Bringing A Victorian Barbie To Life - The Plan

 

During the Holiday Season of 2020 the world was still in the quiet isolation and desperation of the pandemic.  It was a time when people were physically separate and also greatly needed to be together.  A collaboration for all costumers was formed across all social media platforms called #homefortheholidays.

We shared our traditions, passions, and costumes.  I will share a Playlist for those who participated who also have YouTube Channels.  There are 64 videos to put you in a sharing and caring seasonal frame of mind.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSKRJ01xNNbnd2s_Spee2XF-FLhhQba9L

I participated in the collaboration creating a life-sized Hallmark Traditions Barbie Edwardian costume.

The Blog Post:  http://theperfecttouchvictorian.blogspot.com/2020/12/an-edwardian-barbie-plan.html

The YouTube Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOOo5JnLZa0&list=PLSKRJ01xNNbnd2s_Spee2XF-FLhhQba9L&index=1

The YouTube Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnfggRl2Q78&list=PLSKRJ01xNNbnd2s_Spee2XF-FLhhQba9L&index=57

It was a fun project to source fabrics and patterns, and then create and wear the life-sized Edwardian costume even though it was just to walk in my front yard.

It was so much fun that I promised myself I would do it again in 2021!  So I programmed a search into EBay and as other Holiday Barbies came available I won two at auction.

Both Barbie dolls are from a series.  The one in green is a 1996 Hallmark Special Edition, third in the series of Yuletide Romance.  This seemed to be a simple costume to recreate with only a bodice in a green velvet, a green satin skirt, and both pieces trimmed with gold braid.

The Barbie in plum is also a 1996 Hallmark Special Edition, first in the Holiday Homecoming Collector Series.

It was just July and I knew I didn't have to make a quick decision.  I already had patterns for both the jacket and skirt for either costume.  The Wearing History Sophie 1899 French Jacket which I've made previously and love!  And the Truly Victorian 291 1898 Walking Skirt which I've made previously and...yes...love!

I found myself very drawn to the idea of plum velvet with white trim and a damask skirt.  And, of course, a wonderful hat!

I used to have the most amazing fabric mecca just an hour away - Mary Jo's Cloth Store.  It always had anything and everything I could want in fabrics, trims, patterns, and every supply imaginable.  Sadly, after 68 years in business, the store closed.  There is nothing else as wonderful near me and I've had to depend on online purchasing.

I've had good success when I'm just browsing but matching a color or imagining the feel or drape of a fabric is definitely not the same online.  So I decided to let the fabric fates determine which Holiday Barbie I would create and went in search of plum velvet.  To my amazement it was right there at Fashion Fabrics, Los Angeles, online store.  An eggplant silk velvet.  That made my decision and I placed an order on August 27th.

Since I was feeling lucky I continued my online search and found a flocked damask labelled "plum".  I downloaded the photo, compared it to the downloaded photo of the velvet and believed I had found the perfect match.

Don't they look wonderful together?  Order placed!

The silk velvet for the jacket arrived and I couldn't be happier!

But the skirt fabric, while beautiful, was purple and completely wrong for the project.

I have a favorite online fabric seller; Fashion Fabrics Club out of St. Louis MO.  I have had wonderful luck with them when I am trying to color match and that will be my next stop.  I find a fabric called Deep Mauve Pink Satin Woven Home Decorating Fabric with the following description:

-Super lustrous satin woven fabric
-Weight: Medium
-Transparency: Opaque
-Hand: Smooth
-Stretch: No Stretch
-Drape: Good Drape
-Luster: Very Lustrous
-End Uses: Drapery, Sofas, Decorative Pillowcases, & more

And the color looks perfect! 

Order placed on September 9th.  I also order enough to create a ballgown bodice because you just never know...

The problem is going to be recreating the damask design and I have what I think might be the solution.  An overlay of embroidered net.

I pull up the color sample on my phone, overlay it with a piece of black net I used to create a fan, and pair the effect with the velvet.  It looks like a possibility!  But what a way to make decisions!

Then another bit of luck!  Not only do I find a perfect design and scale, and I can order a sample.

But now that I've purchased the velvet for the jacket, and the satin for the skirt, the budget is already stretched.  When I started this project in July I was hoping to travel to Winterthur Museum and Longwood Gardens for a holiday tea with friends.  I knew this would be my costume and it seemed perfect.  But now into September it is apparent that plan has to be put on hold and I'm struggling with the expense of this costume.  So I continue my search and find several other less expensive alternatives for the overlay.

I order samples of several.  It is now mid September.

One sample of an overlay arrives but I'm still waiting for the more expensive sample to satisfy my curiosity.  I wait and I wait.  I contact the seller and they ship another.  It arrives.  And weeks later the first one arrives.  

The satin arrives and with my overlay sample I'm thrilled!  The expensive overlay has beautiful beading with the embroidery but I tell myself how difficult that will be to cut and sew onto the skirt.  At least that's what I tell myself!  I sleep on the decision and order the less expensive overlay the next day.  It is now October 7th.

The overlay from New Fabrics Daily in Los Angeles on Etsy arrives quickly.  But I'm concerned when I see the condition of the package.

The fabric was double bagged in very sturdy bags and the hole is completely through both bags.  But the fabric fairies have smiled on me and the overlay is undamaged.

And I absolutely love the effect over the mauve satin!

I have enough white faux fur left from a previous project which will work well for the collar and cuffs.

What a journey this has been!

The last piece to recreate this project will be the charm Barbie wears on a red and gold ribbon.  I find a puff heart from an antique dealer located practically in my back yard.  I wonder what beautiful story this heart could tell?

Everything is finally ready to create the life-sized costume of A Victorian Barbie.  It is now November.  It has taken months to gather everything, and hours of searching and now it's time to sew.  But that will be in another blog post.

Companion YouTube Video:  https://youtu.be/AVUuXQtvN_A

Happy Holiday Hugs!

        Jeanette