Antique Lilac
  • Home
  • for Sale
  • Galleries
  • Favourite Photos
  • Tutorials
  • Blog
  • Links
  • Books

a Sailor Suit

5/16/2018

1 Comment

 
The final outfit in the Victorian collection, was the little sailor suit.  I struggled with trying to figure out whether to make the opening of the top at the front or the back.  Both had their advantages and disadvantages, but the outfit would be very small, and I wanted to keep 'bulk' to a minimum.

So I finally decided to make the top open at the back, which wasn't 'historically accurate', but sometimes ease of sewing, and the final look are more important (lesson learned from the coat).  I stitched the striped neck insert onto the navy blue top, all the way around the neckline.  
Picture
Then I made the collar as a separate unit. I decided against attaching it on one side only and using snaps on the other, since it might look uneven. The entire collar would be separate.

I designed it so the front 'points' would not come to a sharp point, but a little wider blunt one, so that I could better hide tiny snap fasteners under them. The collar is lined, sewn all the way around, leaving an opening at the back neckline, so it could be turned right side out. After clipping the corners and curves, and turning it right side out, I stitched the back opening closed, pressed the collar, sewed some wider silk ribbon under the points, for the ties to make into a bow, and sewed tiny black snaps at the collar points on top of the ribbon, and on the front of the top. I used black snaps so they'd not stand out against the navy blue. I thought it worked quite well...
Picture
Of course, now I have to pay attention that his collar is centred around his neck, which I didn't do in this photo.  Or I could sew a snap under the back of the collar to hold it in place.
1 Comment
Frances
5/16/2018 10:01:27 am

Thank you! Now to adapt the idea for a teeny tiny Timp... I think the collar may have to fasten at the back, too, or perhaps a dab of velcro and a thread loop to hold the ribbon ties at the front. According the basic pattern the chest is less than 1" across the front - this may be interesting!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Martha Boers is an award-winning Canadian doll maker and costumer specializing in fantasy and historical-style costumes.
    Read More... 

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.