Crinoline sickness

Toad was feverish for the last 48 hours, so I kept her home yesterday and today. I bargained my freedom to the work table (sorta) and took the opportunity that I had her around alone to work on a dress for her. I want to present a few kids' outfits in May, too. and I had an Ikea crinoline laying around. so it seems I am making my first ever crinoline dress. It is an understatement to say I don't know much about the period - I have a gaping hole in my head there. Any good ressources you'd recommend ? Maybe not for right now, but to get a better grasp of the 1850s and 1860s.

I shortened the Ikea crinoline as much as I could, hacking off the last hoop and shortening the bands between the waist and the first hoop - my daughter is a not so small 4 and a half year old, and it is still a little big. I shortened the tulle petticoat as well, and turned two 1960s eyelet lace petticoat I inherited from my mother into one bodiced metticoat - I found some white bedsheet remnants for the bodice part.

I think she loves it. (and my workplace is a mess) She also likes dancing in her crinoline, and with some luck  by the end of April she will have learnt not to grab the upper hoop to walk.

For the dress I'm planning to use a printed sheer off-white and blue fabric I bought ages ago. It's poly, and probably not very period, but it's one of the few fabrics she approved of. I have some matching blue satin for accents, and blue suits her.

The 1912 is assembled, mostly. I'm fiddling with the part that goes behind the back. I want a side closure so that the model can easily take if off by herself on the runway, and an elastic because I don't want to have to precisely fit her in this. The collar has to be redrafted, it is too small, and I'm reconsidering the off-white fur there. It seems a little bit too much after the red and black contrast.