Maria Louisa Dolls copyright 2011 Printed in New Zealand

General notes
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work or portions thereof in any form. The garments made from them may not be produced for commercial sale with out the written permission of Maria Louisa Dolls. Patterns be copied and enlarged for personal use. Please read right through each of the patterns instructions before starting your project. I cant stress this enough. This is due to many points and tips that I have placed throughout each of these patterns. This will also help you to get an understanding of the pattern and help you get to a visual so you will know what step is coming up as you go through it. From my experience it will help you to minimise mistakes and save a lot of time. I used a Bernina 831 and I used the over-locker stitch. You dont have to use this machine; its just a guide for any of those Bernina sewers out there. If you dont have an over-locker stitch on your sewing machine, zigzag stitch will work fine. I prefer sewing around the edges with a sewing machine rather than an over-locker, as the subtle movements that you need to make are not easily achieved otherwise. Always test out the different stitch settings that you will use on the fabrics. This will ensure that you have the correct settings without damaging the actual pieces. This also saves quite a bit of time overall. I personally have a notebook referencing things like this, which is great when you are using a variety of stitches at one sitting. Always make a mock-up before going ahead and using your good fabric as you may find that you may need to make alterations to the garment. If you bought this pattern with the intension of making it for a Super Dollfie 10 you will not need to do this. Alternatively, if you find yourself not feeling confidant with a particular pattern, I recommend that you have a trail run using a cheaper fabric of the same weight as you will use in the final garment. When transferring markings onto your fabric, theres several different ways you can do this. I personally use a fabric pen. Depending on the pen, generally the markings either disappear with water or disappear overtime. You can also use dressmakers carbon transfer, which may be more suitable with heavy or dark fabric. When I do need to make simple small markings on the fabric I also use a chalk pencil. I always used my fabric marker to trace out the pattern pieces onto the fabric. Mainly because many of the pieces are quite small. I found by marking of the pieces out first I could save a lot of time than trying to cut around pattern pieces and I saved space in between with the fabric. Always press seams as you go. Not only does it look better to have the seams pressed, it will also sit a lot better. If you are having real difficulty do take a break from it. Youll be surprised how things can become clearer once going back to it. By all means if you feel you do need help please get in contact with me and I will do my best to help you. When choosing you fabrics, try to use fabrics that are strong and thin. This will have an overall effect of the look of the costume because if you decide to use heavy fabrics it will create too much bulk. I recommend that you use natural fabrics and always wash them before constructing the garment. Natural fibres perform well, look beautiful and are good for the environment. Also, cutting small pieces, they are less likely to fray. All the pattern pieces have their seam allowances included. Do create your own pattern pieces by tracing with out on something like sandwich paper, as many of these pieces will get a lot of use. Make sure that you always place any markings out before you start constructing the garment. It might sound cheesy, most of all have some fun with this project. I certainly did. When it comes to embellishing the garment, you can make it as simple or as elaborate as you like.

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Chemise

Cotton batiste or muslin

Matching thread

The chemise was used as a barrier or protector to the garments next to it. It wasnt worn purely for comfort against a pair of stays. It also protected the stays and gown from the natural oils and perspiration coming from the skin. In the case of the doll, it provides as a protective layer as not to scratch the dolls surface. The styles of the chemise hadnt changed a lot until the 20th century. The only difference in the garment was what your social standing was. If you were and commoner or peasant, the fabric would have been very coarse and its design was kept simple. Yet the chemise of the wealthy and the aristocracy would have been made from fine linen. There also may have been more fabric involved to allow gathering at the neckline so it could be altered for fit and comfort against the outer garments. In previous centuries parts of the chemise could be seen which also added to the overall look of their social standing. Linen was still an expensive commodity and there was no room for waist. The pieces of the chemise were carefully laid out to minimise wastage. This is a fairly simple garment to put together. You will need to give some thought when you are encasing the seams so that the seams flow downward through both sides of the arms gussets.
The seams are 1cm in depth, and this is so that it makes it manageable without it looking too bulky. The raw edges within the garment were folded inward on both sides and sewn together by hand by using a whipstitch or overhand stitch. By doing this you have created a secure seam with little chance of the seams unravelling. Apart from doing the seams at the end of the sleeves before you construct the sleeves to the gussets, all the other seams will only be encased once you have completely finished sewing the pieces together.

I choose to cut the back and front out as one whole piece. You may want to cut these pieces out individually, that is why I have placed broken lines at the top of the front and back pieces. This is to indicate that they just need to be sewn together at this point. You also will need to include a seam of 1cm around the top of the shoulder seams. If you do decide to cut them separately and sew the shoulders together, I recommend that you encase the completed seams before attaching the sleeves and the gussets to the main body. If like me, you do cut them out as one piece, use a fabric marker or chalk to indicate the shoulder line. You will need this guide when you go to stitch on the sleeves and gussets. The top opening of the garment has a fairly close fit around her head when you are dressing her. I was pretty happy to do this as the neckline sits perfectly without sacrificing the overall shape. This just means that you will need to be careful when putting the garment on, mainly around her ears. The fullest part of her head is 24.5cm, so that should be an indication whether you need to make any alterations. And because of this, I decided not to include seams on the pattern. Creating the finished neckline just requires you to turn the fabric under twice, centimetre at a time. It is pretty fiddly so do take your time. To make it easier to attach the sleeves and gussets to the body, I first constructed them together which will make it a lot easier when it all comes together. I first turned the fabric over twice, again half a centimetre at a time, from one side of the sleeves creating the hem. Then I attached the gussets onto the other end of the sleeves remember to attach them to the side that will then be sewn on the bodys side seam. Folding the gusset diagonally so that the end point turns inward. This gusset is

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to provide give under the arms. Now that the gusset meets both sides of the sleeve you can stitch them together, and continue to sew down towards the end of the sleeve. Using the guide or the shoulder seam, pin the top of the sleeve to the body, working your way down. This can be easily done, so be careful to make sure that all the pieces are sewn inside out. This is so when you turn the garment the right way round, all of the seams will be facing inward. I found this was the easiest way to sew the pieces together. All that there is left to do now is to take the open seams and turn each raw side inward, folding them carefully, and sewing them in place with a whipstitch or overhand stitch, which I mentioned earlier. Turn the bottom hem under twice to finish the garment.

