Iplehouse Ophelia Dress

A while back, a local doll person did an Iplehouse group order, and I ordered an Ophelia dress, hoping it would fit Cecilia, my Granado, or maybe one of the Soom Supergem girls. (Most of Iplehouse's SID clothing fits the SG girls pretty well.) The Ophelia is designed for an EID girl, but works on a SID girl--I tried the set on Marilyn, my Jessica. It was odd seeing her in a romantic style dress, it's not at all what she usually wears, but she was the right size to test it. Since she is a SID, the sleeves were a little long on the shirt, and as Iplehouse says, you need to tug and adjust it after you put the bodice on over it.

The top probably fits even the largest EID girl perfectly. The skirt is also a nice layered thing, with an elastic waistband that fit fine on Marilyn. Again, it's a little long, but the skirt style would look fine pinned up a bit, or with a colorful petticoat under it. The cotton is pretty, but very sheer, so I would put something under that lowest layer or the calves show.

The biggest problem I had was the bodice--Marilyn is the standard bust size for an SID and I can just get the bodice around her, and then we come to the lacings. Iplehouse tied a very pretty narrow white ribbon into the top hole of the eyelet trim, and if I got a yarn needle and threaded the ribbon on it, I could weasel it through those holes--but for everyday getting the bodice on and off, no way. Now using eyelet trim as a bodice lacing guide is a great idea, but the holes need to be at least 1/8 inch wide, and for me, I like 1/4 inch:

The striped corset is one of Cecelia's that I made. I could add another line of bigger eyelet over the existing eyelet on the Ophelia, or I could put a series of hooks down each side, which is a very fast way to lace something (think of ice skate laces)

but the hooks can catch on the dolls hair, too. It's also very fiddly to sew them on. So I think I will sew jump rings into bias tape trim, and stitch that down under the eyelet. Still fiddly, but a little easier than the tiny hooks.

It's a gorgeous set, though and the workmanship is amazing. But Marilyn can't grow accustomed to wearing it! ( By the way, the choker is something I made out of trim and a few pearl beads).