That Special Dress: Valentino

Fashion weeks are underway and while I await my girls' report on New York fashion, I thought I would revisit a dress from last season and use it to illustrate the principle of reinterpreting a design.

To the layman,  making a 1/6 of a designer's dress constitutes "copying." But as I've stated before....no matter how much you know about sewing and pattern making for humans, the tiny proportions of the doll forces you to simplify, stylize and reinterpret. By the time you've worked all of that into the design, the garment becomes your own. Sometimes I can get pretty close to the original but when it comes to embellishment.....that calls for my own interpretation. Also, there might be times when you see something you like, but think it might be cool if other materials were substituted. For those of you who are keeping a croquis book (sketch pad), this is why it is also important to note down garment details.

Last season (Fall/Winter 2016) I saw a Valentino gown I wanted to try. I love the way the feathers stretch out over the body like a bird in flight. For the doll this dress is a challenge. While the dress is simple enough, you will not find flat feathers small enough. (And even if you do, they will be too difficult to handle.) The first thing I did was to look at the photo and decide what it is about this dress I like. It is the texture and the movement of the feathers against the delicate dress. I first bought silver grey feathers with the thought of cutting them down. But I soon discovered the final effect didn't come close to the original. On the contrary, I thought I could get a similar effect using raffia painted silver.

We begin with a dress with lots of flare. I chose a floor length princess line dress. You can also use the basic 2-piece dress (bodice+flared skirt), but I didn't want to take the chance of bulk around the doll's waist. The original dress appears to be tulle--which is not so easy to handle. So I used a sheer nylon (from one of my mom's old nightgowns). I cut a double layer.

1. Baste the two layers together using a running stitch. Then assemble the front, then the back together.
2. Trim within 1/8 inch from the seam and press each seam towards the nearest side. (Don't press flat.)
3. Sew the front to the back at the shoulders. I am adding on sleeves. (Hem them first.) Then stitch up the sides.
4. At this point you can redesign or readjust the neckline. If you decide to line this dress, I would use a simple (sleeveless) sheath dress pattern and attach it at the neckline. In my case, I rolled and stitched the neckline (like a silk scarf). Though you see her body through the dress, remember, we are adding an embellishment which will cover all of her privates.

 

5. The basic dress will be your canvas.

6. Take a good look at the movement of the feathers and make a rough sketch.

7. With that sketch nearby, I begin to pin my raffia (or whatever material you chose to use) on my dress.

 

8. Pin a little at a time onto the dress and then sew it to the dress. Then pin a little more and then sew.
9. Because the top will overlap the bottom. I stopped to add strips around the waist.
10. I use a simple whip stitch to keep the raffia in place. I'm using a silver embroidery thread. The stitches will be visible and using silver thread will add to the decorative edge of this embellishment.

 I've stitched down the strands to a point. But then I frayed the ends so that it forms a ragged edge of fringe. When it's all finished, I add a few auto-adhesive rhinestones to the bodice.

 Here's the finished result. The original is more of a "bird." Mine is more rustic....perhaps the nest! One concept--two completely different interpretations simply by changing up the materials! And that's how some  designs are born!

Up next....the girls are back with their picks from New York Fashion Week!

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Stardust Memories

A few of the girls are in France for the Cannes Film Festival and somehow I got roped into making a few dresses for them! (Yes, they have more than enough clothes already but you know how it is....they say they can't be seen in the same dress twice!) Nonetheless the seeds of this project were originally planted in my mind upon the sight of a black Versace gown Jennifer Garner wore at the last Oscars Award Ceremony.

Jennifer Garner in Versace (center). My rendition using beads (left). The same dress but with black glitter (right). Glitter works better in this case!

The dress had beads over one breast and in my attempt to recreate the look, I added beads to mine. But the scale was off. The beads were simply not small enough. This haunted me which prompted more research as to how I could more faithfully reproduce the look.

In the three and a half years I've been making these tiny clothes, what I've learned is that scale is important, but achieving a look often times involves.....illusion. There's lots of glitter on the streets of Paris. It's mostly contained to sneakers and T-shirts, but looking at it had me thinking that for the doll, the tiny sparkles could be interpreted as...BEADS! And yes, glitter is messy (but not always), and yes it can look really tacky very quickly. But by exploring the possibilities, I discovered that glitter can be used to create a sophisticated high fashion garment for the12 inch glamour girl.

 

 

There are three sizes of glitter: Super fine--just the right scale for doll shoes and accessories; Regular size--usually the cheapest, this is great for giving the illusion of tiny rhinestones--and; Large flakes--not easy to find, not so easy to glue, but gives the illusion of small sequins a doll's dress. There is also a way to work with glitter without the mess...iron-on sheets of fine glitter. It's really best for cutting out shapes or trims than using over large areas of a garment..

To keep glitter looking fashion rather than kiddie crafts, consider using unexpected fabrics like neutral tone wools, cotton or linen or go overboard like I did by putting glitter on shiny or sparkling fabrics. Here, I've used stretch lurex. As for glue, do NOT use craft glue as it will harden the fabric. Textile glue is better. If you can find it, there is a textile glue specifically designed for applying glitter.

