Of the roughly 40 dresses I counted that I’ve made for Kirsten, I would probably only consider five to be of the “prairie” style. I love making the dirndl’s where I can use about 5 different fabrics together…the hat, sometimes 2 different prints, the bodice, the vest part, the skirt, an apron, the ties, a shawl sometimes… so it’s fun.
Laura, one of my subscribers, was the last one to comment last night and she gave her opinion for who she’d like to see next… perhaps Felicity in another Colonial dress, or maybe Rebecca in a 1900’s Edwardian fashion, or possibly a prairie dress for Kirsten, since I usually do dirndl’s for her. Well, Laura must have read my mind, because like Marilyn, (I think it was last week) she guessed who was up next. Kirsten.
I saw a photo somewhere on the internet the last few days… Pinterest, Ebay, Pixie Faire Patterns,…somewhere, of a pretty prairie dress and I decided it was time I did one for Kirsten. Something like she’d have worn with a bonnet and an apron in a pretty color combination, or maybe a pinafore with a hair ribbons or maybe just a pretty stylish dress…with growth tucks of course!
I haven’t quite decided what fabric I’ll use, (I do have a wonderful hankie in mind…) but I thought I’d share those few prairie dresses that I found in my archives, and made a while back… I mean A WHILE BACK… So let’s see what I made for Kirsten back in 2007 to 2009. You’ll have to look over my pictures…Kirsten is leaning I think, in just about every single one.
If you have a favorite of these dresses, let me know your thoughts…
I’ll see you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
First of all, before I comment on Kirsten’s outfits, I want to thank everyone for their kind and glowing words about my pictures. It’s fun to share my love for creating little scenes for the dolls, and to hear your encouraging words make it that much more fun! If any of you get to visit St. Louis, going to the Mo. Botanical Gardens would be a real treat!
I love that last outfit for Kirsten, Jeanne! The blue just pops, and that sweet bonnet is adorable! I also like the 3rd dress down, which looks to be a pattern from AG, and has the darker blue bonnet. I seem to like seeing Kirsten in blue! She also looks good in reds. I think it brings out her pale coloring, and beautiful blonde hair. Softer colors just wash her away, at least to me. I love the hanky aprons too, it must be the German in me, but I love to see her in those traditional type of outfits. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for Kirsten next!
In my post, I forgot to thank you, Jeanne, for showing my pictures. If it wasn’t for you, they wouldn’t be there, and I would not have so many wonderful online friends! Thank you so much, Jeanne, love you!
HI Linda,
First of all, let ME say, it was my pleasure to post your pictures… they were just TOO cute not to share! I bet ladies everywhere will be looking for ironing boards and all kinds of props to create the same kind of scene. It was just adorable how you had them working together.
I’m kind of like you on the blue for Kirsten… nobody wears it better! I went back over Kirsten’s pictures and starting at the top, I went, “okay, okay, okay, okay, and then the last one, OKAY!” She definitely looks the prettiest in it I think!
I have a really pretty vintage hankie with a little bit of blue in it and I want terribly to use it… so we’ll see….
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, good, I guessed correctly. What a fun game, we could guess whose up each time. I completely agree with Linda that the last dress is my absolute favorite. The blue sets off Kirsten’s gorgeous blue eyes. The pinafore is just darling with the ruffles. I am a real lover of ruffles on doll clothes. The bonnet is absolutely adorable and I like how the sides are pinned back with buttons- perfect extra touch. The others are all sweet, but that last one proves blue is certainly Kirsten’s color. I do like the dirnyl style because having German ancestry also I wore quite a few that my great aunt sent from Germany when a was a child. Can’t wait to see what your planning for Kirsten, After Felicity and Civil War Victorian/Edwardian and Pioneer/ Prairie tie as my third favorite style. You must have had an older PC Kirsten first, I can tell by the hair and lip color because she looks similar to my daughter’s first PC doll.
Just wanted to add one more thing. have you seen The Queen’s Treasures Little House on the Prairie collection? My daughter would have loved that as a child, she played it all the time. I grew up with the tv show and books. Maybe it’s having a resurgence. Hmmm maybe I need to borrow my daughter’s PC German Kirsten and dress her up… The poor girl has been neglected as of late.
HI Laura,
I think the last dress seems to be everyone’s favorite… including me… Kirsten just looks so pretty in the blue… I’m glad you enjoyed seeing the pictures.
My latest Home Sew catalog had the Little House on the Prairie items on the front cover and I’m pretty sure it’s the Queen’s Treasures Little House collection. The items are so adorable, and I’ve heard they are made well… It would be fun to have some of those items…
I’m a huge fan of Little House too… of course I think I had a crush on Michael Landon! :o)
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
I too like Kirsten in her blue-bonneted ensembles. These are a pleasure to view, Jeanne. Thanks for the peeks.
Thank you Becky,
I’m glad you enjoyed looking at Kirsten’s dress and bonnet sets!
