Padme Senate 2 Gown pt 3

July 26, 2012:  Ok.  The part (one of them) that scares me: the neck and chest bead work. I blew up these pics and traced the pattern (as best I could) and created a template.  There are pics at this address that give some great detailed shots.  Something that I noticed in one of them is that it appears that the bead work was done on a separate waist fabric, trimmed, then sewn on like an applique.  I can't substantiate this however, when looking at other pics.  So I will be doing the bead work straight to the main fabric (that is already had the inner lining basted to it and neck attached--now they are treated as one piece).


Finding the Navette stones (flower petals) is NOT easy.  However, I did do some serious internet searches and found gold and cobalt colored sew on rhinestones.  Unfortunately, they are acrylic.  I will sew them on on their own string so that should crystal ones be found they can be easily replaced.  I approximated that there were 18 flowers comprised of both 3 yellow and 3 blue "petals", tons of dark blue seed beads, and half the amount of golden (not metallic) seed beads, and both blue and yellow round cut gems.

Padme Bead work pattern for
chest (not the neck)

The tools and materials needed: fabric tracing paper, pattern, washable/disappearing fabric marking tool, thread, beading needles (for fabric not stringing necklaces), scissors, beads, embroidery hoop.

Pattern for chest: it is apprximately 5" tall.  The picture is a 1/2" image vertically, flip it for the other half of the breast.  There are yellow seed beads that create clusters as does some blue.
















And the neck:  I haven't marked it  yet.  But here it is.

The picture to the left shows tracing paper for fabric (chalk on one side) I chose to use for transfering the pattern for the bead work onto the bodice.















July 27, 2012:  Ok.  So changes.  I was hoping to use the tracing paper and I did.  I tried blue, white, and pink.  The fabric wouldn't take the chalk.  So I nearly cried.  Then celestial music sprang forth (not from me, of course, because I worse than a toad with a cold).  I own a projector and a fabric pen that will write on the moire fabric. So.  Now to figure out which wall to project onto.

I had to get a decent copy to project.  So I made the template below.  The horizontal band near the top is actually the neck line of the bodice and the "heart" above it is the center front of the neck neckline.

UPDATE: I was wrong about the horizontal band; it actually runs horizontal from center front out almost exactly horizontal.  It seems to end somewhere along the shoulder seam.

Breast Bead work

Neck template

I will update all of the posts as I go, so be sure to sign up for updates!


Update: August 3, 2012:  Since I was concerned about time constraints I farmed the beadwork out to my daughter (she has always done my beadwork in the past).  I also invested in an inexpensive embroidery machine, but more on the later.  

Warmest Regards,

Padme Senate 2 gown pt 2

We get to the fun stuff after the bodice pattern is cut, tried on, adjusted, and pressed.

Now we have 12 pieces-- 3 each of the neck and bodice front, and 6 of the back.




Press them all.
Baste 1/4" from the raw edges of  the fancy fabric to the inner lining (shown in gold moire and brown) with WRONG sides together.

Fancy fabric basted to the inner lining.

I also used fray check on the moire edges since it would be handled so much during the beading phase.




Warmest Regards,

Padme Senate 2 Gown part 1

Padme Senate Dark gown

I was approached several months ago about doing two reproductions of Padme's gowns.  One is called the "Invasion" (Black) and the other "Senate" (blue/blue).  We had to switch to one called "Senate Dark".  I said ok.  And now I am scared.  At first, I had only gone on a few pics, but yesterday I pulled up a hoarde of more and now I pray that I can get this accomplished.

To start with, I created a corset, per customer's request and a farthingale.  I have seen replicas whereby the farthingale seemed too small.  I opted to go with 117" I hope that it is enough.  I did a mock-up originally of the first Senate gown which was a bodice.  With the switch I had to alter the bodice to a doublet style (high neck).  We never see what the sleeves for the undergown are, but being the practical human that I am, I decided to take some liberties with the under dress so that if the top gown needs to be removed for comfort's sake the underdress could be beautiful in it's own right.  I will attempt to enumerate as we go.

So to start with, the pattern for the underdress (bodice an skirt).  I am treating the skirt as a separate piece than the bodice.  I do this for two reasons: 1.  the pics show a separate piece as evidenced with shadows; 2. having a separate skirt reduces the stress on the bodice fabric.  I inner line and line all my work--habit.  The purpose of inner lining  (ie made with drill or bull denim) is to give a nice foundation and smoothness to the bodice.  Lining just finishes the work and gives it a more professional finish.

Neck Pattern Piece-- use neck circumference, neck height in back, and neck height in front.  Don't forget your 1/2" seam allowances!  Be sure to add about 2" to neck circ to keeping choking/gagging to a minimum and subtract 1/2" from neck heights for similar reasons.

Customer measurements: 13" neck circumference, 4" back neck, 3" front neck

Customer measurements: 13" neck, 12" armpit to waist, 17" neck to waist,
6" neck to edge of shoulder, 17" armpit, 34.5" waist, 40" breast, 37" chest, 

Bodice Front Pattern Piece -- use armpit to waist, waist, breast, neck circumference, neck to outside shoulder, armpit circumference, base of neck in front to waist (plus desired extra length in front, ie 2").  Remember to add about 2" to neck and armpit circumference to allow for comfort.

Customer's measurements: 34.5" waist, 13" neck circ,12" armpit to waist,
6" neck to shoulder 18" neck to waist, 40" breast, 37" chest, 17" armpit, 

Bodice Back Pattern Piece: use measurements for neck circumference, neck to shoulder, armpit, armpit to waist, waist, base of neck to waist in the back, bust, chest



















CORRECTED BODICE BACK***:


Final thought for today: I think it is important to make a dress mummy.  You can see the process (super easy!) in the presentation below: (it is designed to be viewed by my customers, please disregard the mailing info.  After the presentation is a link to a post that describes the stuffing portion):



Dress mummy stuffing link: http://mistressrhenncostuming.blogspot.com/search/label/dress%20dummy

More later.  I will have to cover the bead work next.
Warmest Regards,