For the first dress, I made a sheath dress out of grey wool.

1. I stitched one side of the garment together and turned under the hem. Mark the area of your design with tape.
2. Working quickly, spread the glue over this area.
3. Generously sprinkle the glue.

4. Allow to dry and shake off the excess.
5. Remove the tape. I used a soft brush to remove stray glitter from the body of the dress. Finish sewing the dress together.
6. I made leggings out of lurex to accessorize the dress.

My red carpet gown is both glamorous and easy to make.

1. It begins with a strapless sheath. I have added glitter to the dress down to the top of the hips. And I have added small straps made from glittered lurex strips.
2. I cut a full circle skirt from the lurex. There is only a slit in the middle the size of her waist circumference and it is cut down the back seam. Nothing is hemmed so that the fabric blends in with the dress underneath. Should your lurex fray, use a bit of fray-check product.

3. Create a pleat by grabbing a bit of the fabric from the left side of the doll and wrap it to the right and pin.
4. You can add as many pleats as you want simply by repeating step 3. Here, I've made three pleats. Hand stitch them to the dress underneath.
5. Here is what my dress looks like in the back. You can leave it open or stitch down the center back seam, leaving an opening near the waist, closing it with a hook&eye.

Since Veronique was appearing on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, I added a small rhinestone brooch on her hip.

If you hate the mess but love the sparkle, iron one glitter is worth a try. There is a uniformity to this medium that you will either love or not. Here, I wanted to maintain the purity of line with this tunic and straight skirt.

1. Again, I put together a shortened tent dress, sewing one side then turning under the hem, but leaving it flat. I do the same for the skirt.
2. I try the outfit on the doll to determine how deep the border should be.
3. Using tracing paper, I draw the shape of the border, then put my draping on the back of the glitter sheet and trace. Cut it out.
3b. You can create any sort of design you desire. For the lurex dress to follow, I created this star.

4. Follow directions for your glitter sheet. For the one I bought, the glitter is placed shiny side up on the right side of the garment.
5. It's then flipped over and you iron everything together on the wrong side of the garment. You may have to iron longer than the instructions require.
6. Here is what the skirt looks like. Since you don't see the entire skirt, it is only necessary to put the glitter on part of the skirt.

Voila the result. I've kept it simple. Silver on beige cotton...like sand on the beach!

Here, I was more creative. I drew a huge star which I placed on one side of a lurex shift dress.

When I place to two techniques side by side, you see the difference. The loose glitter has a more "organic" or uneven look (though I could have added a second layer of glitter). It also looks more like tiny rhinestones! The iron-on glitter is finer, sharper, almost as if the design was woven into the fabric.

This is a bra and leggings that I have quickly draped a piece of black satin over Anna's form. The black glitter on black fabric gave me just the right discreet look of beads I was shooting for. I used the wrong (less silver) side of the lurex for the leggings and added a light layer of black glitter.

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Flaky Pastry

My dolls are looking forward to summer parties. So I thought, this would be the perfect time to explore another one of my favorite fun fabrics...Crystal Polyester. Also known as Polyester Organza, it's the kind of fabric that when wrapped around the shoulders of dolly, it instantly transforms any dress into high fashion drama. It is a sheer, sometimes iridescent, material with a natural "bounce," and the best thing.....it's pretty inexpensive!!!

A few seasons ago, there were a few dresses on Alexandre Vaultier's Haute Couture catwalk that I felt lent themselves to this fabric. And so with this post...which admittedly is a tad bit long (but filled with pictures)...I show you just a few of the many things you can do with this marvelous material. Think pastry.....with light and flaky layers that curl, that puff up and float effortlessly!!!

But first let's start with something really easy. How about an evening wrap that looks as though it floated down from the heavens.

 Creating this is easy.

1. Create a tube by cutting a length of fabric and fold it in half. Stitch along the top.
2. Turn right side out and press so this seam is now runs down the middle.  Using the center seam as a guide, make a running stitch down the middle.
3. Gather by pulling the lower thread on one side, then on the other.
4. Adjust so that the gathers are fairly even.
5. You can take a small strip of fabric or a narrow ribbon and sew it along the gathers. This will help to stabilize the gathers and it provides a way to close the shawl.
6. Dolly can wear it as is, but I wanted the poufs to overlap, so with tiny, random stitches, I tack the poufs together in a few spots.

 

From front to back, Olympia shows you the final result. Super simple! Super dramatic!

 

 

But you came looking for French pastry so let's indulge in a buttery yellow delight. Shakira's "millefeuille" marigold dress is easier that it looks. It's a great project for a rainy day that with its many layers requires a bit of patience. This dress is completely made by hand. Take your time. It's worth the work!

 



In my last post, I showed an alternative method to finishing the edges of polyester fabric with a flame. For this exercise, the flame sometimes curled the edges which adds to the look. Don't worry about trying to be perfect. Don't beat yourself over any "mistakes." The more "organic" it looks, the better!

