Rahel’s Ethiopian Dress

June 10 is World Doll Day.  So lets celebrate by showing off Rahel in her new dress.  Rahel is the third Hearts for Hearts doll added to my collection.

Rahel got the Ethiopian dress from Wren Feathers designs.  Honestly, it is an extremely easy pattern to put together.  I read through the directions and I decided that I was going to use a Velcro to close the back of the dress up.  I printed out a separate piece for the back and then added 3/8th of an inch to the center back for the Velcro.

The stash really didn’t have all the colorful trim that the pattern asked for.  Instead, I used my machine’s decorative stitches and the straight stitch for trim.  It was stitch 32 or 36 on my Pfaff Ambition Essential.  I really wished I would have went with more colorful stitches instead of staying with the single color which matched Rahel’s bangles and necklace.  As for the main fabric, I have to admit it is a mystery fabric that I got from Hancock’s remnant bin.  But it was a lovely light blue which worked well with the trim stitching.

However, I didn’t catch that the sleeve area should have had the binding also.

Jalie Raglan T-shirt

So flipping through blog post, it looks like I don’t sew clothes for people anymore.  But to be honest, November and December’s sewing projects were for my mom who doesn’t want her items posted to the blog.  I originally planned on working this t-shirt pattern back in the beginning of January, but I only had a plain solid color rayon knit picked out.  So it got shoved to the side so Marie Grace could get a dress instead.  I actually made the tops back in February.

I am glad that I waited, as later in January I picked up a cute floral rayon knit and a coordinating solid rose color.  This is much more inspiring.  As they are coordinating, I went ahead and made 2 opposite t-shirts.

I made a straight size Z.  This is the same size I made in the Jalie scarf collared top.  No other alterations were made.  However, I did add clear elastic in the raglan shoulder seams like I would have on a shoulder seam for normal t-shirts.

The neckline on the rose bodied top did stretch out some so I did add a tuck in the back neckline so that the neckline came in and laid against my back better.

Even though, several friends and my parents told me the neckline of the top is fine, I think the next version I make of Jalie 3245 will definitely have a thicker neckband before I start playing with the neckline a little.  It just feels a little too low for my own personal preference.

 

Let’s Welcome Nahji

I finally caved in and bought the Hearts For Hearts Nahji doll.  Nahji is so much prettier in person than the stock photos on Pixie Faire show.  Just in case you haven’t heard about Hearts for Hearts girls, please definitely check out their website.  Their dolls are from different areas all over the world and a portion of the purchase goes to charity.  As of right now, there are 4 dolls available: Dell (Kentucky), Rahel (Ethiopia), Consuelo (Mexico), and Nahji.  Nahji is from Assam, India.  This summer, Hearts for Hearts are planning on releasing another 2 dolls.

Nahji needed an outfit like the other dolls for Me-Made May too.  I probably should have used one of the free patterns I got when I purchased my doll off of Pixie Faire’s website.  But instead I decided upon using Liberty Jane’s Baseball Tee and the Genoa Jumper.

I really liked the American Girl dolls’ version of the Baseball tee so I figured it would be best to start Nahji’s outfit with a pattern I know I like.  I had originally planned a coral tee with a brown jumper.  But I couldn’t find the brown fabric.  Instead Nahji gets a rose tee with a teal jumper.  The rose fabric is some of the scraps of rayon Lycra that I had left over from the Jalie raglan tees I made in February but haven’t really taken photos of yet.  This is the Hearts for Hearts specific baseball tee, and it fits Nahji well.  The pieces went together so easily.

I must have been really distracted by Lala while I was cutting out the Genoa pattern.  The lining and fashion fabric didn’t line up at the hem.  So instead of following the instructions, I did simplify it and close the side seams with the serger and lined up the bottom.  I just surged and turned under the hem so that I made sure I was able to catch the lining in the hem.

My sewing machine hates quarter- inch buttons with a passion.  Instead, I used Velcro for the closure.  I will have to say that buttons do make the outfit.  Even with the print my dress is just missing that detail that a button would provide.

