I know you were all expecting to see Kirsten’s Dirndl complete with lots of pretty pictures to prove it, but I must either be getting slower at my sewing, this must have too many details, or my days have fewer hours in them than they used to, because I didn’t get it all put together for you in time… It’s almost midnight and one of my goals for the new year was to go to bed earlier… so, it’s not gonna happen again tonight…
Oh, and sorry about the flub up on yesterday’s post. I had it all set to go, but I thought yesterday was the 7th, so I scheduled it to go on at 1:00 a.m. but it turns out yesterday was the 6th…oops… my mistake. If you missed yesterday’s post, you can see it HERE.
Now, about Kirsten’s set… I have all the pieces completed, but I want to show you the finished outfit with some good pictures, so I’m going to show you the “parts” to her set, and you’ll have to imagine them where they go.
I hope you like it… Kirsten looks very sweet in this soft blue and the olive green mixed together.
I know this slip isn’t necessarily “authentic” to the 1850’s but I just wanted something to softly hold the skirt out a little bit and that’s what this slip does. It also doesn’t add any bulk at the waist…as I already have the blouse at the waistline, the skirt waistband, the vest, and maybe a surprise apron is in the works…so the slip needed to be something non-bulky if possible.
[If you click on any of the pictures, they will enlarge.]
I said I’d probably make a pair of pantalettes and I did! Simple and sweet…
I don’t know what I’m going to do when I run out of this fabric that I use for shawls and things that need to be fluid and free falling… It just made the sweetest shawl for Kirsten… with fringed edges on all 3 sides…
Linda first suggested possibly making a wreath to go on Kirsten’s head and then a few others agreed…I decided I would give it a try… but…
…something wasn’t looking right… I kept adding leaves and then thought, maybe it just needs flowers, so I started adding them… but…
…it wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. So I took it to Rebecca’s room and showed her… This is what she said, “Uh…noooo!” She told me it was too leafy and they were too big. I think I already knew that. So I scrapped that plan and tried for something more on the delicate side…
YES… this was better…
It looks lovely tied around the top of her head like a wreath or worn like a headband and tied behind her neck. I can’t wait to show you the whole set pulled together….just as soon as I get that sleeve fixed… I’ll be ready to showcase it!
Thanks for enduring yet another post about this set… I wonder how many hours I’ve logged in on this one???
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Ooooh, that wreath is just what I had in mind—delicate and dainty! That should do it Jeanne! I love all the pieces and this will really be a special outfit put together. I love the fabric of the pantelettes, too bad they won’t show!
That shawl will be lovely too, just the thing for those chilly afternoons! She would look sweet going to her grandmother’s house with a basket of freshly made cookies—-maybe I’m thinking of Little Red Riding Hood! LOL
I can’t wait to see how it all looks put together, now that I know how sweet everything looks on it’s own. Just think, if you had kept all the outfits you have made for Kirsten, what a wardrobe she would have!
Thanks Linda,
The second wreath is a far cry from the first one, isn’t it? Now I can laugh at that first one, but when I was doing it, I was getting a little worried that I wasn’t going to be able to pull it off. So glad I had these soft blue flowers and the felt leaves in my stash… Gotta love a great stash!!!!
She might need a basket of ….something….
I’m starting early this morning to get it all put together and “….just….right….” oops…that’s the Three Bears, isn’t it? :o)
Thanks so much Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Linda is right — this is going to be a special outfit. We have something really nice to look forward to tomorrow.
So — you need something soft and flexible for future shawls. One of us probably knows of a similar fabric — or maybe it’s back to Kentucky for you.
Once this is on Ebay, you need a day off, maybe to make those cookies Linda mentioned in human size. Your family would love that. And we need a report on how your foot is getting along.
HI Marilyn,
Yes, the softer the better for a shawl to look nice over the shoulders… I only have a few fabrics like this but this neutral color works well for lots of prints… thank goodness!!
I think I do need a day off, but I’m too far behind to take one… It’s already the 7th of January and I haven’t even gotten my first dress of the year on Ebay…
Oh, my foot… well, I have been going to Phyical Therapy but tomorrow is my last day… I chose to learn the exercises and do them at home… it seemed like overkill to do them there when I could easily do them at home… It is better…still sore, but Sunday was the first day I didn’t limp… so I’m sure it’s on the mend…Thanks for asking…
How are your eyes? Are you seeing well out of them? And I don’t think I ever congratulated you on your 2 year anniversary of being cancer free! Now that’s a BIGGIE!!!
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Yes, I agree with Linda, that is just the kind of wreath I meant. Even Kirsten’s birthday wreath that my daughter has from her birthday dress is mostly daisies with very few leaves. The shawl is perfect- so soft and drapes so well. Those
Just curious, you said this is from the 1750’s and the book/character Kirsten is from 1854. Did you move her to a different era like I moved my Caroline and Marie-Grace to Civil War?
Linda is right, Kirsten and well as Civil War among others would have magnificent wardrobes.
We also need to know how Reuben is doing and about his Christmas goodies.
