Jump to content

What's everyone working on?


Recommended Posts

I'm working on a doll named Gertie, I believe she's a Cynthia Howe mold but I bought her already painted from Minikitz. The paint she came with was pretty boring actually...like just black iris, no sparkle of light. I redid her makeup and after several trial and error sessions I'm really happy with that part. Dying to give her a grey Gibson style wig but I'm resisting until I have her clothes done. I started yesterday working with patterns from the Sue Atkinson book, Making and Dressing Dolls house Dolls. Really struggle with her directions.  I have quite a few pattern books for clothes, all but two of the Susan Sirkis booklets. Susan, even more than Sue assumes a good knowledge of how to sew clothes and does no hand holding. Maybe because back in the days that these were written women sewed clothes more. I've had to google quite a few terms. Its pretty intimidating especially when they want you working with expensive silks. 

I have Gerties pantaloons done and attempted twice to do her skirt but I have to start over...the instructions want underwear, petticoat, skirt and skirt lining, I just don't see how all of that fabric is handled around the waist and doesn't get really bulky. I'm going to try again with just the pantaloons and one skirt, no lining. It's frustrating a little and I'm beginning to suspect that Gertie doesn't want to be a cook or housemaid at all. She has a very realistic throat, neck area. All of the maid patterns I have are high necked and I'd really like to show off that area so I think I'll have to alter a pattern or switch out a regular dress top with another pattern. I'm planning several maids/cooks, (Gertie was to be the head cook), party guests who are all witches and a few historical guests like Marie Antoinette, a ghost in the mirror, a witch getting ready for the party at a vanity with a maid doing her hair and another witch soaking in a tub totally uninterested in a party. Ambitious considering I've never done dolls before. I want them to look good so I'm going to take as long as necessary and keep redoing everything and gathering whatever supplies I need...silk is so hard to find except online...none of our local fabric shops carry it. 

My husband says..when are you going to work on the (doll) house again...oh yeah...the house. Lol 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, Holly!

Sharon, I've regretted not taking his class all year. I could have used that information multiple times. :)

Gertie sounds like a picky fashionista! :D Would it be possible with all the layers around the waist, to lower some of them and have them kind of hang or start lower on her hips so there's less bulk? Dana has us glue the clothing on and they just have pantaloons so there's no extra bulk. I know how to sew but it's been years. I ripped out too many seams in 4-H and it kind of burned me out on sewing. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I flunked my high school sewing class lol...as for gluing the undergarments lower..I think that's the way I need to start thinking..outside the box, not the conventional real life size way of doing things...smoke and mirrors as Kathie B says...

Thanks for the thoughts, I may redo the pantaloons now at least take the waist gathers out and glue them down.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dollhouse doll clothing need not be removable, and therefore you can do whatever it needs to make things fit properly.  I found a larger doll in a thrift store today that practically jumped of off the shelf into my hands and distinctly said "Take me home."  Her clothes are filthy and badly faded and at present off of her, prior to my hitting my fabric stash and then disassembling the dress to make  pattern for a new one.  Her name is Cara Jo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds fun. I have a decent fabric stash from dabbling in quilting unfortunately not much of it is suitable for 1:12. 

My husband keeps asking me to please put some clothes on Gertie. I'm trying..I'm trying. 

These clothes will definitely not be removable but if someone picks them up and looks underneath I'd like them to look finished off.... I spent an hour making gerties socks....Still there's a lot of room for illusion. 

The short #12 needles are recommended....I saw these for the first time at the fabric store and thought You've Got To Be Kidding. I'd go blind just trying to thread one let alone feel like a giant trying to sew with one. Yeah..the glue sounds good. Used it on a hem yesterday though and it showed through the fabric. Ugh. Back to square one. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, smjsome said:

Clothes making it such a skill!  

 

I know and what amazes me is these artists who can not only make a doll, which is a pretty amazing talent, but can also costume, wig and paint the doll...all very very admirable skills. Thank goodness for doll kits for the rest of us. I'd like some clothing kits too...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, WyckedWood said:

I know and what amazes me is these artists who can not only make a doll, which is a pretty amazing talent, but can also costume, wig and paint the doll...all very very admirable skills. Thank goodness for doll kits for the rest of us. I'd like some clothing kits too...

