(Blog author's note on January 25, 2013: After working with more sleeves, I realize that--although doll clothes differ from people clothes--my sleeve problem is in the design of the pattern and not in the skill of my sewing. But I will eventually post some easy sleeve patterns to clear up the nonsense for good.)
I am befuddled when it comes to setting in sleeves for my American Girl doll. I have approached sewing with confidence and patience. I will remove stitches with a seam ripper and stitch again, if I must.
I wish I had photos of the many garments that I've made for myself. When I was in high school my mother took my aunts through my closet while bragging about my accomplishments. I merely boast to provide perspective here because. . . .
I don't seem to be able to set in a sleeve for my dolls. I have succeeded a couple of times, but these were by hit and miss. I've spent so long trying to master the sleeve that I'm close to throwing my sewing machines and Sergers out the window (the visual is somewhat satisfying).
Here is my problem: I do not want tucks in my sleeves. Gathered, full sleeves are another matter, but a jacket or casual dress or blouse should be smooth where the sleeve joins the armhole.
I just praised the book Dressing up 18" Dolly by Lorine Mason in my last blog entry. She gives practical instructions about most sewing, addressing the neatness of the inside of the garment. For instance, she uses a lot of bias tape to finish hems. She also suggests using a different color bobbin thread when making gathers in fabric (for a skirt or a sleeve). The color difference makes pulling on thread together much easier. Removing these temporary threads is easier as well.
I was hoping that Lorine Mason could clear up the mystery of mastering the set-in sleeve, but alas. I'm more confused that ever. Her sleeve patterns are too big for the bodice. I cannot connect them without unwanted tucks and gathers.
To be honest, I notice gathers in some of the photos of her completed garments (she uses the same sleeve pattern for each garment in the above-mentioned book). But other sleeves look perfect. I've almost finished her Cropped Jacket. I need to attach the finished sleeves and the bottom ruffle, and that's it. But I've made several attempts to sew the sleeves to the bodice, and I'm just not happy. I was once an expert sewer or seamstress--or sewest--but I feel like I'm treading water.
I've found some great advice at Adams-Harris.com, a beautiful clothes pattern designer (for BJD size). After addressing the challenge of setting in sleeves of doll clothes, she often prefers to attach her sleeves by hand.
I don't know whether to finish my current project with another attempt to put the sleeve in by hand or whether that method will work with this particular pattern. I wish Lorine Mason--or other doll clothes creators, for that matter--addressed the sleeve issue in their directions. If I didn't have so much other sewing experience, I'd probably quit making doll clothes all together, thinking I simply had no sewing talent or potential.
Once I find a sleeve that works for me, I may hold on to that particular shape for everything with sleeves (nothing of course the size of the arm hole). I will continue to make notations in this blog about my relationship with set-in sleeves.
Showing posts with label madame alexander. Show all posts
Showing posts with label madame alexander. Show all posts
January 15, 2013
January 2, 2013
Girls Just Want a Fun Hat
Note to self: Do not make this dress pattern again. In fact, toss it into the garbage. My model below looks as cute as a button. I saved her "look" by giving her a hat.
This hat is a strip of velvet knit, folded in half (right sides together) so that the fabric becomes a thinner strip with the ends cut diagonally. I stitched the fabric together on the long edge, leaving an opening in the center, large enough to turn the strip right-side out. I folded this thick velvet strip into four pleats and tacked the pleats together. I gathered a piece of netting down the middle and tacked it onto the velvet. I added a flower, and voila! I attached the hat to the doll's head with a hat pin.
When I make a new outfit, I try it on all my dolls to see which one looks the best. Any black in the fabric looks best with black hair--or blonde hair. Not brown. I have plenty of beautiful shades of browns and tans for my brown-haired dolls.
Here's a full shot of the dress, Simplicity 4654. This dress was supposed to be a holiday dress. I'd planned to add a beautiful black sash and bow, but the bodice is far too loose at the seam line under the chest.
