Sasha Festival 2024 - Dress a Sasha created by DollMum's daughter

After some thought and discussion my younger daughter decided she wanted to enter the 'English Garden Created by Adult' category for the Dress a Sasha competition at the 2024 Sasha Doll Festival, in Milton Keynes. She wanted to feature her Sasha White Dress doll Laura, who has lovely long auburn hair. She looked at paintings and pictures online to find a pre-Raphaelite painting of a girl in a garden she could recreate, and came across the 1854 painting of Fair Rosamund by Arthur Hughes. The story being depicted has a dark twist to it and for a young woman who wears Goth and steampunk influenced outfits as leisure wear, the legend of Fair Rosamund in her hidden garden appealed a lot, as did the composition of the painting. Both of us could see lots of possibilities for how to achieve that scene, we bounced ideas (it was never a competition in our home, even though I was entering exactly the same category) and she decided to treat it as a creative project which she knew would take time and effort to complete. 

The first challenge was deciding how to make the dress in the painting. We sorted through my fabric collection and found some possible candidates, but she was most concerned about how to make the bodice appear really close fitting to outline Rosamund's figure.

The bodice pattern for a Sasha dress I had made before wasn't quite fitted or long enough, so she redrew the pattern (first skill being developed) and made up the first draft using some spare old fabric from a skirt I had made years before. She wasn't satisfied with that version, so redrafted the pattern again and spent time carefully positioning and then stitching the darts using a sewing machine on both the lining (plain white fabric) and the main fabric before stitching the bodice together. She also drew the front bodice pattern for the gauze overlay fabric of the bodice, even though that part of the dress was the bit which was worrying her the most, as the fabric frays so easily.

L-R: pattern for gauze overlay front bodice, back bodice, front bodice pieces

Laura models the second prototype of the bodice

Close up of Laura modelling the second prototype of the bodice

Back view of the second prototype, pinned in place

Inside lining view of the second prototype of the bodice, showing the darts and seams

Once she was happy with the second prototype bodice, she cut the bodice pieces in the main and lining fabrics chosen.

The question about how to do the front edges on the gauze overlay part of the bodice was answered for us by advice from our local sewing shop when one of the staff suggested using the rolled edge stitch on my overlocker machine! It worked, and my daughter was so relieved as she had been trying to roll and stitch the edge by hand with no success at all because it just frayed! Once the rolled overlocking had been done, it was tricky to position the overlay pieces when stitching the bodice together, as the overlay pieces had their seams captured with the other pieces (she did not want to stitch it as a separate bodice and this was exactly the right decision). So there was a lot of precision fitting and stitching, done carefully (she was far more painstaking and patient than I would have been). The overlay fabric does not have darts in it, so was a bit oversize above the waistline, but once the fabric was captured in the side seams, the excess was trimmed and it stretched gently over the darts in the bodice.

Once the bodice was assembled, she did a double gather of the skirt piece then drew up the gather, pinned it carefully to the bodice and then hand stitched the skirt to the bodice, doing a tiny stitch around each tiny gather! I was amazed at the tireless precision. Once she was satisfied that the skirt hung right on the bodice, she stitched the lining to the skirt with tiny neat stitches (not photographed).

Stitching the skirt to the bodice with tiny stitches around each gather

Now the dress was assembled she hemmed the skirt by hand, catching the fabric on the inside by a thread each time so as to make the stitches almost invisible on the outside. Then came the creative bit she was looking forward to doing - the embroidered waistband. She put a 7mm wide dark green satin ribbon in a small embroidery hoop, selected a golden yellow coloured embroidery floss, drew out a scaled copy of the lettering from the painting of the waistband on some paper to get the size of the letters right and started embroidering the ribbon. She wasn't satisfied with anything less than perfect, unpicking stitches occasionally and showing me progress.

