A Bespoke Top Coat

Remember the gift card that I gave @stovallthedoll for his Birthday party? He used it to request a miniature version of this beautiful camel colored top coat from Old Navy. 

I went to my favorite fabric shop, and picked up a quarter yard of this camel colored cotton flannel. I think the color-match was pretty close.

I drafted a pattern, using Gus as a fitting modal, since he and Stovall are approximately the same size. I cut out the pieces, and stitched them together by hand. The coat would be worn as a layer, so I only finished the interior seams, leaving the edges in the sleeves raw, to cut down on bulk.

Next came the fittings. Here, Gus wears the coat inside-out, while I mark the hemlines and lapels with pins.

Here, with the coat hemmed and right-side-out, I mark the button placement.

Luckily the coat didn't need too many alterations after I stitched it together. That has not always been the case.

For the front closure, I used miniature plastic buttons, and for the kissing buttons on the cuffs, I used glass seed beads. Since the coat was worn open in the reference photos, I didn't add any functional fasteners to the front.

I embroidered the Tiny Apparel "TA" on the inside of the collar.

 

Viola! The coat is finished!

It's a Blizzard!

This week, we've had wild snow storms, and 11 °F wind chills! Perfect weather for hanging out indoors and crafting!

A Birthday Party

An incredibly awesome miniature instagramer, @thelifeofstovall, invited Gus and Lucian to his birthday party. This was my very first invitation to one of instagram's miniature parties; events which have a lot in common with model horse photo shows, but without the competition, and with a lot more socializing.

Gus and Lucian would need some new togs, fit for the birthday party of a well-respected 1:6 scale instagramer, and which could hold up to the scrutiny of what might possibly be hundreds of virtual party guests! The pressure was on.

When I think of party fashion, one of the first houses that comes to my mind is Dolce and Gabbana. I decided to take inspiration from a few delightfully sparkly looks from their Fall 2019 collection.

For Gus' outfit, I created a glittering gray sweater, fashioned after the one on the left. Dark denim added a casual touch to his ensemble, but his' Louboutin-inspired red-bottom Dandelions, bangle bracelets, and silver chain necklace said "Party" all over them! 

For Lucian's outfit, I went all out, with gold acanthus pants, and an oversize cotton hoodie, decorated with applique, beadwork, and metallic gold embroidery. I embroidered a white hare on the front; a nod to Lucian's albinism, and embellished it with glass pearls.   

Here they are: All ready to join the fun! Happy Birthday Stovall!

It looks like Sinatra the Beagle tagged along as well! 

I had so much fun preparing my photo for the party, I wanted the birthday boy to have an actual gift as well. So, Gus and Lucian "brought" a gift certificate with them to the event.

Teddy Bears

A friend on Instagram posted about loving Teddy bears, no matter how old you are. I was inspired! I am  extremely fond of Teddy bears. In fact, the first miniature menswear that I ever made, I created for my two up-cycled sweater bears: the Angora brothers. 

I thought Gus needed a tiny bear of his own. One that he could carry with him in his bag.

The Slicker Project

A lovely instagram follower requested a bespoke yellow slicker from the etsy shop, to help complete the wardrobe for a 1:6 scale fisherman doll that she was making. She was very helpful, and sent the image below, for reference.

Finding a thin yellow vinyl textile, that could be ordered in small amounts, proved rather difficult. Most of the material that I found, was sold out of large fabric warehouses with 2-20 yard minimum orders! Finally, it occurred to me, that I could repurpose something that was made from the right material. I ordered a yellow sou'wester hat, deconstructed it, and re-crafted it into the garment below. There was just enough material, with only a couple small scraps left over.

Lucian acted as the fitting model for the slicker. Here he is, trying it on:

An Apple for Barry

Good friends come in all shapes and sizes. Here is Gus, spending some quality time with Barry, the hackney pony. Barry's halter can be found at The Sandy Horse: a tack shop for model equines. 

Gus is feeding Barry a real crab apple, from a tree in my neighborhood. 

Blue Jeans

I just finished working on a 1:6 scale slim-fit jeans pattern, in both 'regular' and 'broad' sizes! You can find it now, available to download, in the etsy shop. I found the perfect fabric for my prototypes, at a local quilting store. The fabric is printed with a distressed effect, which fit wonderfully on my pattern pieces. 

 

Meet Lucian!

I got a request to make a coat to fit a 'broad size' Ken doll. I needed a fitting model with the right measurements to complete the project, so I'm welcoming a new model on-board the Tiny Apparel team! Meet Gus' cousin, Lucian!

 

 

 Below are some photos of Lucian's transformation from a 'Camo Comeback' Ken Fashionista, into a one-of-a-kind albino model.

 

The Commuter Bag

 A brand new item for the etsy shop! 

Pick-Your-Own

 It's pick-your-own blueberry season, and Gus is prepared with another MSGM inspired cabana set! 

I made his little crate of blueberries using popsicle sticks and seed beads.  

Preppy Stripes

I tried my hand at another Ralph Lauren inspired outfit.

Perfect for relaxing and enjoying a classic novel. 

I also started another little project, this time involving mini luggage. More on that, coming soon. 

Cherry Season

When I saw this MSGM matching set in their spring/summer 2019 show, I instantly remembered some fruit themed fabric that I had seen at the quilt shop! They didn't have any peaches, but they had a stone fruit print that I think was just right! Now Gus can celebrate cherry season in style.

Heatwave

When it's just too hot to do anything, but sit and read!