Never thought I'd consider myself to have big clumsy fingers. I was the one who made the teeniest of Barbie clothes as a younger crafter! However I've come across something that nearly broke me!

Right after completing the bulk of the dress for "L" I needed a non-sewing crafty break. I also came down with a nasty head cold that kept me away from work for a couple days. Thanks to Pinterest and some quick searching on Amazon I discovered Japanese dollhouse room kits that were adorable! And 1/24th scale! And only $15-$20! With lights! How could I resist?

​The instructions weren't available online, so I had no real idea of how difficult these kits might be, or just how much of the necessary supplies were actually included in them.  But in my excitement I just clicked purchase!  A few weeks later, direct from China, a box appeared in the mail.

Hmm... There seems to be more Japanese text than I first suspected.  Maybe the back will have more information?

This was going to be quite the adventure! I just prayed and hoped the instructions would be in English.

Sigh.  Still no luck.  However, I was saved by two things: numbers still looked the same, and everything was step-by-step with pictures. Even the individual pieces were listed in the instruction booklet, and not pictured here was a fairly large piece of plain paper with patterns printed on it for all the other pieces that needed to be cut, like the fabric for the couch cushions.

I think I stumbled along fairly well, and this kit was advertised to be customize-able!  Make your own!  DIY! So I wasn't too worried about getting a few details wrong, and all the important pieces were already cut to size and painted so I couldn't mess that up too much.

I did finally find an English translation for instructions to a different kit in a different design line, but from the same company with LED lights and optional music box.  The warnings in red just turned out to be general electrocution warnings since little kids could be doing this kit.  However, a shock from two AAA batteries didn't worry me.

I did agonize over what craft glue to use, since they recommended a brand called UHU.  It seemed to be only manufactured in the Philippines.  After some MORE internet researching on a few discussion boards I learned this kit just needed flexible non water based glue, like clear Liquid Nails or E6000.  I already had a tube of E6000, so I could begin! 

The English instructions I found online earlier had estimated two days to complete that kit, and I assumed it would be similar with this one. However, I think something got lost in translation. This kit took around 48 hours of working time to complete, not two days of intermittent crafting.  If I hadn't been home sick this would have taken a whole week of work nights to do.  

Also, the glue had plenty of fumes.  I highly recommend working in an area with a window and/or a fan.  I was stopped up with my head cold, so I didn't really notice until things got bad.  Take a lesson from me though!

​And now for some cute interior shots:

I noticed in the suggested decorating that many places where there were blooms of flowers an even number was preferred to an odd number. Is this an East vs. West thing?  I know I've been told odd numbers are better, so that's what I did, mostly.

Another quirk to this kit: it is very definitely only meant to be viewed from one angle.  In fact, the upgraded kits include a Plexiglas shell you can glue around it to keep dust out while you admire it from a shelf. 

I think the boxed flowers are there only meant to be viewed through the window from the inside.  The battery kit for the lights is cleverly hid in the space behind the fireplace, and behind the china hutch is space for a music box!  However, I didn't get the deluxe kit. :(  Cue ebay listings!  This music box, is, of course a special size.  Hopefully $8 and a few weeks from now I can install it.

Until then I'll leave you with this warm and welcoming shot and the knowledge that I have already ordered another kit... 

The pretty part!  Yay!  After finding my way through a winter storm worth of white fabric, now comes the pretty purple silk georgette. 

Well, almost first.

First is the lining, interlining, and boning.

The pattern for the boning placement has very little to do with historical accuracy, and much to do with the most comfortable and effective placement.  Honestly, for "L"'s petite frame much of this could have been eliminated.  Had the time period we're shooting for been 50 years earlier I may have been able to do away with boning altogether.

I was a little worried that the neckline looked a bit high, but once again "L" is not shaped like me, and she requested a higher neckline.  It turned out fine, however weird it looked at this stage to me. 

An important note for sewing ease: I left the bottom open and the zip tie boning out at this point so I could wrestle it under my sewing machine with the least amount of fuss possible.  It is after all 3 layers of fabric and one of interfacing.

I used button holes since they would ultimately be hidden anyway.  I hate metal grommets unless absolutely necessary.  On a bodice they tend to pull themselves out of their fabric holes, no matter how well they are installed.  Historical accuracy would have demanded a metal ring with a hand sewn button hole around it.  No thank you!  I'll take the shortcut!

The rest of the bodice is sewn pretty much like a vest pattern, except I leave the open seam at the shoulders instead of the side seams for turning.  I can finish the seam edges with ribbon or bias tape and that cuts down on both a bulky seam, necessary hand sewing, and/or an awkward experience folding fabric under the sewing machine.

The photos I posted were in this order, so I'm sure I got to the point of getting the bodice done and took a break to work on the sleeves.  The skirt was relatively easy to do again.  Except for the tiny rolled hem at the front split.  I probably wanted to gather my courage before attempting that.  

