Lace it up!!!

Lace camisole worn with a dramatic drape of washed lace.

One of my favorite materials to work with is lace. Dating back to the 15th-16th century, the concept of its design was to give the impression of flowers suspended in space. With a beautiful piece of lace draped around the doll, you really need little else for high fashion drama. The lace items featured in this post, were built directly on the doll.

The one-piece camisole is easy to make and perfectly showcases the beauty of the pattern. I begin by wrapping a length of lace around the doll, carefully placing the motifs exactly how I want them to fall over the body. Pin at the back. Next, I pinch the lace under each bust, creating a "tuck" (allowing the fabric to release above and below the pin). Turn the doll over and make two more tucks on either side of the doll. Make sure the volume of the camisole is well distributed. Adjust each tuck until the garment is well balanced. Now, hand stitch the tucks in place. Turn the cut edges under at the back and add a hook & eye for the closure. In this case, I have added straps using another lace trim.

Steps 1-2

Step 3

The above doll is from Tonner. However I used the same lace for the 11 1/2" Barbie repeating the same exercise. It falls lower on this doll, however, on her, I've decided to create a dress. I drape the camisole exactly the same way as featured above. The skirt is formed directly on her body by wrapping another piece of lace around her waist, making four tiny pleats to pull the silhouette close to her body.

Steps a-b-c

And finally.....lace pantyhose. While lace stockings tends to be a trendy item in America, it is a staple in the French women's wardrobe. The lace has a two-way stretch. I begin by wrapping a piece around the doll's waist and pinning at the back over the hips.

Steps d-e-f

Stretch the lace front to back of each leg as you pin down the inner seam (a). Clip and repeat for the other leg (b). Trim the excess (c). Remove from the doll. Hand stitch each leg closed and stitch down the seam at the back (d). If there is a little space at the point of the crotch, be sure to close it shut. Turn the pantyhose outside in (e). Then put the stockings back on the doll. Measure a small piece of elastic to fit tightly around the waist. Carefully stitch this in place (f).

Lace stockings worn with the stretch lace bodysuit.

Next stop....the girls head to Paris. Join us for a fun filled doll's guide to the City of Lights!!!!

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