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 Kristin and Will | Home > Costumes and Creations > Completed Costumes > Movie/TV/Art Costumes > 
Anna Adventure Dress

Anna's "Adventure" dress from Frozen. I used Simplicity S0745 as a base. I altered the whole thing. It called for the pattern to be made as one solid dress instead of a separate Shirt, Bodice, and Skirt.

Pattern: Simplicity S0745 - Heavily Altered

Fabrics:
Black Rayon Panne Velvet for the bodice (lined in black cotton)
Cotton Sateen for the shirt
Poly Crepe for the skirt (cotton for lining)

Notions:
Dritz Small Eyelets (pack of 25)
DMC #905 (green), DMC #550 (purple)
DMC #601 (pink)
DMC Yellow (I lost the label, sorry)
Wrights single fold bias tape in metallic gold (I couldn't find double fold)
Wonder Under lightweight iron on webbing

Notes:
I used Simplicity S0745 for my base for this.  I saw the blog of the designer of the pattern, and it was an inspiration.  When I got the pattern I had not realized it was all one dress, however, it was easy enough to alter. 

For the shirt, I simply added the "shirt" pattern pieces (#24 and #25 in the package) to the bodice pieces (#26 and #27) and overlayed them as per the lines on the patterns.  I traced out the new pieces (front and back) onto scrap wrapping paper, marked them, and cut them out.  The sleeves, cuffs, and collar were left as is.  I had to make a placket for the front since the pattern calls for the back to be zipped up.  This is not practical for a shirt, so I just sewed the back up and left the front open.  The pattern has a false front already, I just made it real.  I forgot to take pictures of the placket and how it attached.  The very top closes with a hook and eye, and there are snaps going down the front under the placket.

For the bodice, I used the bodice patterns (#26 and #27) as they were and included the darts in the front and back as normal.  Instead of closing the back with a zipper, I opted for a corset style back.  My weight flucuates through the year, this will allow the costume to always fit me unless I lose a drastic amount of weight.  At least then all I have to do is take it in on the sides and back.  This whole costume has no lining, so I did need to make lining for my bodice.  It's just a layer cut exactly like the bodice fabric and sewn to it on the inside.

For the skirt, this was altered a lot.  Considering the original pattern calls for 3 panels, no lining, no pleats, and no waistband (since it was to be all one connected dress).  The pattern piece (#8) for the skirt has two marks at the top.  One for the back and one for the front.  You would cut a dip for the front that the dip in the bodice lines up to.  I just cut five panels with only the back marking, as this made a perfectly even waist.  In the front of the skirt, I box pleated the it and hid the seams in the pleats, facing inward.  This way, it appears as all one piece of fabric, instead of panels.  I also did the same to the sides.  The skirt is nice and full and swings beautifully and has a great shape.  I also lined this (again, no lining?) by making 3 panels for the lining (since it didn't need to be pleated).  I cut a long strip for the waistband and folded it in half and encased the raw edges of the waist inside.

For the appliques, I used the bodice as it was, as it looked good enough to me.  I added the shoulder parts by using the flower from the pattern and drawing on the stems.  I realized after I did it, it doesn't really look like that at all, but it's close enough and anyone who nit-picks it, needs a life.  I hand embroidered over the applique on the bodice - 14 hours of hand work on the front and shoulders alone.  I still have to the back as well.  The skirt appliques were completely redone by me.  The pattern pieces were not to my liking (really good, just not for me).  I used wonder under to draw my designs onto, ironed it onto the fabric, cut out the shapes, peeled off the paper, and ironed it on to the skirt.  These will all eventually be embroidered over as well.  For now, the appliques work.
**Before doing this, I tested all fabrics first to see who they'd react to the heat of the ironing needed to melt the layers together.  I didn't want to end up with a nice iron shaped hole in the skirt because it melted the fabric.  Luckily, all fabrics worked out perfectly.  The velvet obviously took the best, since it has a nice pile and lots of fibers to grip the glue of the Wonder Under.

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Simplicity S0745 and my fabrics.

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First step for me, is always lengthening the sleeves.  This was actually still a little short, as I forgot to take the cuff into account.

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I had to modify the top pattern as it calls for making the shirt and bodice as one piece (which then is sewn to the skirt).  I lined up the "shirt" back with the bodice back and used wrapping paper as new pattern paper.  
*Nail polish bottles make great pattern weights btw.


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The new back piece for the shirt.  I drew on the dart lines and dots, but ended up not using them since the bodice will cover it all anyway.

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I repeated the steps for the front part of the shirt.
*Not shown is the piece for the placket for the front closure.  There are snaps hidden under it that keep the shirt closed.


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Completed shirt!

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"Embroidery" detail on the placket and front.

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It's also on the collar.

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This was the bodice before adding the gold trim, it's just pinned so I could see how it would look.

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The vest is sewn up and the trim added.  It just needs the eyelets in the back to keep it closed.

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The back with the eyelets.  I'll be getting a waxed cord to keep it shut.  This shoelace worked for now.

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I used Wonder Under (Heat-n-Bond works too) to iron on an applique that would be used as a guide and stabilizer for the embroidery.  I didn't hoop this to avoid crushing the velvet, so it was held in my hand the whole time.

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DMC embroidery floss in #905 for the green details on the bodice.  I used 3 strands of the floss thread to embroider with.  This is my first time hand embroidering!

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The green front is done!  It's so pretty!

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DMC #550 was used for the purple dots.

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I used DMC #601 for the pink flowers.  I also tried to make it look like petals in the embroidery, like a tulip.

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The skirt was altered to be 5 panels (instead of 3) and include box pleats in the front and sides.  The movie version appears to have this same treatment for fullness.

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You draw them on the paper side of the Wonder Under and then iron it to the fabric.  You then cut out your shapes, peel the paper off, and iron it down.

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I also re-drew the patterns for the skirt as I didn't like the included ones.  The ones I drew are much closer to the movie version.

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There are 15 small appliques and 15 large ones, for 30 total.  My poor hands were hurting after cutting out all those little pieces.

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Again, I drew out the larger appliques to be more like the movie.

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Aaaaaand, it's DONE!  Okay, it's done for now, the appliques still need to be embroidered over like the bodice.

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Photo by David Ng
Ng-master.com
Bryant Park, NYC
February 22, 2015


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Photo by David Ng
Ng-master.com
Bryant Park, NYC
February 22, 2015


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Photo by David Ng
Ng-master.com
Bryant Park, NYC
February 22, 2015


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Photo by David Ng
Ng-master.com
Bryant Park, NYC
February 22, 2015


 
   
 
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