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

Very, very clever use of trim! You manage with the Victorian style trim to echo the Aesthetic Movement/Artistic Reform notion of what the Pre-Raphaelites thought of as "medieval."

 

Yay! It looks lovely. Loving that the fabric has little leaves scattered in the pattern.

Teddy

 

Thank you so much! I'm glad I finished it too -- it's so demoralizing to have a doll that has nothing to wear.

Thank you! I see I'll have to do some research on what all that is.

Thank you

 

Yes, this! Far more articulate than I have braincells to be but I noticed this too!

 

Oh my dear, you are about to go down a long, long, long rabbit hole. You might never come out again even after you have gone 1:1 scale and made Aesthetic clothes for yourself!

 

I'm working on a new Fantasy Medieval gown for my newest lady. It's basically a pink and gray version of Miho's dark purple gown.

 

Looks like it's coming along nicely, {laugh} and in my most hated colour combination too.

Teddy

 

You never fail to stun, @MB Lilac

 

@Teddy - good thing it's for my doll then.
@Victoria Victrix - Thank you!
The gown is finished and I took some photos...

 

Absolutely. And I see it's come out as beautifully as we always see from your creatons.

Teddy

 

I wish I'd seen this one back in the day! Here's a link to my Lucrezia in her red kirtle:

https://l-chan.neocities.org/shrines/Lucrezia_renfaire (1).JPG

 

Did my first attempt at making a shift for a 'taur doll, using a modified version of a pattern a friend sent, which itself is based on this guide to making an accurate tunic for the SCA and the like. The neckline is a repair job after a keyhole neck didn't work and the stitching on the hem is particularly bad, but overall I think the fit is good-the sleeves maybe need a bit more length. I've ordered some trim so future ones can have decoration on the sleeves and hem like I've seen on various SCA viking tunics.

shiftside by Cryptic Cryptid, on Flickr

 

Yay! That's my friend Cynthia's webpage (from some time in the late 90's I think).

The tuunic is looking good.

Teddy

 

It really is a small world! I've also used her site to make a shirt for my own personal renn faire outfit; it's extremely helpful. And on that note: sewed a more colorful tunic to go over the shift. Fun with ribbon!

rear by Cryptic Cryptid, on Flickr

 

Even though the Phantom of the Opera is a Victorian story, the Red Death costume from the stage production is definitely in the Renaissance style...

 

Holy moly @MB Lilac you have absolutely outdone yourself. Again!

 

@MB Lilac Spectacular! I really love the way you pack such detail into your designs.

 

Thank you @Victoria Victrix & @Havra .

I just finished the third costume that was on my To-Do list for this year. I had been gifted a set of resin gloves and bracers that were offered when Matias was first offered for pre-ordering. I wanted him to look like a 'jousting' knight, so sculpted armour from Aves Apoxie. Here he is with his Lady love....


I took under construction photos as I went, and put together a Creative Journey about the process - Arthur Creative Jrny - Tutorial 2023

 

Superb

Teddy

 

Thank you. I'm really happy with how he turned out...

 

@MB Lilac Absolutely INCREDIBLE! What SKILLS you have!
To bring your concept/vision through all those steps to reality...WOW!
Your beautiful images are so cohesive; every element reenforces the others!

 

Thank you. I try my best, and sometimes that means having to do things over and over, because "good enough" isn't in my vocabulary.

Now I need to make him an everyday outfit, because he certainly can't attend family functions in his armour.

 

You are amazing.

 

Thank you.

I also had the opportunity recently to do another photo shoot at our son's movie studio. The first scene involved my Lawrence, posing for a portrait commemorating the tenth anniversary of becoming King...

 

I can't wait to see the results of the entire shoot!

 

Same here

Teddy

 

I shot two stories that day. One was a baby Christening, which went really well. And then there was the royal portrait painting scene, which I think I'd like to go back again at some point to fill out more of the story.

