Adding To the Collection

 It is time for an update. Things came to a grinding halt with the dolls.  I am now moving forward once again. Plans are in place for 2021 in the sewing room which didn't include getting 2 extra dolls.

Dolls

First, Addy Walker is coming to live in our house. She is the result of my very in-depth research on African Nova Scotians. I am keeping her as a historical character of the 1860's. Her clothes will reflect that era and I'm excited to sew for her.  I don't know where Addy is in her travels but I do hope she is safe and warm.

Julie and Lea were suddenly purchased when they were advertised on a Facebook page. They lived about a 30 minute drive from our house.  Both moved into the house yesterday. They are so happy to be out of isolation and in the sewing room. 

Julie is a historical doll and her era is the 1970's.  She will be a more modern girl who is interested in sports and dance. Julia is a pre-loved doll who in near perfect condition. She is also a first edition doll and came with her meet outfit. 

Lea was the doll of year in 2016 and is part Brazilian of which I am excited about. She is in very good condition for being pre-owned. Lea will model both historical and modern clothing. 

I am excited to have more dolls to dress. 

Happy Doll Sewing...................................................

2021 Thoughts and Aspirations

2020 has been quite the year. I've done a lot of testing as the pandemic had the designers reaching for their pencils and designing lots of new patterns. My doll's wardrobes are large and varied. 

As this year comes to an end, I've been thinking about what I want to do for the dolls next year. Which direction am I going to take? What would I like to focus on? 

Testing Patterns

I have been waffling around about pattern testing (sewing and knitting) for quite a while. I thought about quitting because I did a lot of testing and what I wanted to sew and knit. I was diligent to follow the rules and now that I have slacked off, I haven't been kicked out so I will stay until I get kicked out. Stay means on my terms. 

Pattern Drafting

I'm going to look at this once again and figure out how I can do it like a course. I need to get a program for writing up my patterns. Will I publish them? Maybe. But, I would like to have a few patterns to work with for the Gotz dolls. Basics that I can use pattern design techniques to make different necklines, sleeves, etc.

The other thing I want to do is change patterns a bit. One is making a facing for the inside of a jacket so the lapels match the outer garment fabric. 

Easy To Sew Patterns

I'm still wanting to sew a bunch of easy to sew patterns. They are the patterns that clear my brain and allow me to try a new technique or two. They are the ones that give you instant gratification when you really need it. They are the ones that complete an outfit with something that isn't the star of the outfit. 

Historical Patterns

As a person interested in history, I have read/watched a lot on the Victorian/Edwardian era. I have been mulling this around a lot this fall and I'm going to start sewing historical clothing in the new year. I'm going to combine it with couture sewing (a course I need to finish) and have a bit of fun. These will not be quick sews as I want them to be outstanding items. The goal is to use a lot of fabric from the doll's stash. 

The other era I like to sew for is the 1930-50's as the outfits are great on Kit. I don't research this era, I just sew them for fun. 

Techniques and Tutorials

I want to continue on doing different techniques and do tutorials on some of them. One is how to place embroidery on an article of clothing. What works well for me. I enjoy sharing what I've learned with others. 

I also want to share some hacks that I plan on doing in the new year. And I want to share how to sew with leather. Though it has its own rules, sewing leather is not scary. 

Photography

I want to improve my photography skills and need to get a ring light and an area to photograph. Using the ledge by the window gives less than professional pictures. I want to use my Cannon camera and learn how to use it correctly. There is a lot to learn but I can learn by photographing the dolls. 

What Else?

To sew up as many of the patterns I have on hand as possible. That could take me years to do but I hope to do some each year. 

To sew down the dolls' stash. I have lots of nice fabric to sew and I should be using it up rather than looking at fabric in the stores. This includes lace, ribbon, and buttons. 

To look deeper into selling doll's clothing on Etsy. I have questions to be answered by a friend. 

Thoughts for 2021

 Thanksgiving in Canada is this weekend and the housework has been at the top of the list. We have been given guidelines to follow so I'm getting ready to have a safe Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends. 

