Wearables Sewing Project: Mori Style / Dark Mori [ Round 99 ]

Hello! This is the first time I am participating, I planned to last time the theme was mori oops.

I have been thinking of making an overdress for Sylvia, my Dreaming doll Airi, and it is perfect for this theme! i have already decided on my fabrics, the inspiration for the overdress in the first place. These 3 green cotton fabrics that are left over form other projects. I want to use all 3 in one dress.


She is already wearing her underdress in the picture, so the new one will go over it. I looked through lot of pictures before I found what i want to make. It will look something like this:

 

I really love this. I can see Mori in it but I also see a strong 1920s influence which is wonderful.

Those fabrics coordinate so well and I love your inspiration picture. I can't wait to see your progress and final pictures.

 

That's such a fun design, very playful but still muted. I think that will work perfect for this theme and it will be beautiful on Sylvia.

 

@CarolettuceBJD I love the fabrics you've chosen. I am sure your overdress will look amazing .

I also have some progress to share:

As I want my outfit to fit multiple dolls I am going for a super tight fit on my MDF Ani as she has the largest measurements. This way it should still look good on the Soulkid body (and the little Harmony body as well).

Today I tested out my first draft for the basic top pattern. I made the mock up with some leftover very stiff cotton fabric. Unfitting for this project but it did the job. The sleeves turned out horrendous but the rest I can work with . And I actually like what it looks like from the inside.


I've used this as a base to create a pattern for a blouse. As there will be a few layers on top of this blouse a tight fit is preferable anyway. And I am sewing it out of light blue lining fabric. Not the prettiest fabric for a blouse but most of it will be hidden anyway. The dress and vest I plan to put on top will be cut slightly wider.

I hope I can share some pictures of the completed blouse soon .

 

I'm loving everyone's plans and projects! They all look awesome! I'll make something for my Soulkid Apple, as she loves Mori style.

Apple by Linda Lou Brown, on Flickr

I'll be making her a simple pair of Mori style pants, and perhaps a blouse - if I have enough time. The brown crinkle cotton is for the pants, and the vintage lace for trim. I also want to finish the brown corduroy hat, which is unfinished from another Mori round.

Mori girl style by Linda Lou Brown, on Flickr

 

Awww, @Aeilia your doll is so cute! And I love your inspiration images!! That skirt is really cool.


I allowed myself to be inspired at Joann Fabrics yesterday....

So, my victim will be my Comi Baby Lady Peridot... I've always liked the colors of the outfit she came with, but I knew I didn't want to leave her in this in particular outfit forever. So this theme seems like a great time to create something interesting for her in a similar palette.

Here she is with the fabrics and a bunch of fun details and findings. We'll see what I end up using, but I like to have "enough" stuff to pick from to start a project I'm thinking probably a dress and a cape.

 

Hello again! Thank you for commenting on my petticoat basic from the last challenge!
Wow I am inspired by what has been posted so far. You all are so creative! I am unfamiliar with this Mori style too so I did some research and found a blog post about doing cultural Mori so I picked Early American culture and will try to interpret into Mori.
Here is my "inspiration translation from Early American to Mori" pic
inspiration by Linda, on Flickr

 

I love the effect

I love the soft colors of your fabrics and notions!

 

@maxxxamillion I love the fabrics you've chosen. Can't wait to see the result.

After work I got started on the blouse. There's still a lot of work left to do but I'm pleased with the result so far. The sleeves are turning out way more dramatic than I've originally planned though . I haven't closed the sleeve's side seam yet but It will still be a very voluminous sleeve. The other sleeve is going to consist of two layer. An inner, less voluminous one (solid dark blue fabric) and a sheer lighter layer on top. I hope it's going to look as nice as it looks in my head.