DollMum's daughter embroidering the waistband with Rosamund's name

The back of the dress was fastened with snap fasteners (press studs) and the waistband was carefully stitched to the dress once most of them had been stitched on, then the final pair were stitched in line with the waistband. Due to the fullness of the skirt, she decided the back of the skirt did not need to be joined as it was hidden in the display (and she was running out of time), also the fabric edges didn't need hemming because she had cut the skirt from the full width of the fabric, to get a good gather. She put the dress on Laura, fastened it at the back then rejoiced, on the Thursday morning just before the festival, in doing the final detail she had been looking forward to doing all along - the fine lacing of the overlay gauze bodice, using a single thread of cotton to lace the two sides of the bodice together from the waist up in a criss-cross pattern, stitching it while the dress was on the doll, so the tension would be right.

In the meantime, the base and backdrop was being created. Plywood boards were cut to size by our local timber merchant and my husband made up some brass brackets which were used with round head brass screws to fit the boards together. My base and backdrop was made in the same way.

My daughter printed out an enlarged version of the painting to get it to the same scale as the doll, then glued a section of the background of the painting on thick card. However, it didn't cover the whole piece of card, so she used lots of paper leaf and flower sections from the painting in a collage effect to cover the remaining card (back and sides). This collage work took several hours to complete - once again she was meticulous in trying to get it as close to the painting image as she could so it would look natural. The glue stick ran out so she bought a cheap alternative then discovered how rubbish that was, so I got the proper stuff in a quick trip to a local shop.

She painted the base board thick card with acrylic paints, mixing the colours to get the mottled path right, and painted on some fallen leaves, also extending the shadows from the background section of the painting, she said it was good to do some artistic painting again, the last time she did was about 5 years ago for GCSE art.

The Dress a Sasha rules requested entrants use as much in the way of recycled materials as possible, however she purchased some strands of small scale imitation ivy and some plastic flowers from a local shop, as making these would not have been feasible in the time available. We found some blocks of green oasis left over from a craft workshop I had run 6 years ago and she cut out some of the foreground plants and flowers from the enlarged print of the painting, then cut around them to get the shapes right. These were pinned or pushed into the oasis blocks, then arranged on the base board to build up the foreground planting. 

It seemed to make sense to display the description card with a picture of the painting on a miniature easel, as the original was a painting. The description card was glued onto a piece of thick card. The description says:

Fair Rosamund by Arthur Hughes (1854)

Legend tells how Rosamund Clifford was given a hidden garden beyond a maze at Woodstock Palace, Oxfordshire by King Henry II but his jealous wife Eleanor of Aquitaine discovered the entrance and poisoned Fair Rosamund. The iris and foxglove flowers in this painting of her garden predict her death by poison, with the Queen in the background. Historical accounts indicate that when her affair with the king ended, Rosamund went to Godstow Abbey and died there aged 40 in 1176, so was not poisoned by the Queen. This pre-Raphaelite painting is now in Australia: https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/4069/

Fair Rosamund 'Dress a Sasha' set up at home

Fair Rosamund in her hidden English garden

Bodice and waistband

Close up of the embroidered waistband and fine lacing on the bodice

Fair Rosamund 

The plants in the foreground of Fair Rosamund's garden

The information card about the Fair Rosamund 'Dress a Sasha' 

Fair Rosamund 'Dress a Sasha' all ready for the festival

Towards the end of making her Dress a Sasha, my daughter said she would soon need another creative project to work on, as she had enjoyed this one so much.

Portable sewing kits for Christmas

In my study break since the end of September I've been in a sewing spree. Once the Advent Calendar and all its contents were complete, I made a couple of sewing accessory storage bags for my elder daughter as a Christmas gift. 

I had bought a fat quarter of Lewis & Irene fabric with dogs on it (she loves dogs) and decided that a useful gift would be a bag which she could use for storing and carrying her sewing/embroidery projects (she had started making some badges with embroidery thread on canvas). I bought a small plastic storage box for embroidery threads, an embroidery thread winder, some embroidery hoops, needles and small scissors. I designed the bag to be able to hold projects in progress on the one side (where I placed the embroidery hoops in two large pockets), then on the other side I made a deep pocket for the thread box which had shallow pockets in the dog fabric for storing things like packets of needles, a pocket for holding the thread winder, a needle case with felt flaps for the needles and a detachable case for holding the embroidery scissors. This little scissors case has felt stitched into the inside of the tip for protecting the scissor points and can clip onto a strap in the bag.

