Friday, April 30, 2010

Walk Like an Egyptian



I think I have gone quite over the top these days. Seriously. Mad as a Hatter, big headdress and all. I recently sent my OOAK cloth Egyptian Doll to a woman in Michigan and within days other people were asking me "do you still have that Egyptian doll?" No, I don't. But, with all my plastic doll madness, I got to talking with a new friend in New York and we decided the thing to do would be to make an Egyptian costume for big headed Blythe.



Well, why not? I didn't think I could come up with anything quite as grand as I had for my Egyptian statue doll, since Blythe is only 12" tall, but I knew that I was on a roll with headwear, so there'd be that at least.



I started with white cotton, made a strapless bodice and used gold/silver/pale blue thread and did a fancy design all over the front piece. I then knife-pleated a skirt, added some more fancy thread work and attached that. Added a pleated decorative overwrap and a red silk sash and voila', one Egyptian, Nefertiti style dress. Well, if you're going to have the dress, certainly you'll need the right hat. So, I spent an entire day cooking up a Nefertiti style hat.



I checked out the internet for pictures of the Nefertiti bust and set to work. I dyed up some white cotton in a beautiful blue, appropriate to the "real" hat, and had a piece of gold colored fabric for the front inset already. I wove a couple of ribbons for the band across the top, made a polymer and gold flake centerpiece and pulled the thing together. When it was done, I was actually quite pleased. Big head and all, I think it's a pretty cool costume.



I'm sending it to my friend in New York today. I rarely keep things I make, and this is no exception. I truly have run out of shelf space, and I have a lot of shelves! Stuff is piled under my 2 tables now (so much for my new plan of keeping stuff off the floor), the piano, the closet is full, the shelves are packed, and I really have no where to put a single other thing. Well, maybe just one more hat...

5 comments:

  1. No, keeping the doll, Yve. My friend is looking for a darker skinned Blythe and is a superb jewelry designer, so will be making a neck piece to go with. The dolls are all over the place, Yve. It's ridiculous! What would I do without you to blabber about dolls with?!

    Thanks, Sassy!

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  2. ...the hair, the dress... the hat!! wow! I won't even mention the tables and shelves.... But it is a sign of a creative mind! LOL

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  3. oh...how "FREAKING" cool is this little doll and her AMAZING hat!??? I love the whole crazy idea......some day i will just show up at your doorstep...and we'll make cool things all day long!!! hahaha love colleen

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  4. Cindy, she is magnificent. I love her. Congrats!

    Janie

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  5. Er, creative mind, sure, I'll go with that, Ayala! :)

    Thanks, Colleen. Come by anytime!

    Thanks, Janie!

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