Queen of Hearts
Storybook Costume Pattern

Queen of Hearts gown

The storybook costume for the Queen of Hearts includes directions for the gown, tablier, jacket, Vandyke collar, coronet, sceptre, slippers, camisole, pantalets, bustle and half-petticoat.

The costume for the Queen of Hearts gown has a square-necked bodice which buttons down the back and is embellished with heart-shaped beads across the neck. It is interfaced and lined with self-fabric. The long sleeves have a wrist ruffle and are puffed in three different sections. The pink bodice is attached to a red dirndl skirt with a long train. The train's fullness is achieved by tight gathers.

The storybook costume is embellished with a tablier that ties around the doll's waist over the gown and under the jacket, hanging down the front. It is elaborately decorated with lace, ribbon, braid and heart motifs, which are slightly padded to make them stand out. The jacket is made from the same red satin backed crepe lined with pink satin. It fastens at the waistline revealing the decorated bodice of the gown. A gathered basque finishes the bottom edge and two pink hearts are sewn to the fronts. The shoulder wings are trimmed with braid and a Vandyke collar accents the neckline of the storybook costume.

Slippers for the storybook costume

Camisole and half-petticoat

The storybook costume is finished off with a sceptre which is made from a gold chopstick with a padded heart motif glued on to the end. The Queen's leather slippers have heart-shaped uppers and are embellished with tiny heart beads.

The costume looks very authentic with the padded bustle that sits over the petticoat and under the skirt. It ties at the front. The petticoat has three rows of pintucks, eyelet lace threaded with ribbon and a ruffle at the bottom. It is worked as a dirndl skirt with a waistband.

To continue on with our excerpts from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carrol from the previous page, Alice hopped down the rabbit-hole after she saw the rabbit go down:

In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.

The rabbit-hole went straight on like a tunnel for some way, and then dipped suddenly down, so suddenly that Alice had not a moment to think about stopped herself before she found herself falling down what seemed to be a very deep well.

Either the well was very deep, or she fell very slowly, for she had plenty of time as she went down to look about her, and to wonder what was going to happen next. First, she tried to look down and make out what she was coming to, but it was too dark to see anything: then she looked at the sides of the well, and noticed that they were filled with cupboards and book-shelves: here and there she saw maps and pictures hung upon pegs.

And the story is off. What fun to have a storybook costume for your child's doll as you read the story to her!

The storybook costume for the Queen of Hearts is sized for a doll that is 20 inches tall. Directions are given to modify it for a doll that is from 14 to 25 inches tall.

Next pattern: Storybook costume Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz