The AI Challenge

For most of this summer, I have been mesmerized by a Instagram Reel attributed to BiasCutWoman, a self prescribed artist/digital creator who uses Artificial Intelligence (AI)  to aid in her digital fashion creations.  This particular animation features a flat white square with the letter "H" cut in the middle. As it evolves, a perfectly formed dress emerges, fitted to the torso, releasing side drapes and an asymmetrical hemline. Fascinating!

Images created by biascutwoman@instagram.com

I took still photos of the screen (above) however if you have an Instagram account, you might want to check out the ANIMATION  for yourself.

It all looks so simple... you cut an H inside of a square and everything effortlessly pulls up into a dress. EXCEPT...... the more I studied it, the more questions it raised. Does it really form a dress? How do you get in and out of the dress? What about those big gaps that form on either side of the body? The animation eventually led me to the designer's IG page where I was delighted to find a post showing how she created a real dress in fabric.

Images by biascutwoman@instagram.com

On screen, the drape of the dress suggests her chosen fabric might be some sort of stretch material, which in itself explains how to get in and out of the garment. As for the gaps on each side.... the top of each gap was stitched along the top edge, thus creating a sort of panel which flaps about as the model spins around. Another aid in getting in and out of the dress...she's added straps at the top. Hmmmm...I decided to engage in the challenge with a little help from my ladies. Though interesting, we were not wild about the end resort, I made the decision to use a woven fabric and not stretch.

Following the "pattern" and cutting a square from an old bed sheet, this was my result, modeled by Priscilla. The only thing I added that was not part of the original square, were bows over the hips for reasons I'll explain later in this post. After evaluating my end result, I concluded the original design was worthy of further exploration. 

My first thought was...what happens when you use a handkerchief or pocket square to make this dress. Note: they are usually plentiful at vintage shops.

Let's first start by creating the "pattern." 

This begins by creating a square then folding that square in half each way. 

Align the doll so that the vertical line cuts through the center line of the doll. The base of the neck is in line with the horizontal line.

Depending on whether you want a higher waist or lower waist, draw a vertical line (blue) from the top of the shoulder to that point on the torso. The light blue dress (above has a lower waist. However the dress below has a higher waist...it depends on the desired result. 

Whatever length that (blue line is, extend the same length of line above the horizontal line. 

Measure the distance from blue/red line to the center vertical line and draw another line (green) the exact distance to the right of the center line. 

Without the doll, here's what your pattern will look like. (The dotted horizontal lines are fold lines. The 'H" are cutting lines.

1. Place the pocket square over the pattern and trace off the "H"

2. Cut along the solid lines of the "H" then make a running stitch (either by hand or machine) around both sides of the "H"

3. Fold along the stitched edges and turn under then press down. 

4. You can stitch or glue down.

5. Turn once again.

6. Hand stitch in place.

7. Press.

Pick up the middle of the H and place on the body, taping the edges to the doll's shoulders. Without doing anything, the "dress" looks like this. Clearly adjustments must be made!

One of those decisions was--what to do with the huge gaps the dress creates over the hips! But let's start at the top.

1. At the shoulders, untape the dress, then place the front shoulder tips over the back. Tack down the left side (your left/doll right) with a few stitches. For the opposite side, use a hook and eye closure to close--remembering to place front over back.

3.For the gap that falls over the hips....I chose to use a running stitch to create gathers on both sides.

Draw up the fabric as close as possible and stitch it so the gathers don't move.

2. When you have done this to both sides, fold the little area above the gathers in the front over the back and stitch down on the left. 

4. Sew another hook and eye at the waist on the other side of the dress, over the gathers to fit the dress closer to the body. 

If you are not happy with the gathered areas, feel free to add some sort of "decoration," ribbons or bows, to hide it like I did with the light blue cotton dress.

I'm pretty happy with the results. It makes for a pretty little sun dress for Julia. But I didn't stop there. What would this dress look like as eveningwear? For my next dress, I chose a sheer polyester organza. The edges were all "flamed" so no hemming was necessary.