Stockings

Lycra-blend fabric

Matching thread

Knitted stockings were accessories that were beautifully, decorative during the 18th century. High quality stockings were decorated at the ankle and the designs were known as clocks. They were knitted in linen, wool, cotton, and the finest being silk. Stockings were knitted on a stocking frame, which made it a more proficient means than by stitching by hand. There were cheaper available stockings and were made from textiles of wool or linen. These were cut on the bias and the seams were sewn up the back and around the foot. Stockings tended to fall down, so garters were used to hold them up, by using ribbons or leather and a buckle. This pattern made using a cotton-Lycra blend fabric. I dont recommend using a plain knit fabric, as this wont provide enough give and will lose its shape over time. These are one of the more simple garments to put together. I made my stockings without the design of an embroidered pattern on the outside leg or more commonly known as a clock, which I mentioned earlier, yet you may decide to incorporate this with your own design. I recommend that you either using the zigzag stitch or a preset stitch own your sewing machine for the stockings to over-lock the edges. The width of the zigzag stitch shouldnt be larger than 5mm as the seams will be 7mm. Stitch around the two pieces, this will stop the fabric from fraying. You will then fold the top of the stocking at 5mm and pin or tack into place. I recommend you use a zigzag stitch, as this will create more give when you are stretching and pulling the stockings over her foot and up her leg. I created a stitch of only 2mm in width and played around with the length so it created a perfect 90 angle. This was done not only to create the give needed, but I also did it for aesthetic reasons. All that there is left to do is to fold the stocking in half vertically, making sure that you keep the inside of the tights facing outside and sew up the stocking using a 7mm seam. Turning the stocking in the right way is pretty easy. It can be a bit fiddly so take your time. I used a piece of dowel and plastic piping that I bought from a craft store, which made the job so much easier. Once you have the stocking in the right way you will want to flatten out the seam. I just ran my finger down the inside of the

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stockings over the seam and once you pull the stockings on your doll it should stay nice and flat.

Stays

Fabric for the outer layer Fabric for backing layer Ribbon for lacing

Matching thread Kid leather Bias binding Fabric for lining Fine caning for boning

The stays of this period gave women a very strong appearance. By moving their shoulders back and their bust up and forward this created a posture that was very erect. During the last twenty-five years of the 18th century, the stays cups have been removed, causing a flat cone shape straight across the bust area. It also became more common to have the lacing at the front, making it effortlessness in its removal. This is one of the most time consuming projects due to the amount of boning that covers the entire set of stays. Even if you havent made a set of stays before I do believe that this is still achievable, it just takes a bit of time, and preparation. When you are choosing your fabrics please keep in mind, the strength and the thickness of the fabric. If you are making this for a doll that isnt a standard Super Dollfie I recommend that you trace out a copy of the pattern and tape it to the doll as if it was the finished piece, being careful not lift the finish with the tape. Here you will be able to make any necessary adjustments. The adjustments that you will make will also need to be transferred to the bodice of the dress. To get an idea of the how it sits against her, the front of the stays sit just at the fullest part of her bust so to create a smooth finish from the stays and the beginning of her bust. The shoulder straps sit almost vertical where they create a square neckline. The side of the stays finished just above her hips and flowed downward towards the front. Once you are happy with the fit make a copy of the pattern and keep it safe, as this will be a pattern you can use again. The stays are made up of three layers of fabric. I recommend you use silk for the top layer as it is a thin fabric and carries a lot of strength. The second layer I used was good quality cotton batiste because of its obvious strength and being extremely lightweight. The third layer is the backing of the stays and I used cotton to give it an authentic look. I highly recommend that you keep to natural fibres and stay away from any man-made fabrics. Once you have chosen your fabrics, you will need to cut the first two layers out larger than the overall shape of the stays. You will to add approximately 20cm or more to each side and around 10cm to the top and bottom, taking in account that the tops of the stays are from the tip of the straps, not the boning. You will only do this with the first two layers, as the last layer is only placed on the back after you have finished sewing the boning. This may sound like an excessive amount of fabric but you will need this especially in the width because the fabric will be drawn up when you start stitching in the boning. Also, having the extra fabric will give you something to hold onto minimising you touching the completed part of the stays and staining the fabric from the oils on your skin. Remember, this is a labour intensive garment. Make sure that the grain of your fabric run level to each other so to avoid any twisting of your fabric layers. Tack the first two layers, the top layer and middle layer, together vertically just off the centre before machine sewing your first line. I always do this

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just in case I happen to sew that first line slightly crocked and have to re-stitch it. It is very important that you sew this first line dead straight. It saves having to line-up the fabric again and provides stability for your work. Otherwise, you may come into problems when you sew in the channels, as the fabric could then twist and not sit flat against the boning. I always sew the first machine-stitched line in the dead centre, which maximises the fabric available on both sides. Also when you are placing your two guidelines at the centreline dont forget to allow space for the straps at the top. When you stitch your first line make sure that you mark the top and bottom of the line with a fabric marker as this will help in lining up the pattern against your work. This is where you will need your pattern or picture of the stays. This is the image that shows where the boning is placed on the stays. It always pays to either draw or print a copy rather than using your originals as it will receive some wear. With this technique you will use a fabric pen or tailors chalk and mark out the outline shape a few millimetres as you go, making sure to line up both the centre lines as your guide. The reason I have done it like this is because of the small scale and it made it impossible to create a pattern where you would sew the channels for the boning first and then placed the boning in. Once you get used to this technique you will find creating other stays or corsets with boning a lot more achievable. So the first step is to place a piece of boning or reed next to your first sewn line and using your zipper foot and sew a line next to it making sure not to sew past the edge or boundary lines that you have drawn. Do not sew back and forth in either end, instead you will hand tie these off by hand. This will give you a tidy finish when you come to sew the bias binding over the edges and as the binding will be covering a small area you dont want messy stitching showing. Again, place another piece of boning next to your previous one making sure not to sew over where the stays end. If you do go over the line, using a quick unpick, undo those extra stitches taking care not to cut the thread. As a note, if the boning is longer than its channel requires, dont worry as you can go back and trim these off. Once you have sewn in about four or five rows of boning have a look to see if you have reached the boarder line. Make sure that you change the angle of the boning when you do reach the section border. Take the work from your sewing machine. Carefully tie off both ends of the stitching, making sure to either add a stitch by hand or unpick any extra stitches as to keep them within the border line. To tie them off, take your needle and bring one of the threads through to the other side and tie. Using a sewing pin or needle, mark any boning that is too long by push holes along the border line which will leave clear marks on the in the form of dots. This will provide a guide on the angle in which you cut the boning, do this on both ends if needed. Once you have several rows I tended to sew across the top of the boning to keep it in place. When you are cutting the smaller pieces of boning, and you will have some, you may find that they fall out easier. When you do your tying off, just move that last stitch over the top of the boning to help it stop falling out. As you continue to add more boning, make sure when you come to a point where the boning changes angle to keep within that line. This is when you will need to work in smaller pieces of boning, just like a jigsaw puzzle. This may require you to use a slightly larger piece of boning or two smaller pieces to achieve this. Using your pin to make marks you should be able to remove the piece and then cut it before returning it back to its channel.