The embroidery project storage bag opened out

The embroidery project storage bag opened out, with the thread winder in its pocket

The embroidery project storage bag with the needle case flapped open

The embroidery thread storage box emerging from its pocket

The embroidery hoops emerging from the project storage pockets

The embroidery storage bag closed before the button flaps were fastened

The embroidery storage bag closed with the button flaps and snap fastenings closed

I subsequently decided that a sewing roll for holding all her accessories would be a useful gift so I found a fat quarter of sewing inspired fabric (another Lewis & Irene design), searched for as many different examples of portable fabric sewing kits as possible for design and layout inspiration then started sketching out layouts and made a list of accessories she was likely to want to store in the kit. I bought some accessories I knew she didn't already have (the steel rule, rotary cutter, scissors sharpener, tweezers, snap fasteners and also bought a packet of sewing needles though I knew she had some already.

The sewing roll opened out

The sewing roll opened out with the needle case open
and the pocket for pins or a small pin cushion

Storage pockets for a rotary cutter, 6 inch steel rule, measuring tape and tweezers

The scissors storage pocket in between thread reel storage
(my sewing scissors were inserted for the photo)

storage pockets for scissors sharpener, snap fasteners and spare needles with thread reel storage

The outer flaps folded in

The roll closed but not tied with the ribbons

The closed up sewing roll tied up

My elder daughter was very pleased with these sewing storage bags when she opened her gifts on Christmas evening after singing for 3 services in York Minster during the day. She has subsequently spent time winding embroidery threads, arranging her accessories in the pockets and putting needles in the needle cases. She also added two additional cords for thread reel storage into the sewing roll as she had several thread reels in addition to those I had provided.

Girl Guide uniform for Laura

This year's Chat 'n Snap has a theme of Brownies, Guides, Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows and Beavers Jamboree.  We've been asked to dress our Sasha and Gregor dolls in uniforms for the Guiding and Scouting movement.

I haven't had enough time to make uniforms for each of these branches - only Laura has benefited from a uniform.  My younger daughter and I decided that the uniform featured should be a vintage South African Girl Guide uniform from the 1980s when I was a Brownie then a Guide.  I still have my Guide hat and belt as well as my Basuto blanket which has my badges from Brownies, Guides and Ice skating stitched onto it.  I also have photos of me and my sister wearing our uniforms.  In the Brownies I was in the Hare six and in Guides I was in the Arum Lily patrol.

I was fortunate enough to attend a very enjoyable 75th anniversary of Girl Guiding in South Africa camp at Easter time in 1985 with about 100 other Guides from the Cape West district - making friends, singing around the Camp Fire, tying knots, craft and sporting activities being the highlights. I adored all the Guide camps I attended.  The best thing about those camps was that Guides of all colours attended in mixed patrols despite it being the height of the apartheid era - somehow the movement was able to defy the Government of the day and it provided a wonderful opportunity to make friends with other children who lived in segregation from each other in our daily lives.

Me wearing my Girl Guide uniform in the 1980s

The miniature uniform is made from blue polyester cotton, the tie is made from yellow bias binding, the woggle from embroidery thread, the lanyard made from cotton cord and tied with a proper slipknot.  The hat is made from dark navy needle-cord lined with black felt to stiffen it.  The belt is borrowed from Gregor blue jeans (the only item along with the shoes and socks I didn't make). The Trefoil badge pinned on her collar is actually an earring from Girl Guiding UK (I don't think they make them anymore unfortunately).  On the left shoulder are the patrol colours which I made from scraps of bias binding cut to size.  I hand embroidered the hat badge on the navy needlecord (a separate piece which I stitched onto the hat) and the Arum Lily patrol badge I hand embroidered on some black fabric.

