Padme Amidala Padme's green velvet robe from Episode 3

My sister really really wants to do this costume so I am trying to give her a price range so she can start saving her money for the silk. About how many yards have y'all gotten to make this dress?

Also, is it entirely out of the question to make this dress out of a cheaper polyester. I know the dress would look SOOO much better done out of silk, but for the sake of my sister's pocket has anyone made it out of polyester?

 

You could make it out of poly but the issue is how to do the burnout symbols seen on there. The symbols are etched out and then the whole thing is flat lined in purple silk satin. The best thing to do is to buy silk velvet from Silk Connection or Dharma and then dye it yourself. That would save money and also you would be able to etch out the symbol using Fiber Etch from Dharma.

 

How about fabric painting on those symbols? Ya, probably might not pass the CRL if being registered with RL but maybe okay for costuming purposes?

And of course, if using Polyester Velvet, NO (Crushed) Panne Velvet.

 

I would want to get it RL approved though. She used to not understand why I was so anal about getting particular things right (she is new to costuming) but I think she is coming around to understanding. If we can achieve the look out of polyester she will just have to save her money and buy the silk. Silk is prettier anyway. lol

Dying it ourselves would seem to save her money, but on the silk connection it says their velvet is only 18% or something silk and the rest Rayon. Will that dye?

 

I'd have to check RL standards... is the fiber etching even required for membership? I seem to recall quite a few of these gowns in the Rebel Legion without the symbols on them and they are all lovely.

Another idea... I've seen people press the designs into velvet with a stamp. That can be done on polyester velvet. Kind of an embossing. I just don't know how picky RL is getting about this stuff though

 

The RL standard reads "Purplish Naboo symbols in rows that form stripes on gown and hood." so while the burnout is not required, you must put the symbols on there some how and they have to be purple. It has been communicated before that after the 2009 census(going on right now ), all members need to resubmit recent pics if they have "old" frames(RL members know what I mean) and all costumes will be rejudged according to the current standards.

Jedi-Siri, a good resource for this gown is one of your base members, JennFaereality on the RL, she is making version 2.0 and she even had a custom printed sleeve lining(it is perfect!and still available). Most silk velvet is like that 18% silk(aka the backing) and the pile is rayon(usually 82%), that way when you use the Fiber Etch, the plant fiber(rayon) gets "eaten away" and the protein fiber(silk) remains, giving the burnout effect. Dyeing it yourself allows you to get the right color(trust me, this one is tricky just all the rest ) and you can get good deals at Silk Connection or Dharma(I think Silk Connection is a bit cheaper but they are both good suppliers). Dharma has the Fiber Etch stuff

 

Awesome. I personally would rather her do it in silk and get it right, but my sister and I don't always see eye to eye on these things. Especially when it comes to money, which I do understand. I'll have to experiment with the different options and see what I can come up with. This will probably be a C5 costume so we have time.

 

Tell her to start saving those pennies Silk velvet would look best and take to the burnout process much better. I think there is a way to burnout the velvet while leaving the purple behind by putting dye in the paste. You may have to look into that though.