My RanD Angel in Outfits I Designed and Made for Challenge #2

The Ellowyne Challenge Pictures disappeared!

However, I have uploaded them to my Flickr files at:

well, I'm still trying to find the alphabetize function after adding the alphabet to them in order to get them into a less random order . . . .

well, I do have a Flickr account and I am AliMcJ, if that helps at all!

Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 7:22 PM

With the sheer hose (seen in photos of grey reverse of dress) that match underblouse with classic black pumps, this is a more formal night outfit. Brooch on hat. Left off the silver rope necklace as too much with the pins, keeping the long garnet rope.

Striped socks can be worn day or night on a nineteen-year old, depending on venue, looking oh so elegant nonetheless in any way with her grandmother's rope of garnet beads.


NIGHT DAY
Silver shoulder chain more visible above left.
Also note change of wig to match the Ellowyne "Chills" coloration better.




Intended first as day, then night, and now day: having the two-layer reverse and a blouse underneath makes it look more like a jumper. With a thinner reverse (the same lace as on the hat), we'd have two evening looks. However, once the silver seed beads are added, for structure and design, this may take shape as a cocktail dress once again. Silver seed beads intended to run down both sides of box pleat, on the pleat, spaced nicely, to give more weight to the front. More seed beads to be added on top of seam of skirt to bodice, spaced more closely than running down box pleat; this will again bring more weight toward the ground, straightening out hang of bodice as well as providing a faux flat-felled seam on the back side of the skirt.

If still more weight is needed, a decorative silver seed bead border or rosettes may be added to hem of dress (it's not real silk satin -- though for a synthetic on this small scale, the hang is not bad)

The dress reversed, without the pinned skirts, and just for fun as a neopunk:



That works too. If seed beads need to be added to hem, wearing the dress reversed, as on the left, won't be a possibility.

Having burnt several finished garments made with synthetics (which I prefer not to use), on the handle or stem of my mini-iron, I decided to turn those experiences into something useful and heated all raw edges of the grey fabric to melting, just short of hardening, on the stem of my mini-iron, leaving the bottom edge unhemmed in order not to add more stiffness to the skirt.

Lots of possibilities with this outfit; can be worn without underblouse also; since Ellowyne specified that she didn't really like short skirts and lots of skin, we designed ensembles with ample coverage without sacrificing style.





. . . and the sweater is not designed to have only one sleeve. I wasn't knitting it of brambles, as in "The Seven Swans," yet still wound up a half a sleeve short.

After putting it all together -- with the sweater as a main focal point from the beginning -- I overblocked the sweater, so it is not pulling the skirts in as much as I think it would if blocked very lightly:

and scenes from the poem:

Whew!

Sorry for so many photos -- this has so many possibilities!

Fun and exhausting project; I don't think I'll knock myself out again like this, at least for a while! Once I got going, on what is a first outfit for my RanD Angel (nearly the same body measurements; Ellowyne's head is larger by about 40%, maybe even 50% -- that is to say it is 140% to 150% larger. The paper doll to exact measurements was a BIG help). Will make a hat that will fit her too.

Also, this doll was an absolute delight to work with -- her legs, strung BJD, take on a number of different personality characteristics: Japanese pigeon-toed kawai ("lovable"), bow legs, knock knees, athletic legs, and straight "regular" legs. Her weight is wonderful to have in hand and to heft around in fittings, and she is soooo affable!

I do have my jewellery supplies and tools out, so LBD may get a nice selection of jewellery; certainly Ms. Silkstone will want a boxful from which to make her selections! -- and we need to make her some shoes as well, so she may wind up being a paper/cardboard doll decked in jewellery! Then again, my devilish side is cooking up something "just for the halibut."

Done and time for a well-deserved timeout -- maybe that two-timing clock-faced doll will come knocking from wherever she ran off to! Trying to remember what it was at the Mad Hatter's tea-party ". . . ever since they quarreled last spring" (the hatter or the rabbit had quarreled with Time).

Alison