My girl plaited Laura's hair in two French plaits - she did a brilliant job even though they took ages to do.

Laura in her uniform with my belt, blanket, hat and my daughter's modern Guide blanket with her Brownie sash stitch onto it

Close up of Laura wearing the South African 1980s Girl Guide uniform

My Arum Lily patrol badge surrounded by the 75th anniversary of Guiding in South Africa badges

Close up of my Guide hat and my Camper badge along with a badge from an international badge swap

My Girl Guide belt and whistle

Some of the badges on my blanket along with the shoulder colours for patrols (I was later in another patrol for a short while)

Close up of the hand embroidered badges

Laura and my 75th anniversary camp badge from 1985

Laura is looking forward to joining in the Jamboree at the Chat 'n Snap.

Ride a Cock Horse

Ride a cock-horse to Banbury Cross,

To see a fine lady upon a white horse;

With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes,

And she shall have music wherever she goes. 

Nicholas James and Florence
as 'Ride a Cock Horse' at the 2012 Sasha Festival

I have realised that although I blogged about the 2012 Sasha Doll Festival in the UK at the time and showed some photos of my 'dress a Sasha' entry in those posts, I have not blogged about the conception and creation of the outfits.  

In fact, the idea came in 2011 before I even had Florence, I had baby Mabel (my first Sasha) but I was in the process of buying Florence. The Nursery Rhyme theme was the most appealing because of a rhyme which comes from near where I live, but how to do this became something I thought about on my way to work in the mornings. I spent some time researching the origins of the rhyme 'Ride a Cock Horse', the most likely period and therefore also what the lady's costume should be like. I even requested an old book via the local library to find out more about riding habits of the period as well as undergarments because I wanted the whole ensemble to be as historically accurate as possible.  I purchased the white horse from the USA via eBay - an incredibly lucky find and I gave it to my younger girl for Christmas 2011.

This is what I compiled and displayed with the entry:

The identity of the ‘fine lady’ is said to be either Queen Elizabeth 1, Lady Godiva or Lady Celia Fiennes (7 June 1662 – 10 April 1741). There is no real evidence to support any of these cases; however this display is based on Lady Celia Fiennes, on the grounds that the line should be 'To see a Fiennes lady'. 

Lady Celia, whose brother was William Fiennes, 3rd Viscount Saye and Sele (c. 1641-1698) of Broughton Castle, Banbury, was the first woman to ride on horseback to every county in England, between 1684 and about 1712 , accompanied by a couple of servants.  She wrote about all her journeys in her diary, describing the places she visited, and she came to Stony Stratford in Buckinghamshire, and on two other journeys rode to Banbury, one of these coming close to Stony Stratford.

Thence to Stony Stratford, so Cross ye river Aven again 12 mile, and Enter Buckinghamshire. At Stony Stratford wch is a little place built of stone they make a great deale of bonelace and so they do all here about, its the manuffactory of this part of ye Country, they sit and worke all along ye streete as thick as Can be. 
Banbury is a pretty little town, the streets broad and well pitched, the whole Country is very pleasant and the land rich – a red earth. They make some of their fences with stones – dry walls without Morter. It seemes much on a flatt and you have a large prospect, from thence to London we go by Alesbury 20 mile, thence to London 30 mile. 

Local Stony Stratford legend has it that the ‘cock-horse’ is from the famous ‘Cock Hotel’, a 15th century coaching Inn which served many passengers in the great days of coach travel.  The Cock Hotel is next door to The Bull Hotel, and travellers visiting each Inn vied with each other to tell outrageous tales of the road, known as ‘cock and bull’ stories. 

