From the moment I put the Ariel gown on, I’ve been thinking about ways to alter it to make it more flatterning, tous make me like it more.

I very seldom re-work and alter my costumes. If there is some item I don’t like, I usaly just putt it in the bottom of the costuming box and forget about it.

But this time I figured I give the re-working a try. And after reading all the tips and encuragment from all of you, I decided I was definetly going to try to make it into a more lovable gown.

But how?

After some image searcing, for edwardian dresses, on the internet I came across this pic.  It’s Camille Clifford in a white “pigeon bust” gown accessorized with black belt and hat.

I emmediately decided to try to re-style my Ariel gown into Camilles beautiful dress.

So, I needed to go from this…

…To this.(the black line highlighting the low neckline is a later addition by who ever had the picture before me).

I realized at once I was not going to manadge the black colour fading on the skirt, simply because my fabric didn’t had the toning. Nor did it had the flowery design, and I did not had the time to cut and attach several hundreds of flowers to get the style completly right. Maybe that will be something to do later on, if I decides I like it this time around.

But on to what I could do.

I started by ripping my gown appart, separated the bodice and skirt. 

Ripped out and re-cut the sleeves to get rid of some of that high pouf I prevously had. 

And getting rid of the cuffs. 

Then I started to assemble it again.

Attaching a black self made bias tape to the collar, to mimick the high sharp collar of Camilles gown. 

Then I got on to the sleeves. Gattering the sleeve head, and changing the design of the sleeve-end from cuff to rusching.

I re-stiched the bodice to the skirt, rising the waist a bit in the process.

I also experemented a bit with the flowers from the previous design.  Making them smaler and pinning them to the sleeves, bodice and skirt. But decided to pospone that project to the future.

The finished dress:

When the gown was finished it was time to start on the belt.

I did not had a pattern to use, so I decided to make my own. 

I then brought out all the pieces of black fabric I owned to decide wich one/ones to use.  I decided on the plain cotton fabric (center top) for the foundation, and the cotton voile/cheese-cloth (top left) for the draping.

I cut the foundation pieces and basted on a second layer as interlining. 

Marked and stiched the boning chanels, and inserted the boning. 

Then I started on the draping.Pinnig the cotton voile on the bias to the foundation piece while attached to the dressform.

Then I cut of the exess fabric and pinned the tucks in place. 

I handstitched the tucks down, and folded the exess fabric around to be covered in cotton lining.

Then I set the gromets (something that caused more trouble then usual due to thick fabric).

And finishing of with some hooks and eyes at the front tabs.

I really like how the curve of the belt looks in this picture.

Finished:

Facts re-making:

What:  Re-fashion of the edwardian “Ariel” gown into a new edwardian gown – “Camille”.

Fabric: Scraps of regular black cotton sheets (maybe a total of 30cm), and 30 cm black cotton voile.

Notions: 2x hooks and eyes, thread, 20 cm black bias tape, 1m of boning, 1,5 m black cord and 12 gromets.

Time: To long – ca 8 hours.

Cost: Maybe 20 Sek (3 Usd) worth of stash notions.

Result: I think it looks great (but so did  “Ariel” on the dressform), I will have to wait and se how I feel about it until after the photoshoot next week.