 

I've had a very busy weekend, but I did manage to finish two of my pieces. First up here are the socks, which might be the last you see of them in this thread... they really don't go with the rest of the outfit LOL

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Still, they're very cute, and I'm glad I made them. Also very glad they fit on under boots, because Auriel has no other shoes. Next, since I didn't want to switch needles back and forth between standard/jersey, I finished the shirt which will be the under layer:

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The sleeves are a bit bunchy up by the shoulders, but they won't be visible, so I'm not feeling pressed to remake them. The shorts here are a much older creation, and won't be part of the final outfit. Today's task: finish the pants that will be part of it!

 

Man, I love mori, but I always get a bit overwhelmed when I try to think of what to sew for my boy. I'll probably just enjoy the creations from the sidelines.

 

It looks adorable on her!

The fit looks good! The tea dyeing gives gives a lovely result!

Very Mori, I would say. I love the soft flowing look of it!

Thank you so much, from both of us! I love your fabric an accessory choices!

I'm looking forward to the see what you come up with.

It will look fantastic! The colours and fabrics are gorgeous!

Those socks are so cute! Love the soft colour of the shirt!

 

@Aeilia @maxxxamillion and @tinyseams All your plans look great. I am looking forward to see what will do with it.

@laquaza Those sleeves will look awesome.

@BlackSheep The shirt is very nice, but I think those socks might win this round. Who cares if they don't match the rest, they are awesome!

 

I really love what I am seeing here!
I chose some vintage hankies to use for the dress.

hankie mori by Linda, on Flickr

I am considering the patterns I already have to save time. This might be a bodice shape I'll choose.

1859eveningdresspattern by Linda, on Flickr

The pattern looks like this

Bodice pattern for Dollshe Fashion size Amanda Medium bust by Linda, on Flickr

I am definitely going off the rails from Mori but it's fun anyway.
The skirt shape will have uneven edges but I will use the shape that will fit with a pannier something like this, maybe not so wide.

pannier by Linda, on Flickr

 

progress, got the proportions wrong, but I still like it... I have a small piece of dark blue velvet that I may be able to imagine a saddle blanket or vest with...

Sewing progress by mare joy smith, on Flickr

Sewing progress by mare joy smith, on Flickr

 

@BlackSheep OMG those socks are amazing .

Another daily WIP from my side:


The main part is done. Now it's "just" the collar, the hem and the left sleeve I need to finish. I like the different fabrics and the general design but that left sleeve is way less voluminous than the other . Maybe I can add some decoration on the left shoulder to hide it. But I'll finish the sleeve first to see how bad it is.

And I definitely left Mori style as well... . It's not romantic enough, just chaotic. Also the contrasts are to harsh. I'll try to make the dress more in line with the fashion.

 

Thank you everyone for all of the kind responses! I'm glad you all like the socks as much as I do.

No progress pics for the moment- I made the pants yesterday only to discover the pattern was too tight in the thighs and too short in the front. I'm determined not to give up on it, but it's going to require a do-over for sure. Pants are always the thing that gets me...

 

@laquaza I'll be interested to see if you can solve the "balance"! That being said, sometimes things are just that - chaotic I think it looks fun!

 

Just getting started here on my boys clothes, for the pants I'm using a modified version of this cargo pants pattern by SejongStudio. I'm still in the process of testing out some stuff so there's still some small adjustments I need to make before I say that the pants are 100% finished but they're pretty close.
I'm also just making my own pattern for his shirt and jacket. Luckily the jacket will just be a small variation on the shirt's pattern so finishing up this one pattern will be getting 2 done at once. Only on the first pass at the pattern and I'm just marking off what to change right now, then I'm going to scan it into a digital file and make an adjusted pattern on my computer since I find adjusting and keeping track of digital patterns easier.
The most difficult part of this project is probably going to be the smile that I added to the face cover in the concept. I luckily have a lot of practice with my embroidery machines. So, I'm thinking that I'll make it an embroidered patch and then use a heat sealing fabric to attach the patch to where I want it on the shirt. or alternatively just getting the right stabilizer for such a thin fabric. If anyone has any suggestions for making this easier I'm all ears.

