Pattern Review: Keepers Dolly Duds Train Station

 I made the Keepers Dolly Duds Train Station pattern! Another pattern with pleats!

This is four separate pieces. A green blouse, a floral pleated skirt, a jacket and a hat.

I used wool pants from the thrift store for the jacket and the hat.

As I've mentioned before, KDD patterns do a great job of clearly marking how to make the pleats. I was happy with how the pleats in the skirt turned out.

I was asked if the jacket is reversible. Yes, because I didn't add the decorative buttons yet, the jacket is technically reversible.

However, the fabric I used as the lining looks terrible when the jacket is turned inside out. I actually commented, "Ouch, my eyes!" when I did turn it inside out to illustrate. It makes her look like a used car salesman at Easter time.

Also, turning it inside out puts the itchy wool on the inside. No thanks. 

It could work if you used other fabrics, though.

You may recognize the floral fabric. I used it first to sew Keepers Dolly Duds Church Tea, and decided to use it again for this pattern because it holds pleats so nicely. Also, I think it has a nice vintage look. It may be vintage, I got it secondhand somewhere.

The drawback, I think, is that the fabric is so busy that it makes it harder to see the pleats in pictures.

I think this outfit has a lot of mix and match potential. That's why I used the nice wool fabric to make the jacket and hat. I maybe regret the fabric I used as lining after turning it inside out, though. Haha.

Tiffany Aching Dress

 Tiffany Aching is a teenage witch in Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

I have a friend who has an AG doll who is Tiffany Aching.

I wanted to make her a dress.

Tiffany is a farm girl who wears hand-me-downs from her older sisters that are blue or green.

I decided to use Kirsten's patterns. I actually used the bodice for the birthday dress and the sleeves and skirt from the school dress.

Tiffany's dress was let in and let out a lot, so I particularly wanted the tucks in the skirt.

I also ended up using several different colors of threads, which I think was true to the spirit of a dress that has been adjusted several times for multiple owners.

Tiffany has brown eyes and brown hair, and my Truly Me 28, Amelia, got to model.

Kirsten also got to try the dress on since it came from her patterns. The color really matched her eyes.

I also made mini books of the original five Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett. I also made several books that were mentioned in the series that were owned by Tiffany, her family or friends.

Sometimes I am more creative in crafting for other people than for myself. It makes me happy.

Eden Ava Couture 1930s Vintage Dress

 The Eden Ava 1930s Vintage Dress was one of the first patterns that I sewed. I keep coming back to it.

I think this is the first time that I sewed it here.

It's an easy and fast dress that looks good and doesn't use a lot of fabric.

I seem to have not put all the different variations that I made of this pattern on the blog.

Anyway, here is my latest rendition of this pattern.

Fast, easy, simple.

I am happy with it, and it is on its way to make a little girl happy.

Liberty Jane Peplum Dress

 This is the second time that I have made the Liberty Jane Peplum Dress.

You can read about the first time here.

I had this fabric, and I thought it would make a really cute Fourth of July dress in this pattern.

Amelia is probably thinking, it's not July now, why do I have to model this dress in the snow?

I should have re-read my blog before making this dress, because I did not add any extra fabric allowance.

I just followed the pattern as it was written.

There was slight problem that the waist band was not long enough, and I had to cut a second one that was about two inches longer.

The skirt length was six inches long, before adding in seams, and I think it came out looking a really good length.

I also think that my sewing skills have improved, and I managed to do a better job on the details at the top of the bodice.

I am really happy with this dress!

A Girl For All Time Amelia's Easter

I posted this on Instagram, but forgot to add it to the blog before Easter!

Here is A Girl For All Time Amelia with her basket of Easter eggs.

I have fond memories of buying that little Easter basket.
I was actually IN England at the time. I was at the Christmas market in Lincoln, I am not sure why this was for sale at a Christmas market, but it was small and cute and it came home with me.