But I did continue, and here is where my "floating lady" dress dummy set up came in handy. I could either cut the remaining length of sari fabric into panels for the skirt, or just gather one long edge, depending on how long the skirt needed to be.  I was praying and hoping that I didn't need to do panels, but a hoop skirt adds to the overall length.

Once again, I didn't want to cut the georgette when I didn't have to, so after a quick electronic convo with "L" we decided to leave it on as a ruffle at the top.  This does have some historical accuracy, as some ladies' doublets had a sort of short peplum.

The main dress was done!!!!

I had a few other surprises though.  

The original dress listed on Etsy that I started from had the chemise sleeves gathered at the elbow, so I added some elastic "scrunchie" type things in case "L" wanted to take the outer sleeves off and push her sleeves up for work.  

No real Renaissance lady would be caught dead without a head covering of some kind, unless they were single and looking.  It's an oft-overlooked element that really adds to authenticity.  Fortunately I had a little of the fancy stuff left over and a bit of veil-type fabric in my stash.  

I also made a handbag, not pictured.  The white flower pin is a memorial item everyone in the Royal Court will be wearing.

Finally, and NOT historically accurate, I added a few hooks and eyes to the inside of the skirt to lift it up.  The event lawn is famous for cockleburrs and in case they are particularly bad this year I wanted to give "L" an opportunity to keep the nice fabric up out of the mud.

I had one small internal question about how I attached the front panel flap.  It turned out not to work, as I suspected.  But this was after the first fitting, which meant I was in Wichita....near civilization...and near a JoAnn's fabric store!

What I wanted to use originally (and historically accurate!) was brass rings.  They're sold in the window covering/upholstery accessories section of the store and only come in brass.  But they're strong and the right size!  

I spent an evening sewing 24 of the little suckers on.  Great news is that they work perfectly!

It looked fabulous at our dress rehearsal.  I hope it wears just as well through the faire in a couple of weeks!  

And I promise to actually take pictures of "L" in the dress. ;)

Amateur cosplayers and ren faire goers are easily spotted by their lack of proper undergarments.  You see paintings and pictures of the outer most layers, of course.  And to be fair it takes a bit of research to find appropriate underclothes, but that's where I started on "L"'s dress.

​To keep costs at an absolute minimum I just used inexpensive percale flat sheets purchased from hotel suppliers on Amazon.  Seriously - if you can break away from the traditional fabric store format of 44" wide fabric, sheets are a fabulous way to go.  Some of the better ones are cut more on the grain than others, so I highly recommend taking out the hems and straightening the fabric right after washing in the hottest water possible. It may be plain, but these underclothes can undoubtedly take a rough beating and stand up to wear for years and years. 

The original pattern I found for making a hoop skirt used a VERY LARGE rectangle with channels sewn in at intervals for the hoop insertion.  The hoop material I was using wouldn't stand up in a channel on its own; it was made to be sewn down to the fabric directly.  So, I though I'd use separate strips that were gathered at each level.  In the future I'm not sure I'd use this method again, but it worked out ok this time.

I didn't take a picture of the top of my last-minute floating dress contraption, but the set up happened because I have a lower part of my ceiling that is covered duct work.  I was able to put a nail in the trim and suspend an embroidery hoop, which I then used to hang the hoop skirt at the right height for "L"'s actual measurements. I used heavy duty button thread actually sewn through the hoop skirt waistband and tied plus taped at the embroidery hoop at the top. The polyester sew-in boning needed time to adjust to the skirt and I didn't want to leave it flat on my floor.

​But on to the chemise.

I had offered both the gathered raglan sleeve style above and a skinny arm version, and "L" chose the raglan sleeve.  It really does fit better around the arm, and allows for lovely poofy bits on the outfit later on.

Of all the pieces that make up a ren faire outfit, the underskirt is by far the easiest.  In fact, I recommend it to beginning tailors who are comfortable buying other elements of their costume. It was the final piece of "underwear" for this costume, and came together in just a couple of hours.

First, the chemise added to the outfit.

There really aren't any construction photos of the underskirt, so here it is together on the floating thing.

There are two reasons I didn't build this on a dress dummy: 
1. Kate has my real dress dummy at her house still, while she works on other dresses.
2. That dress dummy is a plus size model and "L" is a size 6-8.  No way I can squeeze it down far enough!

After a while my contraption suspended from the ceiling became known as the "floating lady." It worked just fine as a stand in dress dummy and even doubled for the basement ghost for a while!  The dog kept walking underneath it, setting it twirling and spinning just out of the corner of my eye.  However, this is actually preferable to the dog laying on the incomplete dress, which certainly would have happened otherwise.  

​Next post will be the pretty stuff!