WIP American Girl Victorian Dress

After having been laptop-less for quite awhile, its nice to be able to blog again! This post's subject is the WIP Victorian I started some weeks ago. Between my ribbon conundrum and life happening, its just been sitting there for weeks.

This is my inspiration pic.

The salmon color is quite hideous. I didn't want to make an exact copy, so I went through my fabric hoard to pick out what I thought would be a good fit both for the pattern and also for the intended doll, which happened to be my beautiful Nicki I got as a gift on Halloween. I went with a floral pattern on white. Since white lace would just be lost on the white fabric, I decided to go with a pink ribbon and do some sort of fancy ribbon work for the trim. Ribbon work isn't something I really do, so I had to decide exactly how I wanted the trim to look, and then find a good tutorial that explained how to accomplish it.

First I went with a darker pink - not dark dark, but more I guess of a medium rose pink - ribbon an inch wide. I really had a hard time trying to find any decent tutorials searching on my phone. Now on a laptop, I can find quite a few of them! What I originally tried to do did not work. Not only was I not pleased with the affect of my sad attempt at a fancy trim, I wasn't really liking the pink color of the ribbon. So, back to the store I went and got this time a paler 1/2 pink. The simplest thing to do, I decided next, was to simply pleat the ribbon. I love the affect combined with the fabric of the dress. :D

So far I have the ribbon on one cuff and the bodice. I started adding it last night to one of the top curved collar  pieces that surround the pin tucked yoke. Its a bit of a challenge to neatly curve it while keeping the pleats steady. I have a feeling that I am doing this the hard way. There's probably a technique to this that I am not using. I'll have to do more research to see what I can learn on the proper way of doing ribbon work. Here's all the pieces I have left to trim:

I went ahead and sewed the pin tucked yoke to the bodice piece before I actually needed to, but I wanted to see how it looked. I will take it back off, and add the other pieces to it, then sew it all back together.

In a true confession, I think I rushed the drafting/testing process with this dress. I'm seeing a couple of issues where I didn't think it through as carefully as I should have, where I should have been more cognizant of bulk, etc. Hopefully though, everything will go together neatly, and I'll be happy with the finished process. If it all comes together right, my Nicki is going to look absolutely gorgeous in it!



 

A catalaoging of my present projects....

I did complete the Taeyang outfit that was the subject of my last post. By the time I was finished with the kilt (which took me several hours) it was getting late in the evening, so I opted not for the more detailed shirt I had originally planned on, that would have echoed the strap and chain theme of the kilt, and instead went with something simple. Like a painted tee shirt. I will go into more detail on that when I get some good pics taken of the outfit. In a nutshell, I absolutely love what I made!

I feel it would be good for me to actually sit down and write out a list of all the projects I have going on right now. They are, of course, in various states of progress.

1. The lingerie for my friend's doll line. I really need to get this done, as they have ordered the fabric, which will then be passed on to me! This will have some funky sort of bolero number going on, which will be interesting to make. I'm kind of excited for that particular challenge!

2. I am super excited about this one: The Bitty Bitsu project! This has been stretched out a little while, between both of us being sick (brutal freaking flu season) and the holidays, but it has finally now officially begun! I was on fire the other night, and ended up drafting 7 patterns out of 11. Yeah, it was awesome, and I'd sure love to have another burst of whatever creative juice that was. I haven't had a chance to run all of them yet in the test fabrics, but mostly there. After that,  I'll need to make the right adjustment, and can get to the actual sewing! This is a project I am just so happy to have - I love the challenge of making tiny things as detailed and real looking as possible, so thank you sweet customer for choosing me!

3. MH stuff...I started a dress for an Abbey that is pretty complicated, and haven't gotten much past the bodice. I've just set that on the back burner for now. I need to finish the second Abbey themed dress, but am lacking the glittery silver snowflake buttons that I envision, which I can hopefully find!

Then there's the Slo Mo project. I have the Ghoul Spirit 5 pack Slo Mo, and whoever came up with that horrendous outfit should be found and captured by the dolly fashion police. I came up with a concept of bondage pants for him in a charcoal, with straps going from his pants, both in the front and the back, and attaching to his straitjacket inspired shirt, which will be in grey. The pants are done, sans snaps. Once I get the shirt done, I will do a post on just that.