The steps are exactly the same. You use the same pattern and cut out the "H." But instead of turning the edges, I flame sealed them instead. Tape the top of the "bodice to the shoulders. Then proceed...

1. Start with the "gaps" on the sides.

2. Make gathers by making a running stitch along the top edge and drawing it up. Make a few extra stitches to secure the gathers in place. 

3. The result looks like this, but you will want to draw up the gathers as close as possible.

4. Repeat on the other side. The dress is a little wild at this point.

Like the author of this dress design, I have "cheated" a little here and there. 

5. I cut a small piece of sheer ribbon and attached it to the shoulder points. You can stitch the front and back bodice to this tape on the left side (doll's right side), but stitch the other side to the front of the ribbon and use thin velcro or hook & eye to the other side (allowing the doll to get in and out of the dress). 

6. The sides tend to fly up and bounce around, so I cheat by taking them down in place with hidden stitches to the dress always falls in place the way I want.

I wanted the dress to fit closer to the body, so this time around, I stitched a strip of thin ribbon to either side of the waist. It is tied in the back. Like this, the doll can get in and out of the dress yet enjoy a nice fit!

The end is quite interesting.....resembling a black orchid of sorts!

Final thoughts...

It's a new world out there..... My overall impression is that the AI robots must still rely on human input...at least for now. It's one thing to create an image of a garment, (everything is possible in a sketch) but unless you are familiar with things like fabric, construction and fit, you're only dealing with something imaginary. 

Onto the next challenge!!!!!

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Ragtime Melodies

There is something called "artwear." Generally found at arts and crafts fairs, these are hand made, one-of-a-kind garments and accessories created by regional artisans. Most of the time these items are not fashion. However, from time to time, designers are influenced by a craftsman's technique and translates it into high fashion. A few years ago, I saw a shaggy jacket during menswear week that I thought could be interesting. So, for this first tutorial of the new year, I have revived the "rag jacket" and scaled it down for my dolls. This is super easy to make and takes almost no skill. 

The concept is simple. In essence, It's a rug knotting technique used to create a jacket or shawl. You begin with a netting material at the base and an old garment cut into slivers. Tie each piece onto the honeycomb cell of the base. There is no sewing. It's as easy as tying a simple knot! My base material in this case is the plastic nettin that encased my Christmas turkey. Sometimes vegetables are wrapped in the same "material." But if none of your food comes wrapped in such a material, an old fashioned hairnet (generally found at beauty supply stores) will work as well! 

You need to use the most simplest patterns as possible. I really wanted sleeves, so I created a very simple "boxy" pattern that is joined along the underside of the sleeve and side of the garment. But frankly, the simple tube  we used to create our shrugs or a stole is less complicated and will render almost the same look. 

Here is the pattern I used. It was created by stretching out the doll's arms (for width) and deciding the length of the finished garment and drawing a box around the whole thing. There is a slit at the center front. Usually whenever I've used such a pattern, there is a horizontal slit at the neck. However, the netting is so loose, you don't really need to introduce a slit.

Cut a piece of the netting so that it covers the pattern. You will use the pattern to help guide you as you tie on the slivers of fabric. What I discovered is that it is better if you make that cut along the center front line. You can "finish" the front edges with fabric ties.

1. It's very simple. Whatever your fabric or material source is, cut them into slivers. For this jacket, I cut up an old pair of my dad's jeans into slivers that are approximately 1/2 inch (1 cm) by 4 inches (9cm). They don't have to be even. If the fabric frays, all the better. But if you want a more "controlled" effect, you could use ribbon, for example. You could even cut up non-woven materials like tulle, vinyl, even dryer sheets. 

2. Get comfortable. Put on a good movie or two. Pour yourself a glass of wine or put on a pot of coffee. You're going to be working on this for awhile. Tie each piece around the cells of the netting. Continue until you have covered the area. 

