Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Drumroll, Please...DRUMROLL! Thank you.

I have officially finished my Susan Pevensie costume!!! At last!

It all started when I saw Prince Caspian. I had been a huge fan of Narnia when the first one came out, so when I saw Prince Caspian, I fell back in love with it.

Anyway, I suddenly became very interested in making one of Susan's costumes. My original plan was to make her green LLW dress...but then I saw this picture:


Don't ask why, I couldn't tell you, but I really loved it. So I started looking around on The Wardrobe Door ( a great site if you want to make a Narnia costume). I checked out the page on Susan's purple dress, where I read about a lot of things that probably went into the real costume--on Isis Mussenden's budget, with her weavers, crew and experience--not mine. So...I started looking for a pattern that would work well and make the costume just perfectly, but I couldn't find one. So, being a perfectionist (strike that: a selective perfectionist) I decided to make my own. That equaled: "oops! I am tired! I just want to be done! I have this big mess to clean up now! Those pieces are uneven!"

Anyway, I made my own pattern. I started with just some newspaper, a tape measure and two and two makes four. If you do try this, however, try to make yourself a dress form, it would have really helped with measuring and fitting...trying to measure your own shoulders accurately is such a pain!

I gave in after a rather poor attempt of making a pattern for the skirt. I decided to use this pattern:


(sorry, it's a little big) I used petticoat D, which is the one without the ruffle.

Creating the split was really rather easy...after I had given it some calm, cool and collected thought. What I did was this: measure the front of the skirt and find the middle. Then, I sewed a seam with a very small seam allowance (to try to keep the skirt at the size I wanted it). One tip about that, though: don't be over-zealous about "small seam allowances"...make it large enough to serge, otherwise you'll get fraying. After ironing down the finished seam, I just cut very carefully through the little "loop" that was made by the seam and then seam ripped it. It worked very nicely.

For the bodice and bodice lining, I sewed the princess seams of the bodice up, but left it in two pieces (front and back). Then, I laid out the lining, cut it and sewed the boning too it. I sewed the lining to bodice right sides together and then turned them out like a bag, joining the front and back together.

For the sleeves, I made a pattern ( again, look at the write- up on this costume on the wardrobe door), sewed them together, and then sewed them to the armholes.

That was pretty much it, and the rest is very self explanatory. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comment form.

And here are some photos of the finished product:







I'm afraid that I need to stop smiling...my "beam" isn't very Narnian queen-ish :). It's not as perfect as the picture I had in my mind was, but I am pleased with how well it turned out, considering that it was my first real try.

25 comments:

Grafted Branch said...

You failed to mention the hours you spent drawing the pin-stripes onto the fabric, and the hand applique that went on the front of the bodice. That was SOME project! I wasn't sure it could be done, but I'm so proud of you for DOING it! :)

Sarah said...

HURRAH! THAT'S SOOOOOOOOO AWESOME!

Joanna said...

*applause* You did it! Good for you! I have not tried to make my own pattern yet, but I'm sure it won't turn out as nice as yours! Good job! I love it! Whats your next project? That is, if your mom will let you start another one so soon. :) You did a great job.
~Joanna

Lucie Manette said...

Thanks, Sarah and Mommy!

Lucie Manette said...

Thanks, to you, too, Joanna! I don't know what my next project will be...probably something like some new clothes!

Anonymous said...

YAY!!!!!!!!! It looks WONDERFUL!!! Awesome job! The fabric looks great!

Anonymous said...

Okay, go to this address.

http://oneyearnovel.com/forum/index.php?topic=1051.msg72645#new

And on the first page of the topic, there will be a couple of pics of me wearing my dress. :-)

Did you make a full underdress for your outfit? Just wondering. :-)

The whole thing looks so beautiful, Lucie! The daffodil motif looks SO nice - almost identical to the cotume in the movie! (I've studied it as closely as you have. haha!) You must be very pleased! Congrats!

Lucie Manette said...

Thanks, Emmy! I didn't make a full under dress, the neckline is fake and I made a separate skirt from the same pattern.

the Patty family said...

Lucie,

That is wonderful!!! I admire the patience that you must have shown while making that. I could never do anything like that. Now that you have a model dress, you should begin making them and selling them. I know I would buy one!

~Sarah

'becca said...

i like your dress!! it must have taken a lot of time! Is the bow yours?

Lucie Manette said...

Thanks, Becca! Yes, the bow is mine...I bought it when the first Narnia film came out. :)

'becca said...

I have bow, but the pound is set to high, so I have to take it in and get it re-set. I love Narnia, and want to make on of the dresses as a 4-H project. Keep up the blogging, I really like reading it.

Carley Rene said...

Hey Lucie!
Wow! It looks great! You look great in it!
You have been tagged over at my blog!

Carley

Marissa Kayann said...

Hi,
I have just come across your blog Through Mia's :-)
That is a really cool dress! It looks just like one of Susan's!
Susan is my Favorite Character in the Narnia Movies.
She is so pretty!
Feel free to visit my blog if you like. :-)

~Marissa

Sarah said...

I really like the dress you made! It is very pretty. Oh, I like your blog. Prince Caspian and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe are one of my favorite movie's. :)


Sarah

Abigail and Lydia said...

Hey Lucie,
I found your Blog through Bria's blog, Candid Creations. Your dress is so pretty! God has really blessed you with a sewing talent!
God bless~
Love,
Lydia

Lucie Manette said...

Carley Rene-- Thanks so much... I'll try to do that tag...sometime...SOON. :)

Marissa-- Thanks for stopping by and for commenting! I'll to come over to your blog soon!

Sarah--Thanks! Aren't those two movies GREAT!

Lydia--Thanks so much! Your comment was really encouraging!

Thanks to all...

Lucie

Ellie said...

WOW!!! that looks really good!!!!
I could never make any thing like that!!!!!!
ellie

Bria Cosper said...

Hey lucie!

You have been awarded! Go to my blog for details!

Anonymous said...

I love it!

Joanna said...

Once again, I love it!
I gave you an award.
~Joanna`

Anonymous said...

Hey! Lucie, I just found your blog...I LOVE IT! I also am a Narnia fan and Susan is definitely my favorite charactor. I am thinking about making a susan costume like yours, although I'm sure it wouldn't be half as good. I am not that great of a seamstress, but I would like to be.
I also have a bow that is simular to yours. Mine is not that great. (Accuracy-wise)And I am considering upgrading. I am also a Christian and have been homeschooled all my life. I live in Tennessee, but have been to texas once. Check out my blog...I just started it in 2009, so it doesn't have that much in it...but it's coming along.
~Sarah Grace
P.S. I was surprised that we have so much in common! by the way, you look so much like Susan.(I almost envy you!)

Lucie Manette said...

Thanks, Sarah Grace!!! I definitley will check out your blog! It's always very exciting to find other people who have much in common!

Thanks for commenting. :)

Hannah Leigh said...

I LOVE it! Susan is one of my favorite characters in the Narnia series. It's too bad that her and Peter aren't coming back. :(
*starts crying*

:)

In Christ,
~Rose

Näna said...

This is awesome Lucy! Great Job! My sister, KK, is getting ready to make either this dress or the red and gold one she is wearing at the corination at the end of Prince Caspian.
Nana