The Grand Supreme Pageant Dress Shell pattern, by Genniewren Designs, is the perfect pattern for you to create a full glitz or semi glitz style pageant outfit for your doll.
Known as a “shell”, the standard wear for glitz pageants usually comprises a corset style top and a separate ruffled skirt, which is then customized by adding crystals, lace, organza trims etc. This style of outfit is also known as a “cupcake” pageant dress, presumably because the ruffles in the skirts look a little like frosting on a cupcake.
The pattern comprises an elastic waisted, hip yoke skirt with ruffled organza layers, and a princess line corset style top with off the shoulder straps and optional boning. View A has a ruffle at the neck and bottom of the bodice edge. View B has no ruffles on the bodice. Instructions for the top include a laced back or a hook and loop tape fastening.
Both versions are suitable for “glitzing up” for a full glitz pageant, or you can use a lace overlay for the center front panel of the bodice to give a semi-glitz look instead.
Full instructions are given for creating a muslin to adjust the fit exactly for your chosen doll for the custom fitted look. The pattern pieces offer a choice of cutting lines for the bodice so that you can use this pattern whether or not your doll has a firmly stuffed body.
Traditional pageant dress skirts have fishing line sewn into the rolled hem to give that curly frothy effect. Instructions are included for this technique on an ordinary sewing machine as well as on a serger.
As a bonus, lined or unlined bias cut panties are also included in the pattern, in case your doll wishes to use this outfit for dance-wear as well as for pageants.
The 5-page printable summary is a helpful quick reference reminder to print and keep by your sewing machine as you work through this project, and refers you to the steps and page numbers for the photo tutorials included for the different techniques used in this PDF sewing pattern.
Recommended Fabrics: This pattern is suitable for woven satin or taffeta for the bodice, skirt yoke and panties, and organza fabrics for the skirt ruffles. Good quality satin works best particularly if you plan to use hook and loop tape for the bodice fastening. The lighter weight inexpensive costume satin fabrics may get damaged by the hook and loop tape, even with the softer Anti Snag variety.
Supplies Needed:
MATERIALS REQUIRED:
-Half a yard of satin or taffeta fabric for the bodice, skirt yoke, optional underskirt and optional bonus panties.
-One yard of organza – it seems a lot of fabric, but cupcake skirt ruffles are cut on the bias. If you prefer a less fluffy skirt style then half a yard will be sufficient as you can cut the skirt ruffle strips on the grain. (See page 2 for photos and information about the hem finishes and skirt strips used in the examples). If you wish to add extra ruffle layers you will need extra fabric.
-15” x 20” of cotton or poly-cotton fabric for lining the bodice and the skirt. If you wish to make the panties lined as well then you will need half a yard of woven fabric for everything including the panties lining.
-10” x 26” spare woven fabric to create the muslin to check fitting (if you are making the hook and loop tape back version of the bodice).
-A 9” piece of 1/4" (6mm) wide elastic for the skirt waist.
-For the panties you will need a yard of ¼” wide panty elastic (the kind with a decorative edge) for the unlined panties, or one yard of ?” plain elastic for the lined panties.
-One package of 1/8" (3mm) eyelets for the laced back bodice. Eyelets with washers are best if you can get them. You need 8 eyelets and washers for the bodice, but you will probably need extra to practice. NOTE: The eyelet size refers to the hole the eyelet creates, not the outer edge of the eyelet.
-One package of hooks and eyes (the type with the horseshoe shaped eyes) if not using eyelets or hook and loop tape
-3.5” (9cm) standard width Anti Snag hook and loop tape cut in half longwise for the hook and loop tape back option.
-6” x 5” (15 cm x 13 cm) of fusible interfacing to reinforce the center back area if you are making the eyelet version.
You may also wish to interface the bodice binding to prevent it stretching out of shape, in which case you will need an additional strip 1” x 16” (2.5 cm x 41 cm).
Skill Level: Intermediate
What You Get: One 57 page sewing pattern that you digitally download as a PDF file so you can start your project immediately! The PDF sewing pattern provides full color step-by-step illustrated instructions and full size pattern pieces. This pattern includes a 5 page Summary of Instructions section so you can print out just the text version if desired to save on printer ink! A PDF reader is required to view and print the files (example: Adobe Reader or Preview for MAC). The download link is received immediately after the transaction is complete. Print copies are NOT available.
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