Jul 27

Jul 27 To Party and To Frolick, A Dress for Mary Wren

creative process, custom orders, doll clothes, figlette, storytelling

As promised Miss Mary Wren requested one more dress to go home, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the one she chose. Let me show you!

Mary Wren, a doll inspired by The Secret Garden. Custom fiber art doll by Fig and Me.

But first, the ‘unmentionables’. Every now and then I feel called to share the undergarments of the dolls, seeing as they either pose clever achievements in the sewing department (speaking of convoluted boy’s briefs for example) or just because the dolls look quite adorable in their undies. So, Exhibit A.

This long bloomer-style underpants are made with one of my yummiest cottons, a vintage piece I received as a gift a long time ago. Still enough fabric to produce a few more petticoats and under things for the dolls.

This particular set is made with french seams, for even more of a vintage feel. You can check out this little video where I share the inside finishing. I remember when I was scared of doing curved french seams and I don’t know what happened to me in Portugal, but now I make them like nobody’s business. Go me!

Still from the movie The Secret Garden. 1993.

This was the inspiration behind Mary Wren’s dress. I mentioned in the last post, I don’t like replicating things, so I went for the “vibe” and not all the details. Though I may have to make another dress with that detail of the horizontal bars where the skirt meets the separate hem fabric.

I think you could say I came pretty darn close to making the same dress. I used cotton seersucker for mine, to give it a more summery feel. I also used linen throughout just because I love using it as a contrast fabric so much.

That sailor collar was so much fun to make and I made her belt with the same fabrics for a matchy feel. Too bad all the coming dolls in the pipeline do not have the same vibe as Miss Mary, otherwise I would trying to pull off that collar once more.

Perhaps one of them will indulge my predilections. Hard to tell as they are very particular.

A tip I can give you for that crisp look: the belt is made with medium weight interfacing, the sleeve cuffs have fusible interfacing and the collar is made with interlining, so the fabric drapes better than if you were to use interfacing.

Because the cuffs are so fitted to her little arms, and quite long, they open and close with snaps. Much easier to dress her than if I had use handmade button loops. The dress also opens completely at the back, so there is no wrangling when you are dressing her up.

One of the requests of her mother was “hair that can hold a curl”. At the time, the only hair that sort of fit the appearance of Mary was to be made with this camel weft, which holds curls quite nicely if I say so myself.

I don’t think this is what her mother meant, but we wanted to show off our curling iron prowess and Mary was very pleased to see that she could wear her hair down without tripping over it 🤭.

So here’s us, wishing Miss Mary Wren a speedy and safe journey to her new home. She comes packed full of stories, ideas for the garden and an incessant appetite for life.

Thank you so much A, for allowing me to make you this special doll. I hope she is welcomed home with open arms and that she brings you solace and the joy that comes by playing with a soulful doll.

We are forever grateful for the opportunity to see this character come to life through my hands ❤️.