Latgalian (Latvian) costume for a Barbie doll

Added Nov 5, 2009

by marmota-b

Cesky Brod, Czec...

2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

Views

1460

P1120460_large
  • P1120460_grid
  • P1120459_grid

View All

Description

My second project for the competition… this time the freestyle. I made a costume from Latgale, a part of Latvia, even though I took some liberties with it… such as making the skirt solid colour and using the vest from North Latgale, while the rest of it should be from South… This was a troubled project, because originally I wanted to make the whole thing from North Latgale, with light-coloured skirt – but it turned out to be too bland on the doll. And I had trouble with the blouse, too – I wanted to make it in the traditional way, square shapes – but then I had trouble putting it on the doll! So I had to add triangular godets to the sides. It’s still very tight. Because of these problems, I was finishing the skirt and the apron in a hurry and it shows (not on the photos, though). But, again, I tried out things I haven’t tried before, and I’m glad for that.

Material Notes

silk + cotton blend for the vest (originally a worn-out blouse from a friend), a mystery thrifted fabric for the tiara and skirt, cotton batiste? for the blouse and apron, beads for closures, thrifted nylon stocking for the stockings, leatherette from an old bag for the shoes. And some wood and bamboo toothpicks for the instrument - "kokle".

Categories

For
Women
Garment Type
Costume
Style
Ethnic
Material
Cotton, Blends, Other, Silk

7 Comments

  • Skull_large

    Feb 4, 2011, 07.51 AMby leonx

    smuki pat mazina kokle vinai ir!

  • Dsc00207_large

    Jan 17, 2010, 02.08 PMby eatthatmonkey

    p.s. if you make something simiral any time soon, than it would be useful to know, that we mostly use dyne in national costumes as it hostoricaly has always been provided here by nature and cultivated by latvians. have a nice day!

    6 Replies
    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Jan 17, 2010, 07.17 PMby marmota-b

      I’m sorry – what’s dyne? Don’t you mean flax? I know Latvian flax is good. (The only meaning of dyne I found is this… http://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dins)
      I think it’s the same with our traditional costumes as well, or at least parts of them, or at least historically, and with historical costumes in general. The trouble is, flax is hard to come by here, especially if it has to be thin, which it has to be for dolls’ clothes. So I settled on compromises and used what I had at hand…

    • Dsc00207_thumb

      Jan 25, 2010, 03.06 PMby eatthatmonkey

      yeah, i gues flax is the right word. i didn’t know it in neglish at first and my dictionary shoved dyne,but i guess flax is better.
      Ogre is nothing special to see,but damn good to live in.in winter LV looks like a postcard.
      but i know that CZ is very beautiful place as well. i have been there and i really really liked it and someday will visit it again.

    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Jan 25, 2010, 09.09 PMby marmota-b

      I wonder if “dyne” really also means that… I like learning new words, so it would be nice to know if it does. I couldn’t find it under that meaning online.

    • Dsc00207_thumb

      Jan 27, 2010, 04.06 PMby eatthatmonkey

      well, i searched it in weird dictionary of mine. it sometimes translate something really weird and even mistakes. but, if you like learning new word even in different languages, than is Latvian it is ‘LINS’.

    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Jan 29, 2010, 03.53 PMby marmota-b

      Lins? Like linen in English; it’s “len” in Czech, which is also similar. :-)

    • Dsc00207_thumb

      Jan 29, 2010, 08.47 PMby eatthatmonkey

      yeah, ‘lins’ it is. well, it looks like we’re having a bit of culture excgance. ;)

  • Dsc00207_large

    Jan 17, 2010, 02.02 PMby eatthatmonkey

    it’s really making me happy that you chose to make latvian traditional costume. that could be because of the fact i am latvian and live here. well, i live in Ogre, that’s town in Vidzeme, but still – Latgale of Vidzeme,it’s still Latvia. this is really amazing not onl;y because of the result but of the idea itself!!

    2 Replies
    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Jan 17, 2010, 07.08 PMby marmota-b

      I was in Latvia on holiday two times with my family – once in Riga just for a day, once we stayed in Lielvarde for a bit longer – so we actually travelled trough Ogre when going to Riga and from Riga by train. :) I’d love to come back, this summer if possible, and see other parts, northern Vidzeme and Kurzeme (Liepaja sounds like a very beautiful place).
      My sister studies Latvian and works on a project about Baltic mythology now, so she lives in Latvia most of the time, searching the libraries and improving her language skills.
      So, thanks to all this, plus my own studies (Baltic studies, focused on Finnish and Estonian, but with some Latvian culture and history thrown into the mix as well), I’m quite familiar with Latvia and quite partial to it. :-)

    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Jan 17, 2010, 07.21 PMby marmota-b

      Oh, and I chose Latgalian costume mostly because it’s quite simple and seemed that it would look best in smaller scale. And fit the doll best in terms of colour, because all the others, or most of them, have rather dark, earthy colours, that would be more suitable for a different doll. ;)

  • Poe_large

    Nov 20, 2009, 09.12 PMby ladykatza

    Hey, I recognize this. nice Job!

    1 Reply
    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Nov 21, 2009, 09.15 AMby marmota-b

      Do you have a knowledge of Latvian national costumes? :-) That’s interesting. I know them thanks to my sister, who studies Latvian.

  • Sweetpea_the_sewing_fairy_large

    Nov 14, 2009, 04.24 PMby sabrina

    Well done! Is there a master pattern for dolls’ clothes? Also, how does the garment close? My dolls’ clothes used to either have either bulking velro on the backs or else thin velcro that didn’t stick as well.

    1 Reply
    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Nov 14, 2009, 09.17 PMby marmota-b

      I make the patterns for my dolls myself (measure + trial and error), but if you wanted some pre-made, there are some AWESOME ones here: http://molendrix.com/strihy1.html
      I might upload some of mine here on BurdaStyle or on my blog when I have more of them.

      These costumes close with beads and loops made of thread. The apron is tied on and at the same time also holds the skirt. On other clothes I used tiny hooks and eyes I made myself (out of wire that used to be the spring in a ball-point pen – it’s thin and yet very firm). I have bad experience with velcro, too, and snaps are usually too bulky, so I resolved to these options recently. They seem to work really well.

  • Emilykate_large

    Nov 6, 2009, 08.53 AMby emilykate

    Hon these doll clothes are stunning! I DREAM of being so well-dressed. Your dollies are fortunate to have their very own coutourier at their disposal!

    1 Reply
    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Nov 6, 2009, 09.05 AMby marmota-b

      Thanks. Well, it would be awesome if I could make myself my own coutourier at my disposal, but sadly, I’m not as good at human clothes yet…

  • 82e1a17eb641c223126c58c6bc8168af54abc194_large

    Nov 5, 2009, 08.18 PMby tinybronco

    Oh my gosh! <3 The little girl in me got very exited by this. And what great attention to detail. Adorable! :)

    1 Reply
    • 2ec794ad0aab31308b80ae690170adc92f1f5e0e_thumb

      Nov 6, 2009, 09.04 AMby marmota-b

      Thank you. I’m normally not that attentive, I’m terribly lazy, but this was for a competition, so it pushed me. :-)

Add a Project

Help

Add to Favorites 1 person added it

Featured

Burdastyle

http://burdastyle.com//projects/latgalian-latvian-costume-for-a-barbie-doll