TFA Leia Blue Dress

[plushie (Shana Rich)]

[Artquest ()]

I’ve just started to work on this outfit, and find all your comments extremely helpful. I’ve been doing SF and Fantasy costuming for decades, but this particular outfit is a real challenge.

I did get some great help with the underdress fabric, at least I think I did. I went to S&F Fabrics in Los Angeles and showed some of these photos to the salesman there. He told me that Michael Kaplan, the fashion designer for TFA and TLJ, shopped there and bought fabrics for both underdress and overdress there. They were out of the overdress fabric but still had the underdress fabric, did I want some? Heh.

I’m not totally sure of his credibility as he described it as a 4-ply silk (most 4-plies are crepes, and this isn’t a crepe) and why would they still have some several years later?

At any rate, for what it’s worth, the fabric is a relatively heavy silk in a muted teal color. It has some body but drapes nicely. The color doesn’t reproduce very well. This weekend, I’ll try to get a pantone number on it.

https://artquest.smugmug.com/Leia-blue-dress/i-5k8jVTZ/A

[Lora Skywalker ()]

Interesting. I'll look forward to what you make of this.

But sometimes movie fabric does stay in circulation for years after the movie was in production. Other times it cannot be found at all. It varies so much.
_________________
DXO of Royalty & Senatorial detachment

Detachment website: http://www.senate.rebellegion.com/

[Artquest ()]

That blue silk fabric turned out to be a b*tch to work with. However, the underdress got done and I've been working on the pattern for the outer dress. You would think it was the simplest thing possible, but it's not.

I've never done anything that wasn't on the straight grain of the fabric. This thing is about 20 degrees off grain. That changes so much. And it EATS fabric! Anyway, here are some in-progress pictures.

UNDERDRESS


TEMPLATE FOR NECKLINE


MUSLIN WITHOUT DARTS


MUSLIN AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH DARTS


The darts really help, so this is my final muslin. I'm still getting some kind of weird buckling across the top of the cutout part. I hope that'll disappear when I put in the interfacing. Fingers crossed.

[Artquest ()]

The fabric for the outer dress is a nice linen with some texture (more after I washed it), but the original color was off. I dipped it in a dilute solution of water and navy RIT dye, and it all came together. I'll be cutting it out tomorrow.

[Lora Skywalker ()]

Your progress looks good, so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
_________________
DXO of Royalty & Senatorial detachment

Detachment website: http://www.senate.rebellegion.com/

[Artquest ()]

Thanks so much for asking. It has been a real trial by fire. i made the overdress in linen, but it turned out to be a mess. Because my linen was woven a bit on the loose side, the bias cut did me in. It stretched if you even looked at it. I tried to stabilize the rectangular cut out with fusible interfacing, which kept the cut in place but the rest of each piece sagged. It looked like a really bad face lift!

So I went to my last fabric, a kind of chenille. It’s got more body and holds together better. The bias turns out to be a blessing because this stuff unravels really easily. But it’s thick fabric, which creates its own problems. That’s good for the rectangular cut out since I learned not to interface it. And it should provide some nice support for the shoulder pieces. But it’s too thick for the points of the cutouts in the necklines. I’ll face that with the lining.

Anyway, I’m almost done. That’s good because Comic-Con is in a week! More photos to follow in the next few days.

[Lora Skywalker ()]

I look forward to seeing it and hope you have lots of fun at the con.
_________________
DXO of Royalty & Senatorial detachment

Detachment website: http://www.senate.rebellegion.com/

[CzarinaKat ()]

Hello, I just registered for the forum (though I've been lurking a while), so please forgive any mistakes. I commissioned this dress and am very pleased with the results, however I can't figure out the earrings to save my life. The ones I see on Etsy don't look accurate enough. I made some out of rubber plumbing parts when I did my convention test-run, but again, they're not accurate enough to submit. Can anyone give me some guidance?

Thank you!
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"Trust the wolves, but do not tell them where you are going."

[SongofAmazon (Jenna)]

Have you tried looking for 3D print files? I think someone, somewhere has made 3D models of the earrings.
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In planning and progress:
Riyo Chuchi, Queen Apailana, Nomi Sunrider, Havoc Trooper, Amilyn Holdo

Galactic Senate DCO | RLGS FaceBook | RLGS Web Site

[CzarinaKat ()]

I've heard of 3D printing as an option, but I don't know much about it. Can anyone offer some guidance on how to locate such a file?
_________________
"Trust the wolves, but do not tell them where you are going."

[SongofAmazon (Jenna)]

I didn't have much luck looking at the usual 3D file sources, but someone is printing and making these on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/573211041/general-leia-organa-star-wars-earrings?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=leia+jewelry&ref=sr_gallery-1-5

Someone also made them in metal: https://www.etsy.com/listing/608783680/leia-organa-tfa-earrings-star-wars?ref=shop_home_active_3&crt=1
_________________


In planning and progress:
Riyo Chuchi, Queen Apailana, Nomi Sunrider, Havoc Trooper, Amilyn Holdo

Galactic Senate DCO | RLGS FaceBook | RLGS Web Site

[CzarinaKat ()]

I purchased the first pair and they're way too big; they don't sit correctly on the ear lobe. I've watched the second pair but they still don't seem accurate enough. Am I being too picky? I have a great dress and I've figured out the hair; I don't want my application denied because the earrings are incorrect.
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"Trust the wolves, but do not tell them where you are going."

[SongofAmazon (Jenna)]

My gut feeling is that the second pair is close enough, but you probably want to contact a judge just to be sure. The list of judges is here.
_________________


In planning and progress:
Riyo Chuchi, Queen Apailana, Nomi Sunrider, Havoc Trooper, Amilyn Holdo

Galactic Senate DCO | RLGS FaceBook | RLGS Web Site