I have been chitchatting back and forth with a good friend, who is also a doll and Marie Antoinette afficionado, like me. He has more knowledge of the era than I do, and I was wanting some costume ideas for the rats. I have had a good time making the big haired girls, and wanted to make some with a slightly different dress, maybe a bit more full, but the proportions are difficult. The rats are only 5-1/2 inches tall, and getting all that dress on those little sausage bodies, which lack either hips or bust, is a bit of a challenge, to say the least.
In any case, I worked on it for a few days. It's not exactly what you would see in that era, but it is coming closer. The problem with this scale is, adding fabric adds bulk. Then you get something that looks unnatural in terms of drape and just how it all sits.
I made 2 ratty girls, Celeste and Celine. They both are made of the loveliest Schulte mohair that came to me already a pale pink, so I didn't have to fuss with coloring it.
I gave them both high headed up-do's, made from a really soft artist yarn. The yarn itself has interwoven beads and lace. I dyed the hair for Celine a pale pink and left the hair for Celeste white. Doing the hair is a bit of work, because it requires making a base for the hair to wrap around. I used soft wool and felted it.
The dresses are both made of hand-dyed silk charmeuse, that has been laundered, so it is soft and has a muted sheen. There are loads and loads of ruffles.
The sleeves are off the shoulders and the neckline is quite square. That was a new thing for me to try, as I wasn't exactly sure how to attach the sleeves, but I got it worked out.
I gave a final underlayer of white tulle. I wanted the dresses to be poofy. I think that made them enough so, without making the dolls tip over.
All in all, this little project took me a ton of work. I am pleased with the results, and I think it was worth it, but was surprised how much time I could spend figuring out each little thing. I hope everyone is staying warm! It is below zero (F) here today, and I will not even step a toe outside. Brrr! Have a great week and stay creative!
XOXOX - Cindy
