Making Mulan a Bride

Well, updating everyday sure has seem to become a problem since my work schedule has increased, but I have been continuing to craft. I just almost have Mulan's matchmaker outfit done, but first, I wanted to share the video I finally got put together for Belle's green dress that I finished last week.

Lots of pictures for Mulan's outfit. I began piecing together the sequence for the video for when I am through, and I'm going to have to use at least two songs for all the pictures!!!! Hehe. Hope it's not too boring. It's cool to watch the pieces progress, at least to me anyway.

Even though I still need to put sleeves on the blue shirt, I started on the pink kimono jacket for the matchmaker outfit. I decided to use a design similar to that of Belle's Christmas jacket, working one side of the front and then the other and then the back. Here's the start of it, just a couple of rows in.

A little bit further. I work off a little bit on each knit row to make the edging of the coat.

Measuring on Mulan.

And a little bit further.

I was trying to measure on Mulan as far as I had written out the pattern to see if it was long enough. I figured out I needed to go a little further, but I thought I would take a picture while I had the piece laid out on Mulan. Problem? My cat got jealous!!! I couldn't get her to move away from the picture for nothing! So I just took the picture of her sniffing the doll. It was just too cute.

The picture finally after getting the cat to move. I needed to get one without kitty in it for the montague.

Here is the piece after I finished of the first side. I actually would add one more row to it after this picture to make it work with the pattern.

Starting on the other front piece with the slant on the other side to make the jacket.

Almost done.

Measuring the second piece against the first.

And on Mulan

Finishing up the second piece. I have a cocoon! lol

And both front pieces finished and wrapped around Mulan. Such a mess with all the ends loose.

Here I have joined the two front pieces together and started working on the back piece.

Not much further, but wrapped better on Mulan.

A little bit further.

And a little further.

Measuring the back against the front. Ready to cast off the needles at this point.

Here I have wrapped it back on Mulan for fitting purposes.

Starting on the sleeves.

Just a little further.

Measuring the sleeve on Mulan. There are actually two parts to the sleeve on this outfit, the actual sleeve and then the flounce at the end of the sleeve.

Just a little bit further. Ready to go onto the flounce.

Here's working on the flounce of the sleeve.

Measuring the flounce on Mulan. Ready to cast off. At this rate, I'm going to have the top pieces done before I have the shift done.

First sleeve sewn together. It looks a little funny with the bigger sleeve than the bodice, but that's how the outfit is fashioned. I also have one side seam sewn up and most of the yarn ends darned in.

With the first sleeve finished and wrapped around Mulan.

Just almost done with the second sleeve. I did a lot of this one out and about the other day which is why there isn't any progression pictures since I was trying to keep the background all the same.

And with the second sleeve off the needles. It was interesting trying to figure out just how to fold the piece together to sew the seams together.

And all sew together on Mulan. I still have the edging to put on the front and the snaps, but the snaps will come after the under layers are finished so everything fits properly.

And after the purple edging is put on. I didn't want to take the time to pick up all the stitches just to cast them off in knitting, so the purple edging is just crocheted on.

And back on Mulan. It looks a little odd because it is catching on the unfinished blue shirt underneath it. Once everything has snaps on it and the blue shirt has its sleeves, things will fit better.

I took a picture here with just the shift underneath the pink kimono to show a little more what it will look like when it fits properly.

And just a note. Trying to update a blog while watching Cars isn't very productive. It's been too long since I've seen that movie. I ended up watching the movie instead of updating my blog! lol

148 DAYS REMAINING!

Undressing Mulan

So I know that I haven't updated in the last few days. I'm sorry. I had to finish up end of semester stuff and now my hours are upped at work. But I have done some work on the dress project. Not so much crafting, all though there was a little of that, but mostly of designing. Since I had figured out that Mulan's blue shirt was actually part of her matchmaker outfit, I have been busy trying to figure out all the parts to her outfit so that I could design her outfit to make. Just getting the pictures alone took about an hour of sitting with my iPad, replaying the "Honor to Us All" video over and over again capturing screen shots.

"Honor to Us All"

Layer One: Shift
This really is the only shot of her wearing just the shift, when she is getting her hair done. The neckline on my shift is a little different, but it looks essentially the same, and since it's going to be under other layers, I don't think it matters too much.

Layer Two: Blue Shirt
This shirt is seen for a little longer, as Mulan travels from the hair dressers to the dressers (?), but getting the shot where it wasn't blurry was a challange. As she is going down the steps is the only shot in the sequence where you can see her full figure to be able to determine how long the shirt is.

Layer Three: Pink Kimono Jacket
This was the hardest shot to get!!! This jacket, by itself, is on screen for less than thirty seconds (actually I think it's more like fifteen seconds)! It took me several times replaying this portion, pausing, playing, and generally getting frustrated before I was able to actually capture the shot before they put the wrap around her.

Layer Four: Wrap and Full Outfit Shot
After putting on the wrap, the next shot is actually the full outfit (and the only shot I didn't get myself) after she has gotten her make-up done and has the additional little ribbon piece around her arms (that, yes, I plan on making too).

This is just a close up which shows her neckline.

After all those shots, I had to set about designing the outfit. These are my sketches of the pieces of the outfit with some guestimated measurements. (Which sitting bored at work seems to work well for designing).

I did start on the blue shirt even though I haven't finished the shift yet. I did some progression photos. I'm making this from the waist up because of the split neckline.

A little bit further on the bodice.

Measuring it on Mulan. It was interesting to get her set without all of the needles in the shift being pushed out. Luckily the needles are small enough I can push them through the blanket and they help keep her steady and keep their stitches on them.

More length on the bodice.

Bodice just before making the arm holes.

Same amount as above, just measured on Mulan.

Measuring the piece on Mulan after making the arm holes.

Here I am starting to make the divide for the neck to make the overlapping neck line.

Funny thing about designing a pattern away from the medium in which you are working. You usually have to tweak it once you get started. Which is what happened here and is why there is a second stitch holder. I needed more stitches left for the other side but the way I put the stitches on the stitch holder, I couldn't pick up more stitches (d'oh!). So, I just used another stitch holder. Here I am measuring the colar height against Mulan's neck.

Measuring again and ready to cast off side one.

This is the piece after casting off both sides.

And after all the ends are darned in and the shoulder seams have been sewn up. The shirt is just almost done, I just have to add the sleeves to it.

151.5 (LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS!) REMAINING!