kimono body..

So it's WAY too long, which is good!

Now i need to attach the lining to the body, attach the sleeves, and then put the collar on!

First doll auction is up!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261091434191?ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
This is the maid collaboration between Angela at No Nap Time and myself. :)

the sleeves

are done, with a little tuck on the bottom :)

I'm doing this kimono using the 'floating sleeves' method, so each piece gets finished separately!

I received

a machine I'd purchased on ebay, yesterday...
Now that by itself is nothing unusual or earth shaking, I buy machines fairly often!

It was shipped to me in a cardboard box, wrapped in a single piece of brown paper.

This box, to be precise..

And that paper..

The case, inside this  shipping fiasco, was not latched closed.

Which probably lead to...

the latch slide on one side getting broken.

Inside the case...

both the extension bed and the foor pedal were not locked into place(I put them in the right way here) nor was there a single piece of additional padding inside.

So they both got to bounce of the machine on the way up from Florida...

Oh, and when I contacted the seller to complain...

"i have to tell you that i felt comfortable with the machine fitting tightly in the box that there wouldbe no damage."

So, you figured the carry case was the same as a shipping container, and that a piece of precision machinery didn't need any additional cushioning to prevent damage?

Really?

lining

almost done.
Today I will start putting the pleather pieces together....
I think I may need to make the sleeves a little narrower.

Recent thrift store find..

a totally awesome Wonder Woman lunchbox from the 70s!

It looks like it's never been used!

I changed my mind

about which fabric to use for the kimono lining!

I'm going with something ever so slightly more subtle.

the kimono

starts!

I am thinking of using that familiar skull/heart fabric as a liner :)

So

I had this big thing planned..
A step by step walkthrough of the 530 and all it's features, with loads of pictures and stuff....
ANNNNDDDD then I got hit with this idea for the pleather kimono.
Which has seriously messed up my scheduling.

I have a doll dress 75% finished, but I can't focus on it until I get this thing out of my head.

Scary.

Today's new idea!

Whilst sewing on my doll clothing, I had an inspiration.
Or a psychotic break, depending on how you look at it...

I am going to make a pleather kimono!

Now, this may prove difficult, but I just picked up a new 930 to work on....so that will give me the excuse I need!

the hook

for the 530 is just a bit different from the 730 forward.
It's got a thicker ridge on it's spine.

Apart from that, the feed mechanisms are VERY similar :)

Kimono fabrics!

These are a few of the ones I've picked up lately!

Silk

is far more of a pain in the butt to work with than I would have guessed...
Serious business!

I'm working on the Marilyn Monroe dress..and the difference between the behavior of cotton and silk is stomping me senseless..

SO this is the Bernina 530.

It is very very similar in form to the 730, and you can see by looking at it how the thought process that went into making these machines changed over time.

The core functions are identical between this and the 830, it's just ease of use and simplicity that was increased!

I just picked up a

Bernina Record 530, in the original case in great shape!
I'm not sure if I'll keep or sell this one.

The keep:
It's the one hole in my mechanical Record collection.

The sell:
It's the one hole in my mechanical Record collection and I have 4 or 5 of the minimatics/etc..do I really need to worry about being complete?

I'll post a few pics later, and then start the refab process

One of the best

things about doing this doll clothing:
I am learning patience.

It's very fiddly, and I am not by nature a fiddly person!

It's also making me more acutely aware of my own skill set and where it lacks, as well as giving me a great demonstration of the capabilities of my machines :)

Marilyn dress...mock1

First run at the 7 Year dress.

It's getting there....

And the dress pattern continues to evolve...
the finished version will be made in pure white silk, like the original(the fact that the dress appears Ivory now is due to oxidization)

Some background fabrics for my collaborator to consider!

The Next official project:

The iconic Marilyn dress!

it's actually super simple, with caveats.

The problem with doing it Monster High scale is that they are all skinny.

M Monroe was not a small girl,,

I got a pack of patterns of etsy that have proven to be pretty much worthless.

There was a dress similar to this one, but not close enough.

And like all the other patterns the scale is slightly off..

So, what's a girl to do?

Well, I decided to read as many things about this dress as I could find and then start drafting my own pattern, like I did for the kimono!

I step forward slowly...

Here's a first test piece. 

Now, this is WRONG. there's a whole slew of things I need to change about it in order to make it right.

BUT...it gives me exactly the kind of information I need to start going forward!

And over at craftster I found a terrific tutorial for a human sized one that will work even for my tinies!

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=119456.0

:) 

Drama shot!

Obi-one?

Bad Star Wars reference...

Kimono, continued!

I attached all the bits and then closed the side seams! 

This is the doll I made this one specifically for. I've learned a TON through this process and it's given me great ideas for making more of them(plus I have a pattern now :) )

I have a few more bits to make to complete her outfit!

Also!

I picked up a mini-iron for under 20$ at joann's.
They have them 50% off!
http://www.joann.com/clover-mini-iron-ii-the-adapter-/prd49733/
Don't know how long the sale will be on, but it's a great deal!

The fabric design

for my kimono gave me an idea.

The first kimono is going to be done with the 'ghost' character in mind.

It's going to be old looking, worn and water stained!

Think along the lines of a slightly cuter Sadako.

Creating my own fabric for the doll kimono

I got this printable fabric, and I took a traditional kimono pattern....
and modified it!
It's teeny now with skulls

More kimono

This time with 'floating sleeves'.

Treadle!

I decided I wanted another treadle powered machine, preferably one that's not just a straight stitch, so I started looking at the modern alternatives.
ANNNNDDD, most of what I found doesn't live up to my quality requirements.
There's a Janome, for example, but it's mostly plastic.

So I thought to myself, "What would be the stupidest thing I could do?"
"Oh, I know! I'll treadle the 319!"

I bought 500 or so of the off sized needles it uses.

Just to be safe.

(I also ordered a straight stitch plate for it, for working on the doll clothing)

Another idea

the next doll outfit I intended to do was going to be a Marilyn Monroe , 7 Year Itch dress.

But I sort of got sidetracked/interested in the idea of making a full kimono set..

So, I am starting design testing!