Elinor

Here is A Girl For All Time Elinor!

Isn't she beautiful?

It's so much fun how well these dolls can hold things.

More spring pictures

Here are some more fun spring pictures!

Samantha Parkington

Felicity Merriman

Astrid

Edwardian dress for Samantha

I keep coming back to this one pattern. It is Simplicity 1179, designed by Keepers Dolly Duds.

There just are not that many patterns for Samantha, especially ones that comes together easily and well.

I had wanted to make the Thimbles and Acorns A Piece of History Edwadian dress for my little cousin. After the Civil War dress version of the pattern turned  out to be disappointing, I decided not to waste more time on that for right now, even though I had the fabric for the Edwardian dress already cut out.

I also realized that the sash would necessarily be a separate piece, and I did not think this was the best choice for a seven year old. It would be too easy to lose.

Instead, I made Simplicity 1179 and used some of the design elements from the A Piece of History dress.

I am really pleased with it!
It's a very pretty, princessy dress that should warm the heart of any seven year old.

Here is the link to the first dress I made with this pattern. It is even using the same fabrics!

Here is a link to the second dress that I made with this pattern.

 I feel that all three dresses are pretty and unique, and I am happy with them.

Pattern Review: Simplicity 8314

This is not the first dress I have made from this pattern, and it will not be the last.

This is the first version of this particular design that I have made.

The pattern comes from Simplicity 8314, which is designed by the ever wonderful Keepers Dolly Duds.

It looks complicated, but it was very simple!

I timed myself and it took me 40 minutes to sew this dress. That does not include the time that it took to cut out the fabric and iron it.

I don't usually time myself, but it was close to bedtime.

The fabrics in these dresses are probably not very authentic to the 1960s. I just wanted to make something for my cousins and use what I had on hand, and not use my more expensive fabrics, either.

I used two different color combinations so that the sisters can tell their dresses apart.

I like the purple one best; my best friend likes the pink one best. Something for everyone!

I was pleased with how cute and easy this dress is.

The other dress that I have made from this pattern was my Wednesday Addams dress.

Sewing doll clothes is such fun for me, and I can't wait to see how my cousins like the dresses!

Joss in the Garden

Joss can't go to the beach, so she is spending lots of time in the garden!

She is hanging out with Murph.

She is also reading a lot! This book is Poems from The Hobbit!

I hope you are finding ways to get outdoor time also!

Pattern Review: Keepers Dolly Duds Reefer Coat

I have been intimidated by sewing doll coats for two reasons: fabric choices and button holes.

Coat patterns often list suggested fabrics that I am not familiar with and do not know how to source.

I CAN make button holes, but I am intimidated by making it as the last step in the pattern, on the front of the clothing, when it is so easy to mess it up.

With this coat, I avoided both of these things by making the coat with flannel and making it close with velcro.

I mean, we are all self-isolating, it's forcing us to be more creative with the materials we have on hand.

I am happy with the coat! It looks and feels like a real winter coat.

I made two of this, one for my little cousin and one for me.

This is the Keepers Dolly Duds Reefer Coat.

It was so easy to make! I was surprised. I really like how the pleats for the sleeves are marked on the pattern.

I need to take more pictures. The back of the coat is a sailor collar. I love sailor collars!

The lining of the coat is a sparkly blue and white snowflake fabric. It's totally historically inaccurate, but very cute. It makes me smile, and I think it will make my cousin happy too.

I did not make the coat tie. I didn't feel that it was needed.

I highly recommend this! If you have been hesitating to make doll coats, this is a great pattern to start with!

Spring pictures

I got some very cute spring pictures that I am happy to share!

Anne

Tamsin

Stella

Melody

More Dirndls!

I made three more dirndls, in different color variations, to give to my little cousins.

They are so cute!

I like seeing all three dresses together. It creates a fun look.

I put the pink and green one on Caroline on purpose, because the color scheme reminded me of her work dress. The style is very different of course, but maybe I can use the same fabric to make something close to her work dress. Hmm.


The pattern is of course Keeper Dolly Duds' Spring Dirndl.

Pattern Review: Thimbles and Acorns A Piece of History Dress

I was so excited about the Thimbles and Acorns A Piece of History Dress pattern.

I am a big fan of Thimbles and Acorns. I have always enjoyed her patterns.

And this pattern had so many cool variations!

I wanted to make the Civil War dress for my seven year old cousin, who has an Addy.
I wanted her Addy to have some clothes, but Civil War dress patterns are so complicated, as opposed to the 1960s patterns for her sister's Melody.

I was excited that this pattern seemed to offer a simpler path to making a nice time-appropriate dress.

The dress pattern is all in four pieces- two pieces for the dress and two for the lining. Sleeves and skirts are all part of the same piece.

There are drawstrings at the neck and waist to create the look.

I had one problem with this pattern- I drew the waistline on the front and the back of the fabric pieces, and I sewed a buttonhole at the back of the dress's waist for the ribbon to go through.

However, when I sewed the pieces together, the waist I had drawn on the front was higher than the waist I had drawn on the back. I had to go with the height of the waist on the back, because I had already made the button hole.

Then, when I put the dress on the doll, I just didn't like it. It just looks very awkwardly bunched at the neck and the waist. It just doesn't look right.

I tried washing the dress, and that helped a little bit with the awkward bunching..

I am debating whether to give this to my cousin at all, or just throw it away.

It's been a long time since I have disliked something that I sewed this much.

It makes me hesitate to try any of the other pattern variations.

I just don't get how mine looks close to the dress pictured on the pattern, but that one looks right and mine does not.

Here is a view of the back, with the drawstrings visible:

The lining of the dress is white, and it is deliberately visible at the sleeves, to easily create a more complicated look.

It is of course entirely possible that the waist of my dress is lower than it should be, but that really wouldn't make a difference in the problem with the bunched up seams.

I just don't get it.