 

I got my first layer finished! It turned out a lot longer than I was expecting (the original plan was just to the “waist” when human meets horse body) but I think it’ll work. My next steps are a flower crown (crocheted), a vest (knitted or crocheted- idk which one yet but out of the same thread as the flowers), a belt of some kind, and a necklace. Maybe some other skirt or blouse- it looks too empty on the front area between waist and trim? I’ll figure that out after I get the vest done.
Please pardon the lack of head. It’s in her bag- I never put it back on after attempting to make an unlaunchable wig.



@kiraabsol Would printing it be an option? I’ve seen some Etsy shops where sellers will print a sewing pattern directly onto fabric for off topic dolls. Then you cut out around the piece and use the edge of the ink as a seamline. The printing might stiffen it up a bit too. Or do the same but with an iron-on transfer? Iron it on some fabric, cut and sew. It would be less bulky than an embroidery patch. I’m not sure on materials, price, or even if a non-commercial printer could do it but those might be options.

@laquaza Mori or not, that looks nice so far. The fit looks pretty good and I can’t wait to see how it looks when it’s finished.

@dailymare I admire your bravery. Those pants are impressive. I like the little ruffles on the back legs.

 

I love the way the dress drapes her body. It reminds me, in the very best way, of the beautiful draping medieval horses wore in jousting tournaments. Truly beautiful!

 

@Azure Agape

I love this! It's almost Victorian, you could use that as the basis for a lot of different cute outfits!

 

@Rubytinker Thank you! I hadn’t thought of that, but now I’m trying to convince myself not to make a jousting/knight outfit for her... and next round is designer’s choice so I could actually try to do that... Time to learn about historical jousting armor, I guess. Just as long as she doesn’t fall, pass out for two days, and end up decapitating multiple wives. (Edit- never mind, will do that separately. Just realized that I’m not sure how much would actually be sewing and it would probably run over a month anyway).

@BlackSheep Thanks. That’s my plan. The skirt doesn’t have a pattern (just several rectangles ruffled and sewn together) but the bodice and sleeves do, so I’ll end up reusing it at some point. I think I have to or my other dolls will end up stealing this one.

 

@Azure Agape That's a great idea!! I have too many years of plushie making so I default to using my embroidery machine at this point. But, I think I'll look into either painting on the smile or getting it printed. also I love the way your dress drapes across your doll, it creates such a cool silhouette!

 

I've made a lot of progress with Quinn's outfit (in fact for now I would call it finished), and I'm really happy with how it came out.


The black shirt is actually the top part of a romper. I mostly made it because it eliminates the need for undies and keeps a shirt tail from riding up. The grey skirt is simple, but it's made of a soft, flowy jersey fabric.


The over-skirt is made with fabric from some jersey bedsheets I found forever ago at Goodwill, and decorated with some vintage laces I was gifted a while back.


I never would have picked a purple this close to Quinn's hair for one of her garments, but for some reason it just looked right on her. The coat is made from more vintage lace and another Goodwill find, specifically a cotton blanket- it's surprisingly not as heavy as it looks. It's also the piece that I'm the most obsessed with out of the whole outfit, and I expect it will be a staple piece in Quinn's wardrobe for the forseeable future.

 

@tinyseams That is such an interesting take on the theme. I am keeping my eyes on this!

@dailymare It's a cool concept to split the pants in a front and back part. It makes perfect sense for a creature such as this one.

@laquaza Good progress! Your design is a lot of fun.

@kiraabsol I would paint the smile with either acrylics or fabric paint to avoid bulk. Printing out the design on iron-on transfer paper could work as well, if you have an ink jet printer, but often looks a little bit stiff and dull. Machine embroidery will probably be a bit stiff and may add too much bulk.

@Azure Agape That's a lovely dress!

@kaschan502 Beautiful outfit! It looks very versatile.

