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| Left: dress made using a fancy trim. Right: dress made with my own surface treatment. |
For the Fall/Winter ready-to-wear Ermanno Scervino dress I replicated for my doll, I used a very elaborate frilly trim and a super simple pattern: fitted bodice with an attached full skirt. It took, literally no time to do this. Quite naturally, there were details I missed from the original dress, but at the end of the day, the doll was happy because.....all she really wanted was the look!That said, after fashion month, I took a closer look at the Scervino dresses and I decided to make it again..after recreating the fabric! Upon close scrutiny, what I noticed was that the dress was covered with swirls of ruffles and bows! Recreating this is straightforward and pretty simple. You can use commercial ribbon (which I strongly suggest). But if you don't have access to the right color or desired fabric, you can cut strips of the same fabric as the dress. HOWEVER....for this look I do not want frays....so if you cut your own strips (which I did), be sure to either flame seal the edges or use a fray check product or white craft glue to keep the edges in tact.
CONCEPTIONAL SWATCH #1:
Samples help me to make a game plan for attacking the project. Moreover, I can check to see the scale of my topical decoration in regards to the doll and the design of the garment.
Cut strips or use ribbon. For this sample, I used strips that were about 5/8"(12mm).
With needle and thread, making a simple running stitch and gather each strip into a small cluster.
Tack on to the base.
Check the scale.
THE APPROACH
Now it's time to apply this concept to the garment. Unlike the "Chanel" project, the garment is fully sewn. (If you decide to line the dress, you should add that lining after completing the outside first.
2. Looking at the original dress, I noticed there are swirls of ruffles over the bust. This also serves to hide the bust darts! I did not add ruffled to the back bodice.
3. I ruffle my strips to form clusters then take them onto the skirt of the dress. Before I get too close to the center back, I stitch up the back of the dress, leaving it open from the hips up (so the doll can get in and out). You can use snaps or hook and eyes to close. Tack the clusters over the center back of the skirt to hide the seam.
In fact..... looking at the store bought trim inspired me to try my hand at making my own surface treatment! On the left, what I saw were narrow strips of fabric with pinked (zigzag) edges stitched down the center to a tulle base. Some were loops, others were swirls.
There was an Haute Couture Valentino dress (Spring 2017) I had wanted to make, but had no access to either fabric or trim. When you do find similar fabric, I should point out, it is usually out of scale and very expensive! By making your own, you have control over the scale and the look you hope to achieve.
Pictured here....flat cabbage rose motifs in the palest of pinks. The original dress looks to be a lightweight silk...maybe even with satin ribbon roses. For the dress I wanted to make, I used a pale pink sheer nylon (the type found in old nightgowns). This fabric doesn't fray, however, I liked the zigzag texture of roses on the black commercial trim.CONCEPTUAL SWATCH #2:
2. I stitched each strip down to the base with a running stitch down the center. The fabric was against a flat surface and as I worked in circular motion, I turned the fabric. In able to get the edges to stand up, you need to position each row close to the other so that the edges stand up.
3. Again, you can place the swatch to check the scale against that of the doll.
THE APPROACH:
Sew your garment together. However, leave the back seam open.
Place it flat on a surface. You are going to need two hands to do this treatment.
Prepare the strips: For this dress, I cut 1/2"(7mm) strips using pinking shears. I folded and pressed them to give me a stitching guide. I use a needle and single weight thread.
2. Moving in a circular fashion, wrap the strip around and stitch the folded edge to the garment. Do this about twice.
3. Then slip the needle inside the strip so that you can make running stitches down the middle of the strip directly on the garment.
4. As you are work, lean one edge against the side of the strip that is already in place. This helps the piece to stand up.
5. Note how I use my thumb to hold the lower half of the strip to the surface of the garment as I stitch. With every stitch or two, I give the whole garment a turn and continue on.
6. Here's another view of how this works. You can either clip the edge and tack down or you can leave the ends loose then wrap around other rosettes later as you add additional ones. If, while you are making these little roses, you run out of fabric strip, simple cut another and keep going. If you end up with funny little spaces, you can always take strips and make zigzags or tiny swirls in between the rosettes.
This is A LOT of WORK!!! This took me a good three days!!! Whether or not you make something using this technique will depend on 1) how badly you want the dress for your doll 2) how special the doll is, 3) how much she begs or nags you!!! For whatever reason, should you find yourself tempted to try this technique, perhaps you might want to start off using it as a trim--or on a skirt--or a short dress unless of course you have the time and patience or the doll has blockaded the door to your sewing room until you meet her demands!
Nonetheless...when I finally completed Veronica's dress....both of us were extremely happy as this is a very pretty look!
For more ideas on creating your own interesting fabric treatments, be sure to check out our other posts:
Affaires of the Heart
Applied Arts: Faux Embroidery
Applied Arts: Faux (Beaded) Embroidery
FOILED!
Pucker Up!
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