The Desk

The desk is in at Ikea but I can't get it for a couple of weeks. This week is too busy as is next week. But, I'm excited to know it's available and hope it is there when I can get in to buy it. 

The Striped Fabric

It sits on the shelf calling me but I still haven't found a pattern I like. I keep looking in the stash of patterns and on line for a new one. So it sits and waits calling out on a regular basis. After Thanksgiving, I will have another hard look at patterns once again. 

2021 Thoughts

I am having an issue with testing patterns at the moment. I have to choose one a month to test and there are months that none resonate with me. I do them, don't like them, and, after some time passes, I toss them. There are some I love and I really enjoy making those patterns. I have been staying because of them. I have to make a decision on what to do for both sewing and knitting. 

I want to take a bit of a turn in the path and try something different next year. 

A bit of history making outfits that come from books/movies I enjoy. One a month that takes a while to sew. Where did that come from, you ask? Lumineria published 2 new patterns this week. Meg and Beth from Little Women. I want to buy the set and do them plus the Downton Abbey, Little House, and Anne of Green Gables patterns I already have. I have the fabric and trim for most of these outfits. I have two dolls who will wear these patterns well and may look for a third one doll. Not sure as I want to keep the doll numbers down. 

Continue with Kit's wardrobe. I enjoyed working on it in the past and I want to add to it. I'm looking at a couple of Keepers Dolly Duds patterns for her along with, I hope a few patterns I hope are going to be tested in the near future. 

Work on the Gotz doll's wardrobes. I'm hoping to make them each 6 pieces for sure. They will pretty much have the same items of clothing - overalls, blouse, dress, coat, leggings, and skirt. All in different colors. Start with the overalls as I have one done. 

I am going to have a day of playing in the fabric and put together fabric with patterns. It will be a day to sort, think, fold, and have fun. 

In the meantime, I need to figure out the pattern for the stripe material. It is still calling me softly from the shelf. 

Happy Dolly Sewing.........................................

My Fall Ideas

I am not missing but have been very busy lately. Nothing has been happening in the doll world with me as I have been outside doing yard work, trying to clean the house and having a lot of appointments to go to. It calms down next week which is nice though outside work remains a priority. 

Fabric - Part 1

I have a lovely piece of fabric I want to make a dress for one of the dolls. 

It is printed on the diagonal which has me looking for the perfect pattern. I'm still looking as I don't want pleats or a circular skirt. I do want sleeves though. I'm sure it is going to be an adaption of the basic dress and could be a Christmas dress for one of the dolls. 

Fabric - Part 2

I put myself back onto a fabric diet as I bought way too much after shopping at the local quilt shop. It is back to using up what I have in the stash. I'm okay with that as I have some lovely fabrics to sew up. 

Have you put yourself on a fabric diet after a buying spree?

Pattern Drafting

I have set the pattern drafting aside as I need a desk. Working at the dining room table was not a good idea. Things went downhill rapidly as I would get to an interesting point and have to put it away for meal time. 

 My idea has been sewn by someone else in the Gotz doll size.  

The dress was sold by Sofia Doll Shop (Ukraine) on Etsy. She does not say if she has designed it herself or who the designer is.  I love the how this dress turned out and will continue with my bodice design. 

I have the bodice done for the American Girl dolls but not for the Gotz dolls. I may get this done before as soon as I have time as I have the fabric, lace, and buttons for it. 

Pattern drafting for the Gotz dolls will resume once I get a desk. It is out of stock at the moment at our Ikea.  I am looking forward to designing patterns when I have the desk. I am also looking forward to seeing if I can publish a pattern or two that I design and draft. 

What do you have planned for this fall?

Happy Doll Sewing...........................................

Playing With Pictures

I have been suffering from exhaustion. Cause unknown but it has passed. I've been busy since then sewing a test pattern. I have also been learning new things also this summer. More to do with pictures rather than sewing.

Collage Maker

One of the programs I learned about on Ravelry was Collage Maker. I used it when I wanted to put together Kit's wardrobe in one picture rather than loading up a bunch of pictures. 