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Remember while you are sewing the boning in, especially when you start doing the other side, whatever you do to one side, you must repeat it on the other to keep it balanced. Being such a small piece of clothing, slight differences will show up more than if you were doing it on a more human scale. That is why it is so important keep using your pattern to overlay it over your work regularly to make sure you are keeping it to the pattern. Once you have worked across the eight sections of boning you will come to the lacing section at the back. These pieces were made by cutting out two pieces of kid leather, one for each side. By using leather I have kept it the same thickness as the boning and still provided a strong platform to sew my bias binding and eyelets on. I created the small holes by using a small hand held hole-punch, which you could pick up from an art, craft, or scrap-booking store. The holes were cut through the leather before I sewed them into the fabric, as you dont want to cut the fabric but use an awl to separate the fibres across. When you are cutting out the holes, be careful to use a heavy board to press against but not your desk, as you will leave marks on the desk. Place the two leather pieces in like you would for the boning and tack them into place, it will help minimising any movement while you sew around them. I firstly tacked them by sewing through the holes of the leather, not the leather itself. Then I sewed around them, you can either use your sewing machine or sewing them by hand, what ever is easier you for. As long as you have sewed them firmly into place tidily it doesnt matter, as the stitches will be hidden under the bias binding. Repeat to the other side checking against your pattern. When I tacked the straps in place I did a zigzag motion across the straps, minimising the stitches along the edge. This will make it easier when you go to remove the tacking. I cannot stress how important it is to get the straps in on the right angle, as this will effect how flat the straps sit against your doll. Once you have finished stitching any sections that may not have stitching on the edge, take the fabric for your third layer or the backing fabric and cut out the shape of the stays using the same pattern. You may find that it is a little bulky in the middle, dont be tempted to trim it down so it sits perfectly flat as you will need a little give around the middle when you go to fit it around the body. Then carefully cut around the stays taking away the excess fabric but leaving around 1-2mm from the stitching line. The amount that you will leave does depend on the weave of your fabric. I highly recommend that you use some Gold-Zack Fray Check or similar product for a little insurance to minimise any fraying. This is another reason why I recommend natural fibres, rather than man-made fabrics. If you do leave too much fabric after trimming, it will leave the edges too bulky and you will run into problems with the edges and the overall appearance. You set some time aside to do this part of the project by cutting the fabric away and putting the binding on in one sitting. Place the third layer, or backing layer, on to the back of the stays. Make sure when you are sewing around the edge that this layer still sits flat against the boning and doesnt get twisted. To put the binding on firstly you need to take bias binding that you have bought from a fabric store or have made yourself and sew onto one side of the stays. The binding I used was 12mm in width with a piece that was approximately 115cm, I wouldnt choose apiece smaller than that. Even better, if you use some bias binding that comes

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from a fresh pack you will have plenty left over. The way I did it was fairly unorthodox yet it produced a neat and stronger finish. The best position to start sewing of the stays is somewhere where the join wont be too noticeable, maybe under the arm or the corner of the stays at the back. Start sewing on the front side of the stays, with the front side of the binding facing inwards and the two folded pieces at the back of the binding facing outwards. The edge of the bias should be level to the stays edge. Be aware when you start stitching the bias binding, that you always sew over the stitching that holds the boning in place, even if its just beyond the stitching around the stays, as you dont want that stitching visible. If you happen to go over these stitches you will expose those stitches leaving a messy finish. If you do this, going back and stitching just below will easily fix this, there is no need to unpick any stitches, just do another line further in. I used the backstitch, as is a reliable stitch due to its strength. You will want to leave a couple of centimetres loose at the end of the binding, as you will use that at the end to finish the ends off. Make sure that you leave more than you need as it will allow you to trim off any fraying and I find its easier to trim away later, than wishing I had more to work with. Just after stitching a small amount of stitches you will be able to fold the binding over to see what it will eventually look like. You should have the fabric on the backside folded under. When going over around the corners do take extra care to cover the edge of stays stitches, it may pay to make the stitches much smaller when going around these parts. Once you have completed this part you should be nearly back where you have started. Using your fabric marker pen, mark on each side of the binding where each of the edges will meet. You will have excess on both ends that you will trim away, which I mentioned earlier, leaving around 3mm on each end. I dabbed a small amount of the Fray Check on the ends as a precautionary measure. You will then fold these new ends under from the marks you have made. Continue to stitch around completing the link. Slipstitch the two folded ends together, keeping the folded ends square. So when you finish stitching them, they will sit nice and flat. When you reach the end you will want to continue across the back edge, sewing the other edge to the backing. If you have removed the backing fabric or third layer, do place it on now. Then sew in the eyelets where you have provided holes in the leather. You may be able to see them if you hold them up to the light. Otherwise, use your needle to find them and use youre fabric marker or chalk to mark them. Using an awl to make a hole, being careful not to break the threads but to push them apart. The reason you dont want to break them is it will cause the holes to fray. You then do a row of running stitches around the hole and this holds the fabric in place and provides a guide to the edge to the eyelet. Move your needle around wrapping motion placing the stitches as even and flat as possible, I genuinely did this twice around the hole to cover any small gaps. Once you are happy with this tie off the thread from the inside or back of the stays. Finally, push your awl through the hole again and this will help to reform the hole again. Because you have produced eyelets in such a small scale you will need assistance in threading the ribbon through these tiny holes. I just used a large darning needle that has a large eye for the ribbon to fit through, and a blunt end to take through the holes, not the fabric.

