--glissinette, sparkle sheen, or illusion (depending on the company) I have worked with it often -it is 45"wide 2-way stretch and roughly retails $11.00 yard. They also make a solid flesh colored antron-nylon lycra that is used a lot to line bathing suits--you can't see through it but it is flesh colored and gives the nude look without being indecent.(It comes in several skin tones too) It too is 45"w and is about the same price.
If I were making it I would construct it normally-then cut the flesh colored material in a sort-of triangle shape -hem the two sides with a narrow hem and affix the top and base to the neck piece and skirt near small of back- You might have to put an invisible zipper in it--or a side zipper.

GOOD LUCK!!

 

I got back my Celebration 2 pictures! But I can't post any just yet, I have to go use my friends scanner, and she's on vaction. But I'll post some as soon as I can.

 

Thank you so much for the title. This will really help my friend. Good luck to all of you making this dress!

 

Ferdalump Thanks for the advice on the flesh-toned fabric. I mentioned the possibility of using that to my sister and she's insisting on my making this dress now! LOL she's even making plans to stay over at my place for measurements, etc...

I was just wondering if there were any issues I should watch for when using this fabric. Also, where is the best place to find it? I know Jonann's sells fabric for dance/skaters, but I've never seen flesh toned.

 

I did notice one issue about this dress at C2 that I haven't seen mentioned here. Ladies PLEASE, make sure your top is snug! One of the girls wearing this dress at C2 was literally baring all for the world to see because the top of her dress wasn't tight enough against her chest. If she had realized what was happening, I'm sure she would have been mortified.

Not exactly the most polite of subjects, but one that definitely needs to be addressed...

 

Hi everybody

I'm new to this post, but I've been reading it and all you've posted helped me a lot to figure out how to do this dress.

I made a patern for the uper dress which seems OK (I tested it on a Barbie doll) and I saw a nice pattern that could do for the undredress, but I still have 2 questions for you guys :

1- What did you use to make the arm and neck pieces? (since in France nobody seems to know about Sintra?)

2- Fot those who are custom-dying, which colors did you do? It seems to me you can do only pink and yellow for the underdress and the front piece, but you really need 3 different colors in the back, yellow, pink, and purple.

Thanks!

I can't wait to see your pictures!!!!

 

Mrs Mayim-
Joann's probably doesn't carry the illusion. I have found black at Hancock. The company that makes it is Sew Easy Fabrics and it's their style #SW2282 (at least it was when I did the ordering for the store a while back ) The store I used to manage in Orlando (actually Maitland, FL) is called Sewing Studio 1-800-831-1492 They keep this in stock (in all colors) and do mail orders that ship out the same/next day. Only 1/4 yd min. A great place for costume materials!! The fabric should run around $12 yd for 45"wide.

To the poster looking for "sintra" that is just a brand name-it's rigid PVC vinyl foamcore board--runs about $2..50sqft in US $ The best place to find it is sign shops-but I think Sintra has a website (see earlier posts on this thread) Sintra usually comes in 4' x 8' sheets, but I found a guy who sells me much smaller pcs-so just look around if you think you don't need a huge sheet!

Hope that helps ya'll out. Hope to finish soon so I can post pics.

FERD

 

Joann's does carry nude lining for swimsuits! I should know i work there and sell it often....look with the swimsuit material and it will be there, if its not find a new joann's lol

 

The illusion is not swimsuit lining-they are two different fabrics-one is see through and thin with a sheen to be worn as an illusion of skin (like the ice skaters) Swimsuit lining is not see through but is nude colored.It is meant to be put under a fabric to line.It could be used to give the illusion of bare skin--but they are 2 totally different fabrics. In my experience illusion is a higher quality fabric, doesn't seem to pick as easily and gives a dressier look because of the slight sheen it has. All of the Joann's I've been to (even the larger Etc stores) here in Orlando (a big costumer's market) have not had it and can not get it. But maybe elsewhere in the US where iceskating is more probable it may be on every store's shelves. Just thought I would explain the differnce so you would know what you're looking for.

 

Aumanet, the joann's you work at is my joanns! If they have it there, then I'm in luck. I've juts never seen it. Of course I haven't been looking for it very hard either...