I also did one with just 6 pictures. 

As I am only using the free version, I have limited graphs to choose from. I am sticking with the ones that allow me to showcase the dolls without a lot of cropping. Playing with the program allows you to group your photos in one picture. 
A few things to remember:

• If you have played with the program or done a collage, you will be asked if you want to start new or continue editing. I usually start new. 
• For a new graph layout, go to the third icon on the left hand side. Go to grid to choose what layout you want. 

• I have a selection of pictures already and I hadn't joined until today. If I want more pictures, I select computer and choose what I have. 
• Once you have loaded your pictures, you can put them into the grid to get the look you want. Just click on your picture and drag it over. Click on the picture in the grid and move it if you don't like the position it's in. 
• At the top center is Open and Save. I save to my computer but you have other options. Once saved, I can use the collage picture as I need to. 

Lunapic

Another site I found on The Sewing Place was Lunapic. I haven't joined this site yet and am learning it. People are using this site so their pictures don't end up sideways on a discussion thread. 

I have this photo of Kit in the bodice of the test pattern. 

I wanted less showing on each sides of her arms as I can see doll hair on one side. I started off clicking on Upload on the right hand side of the page. 

The picture is huge as the info states. I did crop first and got the picture to look like this.

It is still a large file but over 50% less bytes than the first picture. I can reduce that by changing the jpg quality to 70%. It has reduced it by more than 50% less bytes. Still good quality for online showing. 

I am still looking forward to learning more on this site. 

Have fun playing with these two sites and learning more things. 

Happy Doll Sewing...............................

Up To Take 5.3

It has been awhile and life got in the way. Between having the deck repaired and health issues, I had to put pattern drafting to one side. 

The Hack

In the last post I showed this picture of the surplice bodice. 

That design went downhill rapidly and I tossed it into the garbage. I went on to design #2. It was better but was going downhill with the adjustments I was making. 

And then on to design #3. I decided to go back to a basic bodice and get it to fit properly around the arms. I did the drape method using industrial paper towels and then worked on adjustments. Much better for me. 

I am ready to do the next muslin and if it fits well, add the seam allowances to the neck and armholes and start the surplice bodice once again. Don't ask how this take is 5.3. Take 4 must have been the first take on the basic bodice sloper.

American Girl Surplice Bodice

I did a muslin and it fits perfectly. 

It is ready to be sewn in good fabric with a skirt attached. Jennie is asking for it in a fun fabric. 

Anna's Wardrobe

Before stopping sewing, I made Anna a princess dress for her wardrobe. I used a bodice from the basic dress a friend designed and another friend's idea for the skirt. 

I did pin tucks on the bodice as I wanted to use the pin tucking foot I bought years ago. 

The only thing I did wrong was to have two green panels meet at the center back. Anna likes it but I must try to remember to do it correctly on the next dress I make for one of the other doll's wardrobes. 

It will be back to pattern drafting which could happen as early as this afternoon. I am looking forward to doing working on the bodice design once again. 
PS - My health issues have been high blood pressure and poor kidney function. I am working hard at trying to fix it but in the mean time I rest when tired, drink lots of water, and move forward. 
Happy Doll Sewing..................................

Muslin #1 Adjustments

I decided to start with the Gotz doll pattern hack as I need it for Anna's wardrobe. It is also the hardest to do adjustments as the Gotz dolls have a tummy to deal with. 
Though I am not showing it, I traced the pattern onto tracing pellon and cut it out of a scrap of broadcloth. I sewed it up and tried it on Anna. Right now, I am working on the fit. And I needed to get the fit right. 

• The arm holes hung down too low by 1/4"
• The back was too long ??
• The front surplice fit perfectly. 
• The fit around Anna's upper torso was great.

After a couple of minutes thinking, I grabbed the shoulder seams and pulled them up. I put in a mark and pinned in place. This is the amount that needs to come off the top of the pattern at the shoulders.

This immediately made the armholes fit perfectly. 

It also shortened the back up to a better place on her waist. But it made the front too short. 