I previously made this same pattern in an October 14, 2011, blog entry. I remember thinking that perhaps I'd stretched the fabric. But I was careful this time. The bodice might be loose to ease the fit of the set-in sleeves.
Setting in a woman's or child's sleeve is easy. You put a row of basting stitch on the stitch line and ease the sleeve fullness into the bodice without making an ugly tuck in the sleeve. With doll sleeves, it's easy to make an unwanted tuck in the under-arm area of the bodice. I notice that most of the sleeves of the eight-inch Madame Alexander costumes are very full and gathered. These full sleeves are probably easier to sew.
Any suggestion for perfecting the setting in of doll clothes sleeves would be appreciated.
This hat is a strip of velvet knit, folded in half (right sides together) so that the fabric becomes a thinner strip with the ends cut diagonally. I stitched the fabric together on the long edge, leaving an opening in the center, large enough to turn the strip right-side out. I folded this thick velvet strip into four pleats and tacked the pleats together. I gathered a piece of netting down the middle and tacked it onto the velvet. I added a flower, and voila! I attached the hat to the doll's head with a hat pin.
When I make a new outfit, I try it on all my dolls to see which one looks the best. Any black in the fabric looks best with black hair--or blonde hair. Not brown. I have plenty of beautiful shades of browns and tans for my brown-haired dolls.
Here's a full shot of the dress, Simplicity 4654. This dress was supposed to be a holiday dress. I'd planned to add a beautiful black sash and bow, but the bodice is far too loose at the seam line under the chest.
Setting in a woman's or child's sleeve is easy. You put a row of basting stitch on the stitch line and ease the sleeve fullness into the bodice without making an ugly tuck in the sleeve. With doll sleeves, it's easy to make an unwanted tuck in the under-arm area of the bodice. I notice that most of the sleeves of the eight-inch Madame Alexander costumes are very full and gathered. These full sleeves are probably easier to sew.
Any suggestion for perfecting the setting in of doll clothes sleeves would be appreciated.
December 19, 2012
Winter Fashion Line
Here's my first holiday dress of 2012. I'll eventually have Christmas dresses for all my dolls--and maybe some of yours.
I've embellished Simplicity #4364. I like the way the bodice fits, but I shortened the skirt quite a bit, and I added these polka dotted inlays. I actually made a beautiful white shrug to go over the dress, but the shade of the shrug made me realize that this white background here is not truly white. The shrug doesn't match, but look out. The shrug will be featured shortly.
Here's a full view that shows these adorable party socks and shoes.
I've finally got my mojo working, and I have so many ideas for doll clothes. I hope to have some patterns available in the next few months.
I've embellished Simplicity #4364. I like the way the bodice fits, but I shortened the skirt quite a bit, and I added these polka dotted inlays. I actually made a beautiful white shrug to go over the dress, but the shade of the shrug made me realize that this white background here is not truly white. The shrug doesn't match, but look out. The shrug will be featured shortly.
Here's a full view that shows these adorable party socks and shoes.
I've finally got my mojo working, and I have so many ideas for doll clothes. I hope to have some patterns available in the next few months.
May 15, 2012
Fabric, Color and Model Choice
This skirt and top (Simplicity no. 2296) look like a three-tiered dress. The coordinating pieces were easy to make. I hadn't planned to use trim like the sample on the envelope because I'm generally not a fan of Rick-Rack. Unfortunately, the pieces didn't look right without a trim, so I set this project aside until I found this somewhat unique black trim; it's a bit lacy close up.
My Asian Madame Alexander doll looks stunning in black and any prints that contain black. I generally choose my models with color in mind. For instance, the colors in this print would do nothing for a brunette or red head. Blonde would be okay. But black is awesome.
My Asian Madame Alexander doll looks stunning in black and any prints that contain black. I generally choose my models with color in mind. For instance, the colors in this print would do nothing for a brunette or red head. Blonde would be okay. But black is awesome.
