Sewing Fantasy Threads: Patterns and Progress on Medieval/Renaissance Fantasy Designs

Thanks @Changeling !

 

my new fairy style from regency pattern i resized it from Ellowyn doll pattern by rescaling it :-) still on progress

 

@Anita2006 I love that square neck line (sorry no idea what the technical word is)
Not an easy thing to do. Very well done, it looks great.

 

PrincessR i finished this dress and it looks great now :-) need to start new project for incoming doll :-)

 

A very simple fantasy bilaut

A fantasy bilaut by Silje Chie, on Flickr

 

Very pretty

Teddy

 

she looks lovely, really beutifull outfit.

 

Hello, I'm wondering where can I get those small like cape clasps? I am looking for something ornamented, but I can't find anything small enough. Push comes to shove I'll be able to use a regular hook and eye and just hide it. But if someone has a source they can share that would be fantastic.

TIA

 

Necklace clasps.

Try Fire Mountain, put in the dimensions you want and add "clasp".

 

@Victoria Victrix Ok thanks! Ok I'll try that.

 

Just quickly scrolling through some of the posts here, and wow! So much amazing stuff

 

It sure has been a while, but I finally have something to post again.

I'm working on LOTR and Game of thrones inspired outfits for two of my Iplehouse FIDs. I do have a Boromir-inspired outfit for a slightly smaller doll and tried it on the bigger guys for fit, to see how to adjust the patterns and make them something in their size.

Baron, who is on the slimmer Model body does fit into it, although the collar and sleeves are too short....


I found some black velour this week that had shaggy strips sewn onto it, and they made me think of the fur collar on a Game of thrones cloak. So I bought some. I also tried the Boromir outfit on Lawrence, who has the Muscle body. there was no way his huge arms would go into the sleeves, so I just tried on the leather tunic....


So yesterday I drafted up a new pattern for Lawrence, and have started his brocade tunic. It will be black with gold trim.

 

He's stunning! You did an amazing job

 

Thanks, but those aren't the finished outfits. I was just trying on an existing outfit from one of my other dolls, so I could make adjustments to the patterns. Which is why I have four guys standing in my workspace - because I needed to borrow their clothes for fit and pattern adjustment. Today I'm working on Lawrence's brocade tunic. It's coming along nicely, although not nearly done yet...

 

Your work is amazing!

 

Sorry I must have missed that it was testing. They must be fun to sew for!

 

Holy cow, Martha! Every time I open a post by @MB Lilac I know I am going to get blown away, but these outfits are drool-worthy!

 

Pretty much my reaction too!

Teddy

 

Lawrence's surcoat is coming along nicely....


Unfortunately the black chainmail I was planning to use for his outfit is too stiff and won't allow him to bend his elbows, so he's going to get regular stainless steel mail

 

I'll say - especially the trim aorund the sleeves. Shame about the mail being too stiff.

Teddy

 

Yes, I was imagining him being all in black, as a king or general. It was chainmail from one of those small clutch purses. I have it in gold and silver, and found one in black a few weeks back. It is relatively flexible, but not enough for his elbow to bend very far. The only way I could use it would be to make the mail sleeve tube with a leather strip at the top with snaps to snap onto the under sleeves under the over sleeves. He could wear the black when he's just standing around looking threatening. Then also make the same thing with the stainless steel mail for everyday wear - like when he needs to actually do something other than just standing there.

 

It's twice the work, but it could work well, as long as you don't want to pose him for pictures with his arms bent.

Teddy

 

That's what I'm starting to think as well, because I really like the black.

 

[QUOTE="Unfortunately the black chainmail I was planning to use for his outfit is too stiff and won't allow him to bend his elbows, so he's going to get regular stainless steel mail[/QUOTE]

Would using large jewelry jump rings in black work for a lighter less stiff chainmail?

 

Would using large jewelry jump rings in black work for a lighter less stiff chainmail?[/QUOTE]
Probably, but it's way too much work to make chainmail from scratch - I don't want to spend months on it. Plus I have to watch what I do with my right hand so the wrist can heal.

 

I made the sleeves from the black mail, and they were a lot more flexible than I had expected, so good news, Lawrence will get black mail after all. I even have enough left over to make some hanging out below his surcoat.

 

Yaaaaay! {waves wild "Kermit" arms}

Teddy

 

I see I'm not the only one excited about this outfit. It's been years since I made anything like these.

 

Today's progress picture....

His surcoat is finished, and the chainmail sewn in. Now he needs wrist-guards, cloak and his own sword....

 

So glad you could use the black after all - it looks great.

Teddy

 

@MB Lilac .....I have no words. That's just stunning.

 

I know, right?

Ryu

 

Great work, MB Lilac! I always find myself squinting at your work saying, “ah, I see what she did there... never thought of that ... hm, wow... I should try that...”

Where do you source all your amazing tiny trims and findings?

