Contest Couture Contest: Decades of Fashion!

Great! I hope to find the time to participate.

However the yard convertions to meter lack the zeroes, it could be misleading for whom read fast and think .6m is 6m not 0.6m.

 

Thanks for pointing that out! I have added some zeros.

 

This looks like fun!

 

The sewing challenges are always my favorite to stalk. This one will be really fun, I wonder what the most popular decades will be?

 

Mine too.
For the most popular I'm undecided whether try to guess it will be the 20's or the 50's. I wonder if I guesses right or I'll be surprised. Anyway, yay for the tons of projects to admire.


A question for the mod:
I haven't choose yet the doll I would use if I can participate, but if I pick one of 15-16cm size, is to consider it in the 1/12 division?

 

i would like to ask about dollshe honey skin as afaik its resin type they offer and not the actual collour, what would be davids color than?

 

So is this challenge to make an outfit inspired by the decade we choose or make an outfit set in than time period? And are we not allowed to use scrap fabric we already have?

I'm really looking forward to this contest. I love 20th century fashion.

 

I'd be willing to guess you could lay the fabric out against a yardstick and take pics that demonstrated exactly how much you have... It would be sad not to be able to use vintage fabric already on hand (I can't sew worth a darn but I'm tempted to do it for fun anyway).

 

Ive got a few questions about the accessory cost-

1. If we purchase a multi-pack of something, with the intent to only use one piece of it (I.e. buttons) do we count the total cost of the pack, or do we prorate the cost for item used? As in, a two pack of buttons, and I only need one, so the button cost is 50% of the purchase price.

2. If we purchase things online, does shipping count towards our total?

3. Say I have an item that I would like to use, that I have owned for a while. The receipt is long gone, but the package still has the price tag on it. Can that still be submitted as proof of cost?

 

Can we use non garment accessories to style our doll? Do we need to include those in the $10 limit?

 

I asked a few questions in the ask the moderators forum the other day, i think a couple of the answers (which I'm editing to make sure they don't identify my entry!) might help with some of the last couple of posts:

2. The rules say $10 is allowed to be spent on notions. What if I already have (stuff listed in the notions list above), am I allowed to use those? If I use my own supplies, am I then allowed to spend more on any extra bits I need?

4. Does money I spend on things to make (other accessories to go with the outfit) count towards the $10 total, or does that only include things i buy for the actual clothing?

 

Like Baakay suggests, I am going to get a big piece of paper and draw an oblong of the size of fabric we can have, and then lay my fabric bits in it - I plan on using scraps from my stash, and figure that's the easiest way to make sure I am keeping in the fabric restrictions.

And gah, I have finally narrowed down what I want to make to two outfits, and I can't decide between them!

 

I'm a crafter by nature, and have all sorts of things on hand. :T (fabrics, trims, ribbons, buttons/buckles etc)

I was thinking of doing the same thing, MissCarrion. That's a very good idea/suggestion.

 

To be clear, is this strictly sewing? No knitting or crochet?

 

You may create your own textiles, which could involve such a technique, but you will still need to show us the pieces laid flat and they do count toward your yardage allowance. The craft paper cut to the proper allowance is an excellent idea!

 

Important news for all contestants!

We are removing the budget restriction for this particular contest! You only need to pay attention to the yardage restriction. Please re-read the rules carefully.

We're more interested in seeing you challenge yourselves with the design. This should allow you more freedom to make something you want to keep as opposed to something that meets our arbitrary and somewhat difficult to quantify budget requirements.

 

Would it be ok to create a specific outfit from a certain time period, or does it have to be something that represents the whole decade? For example, if someone wanted to make a nurse's uniform from WW1, would that be an acceptable entry?

 

That is an acceptable entry. It should be a style of dress that was introduced in that decade and is recognizably of that decade. It don't think it would be possible to represent the entire decade with one concept when you have things like disco and punk both in the 70s.

 

Couple of questions...

Does the outfit have to include shoes?

If unable to find ready-made shoes that fit the decade and I have to resort to making them, can glue be used on shoes only?

 

Yes, and yes!

 

Thank you! That is a relief. I couldn't think of any way to make high heel shoes without using glue. lol

 

Just to make sure, am I allowed to use felt and felting techniques for this outfit? I think this may fall under fabric processing techniques that are allowed, but I just want to make sure.

 

Any of you have some spare talent you'd like to share?

 

Felting is okay!

 

A couple of quibbles here, from a professional costumer.

Why are you insisting on a 39 inch width? Is this standard in Europe or Asia? Because USA standard is 44/45. About the only thing you find in a Joann's or Hancock's that is 39 inches is muslin. Don't mind the cutting down, just curious as to why you settled on that width.

Also-no way I can do a full shirt, lined vest, lined coat and pants for an SD male in 2/3 yard of 39" fabric total. And I'm an economical cutter. I get that you want it to be a challenge, but you skew your contest towards female dolls and later decades with the current yardage restrictions. I might be able to do a modern shirt and pants for an SD (and we're not talking Dollshe boy here), but Edwardian for either sex is right out.

 

Will jewelry accessories be allowed as well? Would these be considered notions if we are making said jewelry?

 

39" is not standard in the UK, not sure about the rest of Europe, or Asia.

