COLLARED!!!!

Much of the commercial Barbie clothes are created using many, many shortcuts. While some of these are necessary to avoid bulk, most are due to financial constraints. And though I too use glue, Velcro and try to keep the number of seams to a minimum, I still wanted to create a jacket with "real" collars.

One jacket, two looks when you add a fur collar.

In my last post, I showed you how to create a fitted blazer without collar. To illustrate the versatility of that jacket, I begin this post with a very simple way of creating one with a collar. Back in the 1960's, my mother had suits with removable fur collars! With that thought, I took one of the suits I featured already, and gave it a second life with a bit of faux fur, tacked in place.

I made another suit of out of an old fringed shawl. I cut out the pattern pieces so that the hemline fall just above the fringe. After you have finished making the suit, cut off some of the fabric near the fringe and sew or glue in place over the rough edges. I've actually creating a facing (see below), added the fringe then stitched it inside the jacket so that the collar lays over neckline.

Now that we've got those juices flowing, let's attempt our first "real" collar. This looks more complicated than it is. Just take your time.

THE SHAWL COLLAR

1. Begin with your front hip length sloper (lower the armhole by /8-inch and extend the front by 1/4-inch). Draw a diagonal line from the shoulder neck point to as far down the front as you want the V neck to be on the CF (Center Front) line. This is your "break point." Mark

2. Measure the distance between point B to point A on the neckline of the back sloper.

3. Extend the diagonal line you drew on the jacket front the length of A to B (on the back sloper).

4. Draw a perpendicular line up from the diagonal line. Decide how high you want the collar to rise and make a mark that is twice the desired height. (Remember, this will be folded over). Then mark (C). My collar on the above jacket is 1/2 inch which folds down to 1/4-inch.
5. Draw a curved line from point C to the break point.
6. You pattern should look like this.

7. Add seam allowance.

8. Make a facing. Mark as shown (about 1/2-inch from cutting edge).

9. Trace the facing and add seam allowance.

You will sew the facings along the CB (Center Back seam). Press. Next, pin the facing to the jacket right side to right side and sew. Clip all right angle points, diagonally. The turn inside out and press well. Fold the collar down onto itself.

THE NOTCHED COLLAR

1. Use the jacket pattern as is (without cutting away the neckline). Be sure to add the extension over from the CF and add your seam allowance.

2. Using a cheap cotton or muslin, create a "toile" so that you can adjust for fit and create your collar.
3. Create the collar. Begin by placing a small rectangle of fabric at the base of the doll's neck. Make sure the CB is indicated both on your "toile" as well as on the cloth.

4. Pin this fabric around the neckline, keeping the cloth close to the doll's neck.
5. Clip around the neck as you pin. When you arrive in the front, your collar, shape the way you want the upper collar to appear.  Mark where the collar attached to the neckline (about midway between the shoulder and the CF).
6. The under collar (folded over from the bodice) should remain on top. Pin and mark.

7. Remove from the toile. Smooth out the lines. Make sure the collar is even from one side to the other. Create your pattern.
8. Turn under the top and sides of the collar. If you chose to line it you can, but leave the neckline seam flat.
9. Baste the collar to the jacket, respecting the end points you have previously marked.

10. Create a facing by marking roughly 3/8-inch from the edge around the neckline and down the front of the front. Same thing from shoulder to shoulder on the back. But make sure it's the same width as the front facing at the point they join on the shoulder. Add seam allowance.

Sew the facings together at the shoulders. Then, right to right side, pin the facing to the jacket (and over the collar). Stitch all the way around. When you turn the facing outside in, the collar will pop up but the rough seams will be hidden under the facing. Press well.

Here's a variation of the fitted jacket with a notched collar inspired by Japanese designer, Yohji Yamamoto's Spring2014 collection. It's a shaped jacket but cut long. Afterwards, I've cut the jacket so that it is a bit shorter in the front. I added oversized patch pockets set in at an angle. The sleeves are attached only at the bottom of the armhole.

