2003

Queen Amidala's Return to Naboo Gown

 
photo ©Lucasfilm Ltd.

VERSION 2

Latest Update:
May. 20, 2004

I am redoing the velvet overcoat, due to the fact that I found proper velvet (not stretch) on sale. It is also a better colour, and will actually respond to embossing! When I tried to emboss the stretch velvet with version 1, it just burned through the velvet.

I also redesigned the front tails to hang down straighter and more towards the centre. I used the Hasbro doll for a lot of my pattern design on version 1, and the tails actually sit out to the side a bit too much, compared to the actual costume. It also helps to try the muslin on over the hoop skirt, which I didn't do until after I'd finished the v.1 overcoat.

So, here are pictures of the test embossing, and the stamp I made, based on the design painted onto the Hasbro doll (shown in pic 3):

The stamp is about the size of my palm. I bought a 1cm (3/8") slab of rubber, slightly more solid than an eraser, from an art store, for about $3.00. I simply pencilled the design onto paper, right way facing me, then laid the paper over the white rubber stamp and pressed down, and the pencil lead transferred onto the rubber surface very legibly. I then cut out the design using an Exacto knife. Easy as pie.

For the gold forehead piece - I'm so far stumped on how to do it myself. Sintra© is a possibility, but I haven't worked with it before, so I'm still researching online Mask makers to see if I can have one custom made for a reasonable cost.

Most of the fabric is bought. Just need to get the velvet and the beaded ribbon that criss-crosses over the two front Drapa bindings.

Bought the velvet for the overcoat and some seed beads for the veil ribbons. Forgot to take pics of them.

Made the headpiece that sits under the veil that raises it up - I think I'll call it the "doughnut headpiece". I took a velvet hair scrunchy, cut it in half and removed the elastic, then stuffed each half with batting, then sewed the two halves onto a velvet padded headband. It works quite well I think, and was very easy and cheap.

Got pattern for sleeves - both the outer velvet sleeve and the middle full sleeve:

Did a test mock-up in muslin of the Butterick 3187 bodice pattern, and discovered that it is not suitable for the costume. It is too short - it ends about 3 inches above the waistline; the shoulders are too long, extending too far outwards into the sleeve area, and the neckline is too high, even before attaching the collar.

Back to the drawing board on this one!

Also did a mock-up of the middle sleeves, the full, satin ones. Using the McCall's pattern above (middle photo), but only put the lower casing in, at bottom. Also gathered the fullness of the sleeves at where they will attach to the bodice underneath the arm, instead of over the top part of the sleeve at the shoulder, because I found the fullness of the sleeves hung better that way. No photos yet because I don't have a bodice to attach them to!

Spent whole day on underdress.

For the satin sleeves, I lengthened the lower hemline to a half-circle (sort of), and rather than just turning under for a hem, I lined the lower half of the sleeve, stitching the casing for the elastic into the lining. Resting the elastic just above the elbow, the lower part of the sleeve then pulls up and will be tacked at the longest point to the opening of the velvet sleeve, about mid-bicep.


Since the bodice of the underdress won't show I just used the leftover rose satin. For the skirt, I used crepe-back satin, putting the crepe side out. The skirt is six sections sewn together, making a circle which, when folded only in half, is about the size of my couch! It will need a crinoline to fill it out towards the bottom (or I may decide to do a farthingale, I'm not sure yet).

Bought a pattern that had the shape of hoop underskirt I was looking for: Burda 2768

Spent all week off (glad it was raining all week!) designing pattern for overcoat. I had to do it from scratch, there were no patterns I could find that were what I needed. It took me 3 tries with the mock up before I got it right. I took pics of the mockup to show where the different pattern pieces are, since they are done in different fabrics (without oversleeves or turtleneck collar):
This is over top of the final underdress (without the hoop skirt yet).

I also made the undersleeve, the ribbed, dark purple one, just from a plain, straight sleeve out of one of my basic dress patterns.

I cut out and sewed the velvet overcoat, but didn't get pics yet of me wearing it over the underdress. I think I'll wait till I get the hoop skirt done first. But here are some of the pattern pieces, for shape reference. Also note the colour difference with and without the flash.

I would have finished the hoop skirt, but the material I got for the hoop is far too flimsy and just folded around itself. I took pics without it anyway.

Finished hoop skirt - used pvc tubing, but it was still somewhat flimsy so I reinforced it by inserting coat hanger wire into the tubing.

Finished centre medallion for forehead piece - used gold Sculpey, which looks like bronze, or like fired clay bisque. Need to paint it, but I'm waiting for the leather headpiece to arrive from Fantasy Guilde Studios, so I can match the paint.

For the "side veil" pieces, I took black bias tape and tacked black sequin ribbon in two rows onto it (beads would have taken forEVER and were way more expensive).
I don't have a photo yet of the finished medallion, but I painted it with "Iridescent Bright Gold" acrylic paint, which matched the main headpiece very well. The main headpiece is embossed leather, custom made for me by Fantasy Guilde Studios. I reinforced the inside with felt, and sewed the veil into that. The sides do extend farther back than what I think the actual costume one does, but the best references I could provide the artist were from the doll, which do extend farther back as well (reference below). When it comes down to it, I'm glad they are longer, because there's a lot to tuck under there: hair, veils, the ends of the headband of the 'doughnut piece'!
Here are pics of headdress in progress:

Costume finished! Photos here.

Makeup used:
Mehron Clown White, Revlon Colourstay lipliner in "Reds"

Images of Natalie Portman © Lucasfilm Ltd.
Theme graphics
Copyright © 1999 - 2000 by K. Furgerson
Pattern photos © Butterick/McCall's/Burda
All other Photographs  © CJM