When last we met, I was just about ready to make the final garment for Julia Tudor, our lovely bride in 1872. Last night, I took the last stitch. I placed a demure pin on her bodice and then draped her veil over her head.

Yes, the work table is a mess. I was so excited to be finished with this project that I could not wait to snap some pictures!

Unfortunately you cannot see the under sleeves that I made from silk organdy. They have a bishop sleeve (meaning gathered at the wrist) and then I added some gorgeous, lightweight French lace. The bouquet is made from paper flowers and is tied to her wrist with a rose pink silk ribbon. During the dress construction process, I added a seam across the part of her arm where an elbow should be, so the hand holding the bouquet is a bit easier to place.

Here you can better see the trims and the bar pin. It is a vintage pin that I bought some time ago and always thought would be perfect for a pretty doll. The sleeves of the bodice are wide pagoda sleeves which allow for movement of the hands. I’m not normally a lace and ruffles person, but I felt that for this wedding dress, the more lace the better. The pink silk satin ribbon I used on the skirt is seen here. I had to cut its width by half and then fray out the cut side. That was a project in itself, but very worth it!

And here we have the butterfly basque, something today we might call a peplum or bustle. It is attached to the bodice and features the pleats that allow it to stand out. I found an image of an extant gown from 1872 with this exact basque style with the lace trim. I had to emulate it!

The full dress is lined with silk organza, which isn’t the best lining material, but I’d gotten too far into the project by the time I realized it. So, onward and upward I suppose!

I’m now considering what doll will be next. Julia was entirely hand sewn, but as a 20″ doll I could have used my sewing machine except for the very small bits or delicate parts. I may consider making Amelia, the bloomer suit wearing progressive from the 1850s as I found an 1850’s modeled doll kit and she will be 18-20″ when completed. My hands might appreciate the break. I can also make that outfit from a less finicky fabric like wool or a wool/cotton blend. So stay tuned and I’ll catch you up again soon!