Colonial Willamsburg Outfit Finished

The Colonial Williamsburg outfit is done. 

The pattern was well drafted. The instructions were good but I did question how to sew the sleeve seams. I may do that different if I sew the pattern again. 

My choice of fabric was not the best. The homespun frayed if handled not handled with a delicate hand. If I felt the least bit stressed with what I was doing, I had to stop as I could see the fabric fraying under my fingers. 

One of the features I loved was the pleats in the jacket. I didn't press them hard as I wanted soft pleats. 

There are pleats at the side seams also. Overall, I am thrilled with the outfit and it will probably become part of Addy's wardrobe. 

My next two projects are planned. The simple skirt is cut out and the pyjamas are ready to pin onto the fabric and cut out.

I am still talking to myself to sew up the doll's fabric. I need to let go of the old ideas and plans I had and sew to make items for the dolls. I also need to have a lot less fabric in the stash. I am working on it with a plan to sew 2 items each month for the dolls. 

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

Working On The Caraco Jacket

 I worked on the Caraco jacket yesterday. I am ready to start on the sleeves. I folded the front extensions back to show the lace. I added the snap placket to the front so I can snap it up and use the lace as a decoration. 

The fabric frays and I have to use a light hand. Once I got the lining prepped, I stopped for the day. I knew I was done.

I did haul out two tubs of the doll's fabric. I wanted to get them consolidated into one tub. Each piece of fabric was taken out and petted. I felt the emotional attachment to the fabrics which is not what I wanted. I wanted ideas floating in my head of what I could use the fabrics for. 

I did leave out 3 fat quarters to make piping for daughter. I sew fat quarters only if I have 2. These are singles. 

Another piece that is a meter in length will be used to line a bag or two. The rest was put back into one tub. 

The emotional ties to this fabric is not one of guilt. It is one of what projects I was going to make out of them. None of those project have materialized nor will many of them happen. This morning, I had one stern talk with myself about letting go of the ideas/projects I had intended to make. Made a bit of progress. I will need a couple of more stern talks to get sew a lot of that fabric. 

While having a talk with myself about the fabric, I also talked about the patterns I have. No, they aren't being purged but they need to become a focus for sewing down the doll's fabric. I can sew up some easy patterns between the harder patterns. I will start with a couple of easy ones. 

With that in mind, I have decided to take one piece of blue dotted fabric and cut out a simple skirt, add a bit of lace to it and knit a sweater to make an outfit. This can be for one of the doll's wardrobe. I will be cutting it out as soon as I finish the jacket I am working on. 

I have also got out a piece of flannel and a pyjama pattern to start sewing pyjamas for the dolls. I seem to have less emotional attachment to the tub of flannel as this was an easy decision to make when I went through that tub a while ago. The pattern is easy to make and will be one I will use for the majority of the pyjamas. 

One piece of the fabric will become a future project. I am going to sew a rabbit and the fabric can become a dress for her to wear. It is sage green with small white daisies on it. Perfect for a rabbit to wear. The left over fabric can be something for the dolls. 

I know there will be some stumbling blocks while sewing down the doll's fabrics. I am trying to sew down the main stash. As it is visible I sew it first. The doll's fabric is stored in the closet so I need to visit those tubs each time I cut out projects and include one to two projects to sew up. 

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

Swedish Doll's Outfit Completed

 I finished my version of the outfit I saw in Sweden. It was a very difficult dress to make with godets and ruffles that met at the top of the godets. It took me many tries to get them looking good. Perfect was not accomplished. When I was happy, I finished the dress in good time. 

I enjoyed hand sewing the bias facings around the neck and arms. When done, I admired it and remembered that day I saw the little girl at the soccer game. 

I hunted for the wooden buttons and the store has discontinued them. I found 3 in the stash and sewed them on the sweater to go with this outfit. The little girl had on a navy sweater with cables down the front. Mine has a textured stitch as I could not find a pattern with cables using the size wool I had. 

I have started the Colonial Williamsburg outfit. I am using a homespun fabric and it frays. I have to handle it carefully. The back seam is curved so I did a Hong Kong finish on it. The hem was serged. I hand sewed the waistband down and it is done to the snap on the waistband. 

I am ready to begin the top which is a solid green. I know I can't sew for hours on it as I will handle it too roughly when my stress level goes up. 

My goal when I have to stop sewing the top, is to start going through the doll's fabric stash. I need to see if I can empty one tub for the doll quilts I am making. I have no where to store them so this is my solution. 

I have a piece of flannel ready to cut out a pair of pyjamas for one doll. They are going on to my to do list for this month as I need to get ready to cut out more projects. I may also add a top pattern that I want to cut on the straight of grain first and then on the bias. 

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