 

@kaschan502 so gorgeous!! I love the color matching and textures!!

@Lillith yeah I think you’re correct that acrylics are the way to go. I think that’ll definitely give the right look

 

@dailymare, that looks amazing! Love the ruffles, they're a great addition!

@kiraabsol, I love the colour of your boys shirt! I agree with others, that painting on your design will work best.

@Azure Agape, that is a gorgeous dress!

@kaschan502, beautiful combination of pieces! I love how the purple coat matches her hair so well.

 

Her outfit is lovely. For some reason I want to say it looks gentle, though I know that makes no sense. I love that her cape matches her hair so closely.

 

Be sure to add a little fabric medium to your paint; it helps add some flexibility and aids the paint in soaking down into the fabric and sticking properly.

 

I finished the pants v.2, and while they're far from perfect, I'm pretty satisfied with how they turned out this time:

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Which is good because that's the last of that fabric... I also finished the next layer of the top half, a kind of prairie dress... type... thing??? Anyway this is the back of it, I haven't put the buttons on the front yet but I'll show it off when I finish the next part.

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All green so far, so let's get some pink in there! That's next up.

 

Earlier this year I planned to take part in this round; Mori Style / Dark Mori [ Round 99 ] and not in Eveningwear/Haute Couture [ Round 97] But what happened? Suddenly I made an evening gown, and the mori plans faded away. Still there is time left in June so maybe I shall make something very simple this time.

I am waiting for a doll, Finley from Souldoll NEW kids double girl(big). She has not yet arrived, but I would like to do this wearable for her. I will use my Soul kid girl body (NL) small chest as model and try to make the clothes wide enough for my new doll.

 

I have a plan. Will use some of this: Probably the green and beige.

 

@BlackSheep That looks great! Pants can be very tricky to fit, so reaching a satisfactory pair in just two versions isn't bad.

@JennyM Nice to see you joining in. That's a lovely selection of fabrics.

I am perhaps about half way on the shawl. So far it's just a big granny triangle, but I will add a border that will hopefully make it look a little bit more finished.


And I've made the black over dress. I still plan to add embriodery to break it up a bit, right now it looks like a very big black block of colour and it realy don't go very well together. Hopefully with the embroidery it will work out. But it does look a lot more solid black that it did in my head when I designed it, so we'll see. Worst case scenario I'll make a new one in a different fabric.

 

@BlackSheep Those pants look so so cute!!! I really love the look of yours so far and I can't wait to see it with the pink accents next! It's going to look so gorgeous!!
@Lillith The dress looks beautiful!! I love the layering effect you have going on.

Finally finished up a bit more of my boys dark mori outfit. I ended up adding golden eyelets and string to give the shirt a bit more visual intrigue. I just thought that it needed something a bit more once I had finished up the test version of his shirt. I definitely like my original design as a first pass but it had a lot to be improved. I'm using yarn temporarily for lacing up the eyelets but I plan to switch to some black lace or rope (depending, I might just stick with the yarn too because it works very well visually) when I go to get the fabric to make his cowl. The pants are also all finished up!

I also can't thank you guys enough for all the feedback I got for the design portion of the collar. I ended up using acrylics because I kinda wanted it to have a pretty messy look. This seemed like something the character would draw on himself so I wanted to keep that vibe.


Next up is the jacket! I plan on just using a variation on the shirt pattern, making it a lot longer and flaired at the bottom (and with sleeves of course)

 

@kiraabsol Looking good! The smile works really well and I like the idea about it being something he did himself. I have a similar idea about the embroidery on Beatrices dress, trying to make it so that she could possibly have done it herself to customize a ready made dress.

 

4 ruffled legs...
Ruffles by mare joy smith, on Flickr

and some velvet pinning... this jacket was started for someone else, but seems to fit nicely around this boy!!
Ruffles by mare joy smith, on Flickr

 

@Lillith @kiraabsol Thank you so much! I'm having fun so far!