‘Lady Celia’ wears:

• A full length sleeveless linen chemise, trimmed with old lace 
• A full length gathered ‘petticoat’ skirt fastened with a button, hand embroidered with feather stitch 
• A matching riding jacket, hand embroidered with feather and satin stitch, and trimmed with bead buttons 
• A doublet of patterned brocade, trimmed with bead buttons and hand-made loop button holes 
• Gathered lace wristlets 
• A cravat made of old lace 
• A black felt hat trimmed with feathers, old lace and hand embroidery 
• White knitted long socks (hidden in the boots) 
• Knee high Black leather boots (made by Lisa Hartley), trimmed with gold bells 
• Rings on her fingers made with embroidery thread and beads 

The ostler/servant wears: 

• Linen shirt with gathered wrists 
• Brown knee length breeches 
• Long knitted socks 
• Black shoes (Sasha Marina shoes) 

The side saddle is made from salt dough, acrylic paint and leather; it is fastened over the forward facing saddle which came with the horse (Battat Morgan).

Making the Ride a Cock Horse outfits

The Riding Hat from above

Front view of the Riding Hat

I made the hat myself – it involved stitching the pieces together and soaking it in PVA glue and water then drying it to shape.  This was quite a challenge which required some experimental work.  I then stitched the gold thread around the brim and feathers and lace in place.  

The hand embroidered Riding Jacket

Close up of the jacket embroidery

Close up of the jacket embroidered right cuff

Close up of the jacket embroidered left cuff

The jacket I designed and made from scratch, in fact my earlier attempt I rejected as the style was wrong.  I loved doing the embroidery and stitching on the bead buttons and making the loop buttonholes (fine blanket stitch).  I did matching embroidery on the skirt.  

The riding skirt

Button and fastening on the skirt

Hand embroidered hem of the riding skirt

The riding jacket and skirt, doublet and chemise

The lace trimmed chemise

detail of the chemise hem

The doublet

close up of the doublet buttons and fastenings

The hardest challenge was the saddle.  The horse had its own plastic saddle, perfectly acceptable for forward facing riding, but Lady Feinnes rode side saddle and however much I tried I could not get Florence to sit on the existing saddle sideways without toppling off.  This would clearly be too precarious for an exhibition, so I made the saddle by protecting the existing saddle with cling film and moulded the salt dough over it.  The dough took a week to dry because it was quite thick, and it did crack a bit so had to be glued. I glued leather straps to the underside of the side saddle and tied them to the existing straps.  Florence had a black elastic strap tied around her waist under her clothes and this was tied under the saddle and horse, all hidden by her skirts.  This ensured that she didn’t fall off the horse.

The riding hat, wristlets, lace cravat and rings on her fingers

close up of the rings on her fingers

The lace wristlets

Sasha’s don’t have separated fingers so the rings on her fingers were beads which I stitched onto skin colour thread bangles which fitted around her fingers – she had these on both hands.  The lace wristlets were gently pushed up her cuffs once the jacket was on, they were not sewn to the jacket.  I made the socks for both the Lady and the ostler.  In the event the Lady wore the boots without the socks (though they did fit within the boots), this is partly because I was running out of time setting her up and Lisa Hartley kindly stepped in to help get the boots on her feet.

The ostler's simple shirt and breeches

Ostler's shirt with gathered cuffs

Ostler's breeches with drawstring waistband

We realised that the ostler might also fall over during the exhibition, so I showed my husband what I needed by way of a doll stand and he made a simple rod mounted in a square wooden base.  I covered the base in green felt to match the 18 inch square of ‘grass’ felt they were displayed on, and the rod went up the ostler’s breeches and was held close to him by the drawstring waistband.

I got a great deal of pleasure from designing and creating this Dress a Sasha entry. 

References:

Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/text/contents_page.jsp?t_id=Fiennes, freely available electronic version available at ‘A Vision of Britain through Time’, with maps and hyperlinks to the places mentioned. 
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/fiennes/saddle/saddle.html  
http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/mkm/stonystratford/docs/history.html 
http://arts-and-heritage-stony-stratford.co.uk/2012/05/the-cock-bull-window-competition-can-you-find-the-item-used-by-celia-when-riding-her-cock-horse-to-banbury/
http://www.swereview.co.uk/_local_places_of_interes.htm