Rahel’s maxi skirt

Doll clothes are so much faster to get on the blog.  I do have a couple of items for myself but still need to get some more pictures done.  I really wanted to use the stripe t-shirt to make a maxi skirt for my Hearts for Hearts dolls.  As for patterns, my first thought was Liberty Jane’s mitered maxi but it didn’t come in the 14 inch size.  I did have the mitered maxi in the 18 inch doll size, so I turned to what I learned at Wren Feathers to size the pattern down for my Hearts for Hearts dolls.  I printed the pattern at 77% and checked to see if there was enough width in the waist to fit my doll and seam allowances.

I measured a total length of 9 inches for the waist, so there was enough for my doll and seam allowances.  I used a calculator to figure my waistband measurements.  Then I held the pattern piece up to my doll to make sure the pattern was long enough.  After all the preliminary checks were completed, then I cut out the skirt.

I made the entire skirt on my sewing machine.  I finished the inside seams with a zig-zag stitch.  The hem was basted then turned up and zig zag stitched down.

I used a piece of half inch elastic in the waistband.  It was 7 inches long.

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Dell’s Cardigan- My AG Doll Creations “Karina’s Cozy Sweater”

Christmas I received a book on knitting stuffed animals but the biggest problem is that I couldn’t knit.  After a couple of Bluprint classes and a knitting session at sewing group lunch, I have actually been able to make a few items.  The first was a couple of doll scarves.  Then there was a hat for my dad so I could practice decreases.  Next was to learn increases.  I wanted a simple doll shawl but couldn’t find a pattern.  So in the end I decided on My AG Doll Creations’ “Karina’s Cozy Sweater” as it was described for confident beginner to intermediate.  It seemed like I could possibly make it.

The sweater is knitted from the top down.  Then the sleeves are finished.  After the sleeves, the body of the cardigan is joined so that you don’t have to sew the side seams.

I used Rooster Almerino DK in damson with number 6 Clover bamboo needles.  I think the yarn sort of hides the lace pattern you make.  The cardigan included knitting in front and back loop increases, yarn over increases, slip knit decreases and knit two together decrease.  The project was challenging as it was the 4th project completed.  

I didn’t include the buttons as I didn’t have anything that would work at home.

Ottilie Fascinator

I chose the Ottilie fascinator for my derby day hat.  This one was a bit more involved to make as I made the sinamay base from scratch also.  But it still wasn’t too hard to make.

Creating the base was the most involved part.  Most of the base was made during my breaks at work over 4 or so days.  Taping the wire ends was tricky.  So if I make bases again, I will probably get someone to help out with holding the wire.  I used masking tape and it worked but was a bit chunky.  Floral tape will be better choice.  I went with Mod Podge fabric stiffener.  My base took 4 coats.  I did this over 3 days on a Styrofoam head.

I had to create my own bias for the base and to make the bow.  First thing I did was pulled out a calculator and see how long the circumference of the 5.5 inch base was.  The 5.5 inch base needed less bias than I needed for the bow.  To determine how much sinamay I needed, I used a 45 degree right triangle to figure the side length needed.  In the end, I needed a 28 inch long piece of sinamay to make enough bias for the bow.

The instructions in the book for the birdcage veil were very well done.  I understood what it wanted me to do but I was slow and it took me 15 minutes to completely gather the netting.  The bow was easy to construct and I had it together in 30 minutes.

I have fine thin hair so that was not going to support the weight of a fascinator.  I decided to go with a head band wrapped in embroidery floss to match my hair color.  As it was the first head band I wrapped, the hot glue on the ends isn’t as neat as it could be.

 

Fascinator 1- Mariella

Last year I picked up a couple of fascinator/ millinery books to look through.  For the upcoming Kentucky Derby, I decided to make my mom and I a fascinator using Hannah Scheidig’s book “Fascinators: 25 Stylish Accessories to Top Off Your Look”.

The first fascinator was for my mom.  As her derby dress is purple, I knew that the color would be hard to match so I decided on a black and white theme instead for it.  I used the first pattern in the book, Mariella for her hat.  Since it was to be my first hat, I decided to go easy and I bought the sinamay bias from an Etsy store.

