Style 117

 

 

This dress was inspired by a 1957 Modes Royale design. 

 

 

It may look like a simple sheath, but it's not.  I love this design though, and plan to try this pattern in brocade and also in lace.

 

 

 

After all the darts and side seams are sewn on the dress and the lining, stitch the top of the dress to the lining.  Leave the armholes free.

 

Under-stitch the lining.

 

Cut 1/2" off the bottom of the lining, stitch the bottom of the dress to the lining, and under-stitch the lining.

 

Press the pleats into the bodice drape.

 

 

 

 

Put the dress on the doll and pin the bodice drape to the front of the sheath.

 

 

Finish the edges of the chiffon sash with a small zig zag.

 

Trim the raw edge away with small sharp scissors.

Gather or pleat one end of each sash.

 

Preparing the armholes

 

Pin the armholes to the sheath with the sash and bodice drape sandwiched inside them.

 

Hand stitch the armholes to the sheath.

 

 

Style 116

This stylish suit was inspired by the Hollywood costume designer Bill Travilla. He designed this costume for the 1981 made-for-TV movie "Evita Peron" starring Faye Dunaway.

Many of these photos have been lightened to show the detail better.

Click on any photo to make it larger. 

JACKET

I like to make patterns for all the fur pieces out of a manila file folder and trace around them.

Trim some of the fur out of the seam allowances.

Stitch the side and sleeve seams, leave the bottom of the sleeves open.

 Jacket and facing/lining stitched together.

 Pressing the seams open.

Pressing the lining seams open.

Hand stitch the sleeve lining and the fur sleeve together at the openings.

Stitching the cuff to the sleeve.

Hem line is basted 3/8" from the bottom of the jacket.

 Hem is hand stitched.

Baste the bottom of the lining to mark the hem.

Lining hem is pressed up.

Lining is hand stitched  1/4" from the bottom of the jacket.

Jacket is tacked at the shoulders.

"Frog" Placements

"Frogs" are Lazy Daisy stitches. 

Make sure the stitches are as close to the center as possible. 

Detail of snaps and beads. 

Inside view of the jacket to show how to keep the stitching as neat as possible. 

  Jacket snapped together.

Stitching the frog loops to fit the doll.  Make sure to finsh the skirt and fit the jacket with the skirt on the doll.

Knotting off the first loop. 

Fitting the second loop. 

Weaving the thread through the stitches on the inside of the jacket.

SKIRT

Cut  3/8" off the bottom of the skirt lining.

For more instructions on making the skirt, click here.

HAT

Fuse the interfacing to the center of the top of the hat. 

Hand gather around the top of the hat. 

Pull the gathers until they turn in.  Knot the thread and press. 

Lining pattern is traced onto Wonder-under and it is fused onto a scrap of lining.  Cut out.

Remove the paper backing from the Wonder-under and fuse the lining onto the wrong side of the top of the hat. 

Interfacing is fused to the hat crown along the markings.

Press up one end of the crown along the markings.

A narrow strip of Wonder under is fused to the top of the crown.  Press down the top of the crown.

Remove the paper backing from the Wonder-under and fuse the top of the crown down.  Fold up one end of the crown and whip stitch.

  Hand stitch the crown to the top of the hat.

Fold back the other end of the crown.

Cut off the extra part of the crown.

Whip stitch the end down.  I used a different piece of thread to do this.

Finish stitching the crown to the top of the hat. 

Stitch the ends together.

Mark the veil placement 1" - 1 1/8" on each side of the center back of the hat.

Hand gather both ends of the veil.

Tack the veil to the hat.

The end of the veil will point towards the front of the hat so when the veil is flipped right side out the stitching will be hidden. 

Veil is flipped right side out.

Adjust the veil.

The feathers are stitched right next to the veil on the right side of the hat.  Add a small dab of glue to secure the feathers.

PURSE

  Stitch the side of the purse.

Hand gather the bottom of the purse. 

  Stitch through the bottom of the gathers to secure the bottom of the purse.

Whip stitch the top of the purse down.  Before knotting off, pull the thread a little to close up the top of the purse. 

Make small knots on each end of the ribbon handle.

Stitch above the knot on each side of the purse.  Turn the purse right side out.