Padme Amidala Padme's Picnic Dress v2.0

I finished dying my cotton voile. It's a little pinker than I wanted, but since it's the underlining, it won't show as much. I also dyed a scrap of my polyester rose curtain to see how it came out. Well, it didn't take the dye AT ALL. So for all of you who are using the Antique Rose curtain or table cloth: if it's made of 100% polyester, RIT dye DOES NOT DYE POLYESTER!!! Now I'm having to experiment with fabric paint. Any ideas on paint or another kind of dye? So far I've tried Gold Shimmering Pearls So Soft fabric paint. It's not quite as dark as I'd like it, and when I dilute it less, it makes the fabric stiffer. I think I might try a darker gold or brown and dilute a lot.

 

petite_padme, I've used that same fabric paint (made by DecoArt, So Soft Fabric Paint in Shimmering Pearls/Golden Yellow) in the past to make one of these shawls and I thought it worked great. It didn't stiffen the fabric and I didn't dilute it because I really liked the color. Wish I had better advice for ya'.
Hmmmm...I can tell you the Tulip Pearl fabric paint did not work at all for me when I tested it on the same fabric. Ugh.

I think I'm probably going to try experimenting with teas to dye my new shawl. I know FERD has done it and her stuff always turns out great.


Anyway, it sounds like you are making great progress! WooHoo! Keep us updated!

 

Petite-Padme Glad you're making progress with your dress.

I just wanted to tell you that RIT dye Will dye polyester. Yes--everyone says (including the box of Rit) says poly will not dye--But it will. I have done it 100s of times. My entire Pastel lake dress replica is done out of Poly and was dyed 4 colors using only RIT. I have also dyed the poly Meijer tablecloth using RIT dye and also tea.
If you want to try it again--make sure you use the stove top method and HOT water let it dye for a long time (45 mins). I have done it with both type of dyes powder or liquid--However liquid is a little stronger. If you go to Maggie's site (The Padawan's Guide) She has a page up on "How To" for the Picnic dress. I have a pic up there of the tablecloth before and after being dyed with RIT.

Can't wait to see pics of your progress

~Ferd

 

Ferd and Obi Dawn- Thanks for the wonderful advice. I guess I'll try that RIT dye method again on the stove top. I probably diluted the dye bath too much in the washing machine and didn't keep the poly in there long enough. Again, thanks for the info!

Yesterday I also decided to add more flowers to my cape. I noticed that Kay Dee's cape(with the original material) had many more flowers than capes made of the Antique Rose curtain. I'm just cutting flowers out of my leftover material and gluing them on with Aleene's Flexible-Stretchable Fabric Glue. By the way, that glue won't mess up the dying process, will it? I may just have to experiment even more.

Thanks for the encouragement!

-Petite_Padme

 

Petite-Padme I'm so glad that we've been able to help you out

The glue should work good for the extra roses--but sometime those glues have to sit for a little while before they are washable so just look out for that. Also I had a problem occur when I was making a pastel lake dress. I had serged the seams and then secured them with fray check--then I dyed the material and the areas treated with the fray check took the dye 1000 times more that the rest of the material and then eventually turned black. So just *be aware* if you cut out the roses DO not treat them with fray check until AFTER you dye the fabric. You may want to do a test with the glue on the fabric too--just to see if it reacts similarly.

Hope that helps--Let us know how your dyeing turns out.

~Ferd

 

Petite_Padme, glad we were able to help you out a bit.
Just to chime back in, I did test dye a swatch of the antique rose fabric in RIT dye awhile back and it did work. I didn't like the color enough to actually use it, but it does work like FERD said.
I also just used RIT dyes with the stovetop method to dye 100% poly chiffon for a Padme lake dress I'm doing and it worked too.

Do you have the fabrics you are going to use for the dress and corset? I can't recall if you already mentioned them or not...my brain all mess up.

 

Ferd Thanks for the warning about dying fray check; I actually did apply fray check to a few of the roses. Maybe it won't show too much.

Obi Dawn--Thanks for your dying tips as well. I may try a blend of Golden Yellow and Tan RIT dye to acheive the color I want.

As far as the other materials go, I'm using gold poly chiffon (2 layers) for the skirt and blouse with the dyed cotton voile as an underlayer. I bought McCall's 3797 for the blouse. Using a straight skirt pattern that I already had on hand, I drew my own pattern for the skirt yoke. I'm just doing straight skirt panels--four for each layer. I bought the same green flower trim, butterfly punch, and Shimmer Sheetz that Obi Dawn is using (great ideas, by the way!) I'm still waiting for the shimmer sheetz to arrive!