Tbh, I don't think the yardage restrictions skew towards female dolls (big dresses and underskirts and all that take a lot of fabric too), but simply towards smaller dolls, and I imagine that it's because the person who thought up the yardage requirements didn't fully think through the maths. A 1/4 doll may be 1/4 the height of a person, but it doesn't need 1/4 of the fabric for an identical garment, it actually only needs 1/16th, because you need to divide both the height AND width measurements by 4.

All the measurements in the first post only go up incrementally based on the doll's height in ONE dimension (the metre width staying the same), that means the smallest dolls get the most fabric per body area, and the largest dolls get the least. But then this may be entirely intentional to make up for the fact that sewing for a smaller doll is harder than for a larger one.

 

I can't speak to this year's planning, but I can speak to last year's contest, as i was part of that planning. It listed the same allotments of fabric for each scale, and resulted in some amazing garments at every scale. Vampy, you are correct in pointing out that fabric changes show a square relationship. But you are not correct in imagining that someone got the math wrong, or that a single person is responsible for the planning or execution of any of these contests. These contests are meant to challenge, and to bring out the best in each of us, and the rules reflect this. As the challenges inherent in working with different scale dolls vary, so do the requirements.

 

Fair enough, I did consider whether it was intentional to make up for the fact that sewing for a bigger doll is easy. I should have known it wasn't a maths oversight and was totally planned, given that the level of planning in all other areas of these competitions seems to be amazing!

 

After some debate, we decided to go with the same yardage requirements as last year, since based on the entries we saw last year, there wasn't a problem.

 

just out of curiousity, are we limited to one entry each or can we enter more than one doll/costume if we have time?

 

You are limited to one fabulous, best you can possibly do, OMG amazing entry.

 

Does the use of stabilizers count toward the yardage restriction ?

 

i've picked my decade and i'm researching like mad

 

So, it asks you to describe your concept on the submission form. Will that be on the vote page?
I'm trying to decide what I would want to do, but that would definitely break a few ideas if it wasn't.

 

this is more of a technical question to get out of the way before te deadline. i've never entered an anonymous contest before. where/how do we upload pictures to keep them anonymous? i've only ever posted pictures from my flickr account before...

 

You can actually set flickr albums to private (as well as individual pics) and then link with the direct link to the image on the submission form ^^ There is also imgur which allows you to make private albums, resize images/edit them as needed, and also has easy access to links :]

 

but won't that still let people know who the picture is from if they click on it? i thought it comes up naming the owner of the account, just says you can't view it 'cause it's private?

 

All images submitted in your private entry form will be renamed and hosted on DoA's own server to preserve anonymity.

 

Thanks for answering so many questions! I'm really looking forward to seeing the entries, not sure if I'm going to try or not, but it's sure to bring out the creativity of some of the members here

 

I decided to join the Trithalon this year, since I know I won't have time to do both. I am so looking forward to seeing the entries for this one, though. It sounds like there are a lot of fun ideas floating around. Mad Men dolls, anyone? Good luck, all!

 

the triathalon looked like a lot of fun, but this deadline worked better for me

 

If I do both this and the triathlon, are we required to use the same doll for all both of these contest? And is the same said for the face up and photography contest?

 

Not at all! You can use a different doll for all five contests! Only the three legs of the triathlon require the same doll.

 

Fabulous news everyone!
We have another doll to add to the prize lineup for this contest! Fairyland is generously donating a ChicLine Lishe! She won't come with clothing but she will come with a face-up!

 

Dear mods, thank you for answering all these questions!

 

I am still wracking my brains over what to do for this - I have so, SO many ideas, it's really hard choosing just one! I think I will spend the afternoon pattern making, and see what I come up with!

 

I have a question, are we allowed to do a modern take on the fashion era of our choice. For example using something that is very much to the style of that decade but using something very obviously modern fabric?

 

another quick question on trim since i don't want to go over the fabric allowance and may have to rethink this depending on the answer. if i was to do silk ribbon embroidery or folded ribbon trim is the yardage the area of the finished piece (since if i used bought trim there would be no way to know how much ribbon is in it, so would have to do the latter) or do i have to measure out the ribbon flat and take the full length off since i'm starting with flat ribbon? not trying to be nitpicky, just making sure i don't get disqualified inadvertently!

 

I would also like to know this, as being fabric accurate could prove to be very difficult especially for certain decades.

 

Oh wow another prize! This will definitely be a toughy for the winner to choose I'm sure :P I'm getting super excited to see it all, I was surprised at how much I had to think and pre plan everything to fit within the size allowance. Just to be sure though this would translate to a 24"x39", 18"x39", 12"x39", or 6"x39"piece correct?

 

I see, the fabric I was going to use is really in no way even close to vintage looking, and looks very obviously not from that time so the fabric itself would not achieve the vintage look of the era I was thinking of. Not even in the same ball park. However I was going to base the style and design of the outfit from that decade based on the era based on a recent exhibition I saw.

So the design of the outfit would be close to a vintage look, however the fabric I am thinking of is not even close to a vintage look. It is not even remotely something that would be found in that fashion. Would that be okay?

 

Ha ha, has anyone else decided they grew up in the wrong era fashion-wise while researching for this project?
(Also *angry noises* my patterns aren't working out they way I wanted them to.)

 

If we end up having to make shoes would any cloth or ribbon used on them have to be deducted from our total fabric yardage? Or are shoes exempt from this?

 

i read this rule wrong then. i took it as requiring shoes, (just not necessarily ones we made) and was trying to figure out how to make shoes if the ones i ordered didn't arrive in time

so would any purses/hats be part of the fabric allowance or would they be exempt too?