Her belly is showing. To correct this, I did the following

• Added about 1/8" to the front side seam
• Added about 1/2" to the center front
• Curved the line down from the side seam to the center front. I curved it back up to the surplice but want to make sure it is correct by folding the bodice at the center front and cutting correctly. 
• Add about 1/8" to the back side seam and blend it up to the center back length. 

I will take a picture of the adjustments as I drew them on the pattern. I will then draw a new pattern, true it up, trace it onto the tracing pellon and make muslin #2. 

While I am doing this, I will do the American Girl pattern to see what needs to be adjusted on that pattern. 

I may or may not get the two muslins made today but I am certainly working on this project while it is fresh in my mind. Hopefully there will be more to report tomorrow.

Happy Doll Sewing................................

Collage

Making A Surplice Top Pattern

Though it took some time to make the surplice bodice pattern, it was fairly easy to do. 

Supplies

• Tracing paper
• Pencil
• Eraser ( I use a white vinyl one)
• Curved ruler if you have one. 
• Bodice pattern (Butterick 6265 is a good one for American Girl type dolls. Mine is for a Gotz doll).

Procedure

Trace the pattern onto tracing paper so you have a full bodice. Trace the stitching lines and notches Make sure you have drawn in the center front line. I had to go back and draw in the notch though it wasn't really important. 

The stitching lines at the neck-shoulder seam intersection and the waist are important as we work using them, not the cutting lines. 

As I have this curved ruler, I use it for the slight curve in the bodice. can draw it freehand also. With the ruler, the 24 goes at the shoulder and I lay the ruler so it lays at the stitching line at the waist and side intersection. I'm using an old picture to show you what I did. 

The new pattern with the curved line. Instead of going to the seam allowance on the other side, I drew this line 1 1/8" to the right of the center front line. 

 I then measured 1/4" out from the curved line and drew in the seam allowance. 

I didn't have to adjust the back piece at the shoulders as we didn't cut anything away at the neckline. I also drew in a straight of grain line using the center front line prior to erasing it. I left a bit at the waist as it will become the notch to align the two fronts together. When I cut the pattern out roughly, I will match the shoulder seams at the stitching line to make sure they fit correctly. I still need to label the front and back pieces. I also erased all the unnecessary lines. 

I then decided to make the American Girl sized surplice bodice. I used Butterick 6265. I didn't draw all the lines onto the tracing paper. 

But I did draw in the stitching line where I needed it. I also measured 1 1/8" to the right of the center line. 

I drew the line in and finished it like I did previously. Also all unnecessary lines were erased. 

I copied both top pieces (the back got cut off but I have it already). I have the back pieces ready to trace onto pellon. 

Next up is sewing the muslin.  

Happy Doll Sewing..............................

This And That

I'm not lost but have been busy outside doing yard work. It is an ongoing process that will take us several more weeks to complete. 

Hacking A Pattern

I've been playing around with hacking a bodice pattern and making it into a surplice bodice. I have one version done but want to fix up the process so it is easier to understand. It was my learning curve. 

I also want to do it again where the surplices cross over before the side seams. I have some measuring to do and then I will photograph the process for that. At the moment, I am pleased with what I've done. 

Sewing

Two years ago, I bought Simplicity 1086 as it was recommended by a friend. 

I made a dress out of it and set the pattern aside. I was doing some research on 1940's clothing and this pattern popped up. I dug it out to make Kit a wardrobe. To date, I have made both the tops, the capris, and the shorts. The tops are more intensive sews but the skirt, capris, and shorts are easy to make. 
The tops and the skirt are lacking buttons. I had to add elastic to the back waist band so the skirt fit Kit snuggly. 

The capris are adorable and were so easy to make. 

And the shorts were just as easy to sew. The top of this pattern as more difficult but the other blouse was a bit harder as the collar was hard to fit onto the neckline. 