The corset fabric may be difficult for you to picture. I don't know what weave it is, but it's a thin (not sheer) tan polyester that has vertical wrinkles/crinkles and a golden yellow sheen on the right side. I'd like to line the corset with two layers of coutil, but I still haven't decided whether to use spiral steel boning or plastic/whale boning. Decisions, decisions.

I'm still trying decide how to tackle the corset embroidery. It would be easier and faster to do it with a tight zigzag stitch on the machine, but I'm not sure if it would look good. Any ideas on that?

Sorry I'm throwing out so many questions, but I don't want to end up with a dress that I don't like, especially considering the fact that I've already spent $120 on it. That's really steep for a college freshmen to afford.

I guess I've probably winded ya'll with all my talking! Hope everyone's dress is progressing well!


Petite_Padme

 

Petite_Padme, your fabrics sound wonderful. It's going to turn out lovely!
I think mixing the RIT golden yellow and tan is a good idea. The tan may help to tone down the yellow a bit.
If you need any tips on how to apply the sequins/vining just ask. I'll try to address some main points right now while I'm thinking of them:
I would warn you about the vining because it tends to change the original shape of your fabric piece/panel. It tugs and pulls it up and down, lengthening and/or shortening it in places. So I always make my skirt panels longer and a little wider than they need to be to compensate for the distortion the vining can cause. For instance, my skirt that I'm currently working on has yet to be hemmed and the bottom line is REALLY distorted. If you saw it in its current state you'd be slightly horrified. All will be sorted when its done though. (edit: I should add that I do my vining by using a tight zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine.)
I also suggest that when you apply the sequins do so in distinct individual lines. I start by sewing on my green flowers first, by hand, and then my first lines of sequins begin from each green flower. I then add lines of flowers all over until there are enough. This way, when you sew through them with your vines, it's just like sewing by connecting the dots. I usually glued on between eight or ten lines of sequins, vined them, then glued more lines on, etc.
I've studied all the pics of Padme's dress that I've been able to get a hold of and can't really pin down a distinct 'pattern' to the vines. I just free-form the lines of flowers to my own taste. It's fun and swirly.
If I think of anything else useful I'll add it on. Hope some of it helps you out!

Oh yeah, as for the embroidery. No shortcuts here. I'm a stickler for doing it all by hand.

 

Petite Padme - I agree with Obi-Dawn. A zig zag stitch on your machine won't really work for the corset embroidery. I think it should be done by hand. If you are lucky enough to know someone with an embroidery machine plus the softward to create your own embroidery designs that's really the only way you'd be able to do the corset embroidery by machine.

As for your skirt, since you've already spent so much on fabric why not get a pattern for a full skirt? I'll bet JoAnn's will have a 99 cent sale around 4th of July. I just worry that if your panels were originally meant for a straight skirt you will either not have a full enough skirt, or you might have too much fabric to gather at the waist. The panels are slightly more triangle shaped than rectangle if you know what I mean.

I hope your cape dyes OK. Sometimes these projects can involve some trial and error. I think it's best to avoid glue or fray check on your fabric before dying it. Maybe it will turn out OK though.

-kay dee

 

Kay Dee, thanks for the advice on skirt panels. I had been debating with myself about that before, and had decided to go with straight panels. Now I've changed my mind--I'd rather have fewer gathers but more swing! I already have a skirt pattern that's made of gores. I've used the pattern for another costume I made. This time I'm widening the gore so that it extends to the edges of my already-cut skirt panels. I keep trying to imagine what the pattern pieces for Padme's skirt looked like. They must have had a small waist line with a HUGE hem circumference! LOL

Well, I'm off to the fabric store today to buy RIT dye, better fabric glue, stablizer, embroidery floss and possibly hook and eye tape.

Bye!

Petite Padme

 

Petite Padme I like the gored skirt idea with lots of circumference as it graduates out toward the bottom. You might want to make a muslin mock-up first if this is a new experimental alteration for you. But if you've already made skirts like this before and you've already cut your panels I'm sure it will be fine.

Good luck with your second round of Rit Dying.

-Kay Dee

 

I've finished cutting out all the pieces for my corset and I'm just basting the top layers of fabric together. So I just have to sew all the pieces together and I can start embroidering.
Does anyone know where you can get hook and eye tape?
liann

 

liannb, I've seen hook and eye tape at Hancock's, Jo-Ann's, Wal-Mart, etc. It's usually stocked on or adjacent to the notions wall. I believe Dritz brand packages it in pre-cut lengths (18" if I remember correctly), but you can also sometimes find it on a roll so you can have just as much as you need cut.


