Well, let me tell you, Kit is one happy girl, even going so far as doing the Happy Dolly Dance on my cutting table! She can’t believe she got new “lips” painted last week, and then today she got to model this new Valentine’s dress! It’s funny, sometimes I match up a piece of fabric to a dolls eyes or her hair color, but I’ve NEVER picked a fabric because of the color of a dolls lips! There’s a first for everything, I guess, because this dress was inspired because of the “new” lips Kit got this week. Just for “remembrances” sake… here’s what she looked like when she came to my house at the end of October…
[If you click on any picture, it will enlarge.]
Poor thing…see why she got to move up the list at modeling the Valentine dresses? So without any more delay, let’s take a peek at her new lips first…
Now for a look at her dress…
The Depression years caused the dresses to be less full, have straighter lines, not as many details, and I have to admit, I sometimes still want to make the dress skirts fuller, the sleeves puffier and the hems longer, but I decided to stay true to the 30’s this time and make this a fairly modest dress.
The back has 3 tiny white buttons covering hidden snaps and a narrow belt that can be tied in a knot.
You saw Kit’s lace jacket yesterday, but it wasn’t decorated yet… I used some felt flowers, and decorated them with colorful buttons…and added some buttons down the front.
I tried this hat on her, but I’m not sure…it’s almost like the hats I had yesterday… just a smidgen too small…you’ll have to let me know what you all think…
I have a very small scrap that I could possibly cut a hat out of…do you think a fabric hat would be better?
I’ll wait to hear from you and go from there… I also am working at the Food Pantry on Wednesday and my son is coming over to cook dinner for us, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to get this listed on Ebay, but it will be soon… I also made her a new pair of white socks! And she’ll have something else to go with the dress set…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
I can see how Miss Kit is in love with her new outfit.
That little jacket is so sweet Too cute. A new hat would be great the straw hat is just to small to my eyes.
Got my fingers crossed that when you list you’ll get a good price…
HI Lynne,
Thanks so much for chiming in with your opinion… I thought the hat was too small, and when I saw it in the pictures, I think it pretty well confirmed it to me…
Getting a “good” price is the plan! :o)
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
I think the whole outfit is just adorable for Kit, Jeanne! Again, I seem to cancel out the person who comments right before me! Sorry Lynn! I think the hat suits her to a “T”! I don’t think a wide brimmed hat would work at all for the 30’s, and I think the material hat would be too matchy-matchy. I’m trying to figure out if that hat was one of the hats Cindy sent you or not. If so, I can see the flowers did a great job of making it look bigger! All I can say is if that was my doll and outfit, I would want that hat on her!!
I love the wavy lines of the material! It gives the dress more dimension than a solid color would. Love the way you trimmed the little lace jacket too! Perfect!!
HI Linda,
I’ve just gotten home from the food pantry and am now checking my comments… it seems you have been overruled with the hat, Linda… sorry to say, I think I have to agree with everyone on this one. It just sort of sits on top of her head, and I can’t squish it down the least. A wide brimmed hat wouldn’t work at all for the 30’s, so I’ll try something else… I might see if I have a linen or a corduroy in a coordinating color. Maybe I can include the hat if the winner wants it. or give the winner a choice…
Thanks so much for your compliments on this set, Linda. I appreciate them…
Blessings, Jeanne
Love the dress–so Kit’s era. The jacket really sets it off. I wouldn’t use the hat, but that’s just me. I love big hair bows on kit, or even a fabric headband. The hat just looks too small.
HI Ann,
I’m glad you like Kit’s new dress and jacket set. I’m with you about the bows for Kit’s hair…maybe that’s what she needs…
Blessings, Jeanne
The dress/outfit is so lovely on Kit. What a pretty picture she makes. It’s just a creamy, yummy-ness ensemble for this beautiful doll.
I think the hat detracts from the beauty of what you’ve created so far for Kit…just my opinion. Might a cloche work with the fabric?
Thank you Becky,
I appreciate your sweet comments about Kit’s dress and thanks for your thoughts on the hat… I’ll have to look and see if “matching” cloche’s were popular or if just a solid one would be better.
Blessings, Jeanne
I veto the hat too. just too small. Lovely outfit for Kit. Your blog continues to educate me on AG dolls. I now know Kit is my favorite.
Thanks Jan,
I’m glad you are enjoying the blog and learning things too! If you don’t already have a Kit doll, I’m thinking she’ll be coming your way soon! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
You did such a good job on her lips, Jeanne, and they truly match the print in her dress. I really like the print. Thanks for the explanation of depression era clothes, I had never thought about it affecting style. I remember my mom saying she had one skirt and two ‘sweater sets’ (short sleeve with long sleeve to match). She graduated high school 1936 and my dad in 1934 so they both experienced it.
Thanks Jevne,
I’m glad you think her lips look okay… I was pleased and sure was thinking I might never get them right…It’s nice to know they look at least half way done the right way!
Yes, the Depression era sure had some lean looking dresses, especially for the little girls… almost like a flat front and a back and that was it!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Unfortunately, the hat seems too small. I still like the idea of a solid or felt tam or even a cloche hat as Becky mentioned. Your little flowers with the button trim are a perfect accent for the jacket. It’s a winner and Kit too.
HI Joy,
I’m going to see what kind of other hat I can make that fits with her dress style. Thank you for your compliments on her jacket…It was fun to figure out how to decorate.
