from these hands...: Ladybug : Part Two

As we last left LadyBug...
Body finished and fabrics chosen...

Missed Part One? Read it here!http://fromthesehandsblog.blogspot.com/2019/10/ladybug-part-one.html

LadyBug = Piáo Chóng

When the first thought of costuming for a piece comes to mind, my goal is to I think beyond color and fabric.

I start by setting my mind at the heart of the symbolism:

"Delight, happiness, and playful spirit symbolize the Ladybug.

She shall bring abundance of blessings."

Who is this person or creature?...What are their characteristics?...What is their body constructed of?

"The red shield and black spots that cover her wings

announce her unique and playful spirit that bring smiles

wherever her heart takes her on her journey."

In this case, she holds a subtle elegance. With a hint of playfulness and being light-hearted...not taking herself too seriously.

She carries with her at all times a soft smile and her ability to be delicate. She loves bold colors of contrast.

With this in mind, my fabric choices end up being easy to select!

Elegant, playful, light-hearted, delicate, bold colors of contrast.

Dress Fabrics

Liner in red spotted batik - Overdress in silk with "tatting" edge

Wing Fabrics

Batik Liner in red - Spotted sheer appliqued fabric in black

When I design my costumes for any of my dolls, I pay attention to each detail of the process.

For this dress the fabric had such beautiful cut out "tatting" sections and I wanted to make the most of those beautiful aspects.

I cross my dresses left over right as in Japanese traditional (being alive). So with that in mind I laid out the fabric so the top of the skirt on (her) left side would show in the front. As well as placing that cut out along the top of the sleeves to meet at the cut outs along the shoulders.

I love the peep through of the spotted batik liner!

Her wings act as her cloak...I also laid this fabric out thoughtfully in that each side mirrored in the patterns of the applique.

Below is the wing back and interior. I top stitched some of the circles of the applique side to not only create a functional stability bit also a decorative treatment.

For topping her head...I used some of the sequins as a "cap" on her head and added buns to mimic true ladybug eyes...

Final touch was to gather the sleeves and the bottom of the skirt to create the roundness of a ladybug body!

As I started with Symbolism...I will end this posting with the same...

My darling husband, Sean and I went away for a weekend as I was in the midst of creating LadyBug and when we came back, I found that an owl feather ( I collect feathers that cross my path) had landed on her throat...my personal interpretation was "listen to your own soul's voice"...

"Rather than intellectual wisdom, owls are connected with the wisdom of the soul. It is a way of reaching your Higher Self and truly seeing things from a spiritual perspective, the Owl will show you things that might otherwise remain hidden to you, so be open to seeing things in a whole new way." *