Another commission finished! I feel like I haven't had enough practice recently, and that makes me sad >: I always want to do better, but I tend to fall well below my own expectations. I need to practice a lot more before I'll be happy with them...



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In other news, I got a new doll yesterday :D well, really I've had her head for a while, but now she finally has a body. I shall post pictures tomorrow ♥ because I ordered her at Christmas, I also got the free Wintery head, which I would really love to give a gothic face-up, ahahah.

As for other projects, I've begun more work on my historical outfits for my dolls. Its Chinese New Year next week, so that will give me some photo opportunity, and then in late Feb, it's the Viking Festival here in York. I really want to have some dorrie Viking costumes done by then, so watch this space.

So, I've gotten a bit further with my clothing project :3

This is going to be pretty huge, since I want to eventually make medieval/Tudor inspired outfits for all my dolls, plus other historical outfits... but this one is a start. Since Padma is my favourite torture victim doll at the moment, I'm making her a Tudor inspired dress. Which has layers. Layer upon layer... this is only the beginning!

The smock and corset



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As you can see, the sleeves of the smock still need a bit of work, but the corset is perfect! I boned it using cable ties :3 and then I hand-sewed the eyelets at the back. Most of this is going to be hand-sawn, but that's okay, because its easier on a small scale.

Next I need to make her a petticoat, the kirtle (which is the main dress) the gown (the overdress) and possibly a Spanish farthingale (the skirt with hoops in, which gives the dress a bell shape). Think pink people :) I might even have a go at making a pair of pink silk shoes as well...

When I finish this, I'm going to make a fur lined cloak for Orris ^^

Lately I've been inspired to make new clothes for my own dolls. I stopped making them ages ago, due to lack of time and energy, but something's made me pick my enthusiasm up again. Namely my new obsession with historical clothing.
Even work would be insanely dull if not for my new obsession. I work for something called YAT, which runs three major museums in the city I live in. I usually work in only one of them, but now I've been trained to give tours of our medieval hall, which has set of many sparks of inspiration. After making my own medieval dress to wear, I couldn't help thinking I'd love to make some for my dolls.
I've always hated most of the historical clothing I see on dolls. It always looks so fake and gaudy, mostly because people use cheap fabrics that look, well... cheap. But when I discovered you can actually get things like thin wool mixes that look like the real thing, and even cotton linens, well. I've already started collecting fabrics - mostly real silk, and I scavenged some leftover wool from people at work. I don't really want to restrict myself to a particular period - though most of it will be Tudor themed, with maybe a bit of Dark Ages Viking/Anglo-Saxon inspired.
I've already started making a boned corset for Padma. I cannot express how much fun I'm having with making it - unlike modern type clothing, but I find very boring to make, the quality of the things I want to make, and all the referencing which I enjoy doing, is really a pleasure for me. I can't wait to have pictures, but its not quite ready yet... then I have to start on the silk dress @_@ layers, how I love thee.

Anyways, historical rambling over. Here's a lovely Aragon minimee head I painted for Witchypoo. His beard is mighty.


(background is my medieval linen under dress haha)

( Who is he thinking about I wonder... )