Sometimes I can be my own worst critic and sometimes I need another pair of eyes to see if they are seeing what I’m seeing.
First let me show you the skirt I made using 1/4″ elastic. I tried making a yoke that sort of mimicked the peplum. I wanted it to be streamlined enough to sort of just hide under that peplum without adding any bulk in the waist area.
Well, I thought if I stitched a casing at the top edge of the yoke and then ran 1/4″ elastic through it, I could snug up the waist. But when the skirt was tried on, it looked pretty awful in my opinion…
The elastic and the gathers just under the peplum made it look too bulky…
(I also redid the bow and cameo button… this is the BEFORE picture and it shows it the best, but it would not stay up straight and in the middle, so I took it off and redid it… you can see the new look below…)
So I went back to my original way of making a streamlined skirt and this one worked… it just has the stretch lace as a waistband and snugs up on any dolls waist and leaves a much prettier look…
So, here’s where I’m at… I love the skirt… and I love the top, but let me show you some pictures…
Before I say anything, does anyone notice anything or have any comments about what you see?
Now pretend there is that Jeopardy music playing while you think… du-du-du-du-du-du-du….. anyone see anything?
Okay so let me tell you if you noticed what I did… or if it’s just me and my imagination working overtime… see this row of squares on the peplum? The ones at the bottom…
Well, where they are is just about a 1/4″ below where the waist seam is and maybe it’s just an optical illusion, but my eye gets fixated on the bottom row of the squares instead of the waist seam and it makes the bodice seem too long…
So instead of the bodice looking like this…
I’m wondering if the bodice needs to be shortened about 1/4″ and the peplum added back on. Now the peplum wouldn’t actually be shortened; the bodice would; but it would look something like this… I’ve just pulled the peplum up to the bottom button so you can see how much difference there would be if the bodice were shortened.
Do you think there is much difference in this…
…and this?
I’m wondering if the bodice looks too long or if it’s just that optical illusion I’m seeing?
You won’t hurt my feelings… so please tell me what you see and what you think…
Also, do you have a favorite girl modeling?
Tomorrow is my 5th Anniversary of writing this blog!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne
Looking closely at the pictures I am not sure that the problem is with the bodice or the peplum, I think it may be the lace that’s throwing it off. If you look at where the lace sits on the left square with the light background and compare it to the one on the right the right one is lower and the lace is slightly less gathered just there so it looks as if it dips . I think that may be what is giving the illusion that something is off and I wonder if moving the lace up a fraction may be all it needs to make it look right and a lot less work than taking the dress apart . My own preference is for the longer bodice length,I think it’s a bit more slimming on the bigger dolls.
Hi Jeanne, I like the first look the best. The new look makes her waist look thicker. Other then that the outfit is so pretty
I think Lorna is right about the lace! I didn’t notice it until she mentioned it, and then when I went back and looked, I realized that That was what was bothering me about the peplum. The length is just fine, though. As Lynn said, the shorter one will make the waist look thicker.
I also like how you did the skirt, with the wide stretch lace. It really does improve the total look of the garment.
The bow and cameo button look much better now, too!! All in all, the outfit is coming along nicely. As to who wears it best….I vote for Kirsten!
Oh Charlotte, sorry! I totally missed Kirsten’s picture!
Charlotte, Kirsten isn’t modeling the dress, do you mean Caroline, the blonde?
Well, Jeanne, let me see, I do see a difference in the dress when you pull up the peplum, and feel that the longer way makes the doll look older, and the pulled up peplum looks more for a younger girl. I would prefer the higher up peplum if I were buying the dress, just to mix things up here! Sine most all my dolls are slim, except for Susan, I have no need to make them look even slimmer!
I do see a difference in the gathers of the lace, and that does make a difference. With all our nit-picking here, you should have a lovely day trying to figure out this really pretty outfit! 🙂
All the dolls look completely lovely modeling the dress, each in her own way, so no favorites here!
Hi Linda, Actually Kirsten IS modeling the dress, at least in the first couple of pictures, right before Eden (#55). 🙂 Hope you are surviving physical therapy.
Laura, I think I wasn’t awake enough to t know what I was talking about! Maybe the therapy is taking a toll! 😜
Dear Jeanne, here is a comment from the non-sewer. I like the first way better. The pattern is a complete whole. In the second way, the fabric overlaps itself and the pattern is broken. I hope you can understand what I am saying as I don’t know how to say this in sewing language.
I like how you made the lacy waistband to make the top sit nicely on the skirt.
Happy (almost) Anniversary! The 5th anniversary gift is wood. I am going to hug a tree tomorrow in your honor (laugh).
Remember when I mentioned finding a Caroline Wig on eBay. It’s back and there are lots of them. It’s listed “American Girl Doll Caroline Wig No Box.” It looks strange because someone is holding a strand of hair to show how it looks when it’s at its full length but it is beautiful and not messy when received. And it’s only $15. The seller is daverun. The wig fit over my Kit doll’s head and made a good impersonation of Elizabeth.
About the dress, I would like to have seen the tab of lace down the front go all the way down the front and have been lined beneath the solid white under the buttons as the print kind of shows through. Maybe it doesn’t in person. I liked the longer peplum as it doesn’t break off the print in the top part. Your dresses always look great, so I’m sure whatever you decide will be fine.
Uh, oh. Correction: Good impersonation of Caroline.
I’m still for Elizabeth to model this one. 🙂 However, Rebecca, or I think that is who it is, looks lovely with her light brown hair. Kirsten and Caroline seem a bit washed out in this color.
