Challenge 10 - The Final Challenge - Outfit 1

Challenge 10 - The Final

How did this happen? One minute I’m making up the numbers and doing a cracking job of looking like cannon fodder, just waiting for my elimination day, the next here I am in the final!!
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought to get so far. Safina posted her farewell message on the blog, it was heartbreaking to see my fellow Brit be eliminated, that just leaves me now, alone, battling for England!


For this challenge, Doris sent all three finalists a vinyl Sam body for us to use for fittings for the final.
My first few days with the doll were spent in a panic, cutting patterns and trying to get the fit just perfect. She has larger hips than a Tonner and an Ellowyne, and one or two other measurements are not quite the same, also she has no head!

I have learned, the hard way, through the challenges on Dollway, that the best way to tackle things is to enjoy it - to let go of all the worries and the panic and live in the moment.

This is SO much easier said than done!! The pressures on Dollway are immense and being in the final is just unbelievable!
If you have ever watched a baby bird fledge, you will understand what I have gone through! The bird sits on the edge of the nest, franticly flapping away, longing to go off and fly but just daren’t let go. But when he does let go, he may have a little dive to start with but then he is off, flying and having the time of his life, before he knows it he is doing acrobatics!

Well, I’ve got to let go and I hope I will fly and not crash and burn!
So I crank up the music in the workshop and start sewing!
My inspirations have to follow on from the Gabby challenge, so the basic key elements are already there, London, England, Music, Military, Youth, Fun, etc etc…
I have planned out what I am going to do for each of the twelve outfits, I have a list of items that I need for each one, so that I can see at a glance what needs to be made.
There is no easy way to do any of this and writing the blog is yet another challenging stumbling block! So I think it may be best to just take you through each garment, one at a time and leave most of the heartache on the floor with this pile of threads and fabric scraps!
One thing you have to bear in mind is that the Sam doll is a different shape to the Tonner and the Ellowyne dolls, therefore the fit shown on my dolls is not too good.


Outfit One
My collection begins with an all time classic fashion item of clothing, under-rated but always there, well, for the last 60 years or so anyway!

The black leather jacket!
So iconic, for so many era’s!

is often overlooked, not exactly feminine or the height of fashion. However, it is a very powerful and meaningful garment…to many people. Also it is very “London - England!” A bit of a challenge to start with, but here goes.
This is the outfit…

The jacket couldn’t possibly be made in leather for something as small as this, so I have used silk dupion, which strangely, does look like leather. The jacket has all the bits and pieces you would expect, epaulettes, zips, studs, wrist straps and of course a red tartan lining!

Placing the zip worked much better than I had anticipated, it is really not an easy thing to do, as the seam I inserted it into is curved, so I never expected it to fasten and fit as well as it did.

Underneath she has a fairly simple dress, it is fitted and has used the tartan on the bias for the front panel. It is fully lined and zips up the back.

To tie the theme of the jacket into the dress I have made her a wide curved belt, this fastens with a tiny silver buckle. The belt sits very low on her hips so that it doesn’t become one with the jacket.