I think you have notice that I have a mild obsession with making different color Cheongsam (blame the SiMs and Chun Li's alternate color palate). I more or less went and look at patterns for sewing Cheongsam for humans but couldn't figure out the instructions. And that I need to learn to use the sewing machine
After making my Kimono I discovered that reversing the Kimono back to front makes for the basics of Cheongsam theory aka the The Reverse Kimono to me.
And like the kimono, it was made by placing the doll on the cloth to get the measurement instead of measuring everything out and stuff. This works out for big old Chun Li - 5 (Thunderthighs) and it works as well for Obi-Chun (even easier on account of being able to remove her arms and head when needed). The only problem I have is in making CHun Li's puffy sleeves, still hadn't figure out the petals hem
Hence I give you patterned-impaired Iwa's
guide to making a simple Cheongsam for a 12 inch doll (alter as needed)
Red
line denotes cutting,
Blue
denotes sewing
Green
for fold at line
Yellow
for excess cloth after folding / sewing
Orange
for zipper
What you need
cloth of choice (silk, silk brocade, satin,
etc.)
zipper (because I choose zipper instead
of velcro)
needle and thread
scissors
ribbons for hemming and collar (silk,
satin)
Note: Many varietions can be use for this dress. The patten for this is the sleeveless swallowtail back hem with thigh high slit. If you need other varietions feel free to alter as needed
 |
| Fold the cloth in half. Place doll on
outside of the cloth so that her shoulders touches the fold
line.
Note Variation
point.
Don't worry about excess cloth, you can always cut it off later I am making a sleeveless piece so I cut
the cloth at red (leave allowance for sewing )
|
 |
| Turn the fabric inside out
At the back of the dress cut a line from the center of the fold line to end of the cloth, fold the cloth in and hem it up |
The Collar
 |
| I use the satin/silk variety. and have
to hem it up to prevent stray strands.
Depending on where you want the inside of the ribbon to be (mine is the non shiny part) Depending on whether your ribbon is the 1 inch in width variety or the thinner half inch variety. You will need 2 pieces Measure ribbon from the middle of doll's neck in front to the middle of doll's neck at the back (for a 27cm obitsu its slightly more than 1 inch in length. Give half an inch for hemming) For ribbons that are 1 inch in width. Fold in at the sides (1a) and sew, fold down in at the center (1b) and the sew (1c) to secure. And now you have the outside of the ribbon (3). Add in collar design For ribbons that are half and inch in width just fold and sew (2a) |
 |
| The outside of your ribbons should face
the outside of the dress's back Sew
in the ribbons. make the front of the dress face you. now turn in inside
out.
Sew part of the collars together. using the same color threads as the design. turn the dress back out again and see what the front looks like now. |
 |
| Either sew in the zip from the the top of the collar to desired length or sew in from the neck to desired length and sew in studs to join the collars at the back. I alternate both methods. |
 |
| This is for the sleeveless. turn the dress
inside out so that the front face you
From the fold draping the shoulder give a little cut (not all the way) so that you can fold diagonally down. Sew it in Note Variation point. At this point plan of what you want the flaps to look like, whether pointed or squarish. How high the slits should be thigh, knee or mid calf. One slit or two. Swallowtail or square |
 |
| At the bottom (1a is the zoomed in part)
cut, fold
and hem in.
Fold in the sides (1b & 1c), adjust if you want this front to be thinner. hem it up. Okay I have 2 version of the back. one is a square cut and the other is the swallowtail (feel free to make your own designs) I give you the swallow tail first. As zipper to tip has already being cut from an earlier step. fold diagonally and hem it in (2a) And for the sides (2c & 2c) fold diagonally and hem it in |
 |
| For the square hem simply cut, fold and sew it in |
 |
| This is the inside front. At this point
add whatever pippings to the hem, a fake frog collar line or if you want
to stick to what you have sew.
Iron-ons are now or later depending on you. And sew her up. remember to leave room for arm movement (although you can pull apart an Obitsu to dressup. You might have a non-articulate doll to work with) |