@dailymare I love this outfit so much, it looks so elegant! And I like seeing clothes made for four-legged dolls, so that's an excellent bonus.

 

Oh that velvet is gorgeous!

 

Everyone's projects look so cool and interesting! @dailymare I LOVE those ruffled pants, they are too cute!

And thanks everyone for your kind words on Quinn's outfit!

 

I joined late, and can't say how much I admire all your work! I dont understand all of it but I really like it.

My own plan right now is a smaller beige dress, with lace, opened at the back, and one larger green dress opened at the front with buttons. On top of that she will wear an over sized cardigan that I have made for an SD doll or perhaps a shawl.

The underskirt is almost ready. The hem looks ugly, but it will be covered by lace.

By making a full opening at the front or back, the top part is very quickly done. The tricky part is to make the shoulder part wide enough to get the fabric through the tunnel when turning the dress right after sewing. (does this make sense?). Though this part was quick. I am not sure the complete outfit will be ready within June. I have no suitable buttons for the dress, and some more details.

 

@Lillith The outfit looks great! but I understand your point that you find the black a bit too black. This might be totally against your original plan, but what about black socks for the balance?

 

@kiraabsol Your guy's shirt is SO cool!! I love the detailing/drawstrings!

 

Something like this is what I aim for. I think I shall leave it like this for while. I need to find the right buttons for the green dress. Perhaps add some more details also. And then finish the wrong side of the dresses. I added the very old inherited lace to an apron with a few stitches. I did not want to destroy it.

 

Beautiful!

I think the black dress with a multi color embroidery would look awesome, and maybe some black shoes or socks.

 

That's a lot done in a very short time! I think this is turning out absolutely gorgeous and I'm sure your new doll will be pleased when she arrives.
I think either pearl buttons or wooden ones would look good on the green dress. Pearl is always a safe bet for tricky to match colours since it tends to "pick up" the colours from around it. But I think the brown in wooden buttons would pick up the warmer tone from the antique lace and bind it together nicely as well.
Or you could just make something to match out of polymer clay.

@PoeticSoul Thank you very much. The shawl is still a work in progress but I finished the embroidery last night and will post some pictures.

@Rubytinker Embroidery done! And I think you and JennyM are right about socks and shoes. Beatrice has plenty of dark socks in her warderobe already, so that's no problem, but I'll have to get creative with shoes, I think. She is an odd size, so she has very few pairs compared to my other dolls. But I'm sure I will figure something out.

The black dress in it's current state:

And since my camera refused to let the dark red show up, her is an edited close up that is a bit more honest about the colours:

 

@JennyM This is so cute! I love what you've done so far!

 

@Lillith The close up picture shows that the black fabric is absolutely right for this. And the embroidery ties it even more together, nice work!

 

@Lillith That’s so pretty! I like how you matched the flower color to the underdress. It brings the outfit together so well

 

Oh, that's just what it needed!

 

Thanks everybody!

I have finished the shawl and it turned out all right. It could have been bigger, but this will do. It really looks like something she would wear.

 

Thank you @PoeticSoul
I am over all pretty happy with her outfit and could call myself finished, but there is a bit left of the month and I am thinking that a hat or a pair of shoes couldn't hurt, so I may still be making a few more things.

 

@BlackSheep, this is looking really good! The layers all coordinate together beautifully!

@kiraabsol, great job on your boys outfit! I love the lacing on the shirt!

@dailymare, I love all the ruffles, and it looks gorgeous with the velvet!

@JennyM, I love the total look of this.

@Lillith, beautiful! Your embroidery adds a lovely finish to the black dress! I love that shawl.

 

The shawl completes the outfit perfectly!

 

My new doll just arrived and I can finish her outfit. Have not even tried it on yet!
Thank you all for jour kind comments, and @Lillith I still dont have any buttons, but your comments sound right. I love the pictures you all publish, it is so interesting to see all creativity and solutions.