 

Always inspiring me @MB Lilac

 

@Teddy - Thanks! I'm so glad it worked out, not only because I originally envisioned him all in black, but I have very limited amount of real chainmail, so now I don't have to scrimp with it on my next guy.
@Victoria Victrix - Thanks so much!
@Ryuichi Sakuma 13 - Thank you!
@Havra - I plan on doing a 'Creative Journey' on my website where I will share how I did everything - or almost everything. I didn't take photos of everything. I just used mostly stuff from my stash, including the trims, studs, leather, and metal filagree bits, and beads. Most of those things are impossible to find in stores anymore. I only bought some new faux leather because the actual leather I bought turned out to be too thick. I also bought the black chainmail clutch purse at Value Village for next to nothing, and picked it apart for his chainmail.
@skyealloway - Thanks!

 

Whatever you did, (pick apart a purse, use leftovers' etc), it looks amazing!

Ryu

 

You don't have to hoard your chainmail any more, @MB Lilac . You can get it by the yard on ebay. Sparkly Metal Mesh Fabric Chainmail Jewelry Making Metal Mesh Fabric 45*150cm | eBay

 

Unfortunately, that isn't mail of linked chain links, it's a mesh of flat metal pieces.

Still useful for other types of costume and doll costume, but not for mail.

Teddy

 

That's the exact same mesh I used for Lawrence's mail, except I used it with the back side out. Thanks for the link.
Once I've used up my stainless steel butcher's glove, I know I can buy that chainmail in flat, easier to use pieces as well - #150 Ring Mesh Material

 

Au Contraire, Teddy. It works very well for chain mail if you use the back side. It also works very well for mail in general, if you are not insisting on the chainmail look.

 

Coool! That'as well worth knowing - thanks!

I can see some upcoming purchases as gifts for my husband's doll armouring projects

Teddy

 

That metal mesh fabric is infinitely easier to work with compared to real chainmail. My Baron'w outfit has the real stainless steel chainmail, and it was a bear to work with. It looks great, but you can see from the photo that the backside of the black mail is mighty convincing too.

Now I still have at least three more characters to join these guys, but they are all considerably smaller

 

Baron's Knight costume is finally finished too.....

 

Perfect!

Teddy

 

Thanks! The blue cloak isn't as bright in real life. The studio lighting makes it look rather bright. I first made him a black cloak, but it was too much like Lawrence's (except for the furry collar). and I wanted him to stand out as being a little different.

Here's a full length shot of Lawrence with his outfit finished....



It refused to load the photo I really wanted to post, but you can see it here - Studio Photos

 

Gorgeous outfits, MB Lilac! The different materials look really great together.

 

Thanks!

I took both guys to the Ruins Garden yesterday for some shots in the snow. It had some great fantasy settings, but this one was my favourite.....

 

Stunning

Teddy

 

Now I'm choosing fabrics and trims for an FID version of the 'Mirror Queen'. It will ultimately be for Raccoon Monica (Lawrence's lady) but I want it to fit on my FIDs as well, and since they are the slightly bigger doll, I'm using FID Bianca as my model....

 

The colour is lovely and those fabric and trim are gorgeous.

Teddy

 

Thanks! I decided against sewing actual gold trim around the edges, since it will make everything too stiff on something this size. So I intend to bead all the edges. That will give the gold detail without the stiffness, and the weight of the beads will help with the draping as well. Now to cut the bodices out of the good fabrics.....

 

Making progress on the gown. One sleeve is sewn into one side of the bodice. The over-sleeve will get sewn onto the bottom of the wine armband....

I decided to make the sleeve tight-fitting, so have temporarily replaced her hands with paperclips to make things easier for fittings.

 

Loving the texture it gives on the lower sleeve, Martha.

Teddy

 

Beautiful work!

Don't take this the wrong way but, did you consider adding that pic to the /threads/dolls-that-will-steal-your-soul-scary-doll-pics.41421/ thread? Her hands kind of startled me for a second.

Ryu

 

@Teddy - Thank you! I still have to duplicate the second sleeve. I really should have worked on them both in tandem, because it's so hard to go back and start all over for the second one.
@Ryuichi Sakuma 13 - Those paper clips do look rather creepy, but this is one of my favourite dolls, so I'm not going to add her pic to the Scary album.

 

I know that one from experience - and from knitting doll socks, and mittens too - so I wish you Good Luck with it.

Teddy

 

Thanks! Right now I'm working on beading the edges of the over-sleeves, and hemming the skirt, since that's way more interesting (well, at least the FIRST over-sleeve). LOL At some point the dress will NEED that second sleeve, so I'll address it then.

 

I finished Monica's gown today, and had to take a photo...

 

Wow that is so so amazing and beautiful!!!!

 

Such a magnificent gown as usual. Really the definition of sumptuous with the fabric choices and embellishments.