Complexity:
0-10 *5
Pattern:
McCall's 3538 (top), McCall's 3449 (sleeves)
Fabrics:
cream taffeta (used for top, skirt and sleeves)
white cotton (used for sleeve inlay)
interfacing
Notions:
2 inch wide white silk ribbon
1 inch wide white silk ribbon
2 inch wide white gathered lace
1 inch wide white gathered lace
1 inch wide white elastic
tiny bows with pearls
gold grommets
pearl decorative snaps
small pewter cross
Accessories:
chii ears (click HERE to buy chii ears)
white opaque thigh highs (click HERE to buy thigh highs)
white platform sandals
2 white garters (click HERE to buy garters)
pink and white boy short panties
wig cap
long blond wig (click HERE to buy wig)
COSTUME CONSTRUCTION
The top and sleeves are made with a little bit of pattern altering. The skirt & headdress are made with out a pattern, but fear not! I shall instruct you how to make those parts also.
For the top I followed the pattern exactly. Be sure to use top B (the one with out the scalloped neckline). In stead of using the tabs in the back like the pattern suggested I left those out and put in gold grommets instead. I laced up the back with a 2 inch wide white silk ribbon. Once you have the top complete sew the 2 inch wide white gathered lace gathered lace along the top. Punch the decorative pearl snaps in below the lace. I put 6 snaps along the top.
The sleeves are modeled after the sleeves on the McCall's 3449. Use the sleeves on the A pattern. The original pattern is attached to the dress, but you need to make these separate. In order to do this you will need to cut the the top of the sleeve in a strait line instead of the curved shape. Sew it together to form a tube. You will be making a casing for the elastic along the top of the sleeve. Just fold the top over about a inch and sew the folded part down leaving a hole to slip the elastic in. Now that the top part of the sleeve is done you need to alter the "bell" part of the sleeve. Use the pattern and cut off the bell sleeve, next cut a triangle out from the sleeve. Think of it as cutting out a piece of the pie. Now that the triangle is cut out you need to sew down layer upon layer of the gathered white lace. Once the triangle is complete covered in lace sew it back into the bell sleeve.
I sewed down a line of 1 inch wide white silk ribbon along the bottom of the sleeve then punched in the decorative pearl snaps above the ribbon for extra detail. Put the right sides together and attach the "bell" part to the "tube" part. I made little bows and bought tiny bows with pearls then hand stitched them to the top part of the triangle and directly above on the elastic casing part. Viola!! Chii sleeves!
The skirt is very easy to make. It is basically made of 4 parts. The front panel, two back panels and the waist band. Cut three long strips, be sure the lengthens are different sizes, a short (used for the front panel), medium (used for the back top panel), and long one (used for the back bottom panel). I used about 2 yards on each panel, you can make it as wide as you want just keep in mind the wider you make the strips the fuller your skirt will look once you pleat it. Fold each panel in half then take your scissors and make your first cut 7 inches (or however short you would like it) above the bottom outside hem, gradually cut towards the inside bottom hem to the other side. This way when you unfold it, it will be equally cut on both sides, gradually becoming shorter on each side. Do this to all three panels.
Next you will need to box pleat each panel. Make sure that once they are pleated they will match up to the length of your waistband. Stack the medium panel on top of the large panel, stay stitch them together at the top, this give a nice layered affect to the back of the skirt. Now sew both the front and back panels onto the waistband. Punch in two grommets on both ends of the waistband. The skirt ties together at the side of the hip. Add lace and decorative snaps along the bottom of each panel.
ACCESSORES CONSTRUCTION
The wig you can buy (HERE).(click HERE to buy garters). (click HERE to buy thigh highs). For the necklace I just wrapped a white ribbon 'about a yard long' around her neck and tied it in a bow in the back.
The headdress I made by cutting out two crescent shapes out from the cream taffeta. Then I sewed them together at the top, folded them inside-out then placed interfacing inside. I made a 11 inch rectangle and sewed the crescent shape to the top. Hand stitch elastic to each side to the ends of the rectangle to form a loop. Punch the decorative snaps along the top and hand stitch the cross onto the middle.
Looking at the reference picture Chii does not have any shoes on so we choose a simple chunky sandal. Chii is all about the panties, the more lace and bows the better! Look in your local department store for cute panties, I SAID PANTIES NOT BOXERS!