I want to make the shorts again in the check fabric and then put the pattern away. I've got my money's worth out of this one. 
To finish this part of Kits wardrobe, I've knit a plain white sweater and have a jacket and hat to add to the mix. I'm calling this her summer holiday wardrobe. She does have a dress to add to the wardrobe just in case she needs one. 
Have you ever used a pattern to its fullest? This is a first for me as I usually make one or 2 items from a pattern and move on. 
Happy Doll Sewing......................................

Hacking A Pattern

Feb 2019, I took Pattern Academy and thoroughly enjoyed the fast paced class. When our basement flooded, I put the course away and found it again a few days ago. It is in a mess as I vividly remember picking it up off the desk and stuffing it into a binder in no given order. Though distraught at the time, I'm going back through it once again with a plan of having fun hacking purchased patterns and designing my own from the slopers.
I am going to start off with a bodice. I spent a few minutes choosing two ideas from pictures I stored. It sort of goes with what I had planned last year. 

Idea 1

Pintrest with no credit found as I didn't save it

I love the surplice bodice and the idea of attaching a skirt to it makes a cute top. I have all the skills to make this top. 

Idea #2

Sold out at Jaypore

This one is a bit more difficult and will take some thinking to accomplish. I would start with attaching the skirt to the bodice and then slash the bodice to make the box pleats. This will be a work in progress until I get it correct. 

Thoughts

I will show how you can use a simple bodice from a dress pattern to get the same results. I hope to document it here so you can try it at home also. The surplice bodice will be the first one I will hack.
Happy Doll Sewing..............................

Mary Laura Dress Complete

I finished the dress and here is the final result. 

The back has buttonholes and buttons. All but the top one turned out good. The top one decided to not cooperate twice. Yes, I ripped out the first try. 

I did a rolled hem on the serger for the hanky. I folded it and put it in the pocket. A cute addition. 

Though I'm sad it is finished, I'm thrilled with the end result. 
Happy Doll Sewing....................................

Mary Laura Dress Part 2

I love it when I can sew slowly and think while I sew. The lack of pressure is wonderful and allows me to really get involved in the project I'm working on. 

The Skirt

The skirt is not historically correct as Ma did not add a ruffle to the bottom of the skirt. I pressed the ruffle down so it was flatter. 

The fit is great on Nellie. 

The Over Dress

As I sewed the over dress, I did more looking at the pattern. Did Laura have lace at the neckline and sleeves? She did at the neckline but I couldn't see it on the sleeves. I ended up using a scrap of cotton lace and hand sewed it to the neckline. Very carefully so it would fit near perfect. 

When I did the sleeves, I did sew the lace on by machine though it took me quite a while to do. I wanted as much of the lace to show. The lightening zig zag held the lace in place before I added the cuff. I bet Ma hand sewed the lace on after she made the dress. 
The sleeves went in perfectly as did the ruffle. I pressed the ruffle down so it wouldn't stand out. The dress is ready for buttonholes and buttons. 

As I put the dress on Nellie, I had a great appreciation for how much work Ma did to make not one but two dresses. The time she spent on them from start to finish is amazing. 
I'm happy that I took the time to make this outfit, to do some research, and to ask myself unanswerable questions while sewing. As I put the not quite done dress on Nellie, I said "Job well done, Ma."
I will take pictures of the dress when done. I still have the hankie to make and hope to have this project done today. 
Happy Doll Sewing.....................................

Mary Laura Dress - Part 1 Thoughts and Sewing

Though we have had a few restrictions lifted, we are still in self isolation and social distancing. It is hard but we will survive this just like people did in years gone by. 

The Fabric and Pattern

I have chosen to sew the Mary Laura dress this month as testing patterns has slowed down to next to nothing. I also chose to think about things as I sew and enjoy the moment as I don't have a fast deadline. It is also a pattern I've wanted to sew for a while now. 