We begin by making a foundation garment or a sheath dress (though you can make any basic garment you want). Chose a color close to the color of your organza and choose thread that matches perfectly as well. Cut 1 to 1 1/4" (22-30cm) strips of organza on the diagonal. Don't measure. Estimate. The strips will be somewhat irregular which is what you want. One by one, bit by bit, holding each strip with two hands, quickly zip the edge past the bottom of the flame to seal the edges.

1. To start, I begin at the bottom of the dress.
2. The first strip begins and ends at the center back.
3. Another, somewhat longer strip is wrapped around the dress a few times, keeping each layer close together.
4. Here is how this looks at the back. At this point, you should hand stitch everything (using a back stitch).

5. I take another strip and pin from one side to the other.
6. Now this is when things get interesting. This time, instead of wrapping to the back, I loop it and pin back over to the other side.
7. Then loop back over and pinned in place back to the other side.

 8. With the extra, I make into a "curl" and pin in place. This is a good place to stop and stitch down your layers, thus far.
9. This is what my skirt looks like on one side.
10. Turn the dress to the back. Take another small strip and pin down, side seam to side seam.

 11. From here, you can use longer strips and simply loop back and forth from side seam to side seam. Again, stop and stich down.
12. End with a single layer. When clipping the strips, cut at an angle, and run a lit match quickly past the edge. If your strips aren't long enough. Don't worry. You can simply cut another piece and keep going. The whole point is to create the look of flaky, uneven layers! Note how I have stopped just shy of the waist.

 13. Now, let's go back to the top of the dress. Another strip is pinned near the neckline. Note how it extends a bit towards the back and has been cut at an angle.
14. I pin a second layer.
15. And a third.
16. Now because the inspiration for this dress has a curve in the layers, I curve each strip to one side and over the waist to the opposite side.

17. Adjust the layers, then stitch in place. You can keep doing this until everything is covered. Each layer will become progressively smaller.
18. If you see any space, you can always cut a tiny bit of the strip, fold in half and slide into the spot and stitch down.
19. Go to the side of the dress still exposed. Fold the other layers over so you can work better.
20. Begin to add more layers. Her I added a wide strip which covers this part of the dress and pushes the other layers to the front.

21. You can add another layer. The important thing is to cover the foundation completely.
22. Turn the dress to the back. I don't know what the back of the original dress looks like so I made the decision to keep things simple. I added strips which cover a complete side.
23. Same thing for the opposite side. When I stitch this down, I stop at the waist because I want to layers to curl upwards.
24. The back is closed with hooks and eyes. One tip: before you get too far with the back, stop to make sure the doll can get out of the dress. Make any adjustments before you finish adding the strips.

Like a gorgeous yellow rose, Shakira's dress is interesting from front to back.

I wanted to incorporate that same idea into a design for a jacket.

As a base, I used a simple basic (dartless) jacket. I decided to make my jacket from the same sheer fabric! Like this you don't have to worry about seeing the fabric beneath. You do see the stitches to some degree, but again, the organic nature of this look forgives all.
1. I sewed a strip that begins and ends at the center back after wrapping around the front and neck.
2. I sewed a second layer and then a third in the same direction.
3. Afterwards, there is a small space under the bust near the arm. I looped a tiny strip and stitched everything down.

I didn't do anything at the back because I like the idea of the seeing the doll's back through the jacket. On the other hand, I took a bit of the fabric and wrapped it a couple times around the hem of the sleeve as a cuff.

If this is going too far over your head, we can do something much more simple!

 1. I cut the strapless sheath from two layers of crystal polyester. But for the opera coat, the pattern couldn't be any more simple.

1. Lay the doll down with her arms outstretched. Draw a T shape around her
2. This is your pattern. Top part of the T cut on the fold of the fabric. Cut a slit on the top and a vertical opening down the front.
3. Sear the edges and you're ready to go.

4. Okay, so here is my kimono.
5.  Cut up a few scraps. This can be random. Or you can plan shapes if you like. For this exercise, I've simply cut a few squares and seared the edges.
6. Pick each scrap up and form into a ball.

7. Pin onto the robe.

8. Continue until you are happy. I decided to keep the interest on the shoulders, so I stopped here.

7. Put the robe on the doll and adjust the poufs until you are happy with the look. Then tack each pouf down with a few stitches wherever you have placed a pin.

And here we are. Nadia shows off this spectacular look from front to back.

If you fell in love with the simple kimono, you can simply use the pattern for an understated look. We can also decide to stich down the arms and sides without cutting away the rest of the fabric. Here, Liu wears a short version of our kimono, this time cut from a glitter organza.
The pattern is the same as the red kimono, but shorter.

The dotted line shows where we sewed after allowing for the neck and center front cut. I added a small strip around the neckline which ties into a bow around the neck.

You can even get more simple!

 Stephani shows off a simple evening coat that can be worn over a simple black dress or something more "couture." It's a big rectangle of organza folded in half. I wrapped it around the doll's arms in the front then made hand stitches to form "sleeves" of sort. In the back I pinched it into giant asymmetrical folds at the back. There are no rules. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Simple drape into something vaguely interesting and stitch to hold your creativity in place.

No matter how you turn her, she looks fabulous. The best thing....it's one of those looks that is super easy, not expensive and can be done in minutes!

A rose by any name.

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