In a galaxy far far away…Star Wars has been such a huge part of North American culture since the first movie came out in 1977. Even though my daughter is far too young to remember the release hype of either of the trilogies, she knows all the characters and even the story line. So, she was thrilled when I asked if she wanted a Princess Leia costume!
This costume is a super quick sew, even for beginner sewists. The robe is a basic peasant dress pattern that I’ve modified to reach the ground and have asymentrical flowy sleeves. The printable pattern is drafted in size 5-6, but the fit is very forgiving, and you can see it modeled on my 8 year old.
I drafted this pattern in knits in mind. You can sew it out of regular fleece, which makes a perfect costume for those of us who live in cold climates. Or, if it is warm where you are, use a white jersey knit. An upcycled jersey sheet works perfectly. In my sample, I used a medium weight stretch french terry, but interlock, cotton lycra, or any other fabric that has about 25% stretch or more will work.
The costume isn’t complete with Leia’s iconic belt. It is sewn from a faux leather that has a metallic finish on it. You can often find it in home decor sections of fabric stores. Since it doesn’t fray, there is no need to worry about the raw edges. I did some basic appliques to mirror the medallions that are on the original. It closes in the back with velcro.
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