THE MANDARIN COLLAR

1. Again, start out with the jacket pattern however, lower the neckline by 1/8-inch.

2. Create collar: Measure the back neckline (A-B). Draw a horizontal line and mark.
3. Measure the front neckline B-C. Extend that line and mark.
4. A-D represents the collar height.  The collar on my jacket is 3/8-inch (which frankly, I discovered was a bit too tall. If I were to do this again, I would make the collar at 1/4".) To camouflage the fault, I added beads.
5. At point C, measure up by 1/8-inch. Mark. From that mark, measure 1/8-inch to the left.
6. Create a curved line between A-C. Repeat that curve on the top.
7. This was only 1/2 collar. You must fold the paper at the CB and trace off to complete the full collar. Add seam allowance.

Again, you will baste the collar onto the jacket at the neckline, right side to right side between both CF points on the jacket. ( At this point your collar is upside down, joined at the neck.)

8. Make your facing as described for the notched collar. Add seam allowance.

Attached to the jacket right side to right side.
Stitch. Turn inside out. The collar is now upright. But you will need to clip all curves and press really well. The following photos illustrates how this works.

All images and text property of Fashion Doll Stylist. 2013. Please do not reproduce without prior permission. Thank you.

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Good Foundations: The Basic Blazer

Our trend reports included many jackets which prompted me to prepare this project. Until now, we've used the basic bodice sloper (minus the dart) as a base for a simple jacket. But what if you want to make a hip length blazer that has, perhaps, a little more shape?

Inasmuch as the intent of this blog is to present simple ways to draft basic patterns, I spent much of the past week experimenting with various techniques. I made four five different patterns, employing both draping and flat pattern drafting and was quite happy. However, settling on a method which is easy to explain was quite a challenge!

I started out using the sheath dress pattern as a base for my jacket. This results in very fitted jacket to which you will need to add 1/8-inch to the side seams if you should decide to go with that. And while quite valid, using the sheath pattern assumes you've already elected to make that dress prior to reading this post. Instead, I thought it more appropriate to focus, instead, on a pattern you can draft from scratch. So, I went back to the drawing board, reviewed all of my (more complicated) college drafting notes, played around with them to arrive at something much less complicated.

You can use the sheath dress pattern as a foundation for the blazer. Check for desired length by placing on the doll.

Even in the simplicity of the jackets featured on this page, there are quite a few steps. Thus, I will present this project over two posts. Today, we will draft the hip length sloper, then move on to a V-neck, shaped jacket (without collar). The following post will show you how to create a blazer with a notched collar, the shawl collar.

THE HIP-LENGTH SLOPER
The hip-length sloper can be used, not only as a base for the blazer, but also for a number of other garments including coats, jackets, dresses and foundations for eveningwear.

1. Begin with the bodice sloper. Transfer half the dart into the armhole. You can use the pivot method.

2. At the bottom of the bodice, add a box which measures 1-1/4 inch down from waist on the CF line. The left side of the box should be parallel to the underarm point of the bodice.

3. Invert the bottom of the dart so that it extends 1 inch below the waist (which lines up with the hip line of the 11 1/2 or 12 inch doll).
4. Soften the curve on the side.

5. Draw the back sloper. At the bottom of the bodice, add a box which measures 1 1/4-inch down from the waist on the CB line. The right side of this box should be parallel to the bottom point on the armhole seam.

6. Soften the curve on the side.

7. Lower the armhole on both the front and back bodices by 1/8-inch.

8. Cut out the pattern pieces, laying the front over the back, then check to make sure the length and curves on the side seams match.

9. Finish the pattern by adding seam allowance then make your pattern into a muslin (toile). By doing this, you can adjust the fit, take in or let the pattern out depending on the look and fit you desire.

SLEEVE SLOPER
1. We will need to make a new sleeve. Take your original sleeve sloper and add seam allowance + another 1/8-inch around your pattern and transfer onto a slightly larger square of muslin. Mark the center of the sleeve.