Mary Laura Dress by Thimbles and Acorns

I chose a gingham look fabric to make the dress and in orange. The reason I bought it was it was deeply discounted in the fabric store I worked in. But, it made me think about gingham and I learned how it was a staple in Laura's time. It was also woven in the United States though its origins are European. But, the colors were limited; mainly red and blue. I wonder if it was in brown also as Laura talks a lot about Ma buying her brown fabric. Certainly not orange like I chose. 
I also wondered about patterns in the Victorian era. Did Ma have a basic pattern for making the girl's dresses and adapt it for other dresses? Or were patterns readily available to her? One wonders as patterns were available. They weren't like today's patterns but they were patterns non the less. Or did she drape to fit the girls using books that arrived for all to read?

The Process

I started with the skirt as I had made it before as an outfit when I tested this blouse pattern. 

I knew what I wanted to do differently. Not a lot of changes. As I sewed and serged the seams, I thought about Laura and Ma sewing these and other dresses. Did Ma have a treadle machine or did they sew by hand in 1879-1880? Did they finish the seams on these dresses or leave them raw? 
I serged all the seams but the back one. I did an overcast stitch on it. Doing other seam finishes is hard on 1/4" seams but one wonders what seam finishes were used? Whip stitch, french seams, Hong Kong, or turn under and stitch? All lovely thoughts to ponder over while sewing. 

The Ruffle

As I started to gather the ruffle, I thought about it. I love how it makes the skirt and dress. How full was Laura and Mary's ruffles? I had to go and look. 

Not much gathering which tells me Ma was careful with her fabric. 
I tried the skirt on Nellie with half of the ruffle gathered and I quite like the look of it in gingham. 

I am excited to finish up the skirt and start on the dress. I'm happy to be sewing for the Victorian era again. Thinking about the fabric chosen and the way it was sewn kept this fun and interesting. There will be more to follow. 
Happy Doll Sewing...........................................

Making Do While in Self Isolation

I'm back! It has been quite the life living a new normal. With the virus, comes new things and new attitudes. 

Fabric and Notions

I was at the point of hating the doll's stash. In the past month, I've come to appreciate it as the fabric stores are closed in our province. 
I have plenty of lace, ribbon, elastic, and buttons. I am short on snaps and my thread is diminishing. Not too badly but it is going down. I'm hoping I'll be okay for a couple of more months and can shop at my favorite quilt shop for thread and snaps. 
My last trip to get items was about March 13, before our first case was announced. Non essential services were shut down quickly. There is some curbside pick up but it isn't essential I travel 20 to 30 minutes to pick it up. So I make do as we live life in self-isolation. 

Making Do

I am trying to make do with what I have. The scraps are saved in hopes I can make something out of them. I am trying to be creative when emotions are all over the board and I want to just curl up into a ball. After a difficult week and a test pattern that brought me sadness (it was a good pattern but the timing to sew it was wrong), I decided to pick out some bright and cheerful fabric and sew. 
The fabric was scraps left over from the last reading pillow I made for the library. I had maybe .4 meter of fabric in total. I loved the fabric and it made me happy. I decided to make the Garden Tea dress by 123 Mulberry Street. But, I wanted it for the Gotz dolls. I had made it for the American Girl Dolls and loved it. 

The Pattern Adjustments

I printed the pattern at 95% of the original size as Gotz dolls are slimmer. The pattern consists of the bodice pieces and the back bow. I added 1/4" to the bottom of the bodice pieces as Gotz dolls are longer in the torso than the American Girl dolls. The skirt was cut the same length as recommended on the pattern. The width was a bit narrower than the pattern called for. I was using what I had.

Sewing the Pattern

The pattern is easy to follow and I followed it. I had a scrap of stripe fabric and I sewed it onto the underskirt to see if I liked it. I knew I could remove it or adapt it. I did not like the look. 

In the end, I decided to cut it so I had 1/2" of the stripe fabric left. I serged the cut edge and folded it up so only a tiny bit of the stripe showed. I was impressed. 

I finished the dress which included sewing the bodice lining by hand. I sewed a large snap to close the back and added the bow. 

Conclusion

I am pleased with the end results and there are no scraps left. It has pulled me out of my funk and making me think of the next project. Bear with me as I need to find some things to make the next one. I am going to slow down and enjoy the process when making it. 
Happy Doll Sewing...................................