#barbienutcracker

Comic-Con Masquerade Contest: Maddie Caffarel

Costume Name: Sugarplum Princess Barbie

Description: I began this piece in early May, then after finishing the basic bodice and skirt construction, I ran out of steam and it ended up sitting on my dress form. The announcement of the Comic Con at Home Masquerade finally provided the motivation to finish it, and in four and a half days I bedazzled the thirty-ish flowers that were hand-sewn to the bodice, drafted and hemmed the satin hip pieces that got another forty bejeweled flowers sewn on before getting added to the skirt and the waistband finished, straps and arm pieces made, and the inner button and elastic fastenings made. 

The Bodice is fully lined and boned, with an extra layer of canvas reinforcing the center panel to support the embellishments, which also include the ribbon sewn down to imitate the design on the doll’s bodice. The same narrow ribbon is also sewn onto the tulle ruffle along the bodice front, with a wider strip running down the center, like on the arm pieces. I tried to keep as close to the original doll’s design, but changed the shape of the bodice to allow for more freedom of movement, with a shorter hem that meets the satin panels on the skirt, extending the line down to the floral trim. The bodice and skirt are separate pieces, with an inner fastening system of elastic loops that hook over buttons sewn to the lining of the bodice, so I have a full range of motion while not worrying about the waistband shifting around or the skirt slipping down. 

The skirt has somewhere around fifteen yards of tulle and organza in total, with the iridescent organza sandwiched between the glittery light pink and a darker pink tulle, both for added volume and sparkle and to protect the delicate, sheer organza. I also hand-rolled and sewed the hem on the organza, to keep it from fraying and to hang better, since the material doesn’t scorch into a smooth edge when I tried to burn the fibers, like you do with synthetic fabrics. Hemming that alone took most of a day, but it’s worth it for the smooth drape the hem gives the fabric. All the pink gems, both on the tiara I bought and the dress, I dyed with sharpie ink in order to get a matching shade and to make sure I had enough for the dress and still have clear ones in the same size for contrast. My necklace is a pendant I found and put on a new chain (the original the doll had, now lost like her crown, was a heart, but I couldn’t find one that matched in time). 

Overall, it’s taken countless hours, hundreds of rhinestones glued down, nearly three spools of ribbon, and left my room covered in glitter. I’ve made or customized nearly everything I’m wearing, down to the pair of dance trunks I made from the plum lining fabric to go under my sheer skirt. It even has a couple pieced leftover from my own dance days, since I’m wearing the pointe shoes I broke in back then and a hairbow we had made for when I was in a local production of The Nutcracker, and has somehow survived since then. The doll I have now is not my original, but I remember having one as a kid, and it’s been amazing to finally make the outfit I’ve loved for so long (even if there are still a few minor additions I want to make to it!)