May 14, 2012
Love Me Some Polka Dots
This simple skirt is from Simplicity no. 4347. The bulkiness of all the gathers made the waist band of the skirt far too tight. Fortunately, I'd basted the skirt to the band with a loose running thread before permanently joining the two pieces. I was shocked that the fit was tight on both American Girl and Madame Alexander. No problem. I just made a longer waist band.
I added both the white top-stitching and buttons to the pockets before affixing them to the skirt. Then I added the pockets using a slip stitch with black thread.
My dolls need more plain blouses as separates. This top--a different and separate pattern Simplicty no. 2296--was supposed to include short sleeves. When I had difficulty keeping the puckers out of the sleeves, I realized that this particular pattern called for "knits only." I removed the sleeves and finished the arm holes with bias tape.
This is my "Brandi" doll, as she has an uncanny resemblance to my daughter-in-law. She is rocking some black and white saddle shoes with flirty ankle socks. Her rhinestone shades complement her fifties ponytail.
I added both the white top-stitching and buttons to the pockets before affixing them to the skirt. Then I added the pockets using a slip stitch with black thread.
My dolls need more plain blouses as separates. This top--a different and separate pattern Simplicty no. 2296--was supposed to include short sleeves. When I had difficulty keeping the puckers out of the sleeves, I realized that this particular pattern called for "knits only." I removed the sleeves and finished the arm holes with bias tape.
This is my "Brandi" doll, as she has an uncanny resemblance to my daughter-in-law. She is rocking some black and white saddle shoes with flirty ankle socks. Her rhinestone shades complement her fifties ponytail.
October 17, 2011
Combining Two Prints
I love these two prints together, using Simplicity 2296. This pattern is for 18-inch dolls, yet this doll is swimming in this dress. You may like your doll clothes to be loose, but this little dress easily falls off her shoulders.
This doll is a Madame Alexander. She has great lips and hair. I think I left her hair a bit too wild. These Espadrilles come from the Springfield doll section at Michael's. I found the moonstone necklace at Carpatina.
I wonder if perhaps I stretched the top when I was sewing. The pattern doesn't call for interfacing, but I'll use it next time. Seriously. This dress is huge. American girl is larger through the shoulders. I think I'll try the dress on her.
This doll is a Madame Alexander. She has great lips and hair. I think I left her hair a bit too wild. These Espadrilles come from the Springfield doll section at Michael's. I found the moonstone necklace at Carpatina.
I wonder if perhaps I stretched the top when I was sewing. The pattern doesn't call for interfacing, but I'll use it next time. Seriously. This dress is huge. American girl is larger through the shoulders. I think I'll try the dress on her.
October 14, 2011
Fashionista in Polka Dots
I put the finishing touches on the dress that I featured in my last blog. I shortened the dress considerably, and I added some off-white lace to the bottom.
In addition to altering the length, I changed the shoes to dark brown boots, and I added wide brown ribbon to Dollie's hair. Maybe I missed my calling as a "stylist." Compare our model to the one in the previous blog. Comments?
In addition to altering the length, I changed the shoes to dark brown boots, and I added wide brown ribbon to Dollie's hair. Maybe I missed my calling as a "stylist." Compare our model to the one in the previous blog. Comments?
August 6, 2011
My Asian Fashionista
Whenever I consider buying a new doll, I must find a place to keep her. 18-inch dolls take up space. Until recently I had one American Girl doll (Julie), and I had four Madame Alexander dolls. I need to balance out my collection with another A.G. doll, maybe one with red hair and freckles, or I'd like to buy an A.G. doll that looks like me, "Marshmallow Jane."
Lo and behold, I found another Madame Alexander doll that I couldn't resist and she is Asian. Or she looks partly Asian. Eurasian. Chinese American or Japanese American.
At least a manufacturer made an attempt to create a doll that looks somewhat Asian, and I say this because at least two people don't think she looks Asian at all. She is beautiful; there is no doubt about that.
I peek in the doll section everywhere I go. I almost hate to say this, but I only spent $20 on the above beauty that I found at Walmart. She doesn't appear anywhere on the Internet. Madame Alexander manufactures batches of dolls for specific stores--it would seem--and then they disappear. I could tell you that I spent $100 on her; the quality of her face and hair certainly compares to the expensive A.G. dolls.
