Creating Morgana Pendragon's Red Dress

Cosplay inspired by Katie McGrath's character, Morgana Pendragon, from Merlin.

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Conclusions from Character Study

Dress

Red satin and chiffon fabrics. Simple dress, guessing sleeveless based on Morgana's other dresses.

Jacket

Red velvet fabric, crop jacket with bust darts and long sleeves.

Embroidered design with couched thread, sewn on beads and sequins.

Red chiffon ruffle around the neckline.

Cloak

Red velvet, main fabric, lined with white fabric, maybe also velvet?

With hood, also lined in white velvet.

Embroidery and clasp at the front.

Patterns Used

Dress

Simplicity 1358

Jacket

Simplicity 1137

Cloak

Butterick 4377

Work Flow

Step One: Creating the Dress

Simplicity pattern 1358 was designed for stretch fabrics. I used plain red cotton poplin as a mock up and took in where the fabric sagged. I used this as a pattern to cut out the main fabrics, the red satin and chiffon.
The pattern consists of two pieces, a front and a back. I put an invisible zip in the side to be able to get in and out. The satin pieces are lined with the cotton poplin and all seams enclosed.
The chiffon is only stitched down at the zip, the rest of the dress is loose from the satin. The chiffon has been French seamed, and the hem has been overlocked in a narrow stitch (originally I hemmed the chiffon as I did not have access to an overlocker, as can be seen in this image. I later went around the hem with the overlocker).

Step Two: Creating the Jacket

The jacket is straight forward in terms of construction. I raised the neckline slightly from the original pattern so that it was more scooped than a v-neck.
The more time-consuming and complicated part was all the bead work and couching to decorate the bodice.
Starting simply, I stitched the red cotton lining and the main velvet fabric together at the front opening seam and the neckline so that I had a guideline of where to start beading. I have a smaller bust to waist ratio which meant the jacket was a bit big, there is a basting stitch down the front for me to follow.
Stitched in at the neckline is a gathered chiffon trim that I bought pre-made at my local emporium.
I started with the silver string that wiggles and curls up the front, around the neck, and down the other side. This is couched in place.
The leaves are made with sequins and there are bead caps used as flowers.
There is gold string that is also couched, these make up the 'offshoots' and are entwined with the silver string. At the end of these are silver spangles and either red or gold coloured beads (plastic).
Around the neckline are red diamantes that are stitched down.
I finished the centre fronts and the neckline before working on the hemline decoration. I did this so that I could work easily between the two layers of fabric. When I was finished, I could hem the bottom and use the gap in the armhole to finish the last part off at the bottom.
The sleeves were inserted last, lined again with the red cotton fabric, and decorated with a bead at the wrist.

Step Three: Creating the Cloak

The cloak is made from red velvet, a grey crinkle velvet, and a white cotton stretch fabric. The closure is decorated with lace cut-outs and held together with a large jacket hook and eye.
The hood is lined with the grey crinkle velvet. The cloak itself has a detached lining of the white stretch cotton, this can be seen easier in the final outcome images.
Except for the detached lining of the main cloak, the rest of the garment has been made the same way as the instructions said.