Dollieh Sanctuary

The weave on the mock-up fabric is really, really weak, so the pants portion has stretched out from when I originally basted it together, but it fit before the stretching.

I know I can add a few more darts to tighten up the fit, but I'm not entirely sure if it's necessary.

It's supposed to end up being a fitted riding dress with a split skirt.

For mock-ups you really need a good non stretch fabric. When I was deep in my learning for drafting I bought several yards of cheap ugly cotton. It's a bit of an investment at first but by the end of the process it was worth it.

I used bad descriptions. It's a cheap-super cheap cotton/poly blend that I scavenged from a bed skirt. It's a woven, and very thin. It does not stand up well to handling. The grain sags out of alignment and the knots work themselves out of the fabric. Looks like stretching, isn't actually stretching

In general it works out alright, I put it on doll, mark adjustments, marks are transferred to pattern, new mock-up is made from pattern. I attempted using paper towels, but I had worse results with those. lol Since I normally only use it once, no problem. A good mock-up fabric is on my wishlist, though.

Here's yesterday's attempt to nail down these bizarre things called darts... in pursuit of the beast sloper.





Maybe I should go back to kimonos and chemises, i can make those.

I know what that fabric is -- it's technically called pocket lining and it's terrible for patterning because it skews very easily. It's great as a very light mockup, to simulate voile, lawn or gauze. If you have to use it, get it on grain, then starch it heavily so it holds together while marking, cutting and sewing. You can always find grain by tearing a cotton. Be aware that many bedskirts were not on grain to begin with.

For patterning, my best suggestion is paper towel, especially the blue shop towels. Second best is non-woven, non-fusible interfacing. Most fabric stores have it in packages for $0.99 or 1 euro or pound. You can sew either, but you can also tape it together for patterning. Once you have the pattern, don't forget to trace it off and add seam allowances.

Best mockup cotton for dolls? Thrift-store pillowcases. King size or not, but look for 100% cotton and the really well worn ones because they drape better. They're usually very cheap. Newer ones are better for simulating heavier fabrics.

Don't give up!! Inelegant is the first step to beauty. It's learning. Your darts on the bodice are great. They're in an excellent position, she's not over-fitted. She might want a skosh more ease over the bust (not that she needs it for movement, but the ease will hide her wind chill detectors.) I can't tell on the skirt because it's off grain, but that's not you, that's your tools. I can't entirely tell because the photo crops it out, but I think you've got your shoulders well fitted, and that's the most important, and the hardest to get right.

Good job!!

Edit explanation: I used a word that poorly conveyed what I meant.

So here's the next attempt. ^.^;

I rotated the darts to the side seams for a more "classic" look, I guess you could call it. I slightly enlarged the arm holes (scythes?) and neck openings which seems to have smoothed out the upper bust. I moved the waist darts in a little bit, so that they are better centered and pointing towards the apex. These changes seem to have the side effect of increasing ease, right in the suggested area. ^.^

you can click the pic to go to the album to see more pics and attempts.


I found a half yard of decently heavy interfacing in my fabric stash along with a body pillowcase I had picked up for chemise type shirts for the monsters and a patterned pair of cotton pj pants, which might work in a pinch, though the grainline is hard to find on the right side of the fabric.

And as bad as the fabric is, it has taught me alot. Especially in the patience and measure twice departments.

Editting to add:
For assistance with fitting issues....
http://www3.telus.net/inspiredsewing/bo ... tting.html

Final version that I'm gonna add sleeves to. Used interfacing, which helped a great deal. Thank you, DollyKim and Czanne, for the pressure to use better materials.