Now I have one A.G. doll and five M.A. dolls. I actually prefer the construction of American Girl's body a bit more, and I will make sure that my future clothes patterns fit her to a tee. But nothing compares to the Madame Alexander face.
My sister's friend Win, who is at least in part Chinese, thinks this doll looks Asian. Of course, I'm using the word "Asian" to cover all Asian races. I hope that no one Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean or other specific race is insulted by my generalization. At least a company has made an attempt to alter the face--if only slightly--to represent a girl who isn't all white--or black.
Comments, please?
Lo and behold, I found another Madame Alexander doll that I couldn't resist and she is Asian. Or she looks partly Asian. Eurasian. Chinese American or Japanese American.
At least a manufacturer made an attempt to create a doll that looks somewhat Asian, and I say this because at least two people don't think she looks Asian at all. She is beautiful; there is no doubt about that.
I peek in the doll section everywhere I go. I almost hate to say this, but I only spent $20 on the above beauty that I found at Walmart. She doesn't appear anywhere on the Internet. Madame Alexander manufactures batches of dolls for specific stores--it would seem--and then they disappear. I could tell you that I spent $100 on her; the quality of her face and hair certainly compares to the expensive A.G. dolls.
Now I have one A.G. doll and five M.A. dolls. I actually prefer the construction of American Girl's body a bit more, and I will make sure that my future clothes patterns fit her to a tee. But nothing compares to the Madame Alexander face.
My sister's friend Win, who is at least in part Chinese, thinks this doll looks Asian. Of course, I'm using the word "Asian" to cover all Asian races. I hope that no one Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean or other specific race is insulted by my generalization. At least a company has made an attempt to alter the face--if only slightly--to represent a girl who isn't all white--or black.
Comments, please?
June 29, 2011
Madame Alexander vs. American Girl
I have an unabashed love for Madame Alexander because her face is so beautiful. Her lips are large, and so are her wide-set eyes. This doll is called "Favorite Friends First Day of School," and she's listed at the Madame Alexander site for $44.95. There are 13 "Favorite Friends" available at the above M.A. page. I particularly like this one:
I will frequently compare Madame Alexander to American Girl because there are differences. One notable one is that Madame Alexander's cloth body is seamed at the chest; whereas American Girl is seamed at the neck, making this seam visible with any open-necked outfit. However, Madame Alexander's chest seam creates a funny dent--noticeable to a seamstress--that gives her slightly funny posture. I actually tried to return my first 18-inch M.A. doll until I realized they're all designed in this manner.
Therefore, I consider the physique of American Girl to be superior. Yet, that funny seam at A.G.'s neck annoys me--but then so does the indented chest of M.A. Suffice it to say, a girl child won't care about either of these seams. And American Girl is twice as costly as Madame Alexander.
Both brands of dolls celebrate racial differences--as you can observe the different skin colors among the 13 dolls at the M.A. link that I provided above. American Girl gives the buyer a lovely opportunity to choose hair, eye and skin color. You can purchase a doll that resembles your child (somewhat). You can even choose to get the doll's ears pierced for an additional $15. However, the base price of the doll is $100 ($115 with pierced ears). The A.G. doll is a pricey toy, well worth the cost if your child plays with it for several years.
Some parents do not have $100 or even $45 to spend on a doll. There are cheaper brands, like Springfield dolls that can be found at Michael's. Springfield dolls are a cheap "knock-off" of the popular American Doll. You may also find it at Amazon--for about $17--but if get a 50 percent discount coupon for Michael's, you can get the Springfield doll for around $8. I won't spend significant time on Springfield dolls or any other brand that emerges as a trend or fad, unless it becomes more popular. If you or your child has a Springfield
doll, I'd be curious to hear about your experience and your opinion of the doll. My aim is to provide ample information to properly dress the 18-inch doll. American Girl will be the default doll when sizing patterns.
