It always comes back to this.

I'm a LotR geek. I've embraced this, I am not ashamed, I have a tattoo in Elvish script, for heaven's sake.

But I'm starting to wonder if I've made too many Ngila Dickson style gowns.

I did one for Milan, simply because I had the velvet, and it's such an easy and satisfying outfit to put together, but right at the end I ran out of steam and now I can't seem to summon the gumption to hem the thing. Velvet is quite beautiful unhemmed, but at Milan's scale, there really is no issue with obscuring the drape, so... It's just laziness. Two hours hand-beading the gold trim and now I can't find the impetus to hem the damn thing.

Oh well. It's still quite lovely. I did her circlet too. /brag

Ah, Milan in summer, so beautiful. (Nekkid doll ahead.)

Milan has arrived.


Just like with Dom, I had a name all picked out for my CP Miyu, and when she arrived, I realized it didn't suit her at all. That's alright. I think that it was because I got Helly for myself, because I really loved the sculpt, and so I knew very well what I wanted for her. Dom and Milan were acquired mostly so I could expand my sewing line.

Mostly.

Now that she's here, of course, I'm all enamored of her cute little lips and her enormous eyes, and the possibilities inherent in her larger scale, and her long, elegant toes. I hate her hip joints, but I knew that before I ever ordered from Luts. We'll see what I can manage to do about that with some jeans.

She'll be comin' round the side door when she comes

I've been informed that my CP Miyu is on her way from Korea. Big dorrie, whee! I already have a ton of ideas for working in this larger scale, and I'm excited to see what detail I can work into the clothes now that I have a bigger canvas, so to speak.

At this rate, I might end up doing people-sized clothing after all...

Cover yer drawers, woman.

Progress! The skirt is finished, and so is the overskirt, though it's only pinned in these pictures.

This is going to be awesome, if I do say so myself.


There are some technical issues that I've run into - I intended for this to be a walking or afternoon gown, circa roughtly 1886 - but the train is too long, I couldn't manage to make an appropriate hat, and a severe updo is really out of the question when you are dealing with wigs, so it's going to be a bit of a mishmash - train from 1875-ish, the rest of the outfit more 1886-ish, the hat 1890-ish, and the hair a Gibson girl 'do, which looks lovely and charming on Helly, but wasn't popular until the turn of the century.

Oh well. I doubt that most people will be as anal (or as esoterically educated) as I've become about late Victorian fashion in the couple of weeks, so it should be fine. It's the general look that I was going for, and perhaps a mixture spanning three decades is the best way to get a general "Victorian" look.

So far the underwear has been my favorite part. I have only the blouse and jacket left to finish. Pictures soon!

They never put skirts on table legs, that's just a story

I decided I needed a sewing challenge, so I'm making a Victorian walking gown for Helly. Combinations, corset, and all. I've got the underwear done and now I'm working on the actual gown itself. The overskirt is kind of kicking my ass. All the bustling and trying to keep everything at hip level so that the jacket will fit correctly is - well, it's interesting. I'm enjoying it, though. Sewing is fun, even when its frustrating.

Most of the frustration tonight is that I've run out of the braid I was using as trim, and can't do anything until I can get to the fabric store tomorrow. ARG.

Progress picture:

Brief visitations

Went to Dollectable. US customs laid the news on me that it was against the law for a Canadian to take Canadian goods over the border and sell them to Americans. I was expecting some form of fuckup, since nothing ever goes 100% smoothly, but this was a bit beyond the realm of my fears. Rather than argue with the nice man who could have me strip searched, I bit my tongue, called my husband to come get my $2500 worth of dollie clothing, did a quick and very dirty repack of my stuff, and just barely caught my plane to California.

Dollectable itself was quite a lot of fun. It was a small convention, which suited me fine. I would guess maybe 300 - 350 people passed through the dealer's room during the two days? I jury-rigged a display and had pre-order forms, and about 15 items that I snuck past customs. I managed about $600 worth of business, which didn't quite pay for the plane tickets there, but really I was there to schmooze and see dollies and meet friends. Liz, Dollectable's organizer, did what she could to help me out, and I very much appreciate it. Thanks Liz!

On the whole, customs debacle aside, I'd do it again. I would find a way to get my stuff legally across the border next time, certainly, but I would do it again. The dolls! The people! the heady moment when I held a Bermann in my trembling hands! Getting drunk with a fellow seamstress and her husband while watching Ghost Rider is also a memory I will cherish. Hope you enjoyed the cookies, guys.

In other news, partially due to the predominance of the larger dolls at the convention, I have stepped up and ordered a CP Miyu. I'm really looking forward to the experience of sewing in the larger scale - there is so much more that you can do with just a little more wiggle room, more details, more tailoring, more fabrics to choose from. I will never get tired of sewing for Helly, she's a delight, but I do like new challenges. I'll have to think of some really distracting project to do while I'm waiting for the big girl to arrive.

I do have a lot of sewing to catch up on, it's true...

Sweet Jesus

Well after months and months I finally remembered my username for this blog. I am such a dolt.

Going to Dollectable in June, so I'm crazy busy prepping for that - tiny shirts and jackets and pants line up one by one in my display boxes. I am trying to have no expectations in terms of sales or fun, or anything. At the very least it will be a new experience, and I'm going afterward to visit a friend in Illinois, so I'll have that to look forward to if the con itself is a disaster.

Must get back to sewing.