Yesterday I showed some archived pictures of my dresses for American Girl Molly. (HERE) Hopefully, they were pictures you hadn’t seen before. I’ve done so many posts, I’m beginning to worry that I’m running out of new pictures. I keep asking myself, “what will you do when you’ve shown them all?” I don’t know the answer to that, so I’ll just keep showing what I do have and we’ll worry about that later.
I believe these are new pictures that you haven’t seen of Kit, but not positive. Just look at them and smile if you’ve already seen them…sorry!
The 1930’s was a time where fabric was scarce, so the designs were usually plain. The dresses were somewhat straighter lines and didn’t have as many gathers in them. As much as I know what the fashions were, it’s still hard not the make my dresses “pretty” if you will. So while my dresses might not be exactly authentic to the 1930’s, Kit still looks awfully cute in them.
If you click on any picture it will enlarge.
This last one is a bit fancier… Kit was a junior bridesmaid in a wedding. It’s pretty fancy for the 30’s.
Sorry, that’s all for today… See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Such darling outfits! I also think that Kit looks perfectly adorable in blues and purples! I still cannot understand how you actually part with all those amazing dresses!
HI Linda,
Thanks so much for thinking Kit looks sweet in her dresses. If I actually made the dresses like many of them were from the 1930’s I’m not sure they would sell. They were p-r-e-t-t-y plain.
Selling this isn’t so hard… it gives me money to buy fabric and make more, which is what I like to do best!
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne. Is it snowy by you? It is here although it didn’t amount to more than a couple of inches.
Dresses from the 1930’s & 1940’s are favorites of mine. Yours are adorable. Your dresses always fit the dolls that they are made for so well. My favorites from the last 2 days are the polka dot dress on Molly and the 2 lavender dresses on Kit.
Hope you have a great day, Jeanne!
HI Cindy,
We still have a few inches of snow on the ground, but the roads, at least in town, are melted off. Much of it has melted…but what we do have all over the ground is so crusted over, it’s like glazed icing. My dog walks, or rather slides on top of it if he gets off the path where it’s smashed down. It’s pretty crunchy to trudge through.
I always liked that navy and white polka dotted one too!
I’m hoping to stay inside and do some much needed sewing!
Blessings, Jeanne
They are all pretty cute. 🙂
Thank you Christine! Glad you liked them.
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, these dresses are so darling! I guess I say that quite a bit when looking at your creations!!! Much of my sewing education came from my mother who was a prolific seamstress. Not only did she sew for herself, she had five daughters to sew for. My mother, born in 1915, wore leftovers from her older sisters. These leftovers were made from taking apart old dresses and cutting them to fit her. She was quite creative. As a young woman she worked at a “couture” house sewing in the workroom and modeling garments when the ladies came in for style shows or private showings. As a highlight, when she became engaged at age 21, this couture house gave her a wedding gown as a gift. It was quite a bit deal to be married in a satin gown during the depression. I have her gown and what is left of her wax flower headpiece. The veil and lace have long ago fallen apart.
I have many pictures of her in clothing she made in the 1930’s all that reflect the design style you describe as straight and simple. It is interesting how social and economic events are reflected in fashion trends.
As to your question yesterday – yes, we had some snow, ice, freezing rain and cold. Expect more of this today. Fortunately, our larder is stocked and we are hunkered down to keep warm. Even the cats won’t go out.
Hi Jeannie,
What a wonderful story you tell about your mom’s days as a seamstress. I bet you have lots of memories of her clothing and it’s so neat that you have pictures you can look at to see what she made. I need to look at some old pictures of my mom and ask her about what she’s wearing and see if she remembers anything about them. I’ve never done that before.
I loved Kit’s books the best of all the AG books and I think it’s because her mom used what she had to make Kit’s clothes from. I loved reading how her mom took things apart just like your mom did and “repurposed” them into something else.
We are getting just a bit of snow sprinkled on us this morning, so I’m staying in and hope to get some sewing done.
Blessings, Jeanne
Those dresses are so cute. The junior bridesmaid is adorable on her. I love her in blues I really like the 1930’s time period as well. Of course, Kit must have “pretty” clothes. My daughter’s Kit is quite spoiled. She has more dresses and shoes than any Depression child could have possibly had. The good thing is she will never outgrow them. 🙂
Hi Laura,
Thank you for the compliments on Kit’s “pretty” dresses. Drab just doesn’t sell as well!
I liked your line about your daughter’s Kit having more dresses and shoes than any Depression child could ever possibly need…that made me smile.
Blessings. Jeanne
Where have you been keeping those pictures? She is my favorite AG and those dresses are just adorable. Can you imagine how proud a 1930’s little girl would be to wear one of those? Detail is brilliant ..of course. Loved Jeannie in
TX story about her mom…yes, she’s right …my mom was married in a dark green dress…nice but not what we think of as “wedding”
Take care!
Hi Kathie,
I had “hidden” them from myself too!! they just showed up the other day. I wonder how many pictures I actually have taken of my dolls…
I liked Jeannie’s story too. It was so well written and just pulled me right in. I’ll have to ask my mom what she was married in too…
Blessings, Jeanne
Good morning Jeanne,
Molly’s dresses of yesterday’s post and Kit’s dresses from today’s post are spectacular and the detail is amazing as always. Again, I wish I had known about you sooner than last summer!
Speaking of Kit’s era, I saw trends in my mother and mother-in-law that depicted their lives in the depression era. They weren’t hoarders by any means but they did keep certain items to use in other ways, then and later during our growing up years.
I remember back in the 50’s, my mother having a full black and turquoise striped skirt. (sounds ugly but it was rather classy looking and I have a picture of her wearing it at a picnic. ) That skirt material became shorts my sister wore, then I wore, then 2 of my friends wore!
I always loved hearing their stories of the depression, how they lived and seeing what NIFTY things they could do with various items.
I too like Kit’s stories for the same reason.
Hope the 2 little girls dresses are coming along.
Have a great and productive day!!
Thanks Paula,
Well, even though you found me “later than some” I’m not going anywhere and hope to get some dresses churned out soon.
I LOVE black and turquoise colors together…one of my favorite combinations so I imagine that skirt was pretty!
Well, I’m hoping to get the bigger dress finished today… this is the prototype, but if it works well, then the wedding one will go together very quickly.
Thanks Paula.
Blessings, Jeanne
HI,
I have really been enjoying the pictures of your dresses. I have the Molly, Samantha, and Josephina dolls. Have you seen some of the newest Simplicity patternsfor 18″ dolls? They are in the style of the dresses you have shown for Kit.
Can I send a question for Jeanne B. from Texas? I met a Jeanne Beth at a UFDC convention in Dallas. I wonder if she could be the same Jeanne B.?
Hi Diana,
I’m not sure if she’s the same Jeannie B or not, but maybe she’ll see this and let us know…or I can ask her when she comments the next time.
I’m glad you are enjoying the blogs each day. Thanks for reading…
Blessings, Jeanne
I really like the Kit dresses and the Molly dresses from yesterday. I think I have most of the same fabrics, although I can’t remember what I made with them. I need to follow your example and be more disciplined about taking pictures of things I’ve made. That’s a really good idea.
Hi Carolyn,
I have so much fabric I could open a fabric store…. and so many pictures, I’m not sure which ones I’ve shown and which ones I haven’t. It’s interesting we have some of the same fabrics. Guess we have the same “good” taste!
Thanks so much,
blessings, Jeanne