Sewing Doll Sweaters

 I went to a thrift store where they sell clothes by the pound and looked for clothes to cut up and use for doll clothes. I am really excited with what I found there.

I feel like getting the texture right is important in making realistic doll clothes, and using real clothes is one  way to do that!

I used the Liberty Jane T-shirt Variations Pattern.

Here is sweater # 1, modelled by #62, Stella: 

And here is sweater #2, modelled by Tenney.

I am really happy with both sweaters! My wallet would be in much more danger if AG made more realistic everyday clothes like these.

I love pretty dresses, but sometimes a doll just needs to relax and stay warm.

Fourth of July Dresses

 I am really jumping around on the holidays out of order, but I wanted to make some doll dresses for the Fourth of July for my little cousins. I had the perfect fabrics on hand.

I used to love the Fourth of July, but now I have mixed feelings about it because it does not acknowledge that this land was stolen from indigenous people.

With that acknowledgement, I love these dresses.

I used the pattern for the Liberty Jane Peplum Top once again. I made the waistband 1.5 inches and the skirt 6.5 inches.

I feel that this gives it more of a classic look, rather than a trendy one.

I also added a quarter of an inch to the back of the dress to make sure that this would fit my cousins' dolls.

It's very funny to be taking pictures of Fourth of July dresses in the snow! 

Oh well, you do what you gotta do.

I am happy with the dresses, and my cousins will be, too. I like how each dress is unique, but they go very well together as a whole.

Pattern Review: Keepers Dolly Duds Coat Essential Pattern

 I recently made the Keeper's Dolly Duds Coat Essentials pattern.

I wanted to make coats for my little cousins' dolls.

I try very hard not to make identical items for the sisters, so they can't fight over whose is whose.

So I made the same coat pattern in red and green.

My favorite part of the pattern is the pockets, which are elegantly stitched into the seams. They are so cute! Every doll needs pockets.

It's a nice pattern, but I felt that it was a bit loose in the front. This may be because I put in velcro instead of buttons. I know that the girls always ask their mom to help them change doll clothes, and I didn't want her to have to button and unbutton, haha.

I also thought that the collar should come just a tiny bit more forward on the front of the coat.

I think if I made it again without buttons, I would take about a quarter of an inch off the front of the coat, and that should fix the issue.

Looseness isn't a bad thing on a coat, though, because it can fit over layers more easily.

I know that my cousins will love these coats and not even notice the minor fit issue, haha.

More spring pictures

Stella and Astrid also got a change of clothes.

They posed themselves like this as I was carrying them outside. It was like Stella was hugging Astrid. Aaaw.

Astrid is wearing the 1930s Gathered Dress from Heritage Doll Fashions.

Stella is wearing a dress from Simplicity 8575, which I love.

Pretty dolls!

Stella

I got a picture of Stella today! Isn't she pretty?

Dog Meet Doll World

I am getting very brazen about getting doll pictures out and about in the real world.

A library near me was offering carriage rides drawn by dogs for children, as part of the summer reading program.

I asked if Anne and Stella could pose with the dog and its carriage!

Cute, huh?

I think they are a little sad that they didn't really get to go for a ride.

Lea's Celebration Dress

I bought Lea's Celebration Dress at MCM.

Stella is the first to get to wear it.

 I honestly love this dress. The best way for AG to get me to but anything is to put embroidery on it. I am a sucker for real embroidery.

This is a really intricate pattern, and the colors play together beautifully.

Pattern Review: Simplicity Pattern 8314

This dress is made from Simplicity pattern 8314, designed by Keepers Dolly Duds.