Doll Friends,
As I said recently and in my last post, I've been doing a bit of sewing in order to try and stay sane. It's worked, somewhat. LOL As I mentioned in that post, I have decided to take on pattern sewing for my dolls. As a girl, I sewed with my Granny every summer and she taught me very well exactly how to sew from patterns. So I knew well in advance how much more work it was than upcycling baby clothes into doll clothes as I've done so often in the past.
In my large bag of items I've purchased solely with
upcycling doll clothes in mind were these two beautiful girls dresses. I don't
know what compelled me to purchase them because upcycling them the way I've
done smaller dresses is impossible. But I never could get rid of them... I
guess I thought perhaps I'd make a simple skirt with them or something? In any
case, I am so glad I held on to them because I had them to take apart and use
the fabric and trims to make doll outfits with.
And here is Dallas modeling the outfit/dress I made over
from one of them. I say 'outfit/dress' because I made them as 'separates' in
the bodice isn't attached to the skirt. I have always loved 'separates' in
fashion because you can change the look so much more easily. Having them be two
items means I can put the skirt with other tops and the bodice with other
skirts or pants. As a girl who loved dolls, my main 'want' was fashions I could
mix and match so I'd have more outfit alternatives. I guess as a woman
collector, I feel the same. Hahaha.
Mind you, these are far from perfect... I am kind of in the
prototype making stage of teaching myself to sew again. I want to come up with
some really easy methods for you, dear reader, to make some fashions for your
own dollies. I'll post more about that when I have more to tell but suffice to
say if/when I get some simple patterns and/or ideas put together I will
certainly come and share them with you.
Here we have Alyssa modeling the second outfit/dress. I love
love love the fabric and colors of this one. It was actually a dress some
seamstress had made for a little girl and so it's wholly original and I kind of
liked the thought of remaking some other persons dress instead of it ending up
in a rag bag somewhere.
I closed them with snaps but I am beginning to lean towards
using velcro on things. Snaps are so much more work because you have to sew
them on by hand. They are more expensive too, now that I've looked into 'new'
ones. I was using snaps I'd picked up at thrift stores over the years for next
to nothing so when I saw what 'new' snaps cost I almost fell over. I tell you,
when you live life as a thrifter who really doesn't buy anything new and/or
full price unless I have no other options, sometimes the cost of things shock
me.
This one wasn't totally finished when I added these photos to drafts. I
couldn't decide if I wanted it to tie in the back or if I wanted to try and
make the straps attached...? As I sit here typing this I am thinking to myself
"Which did I end up doing?" Hahaha. I am going to have to go look. I
am telling you, the snow has addled my brains!!
Don't mind the silly white thread that I used to make the
casing for the elastic. I didn't have any navy thread and I guess I could've
used black... But sometimes I just go with that I have and roll with it. Since
this dress is for me anyway, it doesn't bother me. I do, going forward, have
plans to start making doll clothes to sell (more on that as soon as I am able
to find the time to make a post about it but exciting times!) and they will be
to much higher standards.
I better run... Many a draft in this here computer to be
finished. I hope this finds you staying warm and enjoying the first couple days
of Lent.
Till next time!
XXOO
Heather
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