March Den of Angels Sewing Project: Mori/Dark Mori/Cottagecore

So every month over on Den of Angels, user PoeticSoul sets up a sewing challenge thread. It has a set theme for every month (even if it's just make's choice) and is meant to encourage sewing and doing fun stuff for your dolls. When I saw that the March theme for mori/dark mori/cottagecore, I knew I needed to hop in and use this as a kick in the pants to get working on more clothes for Sena. It srarted with a concept sketch:

And I intended to use this pile of fabric. The leafy patterned green was intended as a coat for Arrow, but I quickly realized it was perfect for Sena. Arrow will need a new fabric when I finally get to work on his clothes in earnest.

I opted to start with the lower half, and while working on it I came to the realization that this project would be easier if I deviated from my original apron dress plan and went to a split skirt and bodice pattern, as I wanted to give the skirt some texture. But the first step was sewing in a series of three tiers. To figure out how to do the measurements I just googled how to do a broomstick skirt for a human, and followed its instructions for how to keep doubling the amount of fabric for each layer. It worked out really well at 1/4 scale and I was pleased to finally have a use for that Tula Pink fox fabric, which I've been sitting on for months.

Next up was working on the bodice, which I ran into an unexpected snag with. I was using a pattern from Molendrix, specifically the strapless stays pattern. What I failed to realize on printing, though, was that the sizing I was printing at was too large. So I knocked out a ton of handstitching (this project was great for practicing backstitching)...

...without realizing it was off. Once I fit it onto Sena, though, I saw my mistake, and redid the top line of stitching to pare it down. I then added more of the leafy fabric along the outline to hide the raw edges, and a ruffle on the lower half, based on the sample images of mori fashion I looked up.

After getting those done, it was sewing up a lengthened shift, using a pattern Hat had sent me, and then trying to tackle the problem of shoes. Sena is the only doll in my collection that actually needs shoes (having human feet, versus claws, hooves, paws, or robotic stumps) and I've unfortunately found that elfen/fantasy style boots are stupid hard to find. So much so that I still haven't found leather ones I liked yet and have been working on trying to make boots for her. In this case, I opted for slippers with kidskin leather bottoms, trying to go for something a little easier (no teeny tiny zippers required). I initially started with another resized Molendrix pattern (elf shoes), getting as far as adding beads for decoration, before deciding I wasn't thrilled with them, as my upsizing had required me to try to do a decorative sort of fold to hide the uppers being too long. I then went looking for patterns and found a Resinsoul Xun-sized pattern set by Missy's Imaginings. A print later and some sewing, and I had slippers. Not great ones (sewing on the bottoms and keeping the shape continues to elude me), but slippers. Better than bare feet for early spring woods. With the last part of the outfit finished, it was a matter of adding velcro to the bodice and resizing the skirt elastic, and she was ready for some desk shots. Proper shots, with backdrop and props, will come...eventually.