Here's a behind the scenes shot in the movie studio. The 3-D background was reduced to quarter scale, and then all the photos were shot using forced perspective.

 

If there is anyone in BJDs on the face of the planet who is WORTH having dedicated time at a movie studio, it's you!

 

Thanks. I realize it's an extremely rare opportunity. My son even purchased that 3-D Gothic Cathedral set just for my doll photos last year. However, I do feel a bit self-conscious taking doll photos in front of an entire movie production team.

 

The baby Christening....

 

Wow, it's another level.

 

Lovely.

Teddy

 

@MB Lilac WOW! Incredible!

 

That looks like it was taken straight from a big budget movie!

 

amazing! All that time putting textures into the clothing makes such a glittering scene...

 

@yunan - Thank you.
@Teddy - Thank you.
@Answer42 - Thank you so much.
@Victoria Victrix - Thanks. I guess that's because it was actually shot in a movie studio.
@Rosslyn - Thank you.

With the holiday season upon us, I decided Matias couldn't attend family functions in his armour, so I made him something more casual. I stayed with the same colour scheme, and chose two silver gray brocades, and two wine red ones.

 

@MB Lilac Oh, that looks so good! You've got an amazing skill for how to combine colors and patterns.

 

I think I might try to replicate this coat.

 

My first thought would be to try felting to create all those faces.

 

Interesting... looks like you'd have a lot of needlefelting to do.

Teddy

 

That was my plan as soon as I saw it. I do needlefelting already, and those faces are super easy. The shape looks like the very simple underdress for a Viking apron dress. The big challenge will be finding extremely lightweight polar fleece or wool fabric which will match the texture of the felting wool, because if the felting wool doesn't exactly match the dress fabric I plan to unravel or make fuzz of the dress fabric to mix into the felting wool for the transition areas between dress and faces.

 

Sounds like you have a viable plan then.

Teddy

 

@Victoria Victrix I would love to see you try this! Very interesting concept!

 

I realized that a light cotton knit velour or a knit suede will also work...as would, possibly, a heavy cotton knit if I give it a brushed/sueded surface. I've done that before once and it's a bit tricky, so I think I'm going to look for yardage or an existing garment to cut up before I resort to napping another fabric.

 

Good Hunting!

Teddy

 

@MB Lilac I'll second Lillith's comment! You have an incredible costumer's eye for rich texture and colors! Your creations are never off the mark - well done! Matias is now ready to socialize!

@Victoria Victrix Best of Luck on your unusual project and PLEASE post your progress!

 

Thanks. Yes he is, but now I decided he's going to be a father, so his daughter needs an appropriate gown, and his wife needs a new headdress. It never ends.

 

A family portrait....

 

I can't get over the fact that your work is so meticulous that if you told me that was a picture of humans in fine garb I wouldn't think twice about it.

 

Thanks so much. I love working in this quarter scale. Anything bigger just ends up looking like 'doll clothes'.

 

@MB Lilac Wow! What an incredible photo! WELL DONE!

 

I really love the baby's matching dress with sister and mom. Very nice details in all the outfits. I used to make matching outfits for my daughters, but never mommy me. I think it's adorable.

 

@Answer42 - Thank you.
@jhiggi - Thank you. I wanted something similar in colour for the two girl's dresses, but the velour and lace of the mom's gown were way too heavy for such small clothes. So I chose a thin, pale gray/green brocade for them instead. Then I considered the scale of the pattern of the brocade and thought it would be too big for the baby's dress, so used the fabric with the wrong side out. And I made a hatching headband for the baby to hide the seam of her head cap.

 

What a beautiful family! May I ask what sculpt the baby is? She's so cute! I love the beadwork and trim on both of the girls' outfits.

 

Thanks. She's Mika, the Baby Elf from DreamHigh Studio. She comes with four different faceplate expressions. Right now she only has the laughing one. Then there's a smile, pout, and sleeping one, which are currently on their way.