Step 28: Go to a build day, take a break from sewing and instead construct the brooch:
To make this I took silver Sculpty (clay) and rolled out one thick log (about 3 inches long), one thin log (about 1.5 - 2 inches long) and one very thin very long log. I broke the thick and the thin (middle) logs in half and flattened each half shaping them into rounded-edged trapezoids with right angles on the bottom edge. I pressed the thinnest part of the four together with the bigger two on top of the smaller two and the smaller ones angled down as you can see above. At this point make sure they are as equal and symmetrically as possible. I then took the very thin, very long log and starting in the center top of the big wings carefully pressed it along the edges. I went completely around the two big wings in one piece then broke off the rest of the log and did each of the little wings individually. where the big wings start to overlap the little ones, I tapered off the edging so that it forms a double line for a little bit. I kept the rest of that log and set it aside carefully while I put on the gemstones. Looking carefully at the pictures of the costume found on thepadawansguide.com I had bought a mixed bag of gemstones (plastic) and selected out one medium pink oval for the center gem. I started decorating the brooch by carefully pressing this one into the center, making sure to cover all the seams and imperfections from joining the wings together. I then selected out the smallest circular stones in the collection: two light green, two baby blue, two light pink, and 4 gold (or 2 yellow and 2 golden orange - but those weren't choices in my mix). I pressed three into each big wing and 2 into each small wing starting at the outside edge. They should be in a straight(ish) line and the colors alternate but not evenly (symmetrically) nor in any pattern. I forgot to bring a pic with me so I attempted to see the site on my phone to get the colors right. I ended up with (from left to right) on the big wings green, gold, pink, then gold, green, blue and on the little wings gold, blue, then pink, gold. The original goes green, pink, missing, then yellow, blue, pink, and on the little wings gold, blue, then pink, green. I then took the set aside log and broke off tiny circular pieces and used them to finish connecting the line of gems (visually) with the center gems. I then baked the finished piece according to the directions on the package and when it cooled hot glued on a pin back.
This project is a good example of why you should have a picture with you to look at before starting/attempting something like this. Mine quite a bit bigger (finished dimension is 3 1/4 inches across the big wings) and more rounded than the original and the wings are wider at the center by a little bit than the gem where as on the original the gem is much bigger than the center of the wings. And as I said before my gems are not quite right in color placement. I will probably re-do it at some point, esp if I can get my hands on some jewelry clay (the kind that bakes and looks like real metal). But for now this looks good and will work just fine for the costume.
Step 29: Go back to the sequins. Finally finish both colors on one third of the skirt! I found a better pattern to sew in (following the top half of each line down to the center, then once the top half is done, flip the skirt over and start at the center and follow each line down to the edge, repeat on the second color - start the next panel with that color). This is what I have now:
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| This is just the 2 panels (1/3 of the total skirt) that is done - the rest is hidden on the chair behind |
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| With the flash it was really hard to see the sequins - they are so small |
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| This and the next are without flash and you can see them a bit better, but not much. |
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| In person they are hard to see too - hence why its taken so long.... |
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| The 1/3 without the flash - you can see some of the sparkle in the sunlight |
Now the question is: Do I finish just the top half of both of the remaining panels and then sew together the gown and finish the sequins with it together, or do I press on and finish all the sequins on at least the next panel and the first color of the last (plus the top half of the second color) before sewing it together? Since I will be going at the bottom half from the bottom it is do able to do just the top parts then sew the sequins on the bottom half separately and I won't have access to my machine once I leave for my summer job (but could keep sewing by hand). Thoughts?