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Pockets

DMC Threads #347 VDK Salmon #725 Topaz #733 MD Olive Green #930 DK Antique Blue

Cotton fabric Bias binding

Matching thread Thread for basting

Pockets were large bags that were tied around women and girls waist underneath her gown, petticoat and paniers. It wasnt sewn into the dress, as the weight from these pockets would have pulled the dress out of its shape. Pockets were not sewn into the dress until the 19th century. The pockets did vary in size and colour, and some of them were highly decorated. These are relatively easy to make. You will need some patience when you are stitching the bias binding on due to the bindings width. I made the width of the bias binding small to keep in scale with the pocket. If you do decide to use bias binding that has a larger width, do remember that you will need to make some adjustments to allow for the wider binding around the edges and also the opening of the pockets. This will involve you either redrawing the embroidery design or scaling it smaller on your computer and reprinting it on the pockets paper pattern. I have described the construction with only one pocket as to avoid any confusion. You will need to take into account that there are two pockets to the garment. Four layers make up each pocket, the top layer is where you will be sewing the embroidery, the next layer is the backing and this will help to hide the embroidery at the back, you may decide to leave this out if you are using fairly dark fabric. The third layer will be encasing the raw sewing creating your first side to the pockets. The final layer, or the fourth layer, goes to the back and will be the other side to the pockets. You could think of this layer as the backing layer like how I described when making the stays. Firstly, you need to transfer the pocket pattern onto your fabric, two with the vertical slit for the top two layers, which has the embroidery. One with the vertical slit for the pockets opening which is for the third layer, remembering that these are part of the first side. I simply traced the pattern through the white fabric using a fabric marker. You may be to do the same as I, otherwise you will need to use dressmakers carbon transfer which will be more suitable for heavy or dark fabric. The first two layers will not be cut out into their shapes straight away as you will need enough fabric around it so that the fabric can be placed into a embroidery hoop, I used a 15cm hoop. The third layer will be cut out, but dont cut the vertical slit, as this will be done with the other two layers. Once you have cut out the third layer put some liquid fray check around the edges and the opening to keep it from fraying, you may need to remark the fabric once you have used the liquid fray check, keep aside the third layer. When placing the first two layers into the hoop, make sure that you have the layers grain running with each other. This is important not only for the performance of the fabric, but also when you come to cut the vertical slit. You do not want to be cutting diagonally across the weave.

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I used stem stitch throughout the embroidered piece. Keeping it simple I found it had more overall impact, than doing many stitches and end up having too many things going on. This was mainly because of its small size. To create the stem stitch, follow these instructions: Bring the needle up at point 1, down at 2, and bring up at 3, which is halfway between 1 and 2 and just above the previous stitch. Then bring it down at 4, and bring up halfway between 3 and 4. Repeat. As a note, if you want to create a broader line, angle the needle slightly so that it is inserted just below the required line, and brought out just above it, a tiny distance above the end of the previous stitch. I found it easiest when I started with the olive green section first followed by topaz, then the very dark salmon and finally finishing the antique blue. The reason for this was I could run the needle through the back using the made stitches, also by using these stitches to tie off the thread. Once you have completed the embroidery you will need to keep the fabric in the hoops to apply the fray check to minimise any fraying. Use the fray check in sections so you can then redraw the lines with your fabric pen, you may still need to use your pattern to check the lines around the corners. Always make sure when you are doing this that you wait till the liquid is completely dry before attempting to redraw the lines in. Once you have redrawn the lines, place the third layer behind the first two with he embroidery, again making sure that you have the three layers aligned together. Sew a line of tacking stitches onto the actual pocket, around the border of the pockets and opening line, making sure to give enough space for the bias binding. This will help to keep the three layers together. Cut the fabric away from the pocket. You may want to create your own bias binding or buy some from a fabric store. If you are planning to make this straight from the pattern you will need to make your own. Find the bias on your fabric, the bias is 45 from the grain and draw a line. The strips will need to be two lots of 42cm and two lots of 12cm; these will be for both of the pockets. There will be a little left over be I always prefer doing this with this sort of thing as you dont want to risk running out when it is so fiddly and time consuming. The bias needs to be cut 12mm in width. Once you have your strips, draw a line down the centre, you will use this line as a guide as you fold the fabric over towards this line. Using an iron slowly press the fabric as you fold the fabric towards the middle, but being careful not place the edge on the line but just next to the line that you have already placed. This is because it would create too much bulk as you fold it over the edge of your pocket. Once you have created all your pieces you are now ready to sew it on your pocket. You will be sewing the binding around the opening of the pocket first, not the edges. You should have the three layers, making up the front side, together. You will not need to fold over the bias at the edges at the top of the pocket, as this will add to the bulk. Dont worry though as the edges will soon be encased when you sew the bias around the entire pocket. Do take your time when you are sewing at the bottom of the opening as it is pretty fiddly, I found it fairly challenging. You will just need to be patient when going around the bottom of the pocket. This is where you may decide to rescale the pattern so you can use a wider bias.

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Once you have completed that you will need to start on the outer edge. This is when you place the last layer, or backing layer onto the back. I recommend that you start somewhere at the top, as it will be a lot less noticeable. Fold a small piece under on your bias binding to recreate a clean edge, and this will stop it from fraying. Again stitch the bias around the edges being careful to encase all the layers, take your time. Like the stays, you should set aside some time to do this in one sitting. Once you return to the beginning, cut the bias making sure to leave enough to meet the other end and to fold a small piece under. When tying off the thread, thread the loose piece within the garment. All there is to do now is to sew a tie on it. First of all, get a piece of your tie or cotton ribbon and tie it on your doll, giving a fairly generous bow at the back, so it will be easy to retie when finished. With a fabric marker pen get one of your pockets and mark on each side of the tie where it sits and the front and back. Take the tie off and using a measuring tape or ruler mark where the other pocket will sit. This will ensure that it sits even. You may want to trim any excess off one of the ends so everything is balanced. Repeat to complete the second pocket. There, one set of pockets.

