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

Ball Gown Adventures

3/6/2017

1 Comment

 
Every now and then I'll be working on a doll costume, and everything constantly needs to be redone - because the outfit has a mind of it's own.  Miho's ball gown is turning out to be one of those. Every day brings something new to redo, or add.  Of course it's also the very first thing I'm making for my Fashion girl, so there's a lot of kinks to work out as well. This gown is actually a 'test'.

I didn't have enough of the mint tricot for the full length of the underskirt layer, so had to make it gathered in tiers. I also didn't want all the skirt thicknesses at the bottom of the bodice, so made a yoke for the top of the underskirts....
Picture
Picture
The pattern for the bodice still needs some adjusting for next time, but I have to work with this one the way it is. I wanted the bodice to lace up the back, but there were far too many layers of fabric to insert eyelets.  So I sewed on a row of 'eye's down each side.
Picture
Picture
 The back of the underskirt just seemed too long. My Miho was still in her flat bare feet, so I was adding extra to the skirt lengths to compensate. I figured I better put her high heel feet on and find some heeled shoes.  The only pair I had was a pair of pink boots that came with my Leona....
Picture
Not exactly appropriate footwear for such a fancy gown!  I'm going to have to buy - or make - some nice high heeled shoes to go with it. But for now these will just have to do. At least I could now check the length of the skirts. They were way too long. So I picked out all the seams on both the sheer overskirt, and the lace underskirt, removed the edges and gathered lace, cut off a couple of inches, and reapplied the edgings. Then the dress was a much better length....
Picture
Before
Picture
After
I had sewn decorative ribbon flowers onto the bodice....
Picture
Of course, then the skirt edges demanded similar flower embellishments.
​Good thing I had stocked up on ribbon roses and flowers at the sale last week....
Picture
I had thought a single row of flowers, alternating between small and larger ones, would be good. But the skirt is now telling me it looks too 'sparse' and wants another row higher up. I had debated between sewing the flowers or, or gluing them, and decided I would sew them on - at least for the over skirt.  Although, now that there's going to be a second row, AND the longer skirt wants the same thing - plus a beaded edging - I may just have to resort to glue after all. 

​And because I shortened the sheer overskirt, the lace edging on the bottom of the lace skirt underneath didn't show anymore, so I had to sew a second lace ruffle above the first one, so the lace will show through.
Picture
I need to get some more beads, start on the big fabric bow for the back of the gown, and continue with sewing on the flowers. This is going to take a while!
1 Comment
Brigitte
3/8/2017 08:52:00 am

Oh wow, that's awesome

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.