I saved this Valentine dress of Molly’s to showcase all by itself. It was made back in 2013 and sold on Ebay. Still having the template with all the wording as when I sold it, I thought I would just share it as it was then and include the pictures for it. I hope you enjoy it. It brings back memories of me making my own “Valentine” boxes for school. I was always creative, so my boxes were pretty fancy. I almost didn’t know how to stop…the more stickers…the better. Lace? yes, I used lace! Buttons, ribbons, bows, old Valentines…they were all on my box!
Just as an example, I have a box that I use to store all my Married Couple’s Valentine things in for the party I host each year for our church. This is a box I decorated one year when I had everyone bring a Valentine card to the party with their spouse’s “pet” name on the front. During the course of the evening, I proceeded to pull out the cards, reading the “pet” names and having them come forward to get their cards. We had everything from “stud-muffin to puddin’ head!”
So this was my listing for Molly’s dress back in 2013:
Molly was so excited to get to class today!! Miss Campbell had asked the class to decorate a box to put their Valentine cards in. Molly had used lace, ribbons, cut out paper hearts, and stickers. She thought her box would be the prettiest one in the whole class. There would be prizes given out and she was hoping to win one!
This isn’t your typical Valentine dress. There are no hearts on it and it doesn’t have ANY pink on it, but it’s still very ”Valentine..ish!”
The fabric is a charcoal gray and cream and dark red (almost burgundy) cotton…kind of strange colors for a Valentine dress, but charming!
This style is taken from an actual 1944 dress. The bodice has two rows of decorative ribbon sewn diagonally to a point. Two bows are the focal point of the front. Necklines like this, ruffled with a bias edge, weren’t seen very often, but occasionally they could be found. The sleeves are short and gathered to ruffles instead of a cuff.
This skirt is very full and shows off those little 1944 legs! The back of the dress has red buttons covering the snaps. It is hand hemmed.
Now lets get to the fun part…the box! You will receive Molly’s decorated Valentine Box for your doll to enjoy! She told me exactly how she wanted it decorated!
BONUS: There just might be something to go inside it! You’ll have to win it to find out what it is!
I am also including the matching hair ribbons for Molly’s hair.
So that was Molly’s Valentine dress and box set back in 2013! I hope you enjoyed my listing back then… now it’s time to get something
made for 2015!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
What an adorable outfit Jeanne! It looks very much like a Valentine dress to me! Although I was just a toddler in 1944, I remember wearing dresses like that a bit later in the 40’s. Actually, you really never saw a dress with valentine hearts on it like you might today. We were able to wear those dresses all thorough the year and they weren’t limited to one holiday or season. That’s what I went to school in–cotton dresses with short puffed sleeves and tied with bows in the back.
Then the Valentine boxes–yes–we made those too! I’m not sure if you decorated at home or school, but we decorated at school, and had to use what was given to us, so we really had no standouts as far as buttons, lace or bows. Most of us brought a shoe box, so it was pretty “standard”. Molly’s box is adorable, and you gave me an idea for my dolls Valentine display!
Hi Linda,
This was always a favorite dress of mine. I should have shown the picture from the 1944 Sears catalog, but forgot. Maybe I’ll do another dress for Molly like this! You’re right, no heart-sy prints back then. In my catalog, it’s got fabrics in it and there was nothing whimsical or novelty related at all. My dresses were the same way, cotton dresses with short puffed sleeves and momma always had to contort herself over us tying that bow!
In my earlier grades we made them at school too, but later on, maybe when I was in 4th -8th grade we got to make them at home and bring them in. And you’re right, we always started with a shoe box. You’ll have to send me a picture if you make a box for your dolls.
Blessings, Jeanne
Ah, so that is the box you mentioned, it’s very cute. I love how Molly’s dress isn’t a typical Valentine’s Day print. The red ribbons make is so perfect for this holiday though. All of the ruffles are so pretty too.
Have a great day, Jeanne.
Hi Cindy,
Yes, this was my box that Molly and I had fun making. The red ribbons on her dress look a little too bold in my pictures, but in person, they matched perfectly and looked very sweet.
Thanks Cindy,
We got a little dusting of snow last night, but the sun has come out and melted it. But it’s very cold…wind chill of 5 degrees.
Blessings, Jeanne
Molly was my first American Girl doll. My sweet husband brought her back for me from California. A grown woman and I wanted Molly ! She was just the era I remembered so well and I loved everything about her darling dresses and braids. The Valentine’s dress for you is so perfect. It fits the festive idea of the day yet allows for Molly to wear it for other occasions.
We did not have valentines at school for each other as the school used that day to donate to missions instead. We played games with pennies & nickles and what was collected was sent to our Missionaries. Although there were some who would quietly sneak a few hand made valentines to their favorite friends. Mother always made a special dinner that night for the whole family. There was no going out to eat as is the custom now. Simpler times.
Hi Jeannie,
I remember you saying your hubby bought you Molly one time on a trip. How sweet of him to do that. Thanks for thinking her dress was perfect for the time period.
That’s interesting about the school giving to missions. I bet you really enjoyed the games and playing with your friends. What a nice way to end the day with a lovely dinner with your family. I remember those simpler time too. We used to “every so often” go to a McDonald’s that was in town. There were 6 in my family, so we would get 12 hamburgers, 6 french fries, and 6 drinks, and it was all about $3.00 and some change. Things have changed!
Blessings, Jeanne
I love that dress! I remember the Valentines Box with dread! I was always afraid I wouldn’t get any valentines put in my box at school…I always did get cards…but always dreaded it! I must have been a weird child! LOL
Awww Jane, So sorry you were worried about getting Valentine cards…. what a terrible thing for a little girl to be worrying about. You’re not weird, just probably sensitive!
I’m glad you like Molly’s dress…
Blessings, Jeanne
What an absolutely adorable dress and Valentine box. Molly’s excitement to make the prettiest box is too precious.
I grew up in the 50’s (even though I am 30 years old) and remember cotton type dresses with full skirts similar to Molly’s dress. Those dresses were my favorite type of clothing. In 1st grade, my mother made a light yellow dress with a black printed pinafore to wear over it and the pinafore had kittens and cats in various shades of gold and yellow as the print. The sleeves of the dress were puffy and had black rick rack on the borders. My description doesn’t sound very pretty but it was so cute and I felt special in that dress.
If AG comes out with a 50’s girl, that will be exciting. Another era for you to sew for perhaps?
Have a great day!
Blessings
Hi Paula,
Thanks for liking Molly’s Valentine dress. I think your dress sounds wonderful and I had made a little girls dress back when I was selling them and it had kittens all appliqued around the bottom of it. If I remember correctly the dress was in blue with the kittens appliqued in black. I’ve still got the appliques that I cut out, and I’ll have to show them to you sometime. I think your dress sounds adorable.
I’m very excited at the prospects of the new Historical AG doll being a 50’s girl. That will be just perfect to me! I wish it was September so we’d be hearing news about her.
Blessings, Jeanne
You nailed that dress for her era. I had quite a few plaid dresses with bodice detail white sleeves…more like Toni dresses. I agree…I don’t think we ever had a seasonal print on our dresses…once my sister and I had the same one ..hers in navy, mine in red. I know they must have been a bit more cost than usual…because we had to take them off the MINUTE we got home!
Kathie
Hi Kathie,
I had those same kinds of dresses…some of ours had little ruffled lace fronts with the pouffy slips sewn into the skirts and the belts that tied into big bows in the back. Ours were special too.
Thanks so much Kathie,
Blessings, Jeanne
WHAT!!! we don’t get to find out what the surprise was in the box?
Lovely dress.