It’s never good for the morale of the doll room to focus entirely on one project. It probably goes without saying that dolls, by nature, become petulant when new dresses stop appearing.
Especially if the newest doll is getting all of the attention.
So, I’ve been reminded – by dozens of tiny, tapping feet – that I’m not keeping up with my half of the bargain. The one where they promise always to be pretty so long as I promise to keep the dresses coming.
“Tout de suite,” Maman! “We must have more NOW!”
Maddie is especially miffed, since we were in the middle of a project when I set her aside. And unfortunately for me, she’s spent her “downtime” scouring fashion journals for what she wants next.
Well.
What she wants is to keep up with the latest fashions. And she’s decided that means something closer to 1868 than 1864. Which doesn’t sound like a big deal.
Except that it is.
As you can see in the fashion plate above, everything that was balanced equally around a girl in 1864, and held up by a perfectly round hoop, is now perfectly wrong. The fullness has crept to the back. Hoops are no longer worn. And what holds their dresses in the correct, most fashionable, position now?
A thingy called a “tournure” – which sits like a tiny bustle between the slip and the dress – a new slip, of course, because the current one is too bulky. And it must be a half slip, which means there must also be a new chemise.
And, and, and . . .
Luckily, there is a silver lining to all of this madness. I’ve just gotten the most delicious burgundy shot silk, and its arrival coincided with my seeing a beautiful little two-piece walking dress on Pinterest that’s just the thing for that time of year when it’s not yet spring, but we all eagerly want to escape from winter.
It’s beautiful enough in my imagination that I woke up three times last night, excited to begin the nightmare of all new underwear sewing.
I can’t explain this, but it’s true.
And did I mention? There’s also a delightful matching hat . . .
To follow along with Maddie’s Walking Dress project, click HERE.
To see all of her wardrobe so far, click HERE.