Paniers

Cotton fabric Man-made boning

Matching thread Stuffing material

Tape for ties and drawstring

Paniers were around for much of the 18th century to support the large extensions made to the petticoats and gowns. The paniers were generally made using linen with channels sewn into it so that the cane would give the desired shape. They were held in place by the ties around the waist. There were also ties between the front and back of the boned skirt, drawing it in, giving it a more elongated shape. In this particular piece I have put a lot of research in to making a set of paniers that are accurate in style and shape for the period. Though this is for a doll, I still wanted to keep the theme of historic accuracy in this item as far as possible. To believe that it is possible for her tiny hands to reach in and take a handkerchief from her pockets was really important to me. When finished, this is certainly possible. There is quite a bit of preparation work before cutting out the pattern pieces. I made sure that all the markings for the front and back yokes and the skirt all had their markings on the fabric before I had cut them out. This makes it a lot easier when you come to do the gathering, and sewing the boning on. I recommend using a fabric pen that requires you to wash or wet the fabric to remove the markings due to the amount of hand stitching making it fairly time consuming. Do make a small test on the corner of the fabric, just to make sure that the ink will come out. Once you have cut out the pieces, take the two half-front yokes and sew them together, creating a seam at the front centre. Sew the seam edges down with a zigzag stitch, taking away any chance of the cord that you will thread through later of getting caught. Then take the half back yoke pieces and fold the edges over like you did for the front and zigzag those edges down. The reason you dont want to sew them together is this will be the entrance into the paniers. You will then have the front and back yoke sections ready for the next step. The opposite end from the centre back and front has three lined sections that will take place as one of the four padded sides, making a padded opening to the pockets underneath. Taking the front yoke you will start to construct the padded openings. Fold the other end towards the back. This first fold is turning the raw edge inside. By

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folding at the next guideline, you have created a small partition where you will fill it with stuffing. I sewed it in place by using a zigzag stitch, like I did when I sewed the centre seams down. Repeat with the other side of the yoke. Repeat with the back half-yokes. Take the top of the yoke and turn the raw edges under and turn it over again to go no further than across the broken line on the pattern, stitching it into place. Again, do this to the other yokes. Now that you have sewn the top of the yokes, it is now possible to fill the four sections at the ends, creating the padded entrance to the pockets. I used a synthetic fibre fill, making sure that I filled it fairly heavily. I did this so when the stuffing is released it stills holds it firm. Pin the fabric above the seam line in preparation for sewing in the seam. Again, repeat this with the other yokes. Tack across the top of the skirt piece, placing the tacking line around 2cm from the top. The first centimetre is used for the hem. Place the tacking just outside of the boning lines, as this will make it possible to remove them once the final line of stitching is in place. Make sure that you leave enough loose thread at each end and tie the treads on the ends together. This will make sure that the thread doesnt get accidentally taken out and I found it made it easier when sliding the thread and fabric across into their gathers. When you are gathering the skirt edge up I used my yoke pieces as a guide on how far to gather the skirt in, also you will need to leave 4cm for each of the pocket openings. Once you are happy with your gathering, pin the front yoke to the centre of the skirt. Pin the two back yoke pieces making sure that you pin it just outside the skirts seam, as that seam will be folded later and will wrap around the edge of the boning. Sew the yokes into place. I sewed straight around, including the pockets openings, as to keep the 4cm space in place. Take your boning and place it in between the hems. I choose to encase this row of boning partly for appearance, especially at the pocket openings, and making sure that it stopped any possible scratches to the doll. I recommend that you use boning that can be sewn into at the edges, rather than using boning that comes with its own casing. I find that its a lot easier to work with and it cuts down on the bulk. Also, dont choose boning that is wider than 7mm, as youll find it difficult in encasing the boning at the top and it will also start looking out of scale. Even though the boning that Ive used is 7mm and the seams are around 1cm, it is still possible to encase the boning within the seam. Take each side of the seam once the boning is sitting in between them, and carefully fold each side of the seam inwards providing a clean folded edge. I did this gradually as I sewed those newly made folds together. I used a slipstitch to complete this. With the skirt piece, start tacking the other sections at the gathering lines. These are at the shown from the horizontal lines you have marked along the skirt earlier. The gathered sections are shown on the pattern and you may want to make a note of this on a separate piece of paper. The gathering isnt very heavy at all as this is purely for the garments detail. Once you are happy with your gathers start placing the boning on these three channels. The measurements I give you regarding the length of the boning should be only used as a guide. I started hand stitching the boning from one side to the other at the gathered sections only, sliding the boning in-between so that it touch the inside of the skirt. Not so rigid that it is skin-tight, you want to be able to have some give in the

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movement of the paniers. You may just want to pin the boning into place, as this will minimise the amount of sewing you make to hold it all in place. Once I was happy with the stitching I carefully removed the tacking. Fold the centre back open edges over and the bottom hem. Sew them in place by starting at the top skirt section continuing around the bottom and finish up at the other side of the skirt. All there is left to put on is the ties in the paniers. With each of the ties I added some length so I could fold the ends over twice, encasing the raw edges. The ties inside the paniers will give the paniers their final shape. The small square shapes are your guides on where to place them. Each of the ties is 8cm in length. The ties at waist and down the back of 18cm in length will secure it to the doll.