When I reexamined the photos, my first impression was that everyone looked a bit long in the waist. Not sure if regathering the lace and putting it on more evenly would change the long waist look. I vote for shortening the bodice and maybe pulling up the lace in the front to even it out. However, I really like the outfit as it is and all that work to redo might not make that much difference. 🙂
The skirt definitely looks much nicer under the peplum even though I’m not a fan of the wide stretch lace. But, it doesn’t show anyway so that is not important.
Now that you have all of these opinions, it will be interesting to see the outcome. I can see all of the models clamoring for attention in the background. Pick me, pick me! They all want to be the one chosen to wear this lovely outfit.
Oh, we finally hit that buy button and bought a new bed. 🙂
I am seeing what you are seeing.
I think the second photo does make the bodice seem more appropriate, or visually appealing.
I agree that the pattern on the top with the blocks does influence the top look
My eyes see stuff like this too, and once I see it, I get kind of obsessed with my own view.
So…. I get it
If you check how the fabric print shows there seem to be subtle differences. If you were sewing with a plaid or gingham you know you double check that the checks display the same. I think it’s the same here. The lace at the bottom may be a little off like Lorna mentioned. But my eye was drawn to those blocks on the peplum while the jeopardy music played! It’s going to be a lovely dress. Showing it on several dolls is great.
Bonjour, I prefer the longest length, it looks better for me.
Dear Fellow Blog Readers,
Kirsten is modeling the outfit way up at the beginning in the first skirt that Jeanne was not happy about. She models one more time with the entire outfit. She’s also in the close up of the cameo and bow.
This may also be part of the optical illusion but when I look ay the peplum, the right side seems a bit longer. Is it the print or the lace? I don’t know!
I think Ruthie is very pretty in this ensemble. Has she had an outfit to model lately? Ruthie gets my vote.
I must confess I’m not very good at critiquing other people’s work, so I will tell you what I do like. I like the longer bodice. Someone mentioned that it made the doll look slimmer and I totally agree. I love the lace for a waistband. It’s a great idea! It removed the bulky look. I’m not exactly sure what you did with the bow and cameo, but it does look more stable. I see the lace situation, but that is an easy fix. I find this type thing is often a problem when using fabric with a constant, defined pattern. Probably why I usually use a fabric that is not too defined. Once I made my grandson a pair of pajama bottoms out of a pirate-themed print. It looked like a random print to me, but when I got to looking at the pants when I was finished I noticed on the right leg the ships were sailing down and sailing up on the left one. While sailing down and up might be doable in real life it looked weird on the pj bottoms, so I redid them. Now I pay more attention when I’m cutting out fabric like that.
I made Betsy the cutest shorts outfit yesterday using an adorable LD pattern. Fit-wise it was perfect, but unfortunately it turned out looking more like a dress with shorts under it than a top for a short set. So, I will be making Betsy a pair of matching capris and another top for the shorts. The next time I use this particular top (there were two choices) I will shorten the peplum when using it with shorts. The top is shown on the pattern instructions with leggings and looks real cute that way. Oh the things we discover when our projects are completed.
The change in the waistband on the skirt made all the difference…it is just the right amount of fullness in just the right place. As for the top I really like the shorter version when you see the full length pose. She does look more like a little girl . The longer waisted version makes her look like a young lady. Both are good. My favorite is the dark haired model
Happy 5th Blog Anniversary!
I agree that the lace is off on the right side, as I’m looking at it. It seems to dip. I also prefer the longer line of the bodice. 🙂
Dear Jeanne, I do see what your seeing, but I see something more that you’re not going to be able to correct, but I’ll mention it anyway. My eye goes straight to the dark blue square at the middle of the peplum, if it were the white square your eye doesn’t focus as highly on the contrast. I do think the issue is more with the lace than the length of the peplum, although for myself I would buy a dress with a shorter peplum. I agree with Linda that you are going to have loads of fun with all our helpful advice.
The dress truly is beautiful and the lace waistband was a wonderful solution. I think Eden with her raven hair looks lovely or yes, Elizabeth with her blue eyes would be a great choice as well.
That should have been “You’re seeing”. Sometimes my mind get ahead of my typing LOL Oh, and Happy Anniversary tomorrow . It’s been a wonderful (almost) five years for me as I think I found your blog in September.
I do agree with you Laura about the color squares. When looking at it again, the pattern going across seems to be white blue white blue and then a row of blue blue. When it hits the peplum, the pattern changes and should be white blue white blue with the white square in the center giving the illusion that the lace continues down into the bottom. I know the partial row above would be off, but I think matching up a white square to the decorative piece down the front might make a difference. Then all of the squares running down the front would match up. If leaving it the longer length, the top half row should be the white blue white blue with the partial white right below the lace decorative piece and the next row a blue blue row. Or so I think. 🙂
Hi Jeanne.
I like the longer length best. In my opinion, Rebecca wears it best (doll in picture #12)!
As some of the others have said: that’s a lot of work to take the top apart and redo the peplum.
But if you decide that you must: perhaps if you keep the medallions of the fabric in the peplum, in line with the medallions on the top – you’d like the look better.
I like the stretch lace on the skirt. It makes for a nice smooth look.
WOW! Lots of comments and lots of good ideas… I was too busy “trying” to get the top right that I didn’t check my blog until it was too late to comment on everyone’s comment! :o)
You ALL had great ideas and “great eyes” noticing things that needed to be noticed.
I will tell you I took the peplum off the bodice and made a new one… only took me 3 tries! I put it back together a little bit ago and will have to let it be… It must just be me, but I love it when the dolls arms are down by her sides, but not when they are lifted up… ??? what’s that all about? I don’t know…
Anyway, I have to move on and will try to do that tomorrow…
Thanks everyone for your great comments!
I’ve got a blog post to write! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
I was going to say a thin dark ribbon belt at the waist to add contrast.