Gina our wolfmeister, was a skilled and gifted doll artist!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking for some opinions..would this be too over the top for a head housekeeper (in a house full of witches?) I was thinking of this for Gertie, although it has a covered throat area. Maybe she could have some keys hanging down from a belt and a head covering that would be more like maid staff..not sure that I could pull this off but it popped off the page at me as being something Gertie would appreciate. I hear Tim Gunns voice telling me to "'make it work" :)

IMG_0439.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For the head housekeeper I'd make the body of the dress of a black brocade satin and the sleeves and dickey of black silk. I'd also crochet a chain of single strand embroidery floss to use for that trim.  Some of your antique lace gathered would make a reasonable cap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok. So you don't think it's too overly dramatic for her position? The witches will be in all black so I better put some white in here to differentiate Gert from the witches. I like the classic look of the back and white uniforms. Good ideas, thanks.  I love the neck collar. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there was a very real hierarchy in the downstairs staff in Victorian times... head house keeper was up there at the top so I think you can get away with it as long as it doesn't get to frilly and you use utilitarian fabrics. :)  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was thinking that too, making it with more modest fabrics than say the witches would be wearing, that would help to differentiate them. I've been looking at a fabric on etsy that is called "sandblasted" silk. It's silk but the treatment gives it a matte finish, no shine and it's supposed to be really extra soft. Thought that sounded interesting. 

Thanks for the thoughts :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shingling the Cape May . . . .  and shingling and shingling . . . . At least I am also working on another household project (the real life tables) while the rows of shingles dry.  I am also applying the bricks to the foundation, and doing some painting on the exterior!  I am certainly busy with it!

 

2017-05-09 22.48.53.jpg

2017-05-09 22.48.43.jpg

2017-05-09 18.00.12.jpg

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your Cape May shingles are looking great!  I despised those mini cedar shake-type shingles, especially after using the Greenleaf shingles!  I also like those RL tables.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, havanaholly said:

Your Cape May shingles are looking great!  I despised those mini cedar shake-type shingles, especially after using the Greenleaf shingles!  I also like those RL tables.

I am really happy with how the shingles are looking.  This is the first time I have stained cedar shingles.  They look much more natural this way since they do age to a silver grey in real life.  The tables have had years of abuse and the tops were water stained.  I was unable to re-finish them, so I am painting the tops.  The paint is darker in person.  One more coat of paint to go and then a clear coat!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gertie has a beauty shop appointment this morning to get her hair done and finishing touches on her makeup :) 

I had to simplify her clothes to suit my costuming skill level but after 5 tries (at least), switching from tacky glue to sobo and a small nervous breakdown..I'm pretty happy with her outfit, it's a basic Gibson girl dress pattern. I used a combination of hand sewing, glue and hem tape. 

I checked the draping this morning and because of the full skirt (after it was stiffened) she can stand without a doll stand, happy about that. Boy did I learn a lot getting through this pattern wow mini sewing is not easy when you don't know what you're doing. Just a few loose threads to cut and might replace the white silk bow in the back because I didn't know better than to cover the parts up that I didn't need stiffened...

she needs a cameo on her neck collar 

IMG_0471.JPG

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, WyckedWood said:

Gertie has a beauty shop appointment this morning to get her hair done and finishing touches on her makeup :) 

I had to simplify her clothes to suit my costuming skill level but after 5 tries (at least), switching from tacky glue to sobo and a small nervous breakdown..I'm pretty happy with her outfit, it's a basic Gibson girl dress pattern. I used a combination of hand sewing, glue and hem tape. 

I checked the draping this morning and because of the full skirt (after it was stiffened) she can stand without a doll stand, happy about that. Boy did I learn a lot getting through this pattern wow mini sewing is not easy when you don't know what you're doing. Just a few loose threads to cut and might replace the white silk bow in the back because I didn't know better than to cover the parts up that I didn't need stiffened...

she needs a cameo on her neck collar 

IMG_0471.JPG

Congratulations! You did a fantastic job.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...