I will frequently compare Madame Alexander to American Girl because there are differences. One notable one is that Madame Alexander's cloth body is seamed at the chest; whereas American Girl is seamed at the neck, making this seam visible with any open-necked outfit. However, Madame Alexander's chest seam creates a funny dent--noticeable to a seamstress--that gives her slightly funny posture. I actually tried to return my first 18-inch M.A. doll until I realized they're all designed in this manner.
Therefore, I consider the physique of American Girl to be superior. Yet, that funny seam at A.G.'s neck annoys me--but then so does the indented chest of M.A. Suffice it to say, a girl child won't care about either of these seams. And American Girl is twice as costly as Madame Alexander.
Both brands of dolls celebrate racial differences--as you can observe the different skin colors among the 13 dolls at the M.A. link that I provided above. American Girl gives the buyer a lovely opportunity to choose hair, eye and skin color. You can purchase a doll that resembles your child (somewhat). You can even choose to get the doll's ears pierced for an additional $15. However, the base price of the doll is $100 ($115 with pierced ears). The A.G. doll is a pricey toy, well worth the cost if your child plays with it for several years.
Some parents do not have $100 or even $45 to spend on a doll. There are cheaper brands, like Springfield dolls that can be found at Michael's. Springfield dolls are a cheap "knock-off" of the popular American Doll. You may also find it at Amazon--for about $17--but if get a 50 percent discount coupon for Michael's, you can get the Springfield doll for around $8. I won't spend significant time on Springfield dolls or any other brand that emerges as a trend or fad, unless it becomes more popular. If you or your child has a Springfield
doll, I'd be curious to hear about your experience and your opinion of the doll. My aim is to provide ample information to properly dress the 18-inch doll. American Girl will be the default doll when sizing patterns.
June 17, 2011
Choosing Fabric
My goal is to make beautiful doll clothes, spending only pennies. Fabric can be expensive these days but remnants are cheap. I've found nice remnants at both JoAnn Fabrics and Walmart; I'm using either remnants or scraps from past projects.
First I purchased a few cute doll shoes and accessories, and I kept these colors in mind when sifting through remnants. I have grouped similar colors together to help me put together a "look." I will probably make a skirt with box pleats out of the silver drape fabric on the right. Those silver shoes have ankle straps; the little slippers are lavender.
I need to adjust my taste in fabric somewhat and quit selecting colors that I'd wear myself. I love muted colors, but I think both deep and bright colors are more appropriate for dolls. I love black and white, and I love polka dots (for both me and the dolls). See below:
I would never buy black fabric (toward the right) with the shiny thingies, but these remnants give me the opportunity to try something different, even expensive. My American Girl doll Julie is supposed to be a hippie, so I will probably use the above tie-dyed print for her. The polka dots will be cute with a red belt. The pin striped fabric on the right is probably lining but I can use it for a short vest. Or I can make a black vest and line it with the pin stripes.
Aren't these saddle shoes and Mary Jane shoes adorable? These cute little shoes can be the start of a doll's look.
I have a closet full of clothes in the color palette below. I like to match hair and clothes. Unfortunately, only one of my dolls has brown hair, and it looks more black. I'm thinking of adding highlights to the doll with the brown hair. Has anyone ever colored a doll's hair? I could probably highlight with tea, but I'm afraid of staining the doll's skin.
These are lovely browns for sure. The two pieces on the left are faux leather; I have plenty of each so I can make pants or a skirt or a vest.
This last group is blues. The middle piece is six inches of denim. You can use leftover legs from cut-offs. The prints on the right remind me of Katy Perry who is very smart the way she uses color, the way she dresses "retro."
I plan to have some fun, creating my fashion line for these dolls. Lots of polka dots. Lots of hats. Lots of gloves. Lots of wild hair. I'm having fun with this blog.
First I purchased a few cute doll shoes and accessories, and I kept these colors in mind when sifting through remnants. I have grouped similar colors together to help me put together a "look." I will probably make a skirt with box pleats out of the silver drape fabric on the right. Those silver shoes have ankle straps; the little slippers are lavender.