-sg

 

thanks, I haven't seen it at any fabric stores here but I'll check WalMart. liann

 

liann, if you can't find any I can always pick some up for you and send it off.

 

If you can't find it locally--this Fabric Store carries it and they do mail orders. I buy from them a lot and they are great and quick. No minimum order.
This item is not on their website --but I know they always stock it--just call to order.

~Ferd

 

Thanks for all the help. liann

 

Liann, good luck on re-doing your corset! Are you going to completely re-fit it, or did you draw the changes in your pattern? (I'm changing my pattern pieces).

I couldn't find the right color dye at Hancock's yesterday, then I found the right colors at Joann's, but the liquid tan was 79 cents more ($6.24 total for a bottle of liquid and pack of solid). When I asked the clerk if Joann's tries to meet competitors' prices, she said no. I bought them anyway because I was afraid that might be my only chance to get the right color. Then I found the right colors at K-Mart for $4.50 total! I now know the meaning of bargain hunting! I think I find too much joy in returning items 10 minutes after buying them, and telling the clerk that I was able to save $1.74 by buying them somewhere else!

Yesterday I glued the flowers on my headband. It looks pretty good.

I cut out my skirt gores this afternoon and am getting ready to sew them together. I'm only sewing the two bottom layers of my skirt; I'll sew the pieces of the top layer together after I've "embellished" them, in Obi Dawn's words.


My method of working on a costume is to do a little bit on each piece until I get them all finished. The reason for this is because I still haven't got all my material yet! I still have to order the coutil and I still haven't recieved my shimmer sheetz yet! It's been two weeks since I sent my check in.

I'll probably have to wait a week and a half to dye my cape. First of all, the glue that I used on some of the extra flowers is supposed to set for 7-10 days before washing. Also, I'll be out of town from this Sunday to next Saturday, so I won't be able to work on my costume at all for a week (unless my shimmer sheetz arrive, he-he)!

I better get back to my skirt, so I'll update ya'll later!

Petite_Padme

 

Petite Padme- for my corset I did it almost exactly the same as the first, I actually measured the distances on each piece on my first corset to pin the second. I took it in a lot on the panels either side of the front panel and on the front panel and maybe a little here and there off the others but suprisingly I got it pretty close on the first pinning. But I pretty much stuck with the pattern. I was dreading doing it because it was such a nuisance the first time I made it.

I learned my lesson from the first time though. This time I pinned together just the satin layer, trimmed all the pieces down, then cut all my other pieces to match. Last time I got the whole front layer finished. I went to do the back piece and had a really hard time matching it up the front because I'd altered the front so much. (not sure if that makes any sense)

The only other thing I altered was I made all the pieces longer at the bottom.
liann

 

I was window shopping today and saw a dress with some really familiar four-petel sequins. It was a taupe sequinned dress made by "Laundry by Shelli Segal" (kinda pricey).
The sequins were clear and flat with a pearlescent shimmer to them.

 

What colors have all you ladies who made this costume already used for the arm and hair ribbons? I'm starting to hoard fabrics for this dress and I'd really love some advice from the more experienced seamstresses out there! Thanks!

Ceit

 

Re: Ribbons

I used satin ribbons that were 5/8" wide. The ribbon colors look different in so many of the photos. I happened to use a light green (a color to match the vines in the skirt and blouse) light yellow, pale pink and a medium pink. (In some photos it's the medium pink that can somtimes look purple)

If I were to do this again I'd look for silk ribbon instead. I think silk has a better flow to it.

-Kay Dee

 

shawl/tablecloth update:

I was at WalMart last night, walking through the Home Decorating dept, and came across... yes... THE FABRIC!!! They're selling it as drapes now, and if it wasn't the exact same fabric with the embroidered flowers, then it was awfully close.

Definitely worth looking into.

 

Thank you, Kay_dee. I'm sorry it took me so long to reply.

I saw "the drapes" at Meijer the other night. They had white and natural--I would have bought a set if I'd had enough on me.

I took pictures of my fabric outside, but haven't had the film developed yet. I really like the gold crinkle fabric. It's o pretty! I'm working on the corset part of my picnic doll costume now. I don't have a pattern so I'm using Katherine's instructions from her shieldmaiden gown page to draft my own. It's not hard--American Girl dolls are practically a cylinder with just a little bit of waist and hip definition.