The Slip

We continue dressing this young miss in her 1950's style dress. She requires period undergarments, as the silhouette needs to be perfect. The petticoat also needs to support the weight of the gown. Using the internet as a resource and a few books I have in my personal library, I found a slip that would fit the bill. (I have no idea what Princess Grace wore under her gown.) The sample slip is flat on the front and has three rows of lace to support the back of the gown and the train. Since we are making a reasonable facsimile of Princess Grace's wedding gown, I know there are two pieces to this gown, a dress and a skirt over the dress. I do have to consider scale as this figure is only 6" tall. To do that, I will be eliminating the front of the skirt going forward and using this slip as my guide. I have also, starched the lace with spray starch, and pinned the ruffles in while it dries. In miniatures, one adds gravity as the fabrics will not drip on the hand as they would if making a real life sized garment. The smaller the piece of fabric the stiffer it is. There is less for gravity to pull down.
I have used vintage laces so far on this garment. I am so close to being out of it. Thankfully, I will change laces after this slip. The lace dress is next. Stay tuned.
Kathi

Undergraments continue

Once I made some decision about the dress, the rest just fell into place. I did not want to miss a single piece of garment, but I had to think constantly about scale and the outcome. After all, I am striving for authenticity. There are more garments to assemble for a complete look. I do not want her appearing as if there is no gravity at all. She still must look completely in scale. The corset is the cross between a cotton long line bra that one wore in the 1950's and a lace corset that my contemporary girl found at the mall. Never the less, she felt the more conservative cotton one would be a better solution than having laces fighting over one another with the dress. To keep the corset thin and in scale I used a Swiss Batiste and some fine lace pieces. Every time I add a piece, I am afraid I will ruin her. Yet, each step seems to make her more complete, closer to the bride I have envisioned. I hope you can stick around for more pieces. Her slip will be next. Thank you for reading our blog, it is wonderful to share this experience.
Kathi

More on the Shoes

Do you love a challenge! I thought I did, but now I am not so sure. I think a solution has come from my recent set back, however. Yesterday I felt no joy after leaving the antique store. There were NO laces. It seems there was a run on too expensive hankies and many crochet doilies. For a 6” doll, it was not an answer.
I returned home, started looking through my inspiration pictures, and saw immediately my solution. Too bad, I did not see it before I went shopping. Therefore, I am going to go all out Princess Grace on you. I will make some small changes so it will work with the laces I have on hand and either way I believe I will have the makings of a lovely dress. Just not the all lace dress I was hoping to achieve. Nevertheless, hang in there…one never knows.
This brings me to the point of the shoes. Because of the setbacks, or challenges or doors opening and closing, however one looks at life, I made a decision about the shoes and it came quickly. I chose the lace decoration with pearls. My sample shoe from the internet had a lace appliqué that was beaded and a beaded ankle strap with a bow at the heel. Other that working with the lace design the shoe is pretty much the same as the sample.
I have taken another picture to show you the shoes now finished with all the trims and pearls and straps and bows and the soles are on as well.
I hope you like the look. Next up the long line bra or corset.
Kathi

Shoes

Well, my friends, I have to think about all sorts of things now. I usually plan something down to such detail my friends think it takes all the fun out of it, but I say, “Not!” I started working on her shoes thinking I would go the vintage, or even antique, route, but the young woman said, “No!” No matter what I did, she really wanted to wear something a little more comfortable and contemporary. I had two nice toe decorations planned from an antique shoe and one from a vintage shoe. I went to the internet, entered “bridal shoes” into the search engine, and low and behold found some delightful shoes she thought would be excellent with her Grandmother’s gown. I cannot show the picture of the inspiration shoes as they have copyrights, but what I did is some shoe drawing on my own. That will give you some idea of where I am going with them.
The shoes are on her feet partially. I did sculpt and cover her heels. (No more standing pins showing.) Her toe and heel are in place. She needs the finish decoration and the soles added. My decision problem stems from the dress design. I still do not know if I will decorate with beading or stones. Until I make a decision, the shoe decoration and sole have to wait. Will it be the design with antique lace and pearls, a tidy cute bow, rhinestone buckle and a rhinestone ankle strap? That leaves me today to share with you some simple designs and now we wait again for the shoes. In the meantime, I will get to her “long line bra” and slip. Then I must make a final decision about the dress. Is it full on Grace Kelly or something similar? I am really leaning to a lace gown, but I change my mind often.

Hang in there and more to come. Thanks for reading and watching.

Special note: I have been reading the comments and know it is good form to respond. For some reason, my last response is not showing. I have no idea how to be a good blogger apparently. So, please forgive me while I learn how to respond. Also, I am dyslexic (for real, not just making a joke of it) and have a time of getting past that code entering thing. I'll get the hang of it, I promise.

Kathi

Undergarments

The bride is getting dressed. My thought for the figure is a contemporary bride wearing her great-grandmother’s wedding dress. A wonderful period in gowns was the 1950’s and this dress will be a style similar to the often-copied Grace Kelly wedding gown. What style and sophistication Grace Kelly showed. I may change my mind, I have time, but I think the 50’s is it. I need to decide. Today you see her in her hose, lace petite-pants, and garter. (I love it when I hear her panties called French knickers.) My intention was finish the corset with this picture, but it made more sense to make the garter and then the shoes and then the slip and corset. Today, I have given her a bed jacket or dressing jacket for modesty’s sake. You can make this, too, with La Petite Belle Pattern 2004. (After all, you saw her being born and in the buff already.)

I am thinking of doing an inexpensive pattern of instructions for her this portion of her dressing. Her hosiery is made of silk veiling, her “French knickers” of antique lace and her garter is of silk ribbon. (Yes, there is a seam up the back of her hose.) I thought of doing a garter belt, but I decided against it. Frankly, I think they are uncomfortable. They make a sexy picture but the wearing is a different story. My bride is taking the conservative comfortable way; after all, she will be dressed this way for a very long time.

More to come! Kathi