4. My AG 20's project. I am putting my curly topped blonde (#56) Aggie Mae, in 20's era clothing. I so love this era, and finally have THE doll for it! I started this outfit maybe, by now, a couple of weeks ago, and have to finish the dress, and sew the sash. I somehow managed to cut out a waistband an inch too short, even though I had just measured my doll's waist. :/ I have no idea how I did that. So, I need to take that out, which will be pretty quick and simple. I just need to actually do it.

5. An AG Addy dress from one of the books. I am super duper excited about this one, and so lucky she went with me, as someone else had contacted her first. She really knows her stuff, and like my friend who I met when I took a commission for MG book/ paper doll reproductions, she wants to work off of historical photos to adjust the design. This one hasn't gone too far yet. We will be starting the actual design process hopefully soon. So while I am not actually working on this one yet, it is still something I have in the works to think about.

6. The Akhmel Alien Project. Also for the same friend as project #1. I am working off of a tape form, and this doll is very, very tiny. I haven't really done much on this one, as the doll is presently being painted by an artist. I need some measurements taken, and I sure hope the doll artist knows how to properly measure her. I want to get started on it, but am wondering if it would be smarter to wait until my friend has the doll actually back in their hands, and I know I can trust them to measure correctly.

Today in Hobby Lobby, they had their cotton prints 30% off, and I found 2 pieces I just had to get for my '50's AGs. My Maryellen still has no dress. I have made 1 50's pattern, which, while I really like it,. I've made more than one dress off of it already. So I would love to make another style of dress for ME. While sitting in the car today at the laundromat, I found a design which just goes so well with the yellow floral print I got today. I will wait a little while to start on another pattern. Unless I go on a late night binger after getting a good amount of work on commissions done. Though tonight I need to finish organizing the AG disaster that I started on last night. We'll see how it goes!

Ginger's 1950's Skirt and Tee

I decided to finish up Ginger's tee shirt and skirt set. Finishing up the tee took me longer than I had expected, but I got it finished up around lunch time. I worked on her circle skirt next. After I got it together, I decided to look for some inspiration pics of something to applique on the skirt, a la poodle skirts. I found a lot of cute ideas looking at actual patterns from the '50's. Along with the iconic poodle, I saw cats, flowers, fish, donkeys, dogs (other than poodles,) and even doves. Several of them, complete with a birdcage! The latter was on an adult woman's skirt, but I thought "why not?" I attempted to draw out a dove shape that resembled what I saw on the real skirt and cut one out of white felt to sew on Ginger's skirt. I lined it with tiny stitches in a tannish gold around the edge of the bird. I still need to add the eye. Besides that and the snaps, her outfit is done. And in a bad, bad need of a crinoline, slip, or something of that nature! Here's some unexciting pics of her snapped quickly outside.

Please excuse Ginger's hair. I need to glue her wig on and give it a nice brushing. In her hair is the matching scarf for her to wear either around her neck or in her hair. Right now it is simply pulling her hair back.

I really enjoyed making the circle skirt. It's simple and fairly quick, though hemming it around the bottom edge is a pain as its so curved. I plan to make her many more in this style with various appliques! I'd love to maker her one with cherries, so I will keep an eye out for the right fabric.

I  have also started on a 1950's style of coat. Right now it is getting the best of me, but I'll get it. At one point it will have to get cold here, and having a coat for Ginger will be really nice. Next in line for her is a nice dress. She's kind of my focus right now, which is fun!

A tale of rick rack - AG Cecile's Red Dress from her paperdolls....

I got a custom order via Etsy for Cecile's red dress from her paperdolls as well as MG's Polka Dot dress. I can talk about the polka dot in a separate blog. For some reason I think I might have already blogged it....

