Scrap Happy March Shepherdess
Bergere
I sewed Arianell a new Shepherdess outfit!
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Bed Gown
Starting with a scrap of silk and a scrap of paper…
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Pink!
…and cutting a lining from a bright pink Indian (scrap end of) scarf…
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sleeve ends
First I stitched the sleeve ends…
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sleeve and side seams
…then the sides and sleeve seams…
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edges
…then, leaving the back of the neck free, I started sewing the lining to the outer fabric starting at the side and front of the neck opening, down the front, and stitched all round the bottom edge, up the other side and to the back of the neck opening.
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Sewing the edges
The back of the neck is where I left a gap between the lining and the top fabric, so I could turn everything right side out, but the process was fairly unphotographable!
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Right side out
After getting the right sides out, I pleated the back opening into a scrap of the blue silk fabric to hold the pleats in place and neaten the raw edges.
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pin
I found a scrap of silk ribbon flower trim, but drat, it was not quite enough to go all the way around…
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knots
…so I put a line of French Knots up the centre front right side which will be under the overlap anyway.
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Silk ribbon flowers
Now Arianell has a little blue silk Bedgown, edged with vintage silk flower trim…
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Back
…we think it is pretty cute…
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finished Bedgown
…but I added French knots at the sleeve cuffs, to make them stand out a little and make it cuter!
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Silk Jacquard Ribbon Stripe
But Arianell isn’t going to wear this cute jacket over her plaid schooldress! I had more scraps in the stash: a Jacquard ribbon stripe piece for a bodice and skirt…
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Pink silk skirt lining
…and enough pink habutai silk for a skirt lining…
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Indian Silk Bodice lining
….and enough more of the Indian silk for a bodice lining…
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embroidered tulle and silk ribbon
…and a little bit of embroidered tulle, and silk ribbon for waistband accents…
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Button Loop
…and thread for a button loop (and a mother-of-pearl button).
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where are the sheep?
Now Arianell has all the bits necessary to be a Shepherdess…not a Real shepherdess, more of an 18th century pretending to be a shepherdess shepherdess. Constance loaned her the Bergere hat from the Provençal outfit, and a new bit of frippery around the crown to match the shepherdess dress, and I made a crook from a pruned-off twig from a maple tree – that’s a scrap, right?
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Pie!
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ScrapHappy is a group of bloggers (links below) who post monthly about using up scraps! All genuine scraps are allowed, and any material. Blog posts are published on the 15th of the month – I really love to see what people are doing with bits and pieces saved from the scrap heaps! If you think you’d like to join the group, contact Kate who devised it with a Swedish friend – her blog is the first link below:
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Quimper Hittys 
Absolutely that pruning is scrap!
Such a gorgeous outfit, so beautifully and delicately made. I think it’s actually a bonus that there was insufficient trim – wouldn’t it have made the closure too bulky to be flattering 😉💜
You are right about the trim – it does bulk up the silhouette, and the French Knots do not, so a blessing in disguise, or a silver lining to the cloud, or just good luck!
That’s gorgeous, and if it was scaled up I’d absolutely wear it myself, even/especially the hat. Beautiful work and magnificent scrappage!
Thanks very much…and scrappage is a great word! I have seen You Tube videos about how to make a human hat of that shape by cutting down a wide-brimmed straw hat. Maybe you could!
That is gorgeous Kjerstin! It must have been SO fiddly to sew let alone turn through!
Thanks! Overall I did enjoy working on the little outfit, but yes it was very fiddly to turn. The sewing was not too bad. I have made this pattern a couple of times before, so I knew what to expect, though the blue silk was very shreddy.
Some fabrics disintegrate at the slightest touch and silk seems to be particularly prone!
What a perfect way to use scraps! The coat and dress are just gorgeous! I love the details you used!
My dolls are very lucky – the patterns are very small so I don’t need much in the way of fabric, I can dress them in silks and lace with impunity! Also lucky for me – I enjoy it!
Arianell’s shepherdess ensemble is stunning! Over the years, you’ve inspired me to try my hand at pattern making….ahh. I’m still in the throes (maybe too intense of a word) of that but will keep pressing on. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your wonderful tutorial and most gratifying outcome. Arianell is a very sweet and charming lady of the sheep.
This narrative (for me) is classic QH Cupboard fare!
For me, I started enjoying the process more when I stopped being afraid of making mistakes…It was very freeing! I hope you keep sewing, and don’t be afraid! Arianell loves being the Lady of the Sheep! It sounds so much more elegant than just being “Little Bo-Peep” (who is famous for losing her sheep)!
Oh my goodness! What a spectacular outfit! She looks adorable 🙂
Thanks! Arianell is very happy with her elegant outfit! We enjoyed ourselves sewing it very much!
absolutely stunning, an amazing amount of tiny stitches and all those french knots! The two garments are perfect together. Why is it called a “bed gown”?
The “Bedgown” was an informal short jacket, worn by a lady at home in the 18th century. The lady wouldn’t wear a bedgown for formal occasions or when going out. Less well off women might wear them any old time, having acquired them as cast-offs. I had so much fun making Arianell the outfit!
she is much too pretty to herd sheep…or make a shepherd pie. She should just roam about in the flowers and look lovely with her little lambs.
I think Arianell is hoping that Jane will make the Shepherdess Pie, but yes, I think she would be pleased to wander about picking flowers rather than chase sheep in her silken finery! She might just pretend to herd sheep, like an 18th Century pretend shepherdess!
Wow you are talented, it was awesome to see the process of making clothes for the Hittys!
Thanks! I have fun and the Hittys are the main beneficiaries!