Padme Amidala Padme's Picnic Dress v2.0

I've made a little progress on my corset. I finished basting together all the pieces for the top layer of the corset and sewed them all together. I just have to sew down the sides of all the seems then I can start embroidering. liann

 

I've begun to work seriously on my doll's skirt. Since the upper layer is chiffon, I've been advised to do everything by hand. I'm going to take that advice, since the test that I did in the sewing machine resulted in many ugly catches, pulls, wrinkles, and just some general unpleasantness. That's all right, though, since I would have had to put the beads on by hand anyway.

 

Yay! for everyone's picnic goodness!

 

"Picnic goodness" LOL! Obi-Dawn ,You're too much! Speaking of all things "Picnicky" How is your 'Ultimate' recreation coming along? Almost ready to be unveiled? I can't wait to see it!!!

Also, did you get pics back from you niece in her adorable little dresses? Did she love them ???
~Ferd

 

Hiya FERD!

The ultimate recreation is on schedule. Embroidery is over the halfway mark and I'm more than ready to get it finished.

Yes! My niece loves her dresses and many pictures have purportedly been taken, but I have yet to see any. Happily enough, she really only wanted the rainbow dress but instantly went mad for the picnic one instead and last I heard wore it to her fifth birthday mini-golfing extravaganza that featured a Padme picnic decorated cake and SW favors galore. She should have been my child.....

 

stupid corset, I had it all sewn together tried it on and it wasn't lying flat in the front, I don't know how I didn't notice that, so I had to rip out the centre panel and fix it, I think I have it right this time. its hard to tell till I have the seams sewn down. hopefully I won't have to rip it out again.
liann

 

i ripped out two more sections of my corset, now it finally fits properly, I wasn't going to bother because i was too lazy but if i'm going to the trouble of redoing the corset I have to do it right. Now on to the embroidery, I just need to trace the pattern on and get some more thread. liann

 

Skirt embroidery/beading going slowly. I have a few inches done...out of a piece of material two yards long. Good thing the next week will be spent in a place where there are no computers or TV for distraction and I can get a lot done then.

 

Bringing the thread up from obscurity.

I'm *almost* done.
Corset needs straps, to be lined and hook and eye tape attached. Shawl needs to be dyed and need to sew snaps onto it and blouse to fasten them together. Ribbons need to be attached to sleeves. Snoods are in the mail. Brooch for shawl needs to be assembled (making my own). Headband has been redone with all hand embroidered roses, just needs a snap or two on the back. I think that's it.

 

No! Picnic goodness in obscurity?! [face_shocked] NEVER!!! LOL!

Obi-Dawn Yeah! I'm SO excited to see it! (**Doing the Happy Dance for you!) Way to Go, Picnic Princess!

~Ferd

 

*Double Post* Grrrrrr!!
Yeah--Obi-DawnAgain! Hee Hee! ~Ferd

 

Haven't made much headway with my embroidery, I did one tiny little flame and thats all i've had a chance to do so far. I tried dying my target curtain without much luck, the tea dying didn't turn out the colour i wanted, I think its because its polyester because last time it dyed my tuille perfectly, I also tried Dylon and it looked horrible, I might try rit dye next.
liann

 

liann, what type of tea did you try so I know not to waste my time with trying it too? I got some RIT in tan and will experiment with that. I'm thinking of maybe even combining some of the RIT tan with RIT yellow and see how it would look. That's basically what I did with my Dharma dyes, mixed marigold with camel, and it worked. Only testing will tell!

 

Obi Dawn, I used Tetley's Orange Pekoe tea, Those are the same rit colours i was thinking of using. I searched throught the old thread and it looks like kaydee did an acid dye and it took instantly, but I don't know what an acid dye is, I haven't seen any here but we don't seem to have a big selection of different dye brands. liann

 

Obi Dawn and Liann, I experimented with a combo of golden yellow and tan, but it came out looking the color of orange macaroni and cheese. I ended up using liquid RIT tan dye with HUGE success. I wish I had my pics posted, but my cape is exactly the color of the real cape. I used the stovetop method with a half-recipe of dye, a half cup of salt, and enough water to fill a 6-quart pot 2 inches. Allow the dye bath to simmer while dying the cloth. When using a dye concentration this high, it only takes about 40 SECONDS (not minutes!) for the netting to dye the right color. Hope this helps!

Meanwhile, I have finished my blouse and have decorated the panels for my skirt. I am also in the process of embroidering my corset. I have about three and a half flame sets finished. I need to go to Hancock's tomorrow to get more gold silk thread for my skirt. Next step is cutting out the coutil pieces for my corset lining.

Talk to ya'll later,

Petite-Padme

 

Thanks to both of you for the head's up on the pekoe orange tea and the macaroni and cheese RIT experiment.
Petite_Padme, I'll definitely run my first test with just the tan RIT. I don't remember off the top of my head, but did you use the curtain/tablecloth fabric for your shawl?
And liann, you can find Acid Dyes at Dharma. It says they are to be used on silk, wool, hair and nylon. I do not remember the fabric content of kay_dee's shawl, but I know it was not the same as what we are using. I'll keep you informed of my dyeing results and hopefully we'll have as good of luck as Petite has.
By the way, Petite, get some pictures for us!

 

Thanks Petite Padme, I'll have to try the liquid rit dye. liann

 

(De-lurks and sheepishly waves around)

Hello,

Since this came up, I just finished dying the Target window covering as well...used 2 parts Rit Gold/Yellow and 1 part Tan...the color worked well for my skirt as well....

 

Wow, I was away on vacation for a while and I've fallen off the costume band wagon . I'm glad to hear so many of you have made progress on your picnic outfits and I can't wait to see Obi-Dawns!

It sounds like the Rit dyes are taking to the table cloth/curtains similarly to how the Acid Dyes took to my cape fabric. (I used the stovetop simmer method with fabric in solution for 15 or 30 seconds) I think my fabric was nylon netting, I have no way of knowing 100% for sure though. If I had to do it over again I'd probably experiment with Rit dyes since the tan seems to be working well for some of you.

-kay dee

 

I think this is my happiest picnic v2.0 day since I dyed my silk! My corset...it fits like a dream! The boning went in with zero trauma (a first for moi) and I just love it!

Ok, just had to tell someone about my glee.....


Alright, kay_dee, details! Did you go somewhere wonderful for vacation? I figured you were either out of town or working so laboriously on your senate gown that you didn't have time to post.

Welcome wook! Thanks for chiming in on the RIT issue. The more info we all have the better.
Have you made this dress or are you in the process? We'd love to hear about it.

 

Hey Obi-Dawn! I'm glad to hear your corset fits well! Going through the posts will hopefully help me get going on the Senate dress again. I'm in the middle of making the necklace right now - but I leave for a camping trip in a few days!

I was actually away for over a week in Los Angelas and Las Vegas. I went to a few Duran Duran concerts (the reunion is a big deal for us old 'Duranies') and visited a few friends. I was so busy I didn't even have a chance to check out a wig store I was interested in!

I've started to warn hubbie that I'm gonna have to start working over-time on my costume if I'm going to get it done for Halloween

-Kay Dee

 

Fellow Duranies unite! That is so awesome that you saw them more than once on their current tour! (All throughout junior high school I was *known* as Dawn le Bon. )
I haven't seen the original five members live since I was, like, 12 or something. I think the last time I saw them was in '93 or '94. Long time ago...LOL! So, how did they look? Can Simon still move around pretty good?