Pattern Review: Keepers Dolly Duds Balmoral Holiday Coat

 I was so scared to make the Keepers Dolly Duds Balmoral Holiday Coat!

It offered some great opportunities to totally mess up- the scallops in front of the coat, the button holes, the asymmetry.

Well, I eliminated one of those hazards right off the bat by putting in snaps instead of sewing real button holes.

The pattern was easy to follow and I didn't have any problem with the asymmetrical design.

And the scallops turned out better than any I have done before. My theory is that is because these scallops are somewhat larger than any that I have sewn before.

I love this coat and the cloche hat! They are so cute.

I am so pleased that I overcame my fears and tackled this pattern!

Pattern Review: Keepers Dolly Duds Downtown 1920s Dress Pattern

 I have made the Keepers Dolly Duds Downtown 1920s  Dress pattern before.

Apparently, though, I didn't post about the pattern on the blog before. Oops.

The pattern looks so fancy. It was easier to make than it looks.

I really love patterns where you can combine two different fabrics in contrasting colors, so I love the pleats in contrasting colors in this pattern.

I really ran with the color play this time. I made Claudie and Phryne matching Christmas dresses. Both dresses use the same fabric. I just swapped which fabric is the main focus. It makes a big difference in the way the dresses look!

The hardest part of the dress is probably the piping. I cut the piping extra long, ironed it before I sewed it, drew the line the sew along on the fabric, and clipped extra fabric carefully. It didn't turn out perfectly, but it turned out pretty well.

Phryne got the green dress to match her eyes.

Claudie got the striped dress because it's Kwanzaa colors, and to match with Melody and Addy.

I am really pleased to have made Christmas dresses in such a timely manner.

I often end up making doll clothes out of the season they are meant for. At least dolls don't outgrow clothes

Two Coats for Claudie

 I just realized that both American Girl and I made green coats for Claudie.

This amuses me.

Here is the green coat that I made. I used the Keepers Dolly Duds pattern that is available at Pixie Faire.

The snowflake on Claudie's nose in this picture kills me. So cute.

Here is the coat that AG made! 

It's a different shade of green, and a different style coat. They both work well for Claudie!

Here is a bonus picture of Phryne Valancy wearing the same coat.

I will have to take a side-by-side comparison photo when it's winter again!

Favorite AG Dolls

 I really should downsize my American Girl doll collection.

I am reluctant right now to sell even the dolls that I am not very bonded with, just because AG keeps making changes like putting an imprinted star on the dolls' foot.

Some dolls, however, I would never part with.

My two childhood dolls are Anne and Felicity. They are so special. They aren't going anywhere.

I am very careful with them and their collections. Each has a dedicated wardrobe that they don't share.

Anne, in particular, as an original Girl of Today #6, is super rare. She sold online recently for a thousand dollars. That makes me even more careful with her!

Fun Fact: Anne is named after Anne of Green Gables.

Samantha is the doll that I wanted as a kid and couldn't get. She's the first one that I bought as a newly minted adult.

Mara Frances is the first custom that I made, and she has such character. She always makes me happy.

I am also very attached to my Create Your Owns. They are all Jess molds. I love the Jess mold and I like to see more variation that AG makes with this mold.

Danielle is the first CYO that I designed (of two.) I love her! She has glasses and hearing aids.

Aurelie was the first CYO that I got at MCM!

Nadia also came from MCM.

As did Fern.

And Steffi.

Phryne Valancy is a 1920s CYO that I designed myself.

I adopted Cora from the mom of Super Inky!

I really want to do a group photo of my Jess mold CYOs some day!

I am also super attached to Girl of the Year Joss Kendrick. I really love her face mold, and I love that she is hearing impaired like me.

I am also falling more and more in love with Claudie lately. She has the sweetest face.

These are probably my top dolls, but they are almost all special to me in one way or the other. 

1920s Frock

 I had this scrap of fancy fabric, and I wanted to make a basic 1920s dress that would be fancy from the fabric used, not from the pattern.

I used some of the pattern pieces from the Keepers Dolly Duds Nautical Pleats pattern for the bodice and sleeves, and for the length of the dress.

I made my own Peter Pan collar pattern to go with it.

I added a black velvet Peter Pan collar and sleeve cuffs.

I am happy with it. I feel like it's something a girl could reasonably wear to a jazz concert with her parents in the 1920s.

Both Phryne Valancy and Claudie got to try it on.

Who do you think looks better in it?

Pattern Review: KDD Nautical Pleats

 I made the Keeper Dolly Duds Nautical Pleats pattern. I was already planning a different 1920s sailor dress when this pattern was released, but this is the one I made first.

I have to admit, it took me months to finish this one. I made the top, and pleated half the skirt, and took a break. I left the half-pleated skirt under some cookbooks for the pleats to get really set in.

Then the whole project sat all summer. Finally, I finished the other half of the pleats, couldn't find the top, panicked, found it again, and finally finished it.

I still haven't added the bow on the front. I am just going to make it out of ribbon. That's one reason why I went with blue and white. Also I just like the classic look.

I am still not totally happy with the pleats, but I was using a very slippery fabric that I got at a yard sale. I am not even sure what it is. Presumably this might work better in cotton.

I want to make one of these for Claudie, anyway. This dress is for Phryne Valancy. Claudie will probably get to try it on, though.

So hopefully next time will go better!

Jess Mold Week

 This is Jess Mold week on Instagram, so I just wanted to share some of my beautiful Jess molds!

Jess molds are so beautiful. I would love to see AG make more Jess mold dolls with different hair and eye combinations. Fantasy hair would be cool too!

Lovely Jess, herself!

Danielle

Aurélie

Kanani

Phryne Valancy