Petticoat

Cotton fabric Synthetic ribbon for ties

Matching thread

Cotton tape for the waist ties

As you are probably able to see, many of the garments were held onto the body with a series of ties. This garment is no different. The petticoat is held against the waist with a pair of cotton ties on each side of her waist. The sides of the petticoat are gathered up onto the hips using synthetic or silky ribbon so that the gathers sit around the opening of the paniers padded openings. Using ribbon with a silky finish will make it a lot easier to gather the sides up. The petticoat became decorated once the front of the gown was sewn open after 1750. The petticoats use is to give another layer under the gown as to hide the appearance of the paniers hoops, giving it a smooth finished look. Padded petticoats were also popular, certainly more so in the winter months. The embellishing should always complement with the gown. By the 1770s the decoration was becoming simpler, keeping the more elaborate designs for court and formal attire. I constructed the petticoat using predominantly my sewing machine. It is a pretty simple garment, only requiring you to do a little hand sewing when you add on the ties. It was constructed by first sewing the side vertical seams, then the centre waist, and finally sewing the angled hip section creating a channel where the ribbons will gather up the sides giving it its shape. Once I had finished sewing the petticoat, I then started to think about the embellishments design and only then I started to put it together. Whether you decide to work on the embellishing before or after you have sewn the petticoat, it is really up to you. The reason I would make it in this order again, as it was easier to see the finished product. Choose and tried many ribbons and designs before I was happy with this design. I first started sewing up the sides of the petticoat, placing the right sides of the fabric together. I gave it fairly generous seams of 2cm. I first took and front and back pieces and folded side the edges over by 1cm and sewing these in place 7mm in from the edge. I did this not just to give it a strong a tidy finish across the seams, also at the edge of the gathered hip section. Placing the right sides together I carefully then sewed the side seams 8mm in from the edge so keeping the previous line of sewing inside the created seam. I recommend that you sew from the bottom towards the top leaving 1.5cm at the top that you need as to fold this next section which I spoken of earlier. Finish the seam by giving it a good press. The next section to start on is the waist where there are two crescent-like shapes. I found even after creating the pattern shape it did requiring a bit of guidance to get

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the fabric sitting flat. I recommend that you fold the centre over 4mm and 8mm at the sides, smoothing the two sections in between and pin them into place as you will be sewing them with the channelled sections in one run. The final piece to fold is now the angled section at the sides, which I have been talking about. They need to be folded over by 1cm and pinned into place. Going back to the edge of your pinned sections sew across at 7mm across the three sections, you will need to sew closer at the middle sections. Repeat on the other skirt piece. Cut four pieces of silky ribbon, 40cm in length. I always use a flame to seal the ends on synthetic ribbon to stop it from fraying. Taking a needle I threaded the end of one piece of ribbon and carefully took the needle inside of one of the channels. Once the needle had reached the end I took the needle through the inside of the skirt and tied it off, making sure that it was secure. The reason I choose to do it this way is I avoided any ribbon becoming sewn into the seams. Do this with the other three channels. Make four ties, like you did for the paniers, of 18cm and sew them to each side of the middle sections. The way I decided on tying them was to have a small space of the tie on each side as to keep in with my method of cutting the bulk where I could. By doing this there was a perfect flat finish at the front and the tie didnt interfere with the gown.

Gown

Fabric

Matching thread

Ribbons and laces

The Robe la Franaise or sack dress was the most popular gown of the 18th century. By the 1770s the stomacher was attached to the front of the gown using buttons or ties and became known as compres. Before this change it was held in place using many small pins. The stomacher was usually made of the same fabric and colour, and was heavily decorated as it was covering an erogenous zone. The gown is a fitted garment and is made up of a bodice and outer skirt. The pleats down the centre of the back bodice are what give the gown its name. In English it was more commonly known as the sack dress, in French, Robe la Franaise. By the 1770s it was worn only for more formal occasions and during court. Where most of fitting is done, is within the bodice lining. Even if you have followed the pattern to the note and you are using the same style of doll. I recommend that you still make a toile, or mock-up, at least in the bodice, just to check for fitting. It is also a good chance to practise before using your final fabric. Being such a fitted garment, the slightest change in the stays thickness could change the overall fit, and you probably just need to add on a couple of millimetres. This will also need to be done if you are drafting the gown on a doll of a different size. Do refer to your stays pattern, as I have used this as a basis in creating the overall shape of the bodice. Using the stays pattern as a reference was common practise of the time. The bodice is made up of two layers, where it is partially lined across the bodice back. The purpose of the lining is to help create a fitted appearance by pulling in the front bodice pieces, and at the same time lets the back of the dress sit loosely draped down the back, showing the characteristic pleats. First of all, I stitched the pleat down the centre of the bodice lining, keeping the pleat hidden within its layer and the outer later. The back lining creates the fitted appearance without affecting the back bodice and gown across the back. Many of the gowns during that period had sewn eyelets and ties instead of a pleated back to allow

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for the persons changeable shape. I think the advantage of having ties as it may help with different doll shapes. Take the back outer bodice, where you have made all the markings for the vertical pleats. Carefully fold them into place, using an iron to press as you go. Pin the pleats into place. Its very important that when you fold the fabric over, that you fold it straight with the grain. Otherwise the pleats will not flow straight to the ground, but more on an angle, which will ruin the effect. Using a matching thread carefully hand stitch the pleats into place, each side should mirror each other. I used fairly small stitches, and because I was using white thread, I was careful not to sew over the flowers. You want the pleats to be the focus not the stitches that hold them in place, so do try and avoid any large stitches. Place the back lining and the back bodice with skirt together, remembering to keep the pleat you made on the back lining, sitting in between these two layers, leaving one seam visual inside the gown. Please dont be tempted to sew the back pleats to the back lining further than the seam allowance shown on the back lining pattern piece. When you come to sew the neck binding on, near end of the gowns completion, you will actually trim away the back bodice at the seam allowance and fold the back lining inwards. Take the two front bodice pieces and sew them to the gown at the shoulder only. I wanted to insert sleeves that were keeping of the period. They are a challenge at this size, yet they certainly are achievable with a bit of patience, and perhaps some practise by making a mock-up. The sleeves have a small section at the back where you take in the fabric by making a couple of small pleats, facing towards the back. You gather them into the space shown on the front bodice, from the top corner down to the guideline. The pleats should be facing towards the back for flow. These pleats help to give shape on to the shoulder. Remember, however many pleats you place one side, you need to repeat this on the other. When I was fitting the sleeves to the bodice I used many pins to help sit the fabric correctly when sewing them. I did choose to use a sewing machine and it did take a couple of goes to get them just how I wanted. You really need to show a great deal of patience here. I decided on a sewing machine as unpicking could be done a lot quicker and more manageable. Instead of just using the sewing foot, I actually used the hand wheel, so not to break the needle against the many pins across its path. If you do want to hand sew them instead, dont let this put you off. By hand sewing them you can see what is going on, on both sides of the section. Also by keeping a careful eye on what youre doing, if you do make a mistake, it can be corrected by removing a couple of stitches. Repeat to the other side, making sure those pleats are facing towards the back. When finished, you should have two smooth seams with symmetrical pleats. Before you start thinking about sewing up the sleeve and the inside seam, you need to embellish the end of the sleeves first. I used one layer of lace trimmed with a velvet trim around the edge. If you want, you can create two layers and another layer from the gowns fabric. This was also very popular of the time. I folded the end of the sleeve 7mm and stitched the lace and ribbon together. The lace was placed just inside of the sleeve and sewn with the velvet ribbon sitting on top. All there is to do with the sleeve is to line it up, with the outside facing inwards. Sew from the end of the sleeve and continue through to the bottom of the inside seam. Take the two front skirt pieces and pin them to the sides of the centre skirt. With your fabric marker, place a small guideline, shown on the back bodice and skirt. This space, from the top of the front skirt to the guideline will be the entrance to the gowns pockets. I stitched the seam with the sewing machine. I used the largest stitch