3. Put this on the doll and cut more ties.

4. I use more fabric slivers to tie the underarm and sides of the jacket.

5. Once I have finished, cut away the excess netting. Then tie on more slivers to hide the cut plastic edges.

6. And Voila! Here's Nicki and her new jacket. Very 1980's! But very versatile. With jeans and sneakers it's an extravagant daytime look. With a short circle silk skirt and thigh high boots...it's urban high fashion. 

I will say this. The jacket is heavy. What I learned is that you do not have to tie up the entire surface of the netting. But where you see gaps (around the neck and sleeves, for example), you can "modify" the fit simply by tying the cells together. The look of this jacket will change depending on the material used.

By changing the fabric to a lightweight metallic, my 80's jacket is upgraded to something that could walk the Met Gala (US Vogue Magazine's annual high fashion red carpet event at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art). 

Katoucha wears it over a silver lurex gown. Of course before finishing this post, I wanted to try one more variations. What happens if you use yarn?

1. This is your ordinary wool yarn. I cut it into pieces of 6" (15cm) in length). I cut two pieces which are then folded in half and cut to make four pieces. I thread the four pieces of yarn through each cell and tie. Eventually I smooth the yarn so that it is all moving in the same direction. 

2. Since this is a stole, the base is a simple rectangle. When finished, you can add two longer lengths of yarn as ties to hold the stole around the doll's neck or shoulders.

3. When finished the backside looks like this. 

4. If you want, you can add on a lining. Here, I've used a piece of panne velvet as my lining. Turn the edges down and pin in place. Then hand stitch the lining in place.

And voila....Samantha looks stunning in her shaggy shawl!  Stay safe. Have fun!

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The Notorious LBD

After all of the fancy clothes I've made over the years, you're probably looking at this my opening photo wondering....what happened? Why is she going backwards? There is a rather "special" fashion month taking place right now. So far the girls are not impressed. What we can say right now is that times have changed. Seriously impacted by the pandemic, fashion professionals are noticing a seismic shift in wardrobe needs and desires. It appears that as a society, we are shifting away from the fancy gowns, the suits and other complicated gear in favor of simplicity and comfort. Consequently the challenge now is figuring out where to go from here.  So we thought it was the perfect time to pause and go back to basics with.....the eternal, the iconic, the timeless.....little black dress (LBD). 

Mattel's Barbie Basics: Little Black Dress Collection 001

Though I've made an abundance of black dresses for my ladies, at this point in time, I wanted to return to the simplest, most basic dress. Inspired by the original Barbie Model Muse Little Black Dress dolls, it remains the core value of my collection and a marker of where many of our collections began. Consider this as a way to "cleanse the palette" while we wait on the new "main dish." Personally, I like to put my girls in these dresses while they await their next modeling assignment or in between seasons while I am figuring out how to redress them. 

So what exactly is a "little black dress" and why is it so special? Simply put, the little black dress serves as a sort of canvas for everything that goes on top from coats, jackets to belts, jewelry and shawls. By itself, it is nothing all that special. But on the other hand, we can create our own personal fashion by layering on a mix and match of things we already have on hand. And while you can make any of these basic dresses in the color or print of your choice, I've stuck with black because--as I've discovered in my own social life-- it is a chic color that goes anywhere, everywhere, all the time.

Of course, for this project, I was inspired by my Barbie's original dresses. Chic, simple and very well made, these are some of my favorites. I have examined them for hours on end trying to figure out exactly why I love them so. One thing I've noticed was how simply they are constructed. Where possible, the shoulder seam has been eliminated which means less bulk and a better fit at an crucial spot. Also, it condenses everything into a single pattern piece which makes each dress, faster to put together.

For this project you will need a set of jersey knit slopers and some 2-way stretch jersey fabric. For the tutorial on how to make the knit sloper for you doll, you can look HERE or see the video HERE. The concept is pretty simple. We take the basic slopers and align them along the shoulder. You can change the neckline to anything you want. Or even add a sleeve if you choose.

1. Take the front sloper and trace a mirror image on the other side of the CF line to create full front sloper. At this point, you can also elongate the sloper to create the desired dress length. Make a second back sloper.