The pictures in the instruction are well done.  I used two colors so my Mariella fascinator came out similar but not exactly the same.  I found that it was easier for me to make a complete loop then twist the loop into the figure eight and sew.  After I had the larger white loop and the black interior one, I sewed them stacked together.  The smallest white loop is the last piece put on.  I overlapped the white bias and sew the overlap together.

The book suggest that this pattern is easy and will take about an hour to complete.  The easy skill level is very accurate.  However, the hour to complete may be very optimistic.  I think I probably have been closer to 3 hours.  Some of that is trying to determine if the loops look similar to the pattern and changing it from 1 color to 2 colors.  Another part of it is deciding the best way to put it on one’s head.  In the end, between the hair stylist, my mom and me, we decided her short curly hair could use a clip or bobby pins.  In the end, I hand sewed a small piece of sinamay to the back to slide either a clip or bobby pins in.

Another sewing related item I did last year was to invest in nice hand sewing needles.  I used a number 8 millinery needle from Tulip and that needle never bent at all.

Replacement dress

 

After a lot of consideration, I went with the circle skirt dress with contrast collar from Joan Hinds’ “Heritage Doll Clothes”.  I knew that I had used the book several times already and always had a decent outfit afterwards.  Pictures are behind just because it is harder to get great ones in winter; it was dark when I got home from work.

This is using the same fabric as used for the K&R Vintage dress that didn’t come out well.  The lining is some white quilting cotton.  And I bought some navy ribbon to make the bow belt.  After getting the ribbon, I realized the tiny dots are actually black and not navy like I thought.

The only major change I made was to not use the bias tape for the finishing of the collar and sleeve cuffs.  Instead I double cut the collar and the sleeve cuffs so I would have facings for them.

The ribbon belt length was decided after the dress was completed and then I trimmed it after I got a bow that I liked.

 

Cobblestone Sweater for Hearts for Hearts Girls

I was able to crochet a sweater for my Hearts for Hearts dolls!  I used Sweet Pea Fashions’ “Cobblestone Sweater”.

The Cobblestone sweater pattern is rated for advance beginner.  This is probably correct.  When I originally tried this, I did have some troubles with the single crochet ribbing.  I would forget and add a single crochet to the turning chain one.  As long as you feel comfortable making crocheted rows, this pattern wasn’t too bad.  Also, don’t over think the crochet chart.  I was confused when I went to do the shoulders sections if I was on the correct side.  But following the directions, everything came out alright.

I started with the crochet hook (size C) recommend on the 14 inch doll pattern but realized when I was halfway through the ribbing that it would not be long enough.  Since I had the 18 inch doll pattern also, I did compare the two and the 18 inch pattern recommends a size D hook.  I used that and was able to get the recommended size shown in the 14 inch pattern.  So I do believe that is a typo between the two patterns.  They both call for the same weight of yarn and the only difference I could tell was the length of ribbing needed to achieve the dimension required to fit the dolls.

The back closes with three snaps.

I think this would be easy to change-up into a sweater dress.  I think it would require adding about 8 to 10 more rows of the pattern to get the length needed just so you can follow the pattern for the shoulder area.

K&R Vintage- McCall’s 9958

I love that K&R Vintage takes old children’s patterns and makes them into doll sized.  I decided to try out one from 1939 for Kit.  I had previously used one for Molly and had great success with it.  However, it doesn’t seem like Kit is destined to get the same result. I definitely won’t recommend this one unless you want to take the time to fix it.

All the pattern notches and seams lined up perfectly which is great.

The part that I really don’t like is that the shoulders of the dress are about a quarter of an inch off of Kit’s shoulders.  It isn’t suppose to have dropped shoulder sleeves.  I think this is too much to just be a cutting or off sewing issue.

Below is how it looked before the side seams were brought in.

I pulled in the side seams at least  three-quarters of an inch.  At this point, it is probably as good as it gets.

I did as the pattern requested and checked the wrist measurement and the pattern piece provided looked like it would fit fine.  But in the end I had troubles getting it over Kit’s fingers.  I would have preferred to added some hook & loop fastener at the cuffs just to make it easier on me.

I decided I am not willing to try to make the necessary changes to the pattern to get a better fitting garment for Kit.  I do wonder if the original children’s dress had the same issues though.  I have not been able to find the inspiration pattern on the internet.  Kit will probably just get a different dress altogether.