It still makes me smile every time.

Happy Easter!

A Girl For All Time Amelia

I have really like A Girl For All Time Amelia for a long time, and I finally added her to my collection!

Here is her box.The AGAT dolls do have gorgeous boxes.

If you haven't heard, taxes on toys imported from China are going to be raised to 25% of the toy's value, so toy prices are going up.

This is going to affect all toys, but the prices in the AGAT fundraiser have been raised to reflect the fact.

I am glad that I got Amelia at a lower price while I could.

I feel bad, because AGAT dolls have better posing that AG dolls, but I am not very creative at finding these poses. They can brush their hair back and it is very cute.

Here is a view of the back of her dress. It is gorgeous.

Here are the three AGAT dolls that I currently own.

Amelia is lovely. I like her sweet but serious expression. I am very glad to have her.

Elinor is still my favorite AGAT doll. I think she is just gorgeous. I feel bad about having a favorite, but there it is.

Ai Dolls at the Park

Here are some cute pictures of my Ai dolls made by Jun Planning.

The blonde doll is the Kangaroo Paw doll, whom I call Amelia.

The brunette is the Phlox doll, whom I call Phoebe.

This picture is definitely my favorite.

Thimbles and Acorns Minoan Wrap Skirt

I have made the Thimbles and Acorns Mioan Wrap Skirt before.

I gave that outfit away. Here is the blog post with the pictures and more information about Minoan art.

I made it again, in time for Zia and Amelia to be Minoan girls for Halloween.

I used the same fabric again, but this time I made two different outfits by reversing where the colors are used.

I will say that dressing up as a certain culture for Halloween is not always a good idea.


Here is Amelia:

And here is Zia:

They both look pretty adorable!

Amelia wears the Warm Winter Accessories

Amelia wanted a shot at wearing the Warm Winter Accessories.

She is so warm and cozy! She approves!

Amelia Outdoors

Here are some nice pictures of Amelia enjoying the outdoors!

Budding Equestrian

Amelia just met Steps High, and immediately decided she was going to be an Olympic-level equestrian.

Unfortunately, she refused to take lessons from Kaya or Saige. It turns out that it is not that easy to ride a horse!

Keep at it, Amelia! Practice makes perfect!

Picture Spam

This blog is just an excuse to share pretty pictures of dolls wearing pretty clothes. I was feeling restless and changing doll clothes around. Don't we all need pretty doll spam now and then?

Jess and Saige

Etsy Purchase Review: LinLovelies

I love sewing doll clothes and quilts for my dolls. However, I have never learned to knit or crochet very well. Add to these facts a reverence for well-made handmade objects, and you find me scouring etsy for knit or crochet items for my dolls.

I didn't want just any knit or crochet items, though. I am picky.
A lot of people knit and crochet dresses for dolls, and I don't like those. I want dolls to have clothes that look like people's clothes. The majority of knit dresses do not achieve this.
Also, I just wanted pieces that would supplement the clothes I sew, not replace them.

I ended up finding the shop LinLovelies.

Pattern Review: Keeper's Dolly Duds 1930s Frock

This is a pattern that I have owned for a while, and I am ashamed that it has taken me so long to use it.

This is Keeper's Dolly Duds 1930s Frock, and  it is beautiful.

My brain is currently just overflowing with ideas for the many different combinations of color and fabric that I can use with this pattern.

I think that the dresses are just too lovely.

Ye Goode Olde Days

LOL, this blog post title is tongue in cheek.

However, as I was posting the pictures from the get-together with mcoooper and randomtraci, I realized that I did not have the pictures from my first meet up with mcooper, back in early April, on the blog. I did not have a blog at that point. We took some great pictures, though, and I love that our girls  (and guy) have a history together, so here are some pictures!

Here is mcooper's blog post about our get together.

Daken is a very special custom doll and possibly the most huggable doll I have met, despite his tough persona. Here he is in an antique jail cell.