The Genoa pattern is advertised as fitting both 14 inch dolls (like Hearts for Hearts) and 14.5 inch dolls (like the Wellie Wishers).  For Nahji, it does seem a little loose but it isn’t drowning my doll.

As this is being typed up, I have been anxiously awaiting to hear when Rahel and Consuelo to come (granted I can’t get them until the weekend because I shipped them to my parents’ house).

 

Samantha’s floral dress Simplicity 1179

Samantha was the last doll to get a new dress for Me- Made- May.  Now all my dolls are wearing hand-made for the month.

Samantha got view D from Simplicity 1179 designed by Keepers Dolly Duds for Simplicity.  Her dress made from a quilting cotton.  Like previous doll makes, I switched out the button closure for Velcro.  I really should have tried the dress on my doll before finishing it.  It is a touch looser than expected because I really didn’t consider where her back seam should be for switching the closure out to Velcro.

I like this view much better than the view B that I made for Rebecca back in February.  I recommend being slow and cautious when doing the pin-tucks on the sleeve.  As far as I could tell, there was really not a great method of marking them.  I marked it on the back like usual, but the pin-tuck covers the marking as one is sewing.

I really didn’t have a great match for lace on the front bodice so I left that off of Samantha’s dress.  However, if Samantha gets a light lavender pinafore that should complete her outfit off quite nicely.

With the weather picking up and hopefully no rain, I should be able to get pictures of the back log of projects.

Hank the Dorset Sheep

For a mother’s day surprise, I decided to make another animal from Edward’s Menagerie.  Flipping through the level two critters, Hank the Dorset Sheep stood out.  It was one which I could use the left over yarn from Emma the Bunny.

Like Emma, Hank was created with a size H hook.  All the pieces (head, limbs, tail and ears) are created separately using either the general form instruction or critter specific instructions and sometimes a mix of both.  After all the pieces are made, then you sew the pieces onto the body.  The hardest part of putting together the animal was sewing the legs on.  I was able to get Hank’s legs on in the first try.  I used two straight pins and pinned the legs  on.  Then after waiting for thirty minutes to make sure the sheep could sit, I attached the two legs.

The fleece is chain loops.  It took me a little while to get all the fleece completed.

 

Learning from History Part 2- Special Care Items

Getting ready for the new windows and siding interfered with working more on this series.  Then the sewing machine was gone for 3 weeks so I haven’t been able to apply the one item I wanted to try out on the new dress pants I had got for a conference yet.

The next section in the book is Special Care garments.  This section is a mix bag of being too out-of date for modern times and some really good tips.  Some of the special care garments I just don’t have like a corset, rubber apron or ties.  As much as I think hats are pretty, I have to admit that I just don’t have the lifestyle that requires a hat so those tips are not as useful.

There is a big section on leather shoes and boots.  I don’t own a leather shoes.  Most of what I have are most likely vinyl based man- made materials.  However, I did find it interesting that the book suggested soaking your feet in cold water after removing your shoes for the day to prevent perspiration the next day.

Other tips in the towel section are outdated like take your towel with you to the hairdresser.  I think the health policies would prevent you from being able to do this.

Towel section also recommends hanging towels outside, which I can’t do because of allergies.  I really don’t want to be sneezing every time I pick up a towel.

Some of the tips I actually already do! For knitted wool garments, it states to never hang them.  I already fold my sweaters and place them on a shelf in my closet (now in a plastic tub since I reorganized my closet).

The one tip that I will definitely be doing is the sewing a piece of material on the inside of trousers/ pants to prevent the fabric from wearing thin from rubbing against your shoes.

Up next in the series is learning to mend.  I was able to find a darning mushroom and a darning egg at Fabric Recycle recently.

 

2017 Doll Clothing Week

 

Plans are underway for 2017 Doll Clothing week.  This year, Doll Clothing week will be November 6 to November 10, 2017.

Please check out Doll Clothing Week if you are interested in joining in on the fun.