On Becoming Dora Took

To make may outfit, I used a plaid cotton for the underskirt and bodice contrast, some left over yellow linen from an historic outfit I did for the over skirt, I re-cut an old yellow linen-look gathered chemise for the blouse and borrowed my colonial neckerchief for the shawl. To make the bodice, I used a green cotton table cloth (nice and sturdy!) and lined it with some left over fustian from my historic outfits. I boned it with rigilene plastic boning - no, I didn't use an interlayer and I probably should have, I just stitched the rigilene straight onto the bodice lining and attached the green fabric. I also probably should have glued down the plaid contrast (being much thinner than the tablecloth, I laid it over a regular green front panel) with heat-n-bond or wonder-under or something similar. But I didn't, and it does wrinkle a little. Also, it's a lot easier to lay down the gimp edging on the center panel BEFORE you attach the bias edging around the top and bottom.

The wig I have is from Wilshire Wigs, it's the 'sally' model.


   I've now finished the green corduroy bodice like Mrs. Proudfoot's in FotR, this time I am interlining it. I was going to cord it, and I did make a fully corded interlining, but the thing was sooo heavy that I don't want to use it for this and I went and bought 10 yds of covered plastic boning instead. One thing I discovered while working on the mock-up (always make a mock-up!!) is that either the actress portraying Mrs. Proudfoot is very slender and not on need of any tight bodice, or the original is back-laced in spite of the button. You see, when I made the mock-up, it did exactly what I expected it to do at the buttons - there's only 4 buttons and they are under a lot of stressed having the bodice pulled around - it gapped between the buttons! Since the original doesn't, I suspect it's back-laced. I however, wanted a bodice I could get into myself that didn't back lace, stubborn sort that I am.  So.... I cheated. The button placket is a fake. I made the button holes, but didn't cut them and sewed the buttons in place on top of them. There's actually a line of velcro behind it which keeps it closed. And it seems to work just fine, so I'm happy.

Compare with the originals
      

Now the apron is just one I found lying around (honestly!), and the yellow skirt is from my Swedish costume, so it's much too long for a hobbit. but I needed to put something on and I have no idea what color skirt she's got, I can only tell the apron.