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Kit looks so sweet in her new dress. That print is just perfect for her era. I love how you worked hard to get the wavy lines running just perfectly across the bodice. I think the hat looks just a tad too small, unless you’re going for the “make do” philosophy of the 30’s. The crown needs about a half of an inch to come down onto her head better.
I think a nice cloche hat in the lace jacket fabric and lined and edged in the dress fabric would be very cute, or perhaps a hairband in the dress fabric with a tailored flat bow on it.
Now all she needs are Valentines to give to mom, dad, Charlie, Ruthie and Stirling!
HI Laura,
From all the comments about the hat looking too small, I’m going to put it away I think and start with something new… You’re right, it’s about a half inch too small at the opening for her head…
I like your idea of Valentine cards….thanks…
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Charlotte and Lorna had some good hat ideas yesterday. I have to agree with you — I think the hat is just a little too small. Would a hairband work? Would the flower be too big for a hairband? What about 2 of them, a simple one that matched the dress and a wider one in the pink lace with the same felt flowers?
I think the skirt is lovely and suitable for the 30’s, and I especially like the sleeves. I looked carefully to see if the sleeves had sleeve bands, and they do.
This was never my favorite era for clothes, but I like this dress. The early 40’s were also hard because the amount of fabric that could be used in a dress was limited. That’s why the New Look had such extravagant skirts — to celebrate abundance after the war.
HI Marilyn,
I went back and read Lorna and Charlotte’s ideas and they were good ones. I think I’m going to have to spring for one of the hat forms from Nelly. I’ve wanted one for quite a while but was resisting because it was just something else I’d end up doing… like glove, pantalettes, slips, undies, etc… and I was hesitant…
I just got home from the Food Pantry so I haven’t played around with anything yet, but I’ll figure something out soon.
The dresses of the 30’s were pretty plain, weren’t they? It’s no wonder the skirts fo the 50’s became so full… it was celebration time after the fabric limitations…
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
I love it and am hoping to get a Kit doll soon. I should be receiving my Molly and Samantha dolls today. I love clothes from the 30’s and 40’s and think this dress is very sweet. I received the Joseafina outfit the I got from you on ebay. I love it and it is so well done!!! I have bought some other clothes but they do not compare to yours.. Keep up the wonderful blog and clothes.
Thank you Robin,
Oh, how fun to be getting new dolls today and a Kit as soon as you can find one! Thanks so much for your compliments on Kit’s dress and on the Josefina dress you received from me. I’m so happy you were pleased and loved the dress.
I’ll keep blogging and sewing as long as I have readers and bidders!
Thanks Robin,
Blessings, Jeanne
Kit looks so sweet in her pink Valentine’s dress. That color combination in the dress is so becoming to her and the lip color she now has.
I also think the hat is a bit too small. As some have suggested, a bow, hairband or cloche would look nice and appropriate. There is no doubt you’ll decide on the best most creative idea for Kit’s head piece if any.
Have a lovely day!
Thank you Paula,
I’m so happy that Kit’s dress turned out to match her lips like it did. I think she’s a very pretty doll now… in October, I was thinking, not so much!!!
I can’t wait to get in my sewing room and figure out what I want to make to go with the dress besides the hat… it is just too small looking to me…
We’ll see what I come up with…
Blessings, Jeanne
HI
She looks adorable…I was surprised at the gathered skirt too…Duh! I thought it was going to be A line too. LOL
I like the hat…but like you say..it just needs something different…what about trimming the edge in a ruffle?….just a thought. Maybe that would not be appropriate for a 30’s outfit. Whatever you come up with will be great I’m sure.
HI Kathie,
I guess I should have gathered up my fabric and pinned it on Kit to let everyone know that the skirt was going to be gathered. I only had a small amount of fabric left and thought I might as well use it up for the skirt as there wouldn’t be enough for anything else to be made out of it.
I don’t they they had ruffles on their hats in the 30’s, but it would be cute… :o)
I’ll have to see what I come up with…
Blessings, Jeanne
I had fun looking at “1930s hats” on the internet, lots of sites. I saw a couple of my Nana’s and mother’s hats on eBay and Amazon that I have upstairs in a hatbox. There was every style imaginable, so no need to limit the choice of style: Pillbox, picture, cloche, pixie, mink, straw, felt, etc. I’ll be looking at other decades as I never thought to do it before. Fun! I might suggest a pixie would be nice and not cover her beautiful hair color and style and be age-appropriate. Or add another row or two to the straw hat you have as there were ones with small, shallow crowns also. Lovely outfit.
HI Susette,
I can get LOST sometimes looking at fashions from the past… dirndls, civil war bodices, regency jackets, 50’s patterns, etc… It’s all fun to me…
I looked at some 1930’s hats and think the cloche hats go best with Kit’s style of dress, but making one is another thing… I better get busy…
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
The dress turned out beautifully, and it really looks good with the little shrug and the pink shoes. I’m personally not loving the hat; if you have some pink felt, a smaller, more fitted hat would be cute. I do Ike the idea some others suggested of a headband, though
HI Carolyn,
I’m trying to figure out what to make for the right look for Kit… I hope I get it right!
Thanks so much Carolyn.
Blessings, Jeanne
Laura’s idea about using the pink lace fabric for a cloche strikes me as a nice one — more flowers like the ones on the jacket would be nice decorations.
If you get the hat form, you can make us a nice tutorial. One more thing to do, but interesting. The red, black, and white Civil War cap was wonderful.
Thanks Marilyn,
I bet I have that hat form ordered before you know it… I’m making a cloche right now, but might still make a hair band…
Thanks again,
Blessings, Jeanne