How do you measure….

how far you've come when doing an insane amount of beading and embroideries? I have done two more of the motifs but still have a lot to do. And it's taking a lot of tiny seed pearls to complete each one. So as promised pictures to show what I've done. Doesn't seem like much does it? But it sure took a lot of time.

On to the next one.

A long way to go…….

Now that I'm back to indoor things, I brought out something I have been putting off working on for some time. It will take many hours of hand embroidery before I am done with this. It's the court gown I saw at the V & A museum in England when I was there in the back room viewing beautiful gowns.
  I have started, but there is so much to be done not only on the long train, but the skirt and bodice as well, that it will be awhile before I have completed it. From time to time I'll show you how it's coming along, but just don't expect to see it finished any time soon.

As you can see there is a lot to do, and these motifs are used more then once, which means once I'm done with one…. I have to do it again and again.

It's a good start, but a ways down the road, I will be a lot happier . All of the larger motifs, I am doing on a fine piece of crinoline . Then I will cover the back with glue and once dry I will cut them out and hand sew them down where they belong on the gown. It will keep the gown fabric from becoming over worn and shabby. It will fit a 21" American Model by Tonner.

 Am I out of my mind to want to do this?

Bling on Steroids !

Sometimes I get an idea for a gown for one of my dolls, and begin gathering up the fabrics, laces, and trims I will need in order to complete what I envision it to look like. Only then something comes up, or I can't find what I want or need, or life just seems to get in the way. Sometimes it takes a couple of years to get back around to being able to work on the piece.
  That is what happened with this gown. Now, {a couple of years later}I have just completed a new gown for Cissy. Massive amounts of rhinestones later, and you have bling beyond anything you could imagine. I love the way it turned out. It's heavy and tight to get on, but once you see it, I hope you will love it as much as I do.
 

  

Sometimes you don't need a partner…. To Dance.

This Eugenia Lane doll, has been dressed from the costume pattern provided by Marilyn Stauber, at the UFDC convention. Rows of poofs accented with small gold lace make up the skirt. The netting is a burnished gold color with tiny gold sequins and embroidery through out. Underlay is a pale yellow silk. The bodice was also created with the same fabric, and tiny gold lace along the top bodice edge. Then a beautiful gold lace of a wider dimension graces the curving neckline, accenting and drawing attention to her lovely shoulders.
  The bouquet at her waist has been made of golden velvet leaves, roses and a ribbon bow.
  A tiny golden teardrop on a chain, and a tiara of woven strands of metal finish the picture of a beautiful young lady ready to dance.

Of course it would help if she only had a partner.

Costume Retake

I decided to retake the pictures of this costume, to show you where I got the idea from.
I also tucked the skirt up in the back, as I had forgotten to do that before. So please look at this page from the Godey's Fashions for 1875. The gown I reproduced is the blue one, second from the right.

  I hope this affords you a better view of this gown and also shows the origin of the design. Still looks really beautiful complete with her hat.

Now That's….. a Hat!

Finishing touches for the green dress, and here is a green straw hat decorated with dark green netting, ribbon, velvet leaves, and feather boa. Just the perfect thing to finish off this glorious green velveteen and silk walking dress.

The straw hat is hand sewn, not glued. I never use glue if I can help it.
I think the hat finishes of this dress perfectly, and was just what she needed. It also shows off her beautiful hair style. Now I can sit back and enjoy her fashionable glance, like she was intended to be enjoyed. I never thought to see her in one piece again, but there she is. Eugenia Lane.

An Elegant Lady

A red-head in green, and looking very much an elegant lady.

You would never know to look at her, that she has been in pieces, stored in a box for a number of years. I never tackled the job of putting her back together, as her left arm was in so many pieces. This was a job of vast patience. Then I had to find something to wrap the arm and reenforce the chest area, to hold up when I put the arms back in place. I have held my breath the hold time I worked on her, including creating the pattern and then fitting the gown. If she had come apart while I worked on her, I really doubt she would ever have looked like this.

I choose a gown from a Godeys Fashions page, for December 1875. I still have to make her hat, but that will happen soon.

The gown is made out of green velveteen, and silk, with real mink fur trimmings.

Due to the fact she was so badly broken, I didn't make the bodice, nor the sleeves as tight as I would have liked. If her arms had broken off, that would have been the end of this project, and I really just wanted her to be dressed and look like what she is, a beautiful lady called Eugenia Lane. This doll was  for a Eugene Or. UFDC conference. 

  This part of the design was very interesting to figure out.

Well Marilyn what do you think?