Cecile's dress - its a handful. I'm titling this blog post 'a tale of rick rack' but maybe I should title it 'a tale of pointy tips and how to get them to hang right.' This dress was honestly, the trickiest AG dress I can remember to date working out a pattern for. The bodice itself is easy, and the skirt is straigh forward. It's the peplum and the sleeves that led to those "AGH!" moments.

You can see on the illustration how Cecile's hand covers the front of the peplum, so I tried to fill in the blanks as well as I could, mimicking the sleeves form. You can also see how there is no break in the rick rack trim going from bodice to peplum. It is an illustration, yes, and those things can be tinkered with to make the sewing actually work, but in this instance it did need to be done as shown here due to the difficulty it would cause to try and line it up perfectly after cutting the rick rack into 2, not to mention creating unnecessary bulk.

The peplum was a fun challenge, getting the shape right and also getting the hang right. I wasn't sure if it needed a light gather, but pretty quickly decided that would look very wrong. The sleeves I had to re-do more than once as my first attempts were gathered just enough to make them look a little bit like bird wings. Lol. That didn't work. So, I took out some of the gather, shortened the layers a little as well. That worked really well.

My beautiful Luna is modeling the pictures of my dress here. I wish I had taken the time to get good pics of it, but as soon as I finished the dress I wanted to get it out to the PO immediately. I will make another one for my own dolls to fight over. (Luna has decided she needs to wear 1850's dresses, Henrietta is screaming it should be hers, and I will at one point be getting a MG in a trade, which neither girl presently realizes. :P)

American Girl Cargo shorts for boys in the works!

I have so much I want to put on this blog, finished projects, started projects. If I ever get to it, I'll be happy! Yesterday I finally got to working on some cargo shorts for American Girl doll boys. (I love making boys clothing.) I got this pattern drafted, and got the test run sewn before it was time for dinner. I have to make a few minor adjustments, but over all, I am quite happy with the fit.

They will close in the front with snaps. I am not partial whatsoever for elastic in the waistbands. They will also have working pockets with flaps in the front and the back. I'm making Braden's shorts out of this khaki twill.

When I get these ready for Etsy, I'll be able to give custom color options. I have several different colors of twill, though I believe I am out of black at the present. Cut out and ready to go!

Braden is really excited to have something to wear made specially for him. I plan to make a tank top and a sleeveless button up shirt to wear over it. The tank top pattern has been started. Button up shirt still in the mental oven. (Things seem to get hung up there a lot lately.) 

The American Girl Lolita Project

I started sewing AG Lolita clothing about 2 years ago, lost interest in the dolls, and pretty much phased out sewing for them. (I kept one doll as I am still working on some historically more accurate Marie-Grace dresses for someone I met on the AGPT forum a couple of years back by responding to her WTC for this project. She has since become very dear penpal.)

Before Christmas I got a message on Etsy from a lady who was looking to have some dresses made for her AG doll. She had recently fallen in love with Loli fashion herself. As someone who loves Loli fashion for dolls, meeting a like minded dolly owner is always a treat! After discussing some ideas with her, she settled on going with the pattern I had already made, only instead of the pale butterfly print I had sewn it in before, she was looking for a pale icy yellow solid. You'd think that would be a simple thing to find, but alas, butter yellow is what is so easily found right now. Colors really trend through the years. I was finally able to find ONE option, which thankfully turned out to be perfect.

Here is the dress. I couldn't be happier with it.

My buyer wanted to add some pigtail bows to match it. She is also wanting a large single pony tail bow. I had meant to have this finished by the time she got back from vacation, but I had forgotten to settle on the exact size with her before she left. I want her input before I sew the actual bow for her.

The second dress is pretty much her brain child. It was fun seeing the dress come together. We started with an example of a human dress, and it went from there! She wanted it in lavender with a lavender print. I LOVE this fabric combination. This dress will also have the pig tails bows, and the still unmade single bow.

I am presently working on the third dress, the pink. It'll be made out of a pink printed with little white vines with hearts mixed with a pale pink solid. The bodice will be pretty simple, but the skirt is more of a challenge. I'm really wanting it to have several ruffles, so I'm working on some concepts to see what is possible and what is not. Hopefully I can post some WIP pics of this design soon!