2. Mark the seam allowance of the armhole around the edge of the bodice.

3. Begin by pinning the sleeve at the top of the cap, folding under the seam allowance. Continue all the way around (even if it means turning the doll upside down.

 

4. Make as many adjustments as necessary until the sleeve fits well and looks good. While you are working, keep the center line of the sleeve in line with the shoulder seam. Move the doll's arm up and down to assure ease of movement. The underarm sleeve seam should also meet up with the side seam under the arm. Keep working until the sleeve is as perfect as possible.

5. Mark where the sleeve meets the bodice (on the sleeve pattern) using a different colored pencil.

6. Remove the sleeve from the bodice and create your sleeve pattern. Smooth out the lines. Redistribute the space over both sides of the sleeve center line so that the pattern is balanced on both sides. I've curved the side lines but you can straighten them for sleeves with more volume.

BLAZER DRAFT WITH V-NECK
1. Trace off the hip length sloper onto graph paper. Be sure to mark the Center Front line. For a single breasted jacket measure 1/4-inch plus 1/4-inch seam allowance from the CF and mark with a vertical line.. For double breasted jacket, you will need to extend 1/2 inch plus 1/4 seam allowance.

2. For your first jacket, let's stick to something without a collar. Decide how low you want to the neckline to be. Draw a diagonal line from the shoulder neck tip to that point.

3. Unless you plan to fully line your jacket, you will need to make a facing. Place the front and back bodices, shoulder to shoulder. The back sloper will practically be upside down.

4. Make a line that follows the direction of the outer edges approximately 5/8" from the edge starting from the back, and straight down to the hem of the jacket in the front.

5. Add seam allowance to the side of the facing that is joined to the jacket.

You can also transform this 2-dart front jacket pattern into a princess line. (See "Princess Diaries")

Even though there is no collar to this garment, this pattern still makes for a very attractive jacket. But we're not finished. Stay tuned. Coming up next: another set of blazers with the notched collar and the shawl collar!

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All images and text property of Fashion Doll Stylist 2013. Please do not reproduce without prior permission. Thank you.

Doll's Eye View: Paris Spring '14 Revised Classics

Not everything shown on a Paris catwalk is avant-garde fashion. While many designers strive to capture front page news with their designs, most do what comes natural....making beautiful clothes that flatter the woman. In fact, what the French houses (and those foreigners who aligned themselves with this market) do best are classic styles with a fresh new twist that remains quintessentially feminine. In this, the last of our Doll's Eye View for Spring Summer 2014 Trends, we present the best of what we saw in Paris last week, quite naturally.... from the not-so-humble perspective of our 12-inch fashionistas.

FADE TO BLACK

In a word, this is about timeless fashion. Whether for day or for night, the "little black dress," goes everywhere. Simple to make, chic for all ages and eras, the simple sheath dress looks particularly new when pulled in at the waist with a wide, waist cinching belt. At night, our dolls slip into a whisper of Chantilly lace, cut into curvy dresses that show off the body.

SO PRETTY

When we would invite designers into the classroom for the Designer Critic sessions, the one resounding characteristic of French style communicated to our students was....FEMININITY. Paris loves to surprise, but this underlying element makes style a giddy, girly-girl experience. Think fitted bodice, pinched at the waist over a flared, gathered or even pleated skirt.

 SHORT CAKES

Yes, let us remember that, in spite of the fact it is October, we are looking at next Spring and SUMMER fashion trends. Let us assume that somewhere on this earth it will be hot and that your dolls WILL want to wear something really cool. Let's talk shorts. There's nothing to making a pair of short. What she wears on top is totally at your discretion. Keep it easy, breezy or cover her up a bit. We like the city tops with sleeves that can be just as easily paired with a skirt as it can with shorts. 

 

BASIC BLOCKS

The color blocking trend, which started last spring, continues on. While the silhouettes themselves are pretty easy to make, putting these looks together means cutting the design or pattern piece in white or black, then reassembling them like an old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle. The take-away here is to think back to the kicky "Mod" styles of the 1960's but give them a bit of a twist to ground them into the current decade.