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length available in this section, and changed back to my regular length for the rest of the seam. I made sure to go back and forth at the edges the pocket openings so when you unstitch this section, the rest of the sewing doesnt come undone. Press the seam open before taking those stitches out and hand stitch around the pocket opening with running or backstitches, which will help to keep the edges of the pocket. Once you have sewn together the three main pieces to the gown, the back bodice and skirt, and the two front skirt pieces, you will need to start stitching the pleats on each side of the gown. The pleats are fairly small and close to each other, so I recommend that you fold each of the pleats and sew them as you go. If are feeling rather particular about your handwork underneath the garment, you should cut the thread every time that you finish stitching a pleat. I still choose to do a couple of stitches on each side of the pleat, instead of cutting the thread I just took it to the next line. It may look slightly untidy, yet I think that it looks fine, and it certainly helped to speed up the process. Take the doll and fit the chemise, stays and paniers to her as to do the first fitting. If you are unsure where the paniers sit, the sides sit just underneath the stays edge. I smoothed the bodice close around her body, not before turning up the bottom seam on the bodice around 7mm. I also had the pleats sitting evenly around the paniers. Carefully take the skirt across the front, like you did at the corners, and smooth it down the front. Pin the top edge of the skirt to the bodice. When I completed this I found that the top of the skirt went slightly upwards towards the front. After finishing this section, my understanding for this is that I also wanted the edge of the outer skirt to flow down on the same angle as the front of the bodice. Finish this of by folding the bodice front edge over 7mm, taking the skirt front edge with it. There will be approximately 2cm folded under on the outer skirt. Fold the bottom hem up by 1cm and sew either by hand or with your sewing machine. The reason I opted to get you to drape and fit part of the garment yourself is that any slight changes you possibly make would alter the overall fit. This isnt just because of the slight changes you may make in the gown itself, but also the thickness of the corset could also alter the overall fit. If you have never done this before, dont feel too overwhelmed. Just take it slowly moving the pieces across till you are happy with the way it is sitting. Once you have done this, you should feel more confident about this process and will slowly give you an insight of the fitting process. Im asking you to assist in the fitting, rather than just moving pieces to a certain point. All that there is left to do is to fit the neck binding and the two bodice robe pieces. I first took the three pieces and sewed them together, using the inside seam allowance as my guide, so not to sew straight across. Make a mark across the top of the back bodice using the back lining pattern piece as a guide. I basically cut straight across the top, taking away the bulk of the over-locked edges. Place the neck binding over the raw edge the fold the top of the neck binding over, in between the back bodice and the back lining. This will give it a tidy finish. The bottom of the neck binding should be sitting so the edge touches each of the shoulder seams. Fold the edges under and carefully pin the rest of the necking binding to the back bodice. Doing another fitting, take the loose, yet attached bodice robes, and drape it over the shoulder pinning it at the bottom to the edge of the front bodice. Starting pinning in between the unsecured robes, making sure that they are sitting balanced to each other. Take the dress off and secure these pieces with tidy small stitches, remembering what to watch for from when you stitched the vertical pleats in place. Also, be aware that you dont need to make to many stitches down the inside of the robe, as you will be stitching the stomacher into place. You may wish to wait in hand stitching the robe pieces on till you have completed your stomacher and placed it into position.

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Stomacher

Heavy Calico Hooks and eyes

Thread

Matching or contrasting fabric

During the 1770s there was a change in how the stomacher was been attached to the gown. There was a beginning of simplification to garments and it was becoming more popular to sew the stomacher to the gown. Before this the stomacher was painstakingly attached by using small pins to attach it to the gown. Also, before this time of change, the stomacher was kept as one piece rather than how it was increasingly been used as two pieces. This meant that it saved time as the stomacher could be tied together with bows, fastenings or buttons. For this garment in have chosen for it to be fastened using small metal hook and eyes. You may want to use ribbons or make it as one piece to make this gown from another period. There are many examples of the stomacher, when it was one piece, how it was adorned with embroidery, ribbons, flounces and even jewels. I have used a heavy interfacing as a base to the garment. I cut it out using the broken line on your pattern piece. The fabric was cut out using the outer line. Remember that when you are cutting out your fabric, if you are using fabric with a pattern you may want to consider cutting a left and right-sided piece. Place your interfacing in the centre of the fabric a fold the fabric under 5mm all round the edges, pressing with an icon as you go. I folded the fabric from the top and bottom and then did the sides. Fold the edges again as before, and this will encase the raw edges. For the next step I recommend doing a fitting to get exact fit. So you need to put her stays, paniers and gown on first. With these two pieces place them against her pin them against her, making sure that the bottom the stomacher meets the edge of the bodice front. Move them around to you are satisfied that one that they are sitting in the centre, and that you have pin them to each side evenly. The reason I have decided to do this is this garment is tightly fitted making any differences of thickness of the stays change where you would place the stomachers. I also think that this also encourages you to be more independent with the fitting. If you havent done this before, I like to think that this will help your confidence in doing more fittings as you continue to learn your craft. Once you are happy where everything is sitting and have pinned in into place. Carefully remove the dress and hand-sew it into place. If like me you are using a thread that matches the background but not the pattern, in my case the flowers. Try to bring your needle up only where there is white. Now that you have finished sewing the bodice robes and neck binding into place, you may want to finish the edge of by sewing a layer of lace around the neckline. I used flat lace, rather than lace that has already been pleated, so to keep in with the scale of the garment. I carefully folded the lace over, in a pleating fashion, making sure not to make the pleats too heavy. The first time I started stitching them into place I was placing them in fairly heavy, and because of the bloke underneath, it just didnt sit right. I tended to stitch them into place as I folded the lace.