Hi Laura,
I thought Kirsten had a wreath similar to this, but I didn’t take time to look it up online… I’m glad I got it right the second time around…
I’m glad you caught my mistake about the date… it was the 1850’s and I changed it in my post… thank you for pointing it out… No, I didn’t move her to the Civil War era, just a flub up on the date… wow…2 mistakes in 2 days… I better watch out! :o)
Reuben is still very much a puppy, getting into the laundry and dragging “things” that he shouldn’t around the house… he likes to dig in the mole holes, he barks at the birds when they come to the bird feeder, and he loves to chase our neighbors guineas when they get in our yard…(on a leash of course). He’s also carrying on Scruff’s tradition of nose smudges on the living room window as he sits on the back of the couch… :o( not my favorite thing he does…
Thanks Laura,
I better get that dress all assembled…
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
Kirsten’s flowered wreath is very sweet and I love her shawl. It looks like it would keep her cozy warm. The colors of this outfit with the flower wreath is perfect.
I have a black feather-like cape you made for the red plaid Christmas outfit from 2014. It’s perfect for that Christmas dress. I wondering if you would consider making capes or shawls for the Civil War girls in time. As if you have the time! In the picture I sent you of Savannah in the white carriage and beautiful spring green printed dress, I thought maybe she should be wearing a shawl of some sort. Just a thought for some of the Civil War girls and other historical girls.
Thanks for listening/reading Jeanne. Again, I know you are a busy lady but thought I’d ask.
Have a great day. Glad your foot is getting better.
Thank you Paula,
I like the second wreath MUCH better than the first…
Well, I’m certainly not opposed to making shawls and capes, I just don’t know when I might fit them in…. but I did write it down… :o)
Tomorrow is my last day of Physical Therapy…then I guess I’m on my own…
Thanks so much Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
I could look for a month of Sundays and still not be able to find any fabric as pretty as what you used in the pantalettes. They are lovely as is the dress and final head ribbon. This outfit is just so beautiful for Kirsten. Now you can step back and get your breath before your next work of art. Kick the deadlines away, with your best foot, and play with your pup awhile. On to a new year.
Thanks Joy,
I like that Pantalette fabric a lot too! In fact, Joann’s had it on sale a while back and I almost got some more of it, but decided to use up some of my other fabrics first…
I am going to have a take a break again..I’ve got to close out my books for the year…but I was thinking I could maybe get them done in between sewing at least a little bit of something… :o)
Thanks so much Joy,
Blessings to you, Jeanne
Pantalette fabric is beautiful!
Congratulations, Marilyn on your anniversary! How wonderful for you!
PTcan work wonders and the results are already showing and I am glad you think about going to bed earlier. The outfit will wait and you know it will be a success. Be proud of your talent and pleased that you will take better care of yourself this year
Hi Jan,
Well, I’m TRYING to get to bed earlier, but I’m not succeeding very well…and it’s only been one week into the new year… oops!
I need to work backwards with a set bedtime and then I’ll know what I can accomplish in the hours I have allotted…
thanks for thinking of me Jan,
Blessings, Jeanne
I totally understand that you are getting in enough time to sew. I feel pulled six directions at once myself. I’ve been reading your posts each day and not commenting as my time is so marginal on the computer. Today it is a bit after 4pm and I finally have a chance to sit down and read emails and check on group sites. yikes.
I am loving Kristen’s dress!
HI Jeannie,
I was thinking of you last night as I was doing my dishes, wondering if you were busy… I guess so… I hope it’s a good busy though. Mine usually is, but it’s still busy!!!
I haven’t contributed anything to the Little Darlings forum or the American Girl Playthings site in forever… I was going to list Kirsten’s new dress on the AGPT site, but they might not let me as you have to “contribute” something other than just selling something…
Oh well, I can’t do what I can’t do…
Thanks Jeannie,
I hope your visit with the Butterflies was wonderful. I saw some book the other day at Cracker Barrel called Butterflies about a little girlie girl and thought of you…
Blessings to you Jeannie,
~ Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
I’m glad someone else caught the date error, because otherwise I would have brought it up!!
The shawl is a good idea. Hard to tell how big it is, but I’m assuming it’s for springtime, when only a little warmth is needed. I seem to remember seeing pictures or illustrations of women of that era in shawls, and if there was snow on the ground, the shawls were quite large, hanging almost to the ground in back! For my Kirsten, I use a plaid flannel scarf I got from Eddie Bauer years ago–it’s square, and I fold it in half on the diagonal and wrap it around her. It’s definitely a cold-weather shawl, as it’s fairly large! I think it’s machine stitched about an inch up from the fringe, so it can’t unravel more if I wash it.
I love the floral wreath, too! I think a “leafy” wreath would have been okay if the leaves had been smaller, but you were right to scale it down and use more flowers for the current one–very pretty!
You are fortunate to have a Cracker Barrel near you. Here in the Seattle area, our closest one is in Idaho!! 🙁 (And I do love Cracker Barrel–both the restaurant and the store!)
Charlotte
Thanks for your comments Charlotte,
I stitched about 3/8ths of an inch from the edges of this scarf toto keep it from unraveling.
Oh, too bad about the Cracker Barrel being so far away… I like their gift store too…almost as much as the food!
Thanks for your compliments.
Blessings, Jeanne