2. Line up the 2 back slopers at the shoulder line of the front. If you want to change the neckline, this is a good time to do so and by doing it on the flat, this will assure the front will match up with the back.

3. For my pattern, I cut deep armholes around the shoulders into a "halter neck" effect. Add seam allowance. Cut out your pattern from a single layer of jersey. 

4. Turn down the edges along the armholes and neckline and stitch or fabric glue.

This is the dress this pattern create. But if I stick to the original sloper and then add a sleeve, this is the result:

The set in sleeve has a more classic, structured look. But we can also make a dress with a dolman sleeve where the shoulder line is softer and we remain with a single pattern piece.

1. Again, we begin with the basic slopers aligned along the shoulder line. Take the sleeve sloper and align it so that the center line follows the line and direction of the shoulder line.

2. Here, I've used a ruler to show how the sleeve follows the line of the bodice shoulder line.

3. Underneath the armhole, make a curve line (shown in red here) to join the sleeve to both the front and back bodice slopers.

4. Cut the dress out in fabric. Turn under the neckline as well as the hems of both sleeves.

5. Fold over the dress and sew.

6. This pattern yields this dress.

We can also do other things with the sloper such as incorporate shirring on one side. In fact, this is one of my favorite Barbie LBD dresses!

1. This starts with the full front sloper. 

2. Mark one side of the waist with a dot. And on the other side, mark with dots where you want to incorporate fabric that will be shirred back in place. 

3. Cut this pattern piece out and slash.

4. Trace the external edges to create your pattern. But make marks as to where the gathers will be. That corresponds to the area on one side where you have slashed.

5. Add seam allowance. Be sure to transfer the gathering marks on the front sloper so you know exactly the area to be shirred. 

6. Finish the neckline and armhole edges. Fold the dress over at the shoulder and pin the sides in place. The one side will fit perfectly, the other side will need to be gathered in between the marks you made so that it fits perfectly with the back of the dress.

All by itself, this dress makes for a lovely little black dress for cocktail wear! Does the little black dress always have to be cut close to the body? I decided I'd loosen things up a bit for the girls by making a tent dress. You really don't need a jersey for this, but a soft jersey will make the dress swing over the body just right!

Same concept, different silhouette. I've added sleeves. You can leave them out! If this is all too complicated for you, there are simpler options. 

This is as easy as making a T-shirt and it has no back closure. It works only if you are working with a quality jersey and if the neckline is wide enough for the doll's body to wiggle through the neckline!

I made this using the basic full front sloper, except that I raised the shoulder line so that it is horizontal (not slanted). The front and the back slopers are equal. The neckline is cut deep enough in the front and the back. After cutting it out, all you need to do is to turn down the edges and slide it right on the doll!

And here's the easiest of easy that doesn't even need a pattern. The sarong!

This is a rectangle of jersey fabric measuring roughly 8 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" long. The rectangle is wrapped from the back, under the arms and across the body, ending up at the back of the neck. I added a snap on each of the upper corners. All you need from there is a belt!

There is one drawback to 1-piece patterns. Their odd shapes take up a lot of space on the fabric which could result in a bit of waste. So I highly recommend cutting out several at a time. Play around with the layout of the pattern pieces on the fabric. What I've done here was to play around with the layout, then chalk the patterns down directly on the fabric. Yes, the lines look fuzzy, but you should look at the straight line created by the chalk at the edge of the paper pattern and cut along that line. This is not a necessary step, but I did this because the jersey often moves around if the paper pattern is simply pinned to it.

So now that we have our little black dresses....let the show begin! Let that inner stylist take over.  Have fun by mixing and matching other pieces in your dolls' wardrobes along with  all the boots, shoes, hats and jewelry you've been collecting! To get you started, here are a few ideas!

Note: For this post, I did not include the strapless dress or 1-shouldered dress. For the tutorial on how to create those from the jersey knit sloper as well as others that make for really nice little black dresses, be sure to check out:

String Theory

Basic Instincts

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