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All there is left to do is to choose what kind of fastening you want. The overall look of your dress will heavily influence how you will close the opening. I used hooks and eyes, which are the only part of the outfit that isnt from the period, yet keeping with the look I wanted to achieve. If you do decide to do what I have done, measure the width of your eyes, which are usually the wider part. See how many you can fit in, I had 5 in place and measure out where to place them. Give even amounts in between each hook and eye, as it will share the give evenly and sit better. All there is left to do is to fit the dress into her.

Choker

Velvet ribbon, lace Matching thread

Charms

Ribbon for fastening

With this is a fashion accessory you have pretty much full reign of your design. You may want to use a simple ribbon to adorn her neck or go for a more full extravagant piece. I decided to use a mixture of velvet, lace, with a small cameo charm. The velvet ribbon I used is made out of synthetic fibres making it really easy to trim the ribbon and to seal the ends using a flame. I choose a royal blue colour rather than a more traditional black as I thought would it was more soft colour. Deciding the length of the ribbon I held the ribbon against her neck and added about 2cm to the length of the ribbon, or 1cm to each end of the ribbon. I did this because with the added bulk of the lace underneath I knew that it would need it. I found the dead centre of the ribbon the sewed the charm onto it, you could also decided to use silk flowers or anything else that would add as a feature to the choker. Then I started to sew the lace onto the back of the ribbon. I used a piece of lace that had a continued design on both sides rather than sewing two strips of lace onto the ribbon. Also the lace was slightly two wide but because I really liked the pattern I gave it a small pleat in the middle so to hide the excess and have it sitting symmetrically behind the ribbon. When I was deciding how to display the lace around the ribbon, I opted to pleat this lace as it wasnt the lightest lace Ive used and I thought that gathering it may be to heavy for it, especially seeing that I drew in the width of the lace as well. The left, as well as the right, I pleated the lace towards the front of her neck, pinning it as I went, providing a space in the front so that the charm could sit flat. It was fairly simple to do and sewing it from both sides gave a secure and flat finish. When I was satisfied with the pleats I trimmed the ribbon and sealed the ends with a matchstick so that there was a small opening at the back making it easier to fasten it around her neck. The last thing to do is to sew ribbon at each end of the choker. I decided to use ribbon, as its a lot easier to have the choker placed firmly round her neck.

Hat

Heavy Calico Ribbons, laces

Matching thread Silk flowers

Matching or contrasting fabric

Not only was the hat a fashion accessory, but very important in helping keep a pale complexion as the peasants were tanned from working out in the fields. They usually complemented the gown and were also beautifully decorated.

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In this pattern I will show you how to create a very basic pattern from scratch. The hat was put together using very basic geometric shapes. I used 15cm as the basis of the hat, across her crown. I spitted the hat up into three, 5cm for the rim and 5cm for the crown, or the centre. I first took some graph paper, ordinary unlined paper will be fine, and made a 5cm (radius 2.5cm) circle using a protractor. From the same centre point I created another yet larger circle (radius 7.5cm). With these two circles I had the shape of my hat pattern. I carefully cut the smaller circle out and the larger circle, as these two rings would make up two of the three pattern pieces. Finally, I had to create the brim of the hat. For those who dont know how to calculate the circumference I used this formula, which will be used on the smaller circle. *d=c or 3.14 multiply by 5cm (diameter) which equals 15.7cm (circumference). I added on centimetre to the end to allow for a smooth continuous edge. The depth of the rim is 1 centimetre. Add a centimetre to each side of the brims edge, approximately 1cm, as this will be used to attach the top of the hat or crown. You may want to use graph paper to ensure that the rim pattern piece is perfectly square, its up to you. The pattern pieces were traced straight onto the interfacing using a pencil, or you may want to use a fabric marker. I cut the hat from a heavy interfacing, almost like artists canvas, making sure that I had flattened it before I started cutting. Cut 2 of the ring shapes and 2 of the small circles. With the measures you made for the brim, 15.7cm by 1cm, not forgetting to add a centimetre to the end of the long piece and 1cm to each side, which will be used to attach the crown (circle) and the rim. You then need to cut out small triangles out of each side of the centimetre sections, which you need to do to both sides. This will enable you to attach the other two pieces. You now have the pieces for your hat. Starting with the crown, or the small circle, take the brim piece and start attaching the seam to the edge or the teeth like pieces onto the inside of the hat, as not to be noticed once completed. You may want to use fabric glue to assist. I basically sewed it on by hand, as it gives a tidy and secure finish, and potentially no waiting around for glue to dry. I then placed the other circle inside the brim, concealing the small tabs. I then repeated the process with the rim, making sure when it was finished that the tabs were completely concealed. When you have finished stitching these two sections you should have a nearly completed hat with the rim still needing to be stitched. Dont stitch it quite yet as will need to cover your hat first. I chose fine muslin to cover over the hat as the fabric wasnt too heavy and would make it easier to mould over the edges. So any fine, lightweight fabric would be suitable, you just need to think about the fabrics draping qualities. In the next set of instructions I will explain how I made it exactly like the one Im giving away. You obviously can embellish it any way you like. I first drape the fabric over the top of the hat, stitching it at the base of the crown, to keep it in place. I then placed a velvet trim also at the base partly to cover the stitching that I had made. Once I had stitched down the first side of the velvet trim I a layer of lace next to the other side. As you stitch down the velvet trim, you will find that it will have several creases or gathers, that is why I choose the velvet trim, as it gives off a beautiful sheen. I then added a couple of ribbon flowers to finish it off. Fold the fabric under the edge of the interfacing making sure that it sits in between the two layers. All there

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is to do now is to drape the same or contrasting fabric on the underside of the hat. I placed some dried beans in where the dolls head would sit, just to create give when placing the hat on. Again, folded the fabric under the edges, trimming away any excess fabric. Hand stitch those two edges together, making sure the fabric has been folded close over the edge to give it a clean line. You may want to add ribbons as to secure the hat on. I choose to have the hat simply sitting on top.

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