I need to adjust my taste in fabric somewhat and quit selecting colors that I'd wear myself. I love muted colors, but I think both deep and bright colors are more appropriate for dolls. I love black and white, and I love polka dots (for both me and the dolls). See below:
I would never buy black fabric (toward the right) with the shiny thingies, but these remnants give me the opportunity to try something different, even expensive. My American Girl doll Julie is supposed to be a hippie, so I will probably use the above tie-dyed print for her. The polka dots will be cute with a red belt. The pin striped fabric on the right is probably lining but I can use it for a short vest. Or I can make a black vest and line it with the pin stripes.
Aren't these saddle shoes and Mary Jane shoes adorable? These cute little shoes can be the start of a doll's look.
I have a closet full of clothes in the color palette below. I like to match hair and clothes. Unfortunately, only one of my dolls has brown hair, and it looks more black. I'm thinking of adding highlights to the doll with the brown hair. Has anyone ever colored a doll's hair? I could probably highlight with tea, but I'm afraid of staining the doll's skin.
These are lovely browns for sure. The two pieces on the left are faux leather; I have plenty of each so I can make pants or a skirt or a vest.
This last group is blues. The middle piece is six inches of denim. You can use leftover legs from cut-offs. The prints on the right remind me of Katy Perry who is very smart the way she uses color, the way she dresses "retro."
I plan to have some fun, creating my fashion line for these dolls. Lots of polka dots. Lots of hats. Lots of gloves. Lots of wild hair. I'm having fun with this blog.
June 15, 2011
My 18-inch Dolls
American Girl manufactures the most popular 18-inch doll. In my opinion their construction is superior to that of other dolls of the same size, but they are pricey at $100 each. When purchasing an A.G. doll, you can choose hair color, hair length, shade of skin and eye color. Your little girl can play with a doll that resembles her in many important ways.
I own one American Girl doll that is known as Julie. She's the center doll below with the long blonde braid, and she represents the 1970s when flower power and love influenced both style and ideals. The fictional "Julie" lives in San Francisco. The embroidered blouse that her friend wears belongs to Julie.
I prefer the face of Madame Alexander hands down. M.A. dolls have larger eyes and fuller lips than American Girl. Although I will always create patterns and clothes to fit the measurements of the popular A.G. doll, I will make it easy to adjust clothes to fit Madame Alexander. I will talk about the differences in sizes at a later date.
Although I simply adore M.A., I have noticed that the construction in general of American Girl is superior. Her hair has more root holes, so it is thicker, and her body has better proportions.
Below are two dolls by Madame of Alexander that I simply adore. I call the doll on the left "Brandi" because she resembles my daughter-in-law with the same name who is also bi-racial. Recently, Madame Alexander has manufactured its 18-inch dolls in small batches of unique dolls. The doll on the right is quite a find. Look at her full lips and massive hair. I can't wait to sew for these dolls!
The dolls I include in this blog have traded some articles of clothing. I threw away some clothes that came in the box because they were utt-bugly. By the way, I am not a lover of the clothes that are available for these dolls, and that's what this blog is all about. I want to try something different. I can't wait to do some wild things with the doll hair as well.
Stay tuned for more info about dressing 18-inch dolls and the people who love them.
I own one American Girl doll that is known as Julie. She's the center doll below with the long blonde braid, and she represents the 1970s when flower power and love influenced both style and ideals. The fictional "Julie" lives in San Francisco. The embroidered blouse that her friend wears belongs to Julie.
I prefer the face of Madame Alexander hands down. M.A. dolls have larger eyes and fuller lips than American Girl. Although I will always create patterns and clothes to fit the measurements of the popular A.G. doll, I will make it easy to adjust clothes to fit Madame Alexander. I will talk about the differences in sizes at a later date.
Although I simply adore M.A., I have noticed that the construction in general of American Girl is superior. Her hair has more root holes, so it is thicker, and her body has better proportions.
