#auklaras tutorials

First, I started with a PVC skeleton which I added onto with cardboard. The main piece is a 4 connector, onto which I built the skeleton as an upside down T shape. 

Center connector. This will be where Pod 042 attaches to the pole of the stand.

 I covered the 4 sides with cardboard, cutting holes for where the arms and pole would attach. 

(upper arm piece with the wood dowel screwed onto the pvc perpendicular.)

The arms attach to the body via pvc, but the arms themselves are wood dowel with wire forming the lower part of the arms. 

(The arm together, with the wire drilled into the wood and covered with some ribbed plastic tubing I had. The piece on the top of the back is what keeps the wire held on.)

(Making the foam cover for the center)

I decided how much I wanted it to stick out and wrap around the middle piece, the folded it in half and cut out the shape of how it looks from the side. 

I then taped it in place temporarily, folded over the front of it and marked that. Before you cut and glue, remember that a hole has to be cut so it can be attached to its stand. 

Pieces on the shoulders are made with various sizes of cardboard tubes and foam, held in place raised from the main pole with foam spacers. 

The small arms are attached with floral wire and were made out of spare bits of dowel and pvc, details added with cardboard and foam.

Completed construction of Pod 042. The fingers were made with 2 pieces of foam with wire in between to give them shape.

(Pod 042 with a coat of primer)

The stand was an experiment, it ended up being more difficult than we thought. I used a half inch clear acrylic rod, with a pvc stand. The stand uses another  connector, it the top middle drilled out for the pole, which is screwed in. This was our first time working with acrylic. It was difficult to get the screw in straight at the bottom of the pole, even with a drill with a level light. This is probably the main contributor to the lean. The legs have foam board on the end of the feet to level it as the screw in the bottom is not flat. Currently he stands pretty well after a bit of trial and error, but still leans a bit. 

(First attempts at the stand. Blind drill, no leveling on the feet, experimented with leg length. Pod 042 pretty unstable, really only stands ok facing one way. )

Part 1- making the pattern! 

Suggested materials:

Cheap fabric for mockups (and lots of it)

a bodice pattern

a full skirt pattern

marking pen. Mine disappears with water. 

pins, seam ripper, sewing machine, thread, scissors, rulers and measuring tape

help, or a dress form that fits you. 

The hoopskirt you plan to use 

I made mine using a simple bodice from simplicity pattern 1715, one that I’ve worked with before and that I know is easy to work with. I usually go with bodices that use princess seams, at least in the front as it is much easier to fit. This particular bodice used princess seams in the front, and darts in the back. It also had various bust sizes and bodice shapes. Any bodice will do, so long as it is separate from the skirt. Cut and baste it from the mock up fabric according to the instructions, then have someone help you fit it. The easiest way is to wear it inside out and pin it. Do not press the seams! Once satisfied, trim the seams to the desired seam allowance, the standard is 5/8ths. Notice, I cut the front of the bodice down the middle and sewed as she has a seam down the front. I suggest doing this too. Seam rip it, and this will be your pattern!   

(Bodice, unfitted and then turned inside out, pinned to fit with collar. You only need half of this pattern as it is symmetrical)

For the collar, if you can’t find a dress with one, cut a rectangle the length of the neck line and baste it on. To get the shape you’re going to have to fit it, same as the dress. I ended up with 3 seams, on the sides and in the front.  Seam rip the front and pick the side you think looks best, as you only need the one for the pattern. This ended up being one of the trickiest parts for me, so might want to look for other patterns/ tutorials to use XD

(Collar pattern after modification. First is the side with seams, second is how it looks on the outside.)

(Bodice + collar, fitted)

I suggest taking these patterns and duplicating them with better fabric so they can be refined and easily be reused if need be. That way we can also reuse the mockup to make the dark pink applique. 

The skirt is where the most modification will be. I took the skirt pattern of another dress (make sure the sizes match up), a full skirt that I would be able to fit over a hoopskirt, and used it to pattern out the petals. For the first draft, leave the waist and part of the side seams alone, only modify the shape of the bottom. Fold the front piece in half so both sides are even, start at the folded corner and make a curve upward toward the side. You want to leave enough of the side seam so that the hoopskirt is not visible underneath. (mine was a little short, so it just barely covers the hoopskirt). This will make one petal shape with seam allowance on the sides  (but not the bottom yet) which you will use for all 4.

(Base skirt pattern, folded in half, ready for the petal shape to be drawn on. Unfortunately I lost the next few pictures that show actually drawing/cutting out the first petal shape)

Once you have something to start with, cut out 4 of the mockup fabric, baste them together leaving the back seam open, and baste to the bodice It should match up pretty well, but it may not be perfect. Thats the problem with using 2 different patterns, but you can try extending it in the back seam.  

(Skirt and bodice based together, pinned to fit over the hoopskirt)

After you have something resembling a dress, its time to fit and refine the skirt. While wearing the hoopskirt, fit the skirt over it by taking it in at the seams following the shape of the hoopskirt. Baste the modifications, and once you are happy with the fit, trim the seams to a 5/8th allowance or whatever you prefer. 

(mockup dress, fitted over the hoopskirt)

Now, each seam is probably going to be different, but we need the petal to be symmetrical. Take the one you think looks and fits the best, and fold it in half. We need to even out the shape and refine it. I went with the larger part of the seams just to be safe. Once you have evened it out and are happy with the way it looks, fold it in half once more and cut a notch in the side seam smaller than the seam allowance to help with lining it up. Next, duplicate this pattern, but add seam/hem allowance to the bottom. It should look something like this:

(Petal skirt piece folded in half, symmetrical, and petal piece unfolded, final versions)

My final petal pattern is about 27x19 inches. However these should vary by height and size of the hoopskirt.