Here’s a project I’ve been working on for some time now. I’m pretty satisfied of how it turned out, given that it was my first time making baby size clothing. I based my design on the general styling we see in-game and in the movies, but did not copy an already existing dress.
As any other hobbit dress, this one is made out of three different parts. First is the shift, second is the bodice and finally is the skirt. I finally decided to add an apron to complement the outfit.
I did some sketching first to get a clear idea of what I was going for. It helped me choose my fabric and estimate how may rivets and ribbons I was going to need.
While we should only work with linen to be lore correct, I only chose cotton for this outfit. Cotton is much more comfortable and has less chance of hurting your soft baby skin!
Here’s the final result:
I learned a couple of lessons along the way the first being that sewing baby cloths without a pattern is not the best idea you could have. I managed to get proportions right by looking at baby clothes in store and some pictures of the model, but seriously, I’m sure it would have been much easier with a pattern, hehe.
To create this outfit I scavenged fabrics from my costume chest but I had a problem with the fabric for the apron. While every white fabric I had was egg-white, almost soft beige, the piece I had for the apron ribbon was crisp white. I know, that’s not a big difference, but it really was annoying to me. I solve the problem by dying the fabric with black tea!
The key to this outfit is that it’s overly adjustable. I laced both sides of the bodice instead of the front (like it’s usually being done) as well as the top of the shoulder. That way, Baby Hobbit will still be able to wear it when she gets a bit older.
Here is the back of the bodice:
I also added lace to shorten the shift for now and be able to make it longer when she grows up.
Finally, I made sure the waist elastic of the skirt was still easily accessible so we could tighten or loose it anytime.
And finally, here’s baby hobbit in her new dress, with the prettiest smile of all the Shire!
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September 15, 2010 at 8:06 am
Ack! You’re trying to kill us with adorableness, right? Awesome job with the dress, Kia. Looks like Baby Hobbit really enjoys it.
September 15, 2010 at 9:00 am
How adorable she looks! That dress is gorgeous. Great job, Kia!
September 15, 2010 at 9:01 am
The dress is beautiful! Great work Kia! Baby Hobbit looks absolutely adorable in it.
September 15, 2010 at 9:05 am
If she isn’t the most adorable little hobbit ever! Great job on the dress! She looks so cute!
September 15, 2010 at 9:33 am
You’re very skilled Kia! Good job and looks like Baby Hobbit is enjoying the dress as well!
September 15, 2010 at 9:50 am
Wow! What a pretty dress for a pretty baby hobbit. Very cute…
September 15, 2010 at 10:22 am
That’s incredible work, Kia! Where do you find the time to play LotRO with all of these other projects?
September 15, 2010 at 10:25 am
Ah well, that might explains the slow leveling from 61 to 63 that took a month! Hehe.
Thank you everyone for the positive comments!
September 15, 2010 at 11:17 am
AWWW! It reminds me of when I used to do renaissance garb. Such an adorable little girl and dress! Hats off to you kiarane, Toddler clothing is so tiny and thus hard to make -_-
September 15, 2010 at 11:26 am
Aw, that last shot is adorable. Nice work!
t’d be fun to see some baby hauberks haha,
September 15, 2010 at 11:37 am
Hmmmm…Baby hauberks right?….
September 15, 2010 at 11:35 am
Is there anything you cannot do? That’s just wonderful!
September 15, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Oh I LOVE this! When we have an elven baby, I want one! (I just can’t do Hobbits. I’ve tried. many, many times.)
Seriously, great job!
September 15, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Awwwww! Little Hobbit is so adorable! Great job on the costume, Kiarane! Looks like it could be an awesome halloween or Ren. fair costume!
September 15, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Marry me!
September 15, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Oh my goodness! It does not get any more adorable than this!
September 15, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Oh how totally adorable! You are a such a wonderfully talented person, Kia.
September 16, 2010 at 12:07 am
I can’t even handle it she’s so cute!
September 16, 2010 at 1:14 pm
OMG, it just can’t get any cuter! What a beautiful dress and baby!
September 23, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Sweet!!!!!!
Now I must look into Dwarven outfits for my little Dwarrow Granddaugther! Trust me… she is no Hobbit.
September 24, 2010 at 2:16 pm
If you have any pictures of your outfits, please send them to kiarane@casualstrolltomordor.com !
September 24, 2010 at 10:21 am
This is total cute overload!!! I love it! I really want to attempt something like this but I don’t know if my Apprentice Tailoring skills can manage this Supreme Master dress.
September 24, 2010 at 2:15 pm
The more complicated piece was the bodice, because I choose to do each side in three separate pieces. Another tricky thing are the eyelets, but once you mastered those, sewing becomes a lot more easy since thing don’t raelly have to fit right: they will all be adjusted later with the lace!
The rest is pretty simple. Start one piece at the time and don’t try to make it perfect! As long as you remember you’re doing this for fun and that your goal is to create a look, not to sell it in a store, you should be fine!
January 13, 2011 at 10:11 am
omg soooo cute!
April 28, 2011 at 1:13 am
This is absolutely adorable! Thanks so much for sharing this!
June 22, 2011 at 6:13 pm
Halloween is among my childrens’ most liked times of the season to go trick or treating together with their classmates and friends and afterward they all get together at someone’s home to eat and readily share their sweets.
June 30, 2011 at 4:40 am
o_Õ cant get any cuter, really. love the idea of dwarven one
i have a really adorable hobbit character also, id like things like this to be in-game actually cuz its a really good work.
July 29, 2011 at 7:26 am
hehe – cute bambino! My lad would dress up too, but on’y if he had a sword and armour