 

VARIATIONS OF A THEME  JACKET

And so, you think a suit is simply a jacket and skirt/pants? Think again. Take a look at the options in this tableau. You can start with a classic, hip-length, double breasted jacket over trousers like the one at Balmain, a super long blazer over micro mini skirt at Chanel, or a longer, curvier version emulating the "New Look" introduced by Dior in the late 1940's. But why stop there. Have some fun with the dimensions, proportions or even the placement of the jacket's elements as seen through the prisms of avant-gardists, Victor & Rolf or Yohji Yamamoto.

 

 

 

 

 



We could not pass up recreating a mini-version of the classic power suit designed by Balmain. It is a short (cut just above the top of the hips) double breasted jacket with patch pockets.

 

Once we finished that one, the temptation was too great to then attempt the blazer as redesigned by iconic Japanese designer, Yohji Yamamoto. This starts with a curvy jacket with over-sized pockets and sleeves that fall away from the shoulders. It was a bit of a challenge, however when finished, it is quite a little marvel to look at. Note: we'll be doing an exercise on creating suit jackets, shortly so you can get in on the fun.

JEANS POOL

These are not exactly your mother's denim gear. The designers take blue jeans to the next (creative) level. We love the jean bustier with metallic jean zips wrapping horizontally around the body. We also like the surface treated blazer by Barbara Bui. The key word here is TEXTURE!

In an earlier post, we found a square of embroidered silk tulle that we made into a tunic dress. Here, we took that tunic, added a long piece of sheer black fabric at the hemline, then paired it with wide jeans. We also loved the idea of denim with a painted design by Barbara Bui. Here, Melissa wears a denim (sheath) dress made from a pocket taken off a pair of men's jeans. We traced part of a design taken from an Art Nouveau poster with blue marker, then painted in the negative space in a slightly darker tone.

 

SKIN FLICKS

There's nothing more classic or edgy than black leather. Worn in touches or as an overall look, designers had fun, treating it like any other fabric, cut in simple, bold silhouettes.

 

FRINGE BENEFITS

There's not so much bling on the catwalks these days. Replacing twinkle-twinkle is fringe! It accentuates the movement of the body and adds an overall drama to an otherwise nondescript silhouette. Here the designers played with direction and length.

We loved Jean Paul Gaultier so much, we could not resist doing a doll-version of this very sexy dress. To make matters easy, I used a matte stretch vinyl fabric which gives the illusion of leather. You will need a special machine needle to sew this, as I discovered. (I ended up sewing this dress by hand!) It is a 2-piece dress consisting of a one-shouldered top over a wrap skirt. I added rows of fringe (the same fabric cut into slivers). Okay, so it won't sashay around her thighs like the model behind her, but it still adds a very sexy edge to an already hot look.

IT'S A WRAP!

What could be easier? The wrap coat is back with a vengeance. The simplicity of this style gets all jazzed up when you choose a floral, op-art or even leather.

 

SWAN SONG

The night time version of our "So Pretty" theme, soft, filmy fabics and lace make for an elegant and graceful look. What's new for next spring in this category is the coat-dress ensemble. A look that takes us back to the early 1960's Jackie Kennedy era, the coat and dress shown here by Nina Ricci, are conceived as a total look (as opposed to a separate coat tossed over her shoulders.)

SILVERADO

We don't see so many beads and rhinestones. On the contrary, fashions continue to shine on in shiny, metallic fabrics. Our girl, Joy (third from the left) mimics Lanvin's sterling 2-piece dress. Hers is cut from silver leather which she wears with a necklace made from a bit of pie-tin. Again, silhouettes are super simple.

GOLD STANDARD

Well, some people REALLY cannot help themselves. Though there is precious few of these golden looks forecasted for next summer, the one we saw were stand-outs. Look for lame. Or better yet, chain-mail.. 1960's revisited.

 

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