AOTC Senator Amidala Cut Scene Gown

At long last, I've picked up work on this gown again! I started it over two years ago, but set it aside to work on Halloween costumes and that turned into working on Episode 3 [pregnant] Padmé costumes to go with my pregnant belly. Now that I'm back to "normal" I decided I should pick it back up. I've made some great progress.

I am still working with Simplicity 4156 but I've also picked up Simplicity 3782 which is an Elizabethan costume pattern. I'm using 4156 for the collar, under bodice, sleeves and parts of the outer bodice. I'm using 3782 for the skirt and underskirt. Obviously, everything gets some sort of alteration to make it work for the Padmé gown.

To read (or re-read) my original posts:
First Post
Second Post
Third Post

Here are some of my fabrics. Top left is the drape fabric, then the outer bodice/skirt/upper sleeve velvet, and then the lower sleeve/piping fabric.

My rough sketch of the drape "clasp" beading. I can't really determine what the rest of the design is based on the pictures I have, but here is what I could make out:

Sketch of the hair and head jewelry:

My original sketch of the bodice beading. I later came across the "touch wall" picture thanks to Kathy's FIDM pictures. The picture shows similar beading appliques without all the extra stuff, so it makes it much easier to see what's going on.

My sketches of the collar beading and the navette rhinestone "flower" details:

(Ignore the strange fabric) This is my mock-up for the bodice, sleeve, collar, and [shortened for mock-up purposes] lapel:

My silk velvet before cutting into it:

Lower sleeve construction. I made the lower sleeves two pieces, one longer than it needed to be to create the folds that the original has. I gathered the edges of the longer portion and sewed it to the other portion. Then I lightly pressed the folds to get them to lay the way I wanted them to:

Bodice progress. I basted the velvet to a blue broadcloth to give it strength and stability:

Bodice pieces after being sewn together:

Pinning some of the piping:

Sewing some of the piping:

Upper sleeve progress:

Upper sleeve after having all the sections piped and attached:

Here is my velvet "skirt" laying on the couch. It is a LOT of fabric, and pretty weighty too! (This picture shows the front and fronts of the sides, the back and backs of the sides are underneath...there's that much fabric!) It will look gorgeous once I have it pleated and sewn onto the bodice. But first, I need to pipe the edge of the bodice, because the waist seam gets piping too:

Now, I need to sew some more piping. I roughly calculated I will need about 16 yards of piping for this gown!