LOTR - Arwen's coronation gown

original costume

For my aunt's LOTR-themed 50th birthday party I wanted to make a LOTR-costume for myself as well. I decided on one of my favorite gowns, Arwen's coronation/wedding gown. I did not go all in for buying expensive fabrics, but with my improved skills I still think it looked very good. I also did a bit of a switch, where the original has limegreen velvet with a cream/silver chiffon overlays, I could only find limegreen chiffon and white/silver velour. Still the effect is quite similar.

 I used the same McCall's 4491 pattern for this as I did for my aunt's gown. I didn't want any visible

seams on the overdress though, and since the material was quite stretchy, I simply put the fabric over the finished undergown and traced the contours. That way I ended up with simply a front and back piece that I could then turn into a dress.

The crown that I made was a quick thing I threw together with wire and clay. The lace was a really nice piece of wide gold/white lace trim. I cut it up and managed to puzzle all the pieces to just about cover the undergown.

Status: Existing but inactive

After the birthday party I ripped away the lace and the velvet sleeves. I've used just the satin undergown as a ballgown since then, and I have all the other pieces saved so that I could turn it back into an Arwen costume again.

April 2007 (the flash makes it lighter in colour)

Lord of the Rings - Eowyn's funeral gown

Original costume

I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan, but my aunt is. When she turned 50 she decided to have a LOTR-themed birthday party. I think that's quite cool for a 50-year old. As my birthday gift for her I decided to make a gown of her choice from the films. She wanted Eowyn's funeral gown, so I made it. I did some alterations though, for example my aunt has a very small neck and she simply looked really bad with the original collar. She was also happy to have gown made of plain cotton velvet, rather than the original patterned velvet.

McCall's 4491

 The pattern i used was McCall's 4491, without alterations. The only thing I changed was to leave the front/side seams open from the things down to create slits. I then added a simply half-circle skirt in gold crepe backed poly satin under it.I also added undersleeves, I think those were simply tubes that I attached at the seam on the middle of the sleeve.

To me this costume marks quite an important step in my development as a costumer and as a seamstress. I paid a lot more attention to details, and I finally understood what a difference it can make to properly measure everything, to use the right stitches and to press all the seams.

Status: My aunt still has it, but she doesn't use it. 

April 2007

doll version, Christmas 2008

Out of the leftovers from the fabrics I also made her a doll version of the complete costume, with cape and veil as well. It's been a while now but I think I simply copied the pattern pieces from the envelope of the pattern and then freehanded them to make them fit the doll frame that I had.

Many of the details were so small that I had to sew most on this version by hand.

This doll is more correct since it has the collar, the veil and the full cape. I even managed to find little round sequins to make the belt. I gave the doll as a Christmas gift to my aunt in 2008.