Below are two dolls by Madame of Alexander that I simply adore. I call the doll on the left "Brandi" because she resembles my daughter-in-law with the same name who is also bi-racial. Recently, Madame Alexander has manufactured its 18-inch dolls in small batches of unique dolls. The doll on the right is quite a find. Look at her full lips and massive hair. I can't wait to sew for these dolls!
The dolls I include in this blog have traded some articles of clothing. I threw away some clothes that came in the box because they were utt-bugly. By the way, I am not a lover of the clothes that are available for these dolls, and that's what this blog is all about. I want to try something different. I can't wait to do some wild things with the doll hair as well.
Stay tuned for more info about dressing 18-inch dolls and the people who love them.
June 9, 2011
Ballerina and Fairy Dolls
The Madame Alexander 10-inch doll has the most exquisite face. Once I fell in love with her, Barbie made no sense. I remember Madame Alexander in costumes from various countries, but through the years, the 10-inch doll has appeared as Scarlett O'Hara, Jackie Kennedy and other historical figures.
I found my own dolls under the Christmas tree, one at a time, without a fancy outfit. As I recall, my doll either came in underwear or a generic dress which made her a great candidate for homemade clothes. In those days, I wasn't much of a collector, and with five children in our family, my dolls eventually lost their heads.
As an adult, I've gravitated to the same beautiful face of the 10-inch Madame Alexander Doll. She no longer is available in her skivvies so through the years I've bought them in their costumes. I have two Scarletts, and a Pollyanna but I lean toward ballerinas.
I'm actually in awe of this doll. I want to look at her, stare at her, but I must keep her tucked away to protect her from dust. One of these days I may get a display case. This doll is called "Fairy of Wind."
Here are two dancers called: "Russian Ballerina" and "Polka Dot Plié." I love the detail on these costumes. The dancer on the left is a prima ballerina who has received flowers after her performance.
Here is Madame Alexander's version of "Tinker Bell." If you look closely, you can see her wings and her wand.
Although I adore these dolls, they are far too fancy to play with, and I want to work with dolls that my granddaughter can carry with her everywhere she goes. I will dress larger dolls--larger than the 10-inch dolls of my past--so that a set-in sleeve or lapel collar is do-able. I now love the 18-inch doll manufactured by both American Girl and Madame Alexander. I will discuss the differences among dolls of this size as I begin dressing them.
I wanted to share my first love of dolls before embarking on this project to dress the larger American Girl and her Madame Alexander sisters.
I found my own dolls under the Christmas tree, one at a time, without a fancy outfit. As I recall, my doll either came in underwear or a generic dress which made her a great candidate for homemade clothes. In those days, I wasn't much of a collector, and with five children in our family, my dolls eventually lost their heads.
As an adult, I've gravitated to the same beautiful face of the 10-inch Madame Alexander Doll. She no longer is available in her skivvies so through the years I've bought them in their costumes. I have two Scarletts, and a Pollyanna but I lean toward ballerinas.
I'm actually in awe of this doll. I want to look at her, stare at her, but I must keep her tucked away to protect her from dust. One of these days I may get a display case. This doll is called "Fairy of Wind."
Here are two dancers called: "Russian Ballerina" and "Polka Dot Plié." I love the detail on these costumes. The dancer on the left is a prima ballerina who has received flowers after her performance.
Here is Madame Alexander's version of "Tinker Bell." If you look closely, you can see her wings and her wand.
Although I adore these dolls, they are far too fancy to play with, and I want to work with dolls that my granddaughter can carry with her everywhere she goes. I will dress larger dolls--larger than the 10-inch dolls of my past--so that a set-in sleeve or lapel collar is do-able. I now love the 18-inch doll manufactured by both American Girl and Madame Alexander. I will discuss the differences among dolls of this size as I begin dressing them.
I wanted to share my first love of dolls before embarking on this project to dress the larger American Girl and her Madame Alexander sisters.
