Faire-est in the Land
- wingedmermaid
- Jun 2, 2024
- 6 min read
I've always wanted to learn how to sew really, really well -- mostly because I grew up watching my mom and my grandma make the most incredible things, and do so with ease. They made every project look so simple, I expected to pick up sewing quickly, too. But the first time I sat down at a machine and tried, I quickly realized just how much effort sewing takes to turn out well. Still, that's never stopped me from having "visions of grandeur" when it comes to sewing projects. See if this sounds like you, too...
First, something piques your interest. Maybe it's something you saw someone else make on YouTube or Instagram. Maybe it's something you've always wanted to do and finally have the nerve to do it. You plan out your idea. Then, you gather materials. You have a pattern, fabric, thread, and everything else you could possibly need. Your excitement is building!
Then you sit down and begin to read the pattern's instructions. Are these written in a different language? What are they trying to say? You begin to question your reading comprehension. You read and re-read. Why can't you make sense of these directions?!
You switch gears. You decide to cut the fabric first -- maybe once you see the shapes, things will make more sense. But no, the pieces are just as confusing. You keep cutting. It lasts approximately twenty years.
Finally, it's time to lug out your sewing machine. You wind the bobbin and set it in place. You thread the machine. You're still not sure you know what you're doing, but you decide to start sewing anyway.
It never goes as smoothly as it seems to on YouTube. The curves are difficult. The fabric doesn't want to fully cooperate. You try to give your sewing machine encouragement, but your patience is quickly wearing thin. You accidentally sew something backwards, or inside out, or something catches unexpectedly.
But after several frustrating hours and a few colorful words here and there, the pile of pins and fabric is transformed into the very thing you hoped to make. It's not perfect, but you're proud of it all the same. You could take some extra time to redo the sections you're not completely happy with, but you don't, because you're exhausted -- mentally, physically, and emotionally.
A few days pass and you decide that maybe you should at least tweak a few things by hand. Now it looks really good! The more you look at it, the prouder you are. You made this thing! You brought it to life! It was just an idea not that long ago, and now it's a real thing!
You're riding high on serotonin. You accomplished a difficult thing! You sewed! If you could make this thing, who knows what you could make next! And that gets you thinking... what could you make next? The possibilities are endless! And really, sewing wasn't that bad... Was it?
So... Sound familiar? ;D
In recent years, I've been really trying to push myself to see this cycle all the way through and not allow myself to get stuck and give up. In the past, my mom would happily take over a project for me or do the really difficult parts, but as my husband always points out, if I don't do the difficult parts, too, I'll never really learn.
I've found that the best way to keep my momentum going is if I'm really excited about the outcome -- and nothing gets me more excited than an event!
Enter: the AGIG Ren Faire!
I've been to the renaissance faire a few times in the past, but the closest one to me is a couple of hours away and the weather always ends up being miserably hot. The idea of going is much more palatable to me with my Maltese and Choctaw heat-tolerant genes than my winter-loving husband. The other problem is that it's hard for me to go to an event where people often dress up without being in costume, too. Sometimes wearing a costume along with everyone else is more fun than the actual event itself! But coming up with an appropriate outfit often requires a lot of time, materials, and money.
That's why I was so excited when @fromauntheidi on Instagram came up with the idea of the AGIG Ren Faire! I could "attend" a ren faire with my fellow collectors via photos of our dolls, and it wouldn't cost me as much as making a human-sized costume. Not only that, it would be a great way to practice sewing and maybe use up some crafting supplies I have laying around!
Let's Get Sewing!
I initially wanted to make a more typical ren faire outfit -- flowy circle skirt, peasant top, lace-up bodice, the usual -- but the idea of grommets (both metal and hand-sewn) seemed a little too difficult. Then I looked at more historically-accurate renaissance attire... which also looked a little above my skill level.
I checked my stash of doll clothes patterns and found Simplicity's 1134 that I probably picked up for a couple bucks during a sale...
At first I thought maybe I'd try for view D, but the more I looked at the sleeves, the more my confidence waned.
Finally, I decided to try Etsy, and there I found Lee and Pearl's "A Late Medieval Lady's Wardrobe for 18" Dolls" (L&P 3001). The pattern promised an easier version as part of the instructions, so I decided to take a chance and buy the pattern. I also decided that Lizzie, who has likely become my favorite AG doll at this point, would reprise her role as sewing helper and ultimately, model for the dress.
The easy version of the pattern mentioned using knit fabric to make construction easier, so I found a couple different colors of knit fabric to potentially use for her dress. But then, while searching for "renaissance ribbons," I found the Tula Pink "Tiny Beasts" collection of ribbons made by the company, Renaissance Ribbons. One style was beautiful shades of teal and green, and featured flowers and foxes. It was love at first sight. I found a knit fabric that would match nicely, then waited impatiently for everything to arrive.
In the meantime, my mom helped me check my understanding of the pattern and double-check that I'd printed and assembled the pieces correctly. I'd only ordered just enough fabric to make the dress, so I didn't want to allow any room for error.
I was so excited when the fabric and ribbon arrived -- they went together even better than I hoped! I quickly got to work washing and cutting the fabric. Then I pulled my sewing machine out and began to sew. The knit fabric actually did make things come together a little more smoothly, and because I was using a washed light color knit, I didn't need to add a lining or really worry that the fabric would bleed onto the vinyl. I worked slowly and carefully, and the dress began to take shape.
My Own Twists
Once I had the basic shape down, I decided to experiment a little. I added a collar in a deeper teal color. It didn't quite have the effect I was going for and almost made the outfit look like a long, medieval-ish sweatshirt. I opted to try adding some beads I had lying around in my stash to see if that would help it look more elegant, and it worked really well! So well, that I decided to add more and give the collar an almost gradient look, blending the dark teal with the mint of the main dress. It was nice to use up the beads I'd been storing in my crafting stash for TWENTY YEARS. I'd initially purchased them for a gunner Yuna costume (FINAL FANTASY X-2) I'd made back in 2004. I also used a small mermaid charm and half of a silver closure to add more detail to the dress.
I kept trying the dress on Elizabeth and tweaking or redoing sections until I was completely happy with it. When the outfit was finally ready, I dressed Elizabeth and took advantage of a nice spring day for some photos. It was actually my first time taking pictures of an 18" doll in public (previously, I'd taken mini Lea to Disneyland for a few shots, but I'd never been brave enough for a larger doll). I'm sure some of the passersby were a little confused, but oh well! It was worth it! The photos turned out great!
"Attending" the Faire
Like many of my sewing projects, it's not perfect, but I do really love how Elizabeth's ren faire dress turned out.
I had so much fun preparing for and "attending" this event, and I think everyone else who participated did as well. It was exciting to see how everyone else used pieces they already had to create their outfits or sewed their own, too. And it was great inspiration to try sewing more dresses! ;D
See more of Elizabeth's time at the AGIG Ren Faire here!
