Baby pocket hoops

[LadyStitch]

The PP and I were chatting this weekend what we wanted to dress the fuzzlet in for TRF and Halloween.

I had already planned on making her a new baby pink pirate outfit as I have plenty of the PP's fabric left over.  That outfit is a given, however for Halloween he wants me to make her a dress to match his other character's outfit.
He has a character called Sir Roland who is a late 1700's English lord. The character had a daughter called Floradil. (It's from a play the PP did.)  He wants me to make Fuzzlet a Floriadil dress.  He wants it with the petticoats, pocket hoops, the sleeves, everything.  I say he is nuts but hey, I married him. 

What I was thinking of doing was:
1) make the dress as all one piece.  The petticoat part is sew as part of the dress so fewer layers to deal with on the whole.
2) Just put a zipper in the back for ease of on and off. 
3) Use light weight upholstery fabric or even a nice calico, and line it with cotton.
4) For the pocket hoops, just add alot more layers of tulle on the sides to get it to poof out more.  (I am so glad I have the auto ruffler)
5) Most of all make sure that the whole thing is machine washable.!!! She will be 12 months old, and want to explore.

So sound possible?  Comments criticisms, rude noises....

[amy]

I did a pretty princess for my lil one when she was about 3... for the sides of the skirt I made the draping portion just like a curtain swag with a folded panel of fabric then stuffed inside with gathered netting.   It held out wonderfully and was fully encased so nothing ever got out of place.   Does that help?  Good Luck!  I am sure it will be amazing.

[isabelladangelo]

Rather than tulle, try false hips.  It's basically two small crescent shaped pads that go on either side of the body.  Beneath those, a pair of pockets to hold stuff in.  The pads take all of ten minutes to make. 

Rather than a zipper, maybe a button front?   

You can make that style with a false petticoat front.  You need three panels for the skirt - two for the back and sides and one for the front.  The front skirt is a drop front - you attach a waist band to it after it's pleated and that gets tied around first.  Once the bodice is on, the waistband will be hidden beneath the front of the bodice.  I have several dresses like this that I use for re-enactments. 

[isabelladangelo]

Sorry, I keep thinking up more stuff!   There are some GORGEOUS toddler outfits from the 18th C.   Most are nothing more than a trapezoid with sleeves that are pleated in the front to make it look fitted.  That with an embroidered baby cap might look really stunning.   

[gem]

...I think she needs a pudding cap! 

[Adriana Rose]

For the pocket hoops I would use something squishy, that way she can still sit, my kiddo hadnt started walking yet when he was 12 months but then again every kiddo learns different. Washable is key, and darker colors faire dirt seems to have super powers compaired to any other.

[LadyStitch]

The squishable sounds about right.  If she needs to go in her stroller having the squishable would be handy.  I'm thinking washable as well.  People laughed at why I spent the extra money for WASHABLE velvet on her christmas dress. 
I don't want to do buttons on the dress because of little kidds and putting things in their mouths. I want to keep the dress as 1 piece as possible.  I wouldn't mind a separate petticote but  all in one would be easier to manage.  I'm not nessasarily going for historically accurate but I want it to be fairly close.

Granted the PP would love to have her in a period style wig, but I had to draw the line there. 

[Adriana Rose]

Haha sounds like Da thinks he has his own dress up dolly lol.

Getting a little one to hold still long enough to get dressed in one layer is hard enough ,maybe put the petticoat in the waist of the dress to make life easier for ya.

I use sheets from the second hand store for my kiddos garb, its gonna get stained any way so Im not heart broken if its too bad. I am gonna be bummed when he out grows his first pirate coat I made him. That thing is one of his favorite coats.

[operafantomet]

The squishable sounds about right.  If she needs to go in her stroller having the squishable would be handy.  I'm thinking washable as well.  People laughed at why I spent the extra money for WASHABLE velvet on her christmas dress.  
I don't want to do buttons on the dress because of little kidds and putting things in their mouths. I want to keep the dress as 1 piece as possible.  I wouldn't mind a separate petticote but  all in one would be easier to manage.  I'm not nessasarily going for historically accurate but I want it to be fairly close.

Granted the PP would love to have her in a period style wig, but I had to draw the line there.  

That small children would hardly wear wigs, anyway. Though the ideal was still "small adults", Rousseau's "natural childhood" and the whole back to nature movement started gaining popularity. And it changed both the view on childhood and how small kids were dressed.

A lace cap and flat shoes would be both period and more practical. Like here:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marie_Zéphirine_de_France_par_Nattier.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:François_Boucher_022.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Artois_and_Clotilde.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:François_hubert_drouais_-_duque_berry_conde_provença.jpg

With such a small person in such an amount of fabrics, I even doubt you need the paniers or a substitute. But maybe a small bum roll would give the skirt a nice lift?

[LadyStitch]

Can we say he like Halloween?    They have a 'pumpkin parade'  at our work where all the kids go around trick or treating the building.  There is a 'little bit' of friendly riverlry on who's kiddo has the cutest outfit.  Last year he had a lot of fun doing her pirate's treasure bag/map.  He starts planning for Halloween 8 months early to have it ready, hense this thread. He was wanting the wig for that. 
I'm thinking of doing the petticotes as part of the waist band of the dress.  I'm thinking of the whole unzip, drop on the kid into it, zip them up and off they go philosophy. If I go the fabric route I think I'll raid the clearance section at Joanns when it is half off.  I can get some nice royal gown type fabric for $3-4 a yard.  I'll have to get the tulle with a 50 off coupon.  I know I'll get a good 10 yards of the stuff.
Something just came to me, If I make the petticote with an elastic waist, as she grows up it can grow with her, and she can use it alot longer. It is a thought.

[isabelladangelo]

The biggest issue with tulle is that it is itchy.   Like I said earlier, a couple of hip pads don't take long - it really is just two crescents filled with fluff attached to a ribbon- and it will probably be more comfortable for her.   

Also, rather than a zipper, you might consider having ties in the back.  A couple of twill ties will also allow for growth a lot more than a zipper and you can make a placket/modesty panel to be placed in the back as she grows.