May 24, 2011
Fashion and Dolls
When I was a little girl, I had a sewing machine that was probably considered a toy. The machine was designed like the real thing except that it had no foot pedal or knee attachment. I manually turned the wheel that made the needle go up and down.
My dolls were pre-Barbie. I owned a couple beautiful 10-inch Madame Alexander dolls. In those days, Madame Alexander sold some of the dolls without luxurious costumes. They came in the box wearing something plain. At first my mother made outfits for my dolls, but in no time I was making my own doll clothes.
My granddaughter is almost five, and I recently got the bug to make doll clothes again. My first recent foray into doll fashion was to make a little girl dress with a matching doll dress. I flipped through books and perused the Internet, trying to find patterns that matched, and I eventually found dresses that were only similar. I made them match by adding some flowers and ribbon to my granddaughter's dress and purse and to Ariel's dress.
I was disappointed that the doll clothes pattern I used was way too big for Ariel. I ended up scrapping the pattern and making something from scratch.
Since that experiment, I've learned that the 18-inch doll is the most popular. American Girl has demonstrated longevity. Madame Alexander and a few other companies make an 18-inch doll with similar measurements. I find sewing for this size doll to be more fun. The larger doll allows for more detail.
My long-term goal is to make fashionable clothes for my granddaughter's 18-inch dolls, and, hopefully, I'll find an easy way to make matching clothes for little girl and doll. I've searched the Internet to see what doll patterns are available. American Girl manufactures beautiful clothing and accessories for the 18-inch doll that are pricey. Butterick, McCalls and Simplicity carry some cute patterns, but I have something else in mind.
I want to create some doll clothes that are trendy, modern, creative, funky, maybe a bit freaky. Not sexy. These are little girl dolls that can become well-dressed. Why not? Although period costumes can be adorable, I think that little girls like to dress their dolls the way they dress themselves.
I gather ideas from the likes of Teen Vogue and Seventeen. My aim is to create "looks" so these dolls can walk the runway. Dolls. Fashion. Patterns. Little girls.
Welcome to my blog about doll fashion and sewing for dolls.
My dolls were pre-Barbie. I owned a couple beautiful 10-inch Madame Alexander dolls. In those days, Madame Alexander sold some of the dolls without luxurious costumes. They came in the box wearing something plain. At first my mother made outfits for my dolls, but in no time I was making my own doll clothes.
My granddaughter is almost five, and I recently got the bug to make doll clothes again. My first recent foray into doll fashion was to make a little girl dress with a matching doll dress. I flipped through books and perused the Internet, trying to find patterns that matched, and I eventually found dresses that were only similar. I made them match by adding some flowers and ribbon to my granddaughter's dress and purse and to Ariel's dress.
I was disappointed that the doll clothes pattern I used was way too big for Ariel. I ended up scrapping the pattern and making something from scratch.
Since that experiment, I've learned that the 18-inch doll is the most popular. American Girl has demonstrated longevity. Madame Alexander and a few other companies make an 18-inch doll with similar measurements. I find sewing for this size doll to be more fun. The larger doll allows for more detail.
My long-term goal is to make fashionable clothes for my granddaughter's 18-inch dolls, and, hopefully, I'll find an easy way to make matching clothes for little girl and doll. I've searched the Internet to see what doll patterns are available. American Girl manufactures beautiful clothing and accessories for the 18-inch doll that are pricey. Butterick, McCalls and Simplicity carry some cute patterns, but I have something else in mind.
I want to create some doll clothes that are trendy, modern, creative, funky, maybe a bit freaky. Not sexy. These are little girl dolls that can become well-dressed. Why not? Although period costumes can be adorable, I think that little girls like to dress their dolls the way they dress themselves.
I gather ideas from the likes of Teen Vogue and Seventeen. My aim is to create "looks" so these dolls can walk the runway. Dolls. Fashion. Patterns. Little girls.
Welcome to my blog about doll fashion and sewing for dolls.
May 23, 2011
This blog will change my life
I look forward to making this blog beautiful. Stay tuned for some stylish funky doll clothes patterns.
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