Have a wonderful day,
Blessings, Jeanne
I like the style of the 2nd to the last. More representative of a simple dress worn by early pioneers on the prairie. But, definitely needs the required bonnet and growth tucks. Pixie Faire had the Laura/Mary from the Little House series dress pattern recently. In two sizes. For AG and A Girl For All Time. It was a dress done in checks. There was also a real life photo of Laura, Mary, and Carrie Ingalls dressed in similar outfits. Loved the Little House books.
Whoops, pattern was by Thimbles and Acorns, but I received it from Pixie Faire.
HI Joy,
I always liked that simple blue and khaki dress too… it was the only one I ever made like it…
I was just looking on Pixie Faire last night and saw that Laura/Mary dress. It’s a real cutie and I almost pushed the BUY IT button…but I resisted… Maybe another time…
Thanks for your comments Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Many thanks for the surprise posting of my pictures and to your followers for the kind compliments. I really enjoy it and it’s fun to share. Thanks, Jeanne, for the inspiration to all for the encouragement.
I like the last Kirsten dress the best, and the other one with the blue bonnet is my second favorite. The turned back edges secured with the buttons are a very creative touch. Blue is her color.
The sewing machine print panel from yesterday’s post is by Robert Kaufman and ranges from $8.99 per panel for the sewing machines as the repeat is not quite a yard to $10.99 a yard for the gold metallic design fabric for borders. I’ll send pictures to Jeanne of the matching fabrics. There was another cute panel by Quilting Treasures. Prices are comparable to the RK fabrics. I didn’t find them on the internet under the manufacturer’s names but someone may know of a source. If someone is truly interested, I could pick some up for you.
Thank you Susette,
It was fun to see what you were up to with your sewing. I know everyone enjoyed seeing your things.
I’ve been looking at all my blue fabrics since everyone agrees that blue is Kirsten’s color. I think I always knew that.
I’ll have to show everyone the sewing machine fabric squares… I liked them the best…
Thanks for scouting out new things for us, Susette!
Blessings, Jeanne
It’s been a zoo here so missed a couple posts but will look at them in a minute….loved seeing Kristens dresses…the brighter blue with eyelet is my fav.
Hugs…
HI Kathie,
My life has been busy too… I wish it would slow down…
Well, you are in agreement with just about everyone else on here… the darker blue dress with the eyelet…is the winner of my pictures.
Thanks so much for taking time to tell me your favorite, Kathie.
Blessings, Jeanne
First, thanks for the compliments on my cute, smart grand-niece, Anna. Her mother sends pictures every week. They say women make relationship and friendship nets to keep people together, and the pictures keep us involved in Anna’s life, just as Jeanne’s blog creates a web of women with similar interests.
Second, I loved Linda’s doll scenes — I’ve been wishing for the washing set and it’s lovely to see all the girls working hard while keeping their hair model-fresh and shiny. The colonial and Victorian dresses are so lovely and dramatic that I forget how charming the AG’s look in Molly and Kit era clothes.
The red fall dress reminds me of one I have from Jeanne — it’s one of those lovely crisp looks that are becoming to every doll. It’s easy to forget how important ironing is in this age of jeans and tees. The green dresses are simply wonderful. Riya is a wonderful designer, but Susette is a fabulously gifted interpreter.
After the above comments from other people, it will come as no surprise that I like Kirsten in blue, and I especially like the sunbonnets. I can’t choose between them, so Jeanne may have to make two Kirsten prairie dresses with sunbonnets in a row. I like the ruffles at the shoulders, the gathered bodices, the coordinating colors on the pinafore outfit (and the bertha collar on the same outfit — my grandmother was called Bertha, which was one of the most popular names for years at the turn of that century), the elegant shape of the sleeves on the light coral dress and of course the sleeve ruffle, and the contrast of fabric and color on the first sunbonnet outfit. I also like Linda’s suggestion about red, and am reminded of how much I like Riya’s red and brown color combination suggestion.
There are a lot of things not to like or to need worrying about in the world — it is so nice to find NONE of them on this blog. The blog shows us an opposite side of the world from the news, but it’s just as real.
HI Marilyn,
Anna is such a cutie and I only regret that I didn’t put the second picture of her looking up underneath.
I think everyone LOVED seeing Linda’s dolls working so hard, but still looking so pretty! I sure did!
It truly is one thing to be able to draw your designs on paper, but it takes talent to bring them to life from the fabric… I think Susette did a wonderful job!!!
Thank you Marilyn… I appreciate your comments so much! My goal from the very beginning of starting this blog was just to bring a little smile to your face at the start of each day. I’m glad that I do that for you… and hopefully others. The dolly world is a nice and peaceful place to be… I’m glad you’re in my world…
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh Jeanne, these are all so different and lovely! It’s always fun to see a collection from your archives. While it’s true that the third, and even the fourth dresses are perhaps more representative of a simpler prairie style, my favorite has to be the the last one. Blue is my favorite color, and it must be one of Kirsten’s, too, as it is so becoming on her with her light hair, fair complexion and big blue eyes. The dress itself has a simple charm of its own that is dressed right up with the darling pinafore with angel wing ruffles, and that deep eyelet hem is gorgeous! It’s almost like two dresses in one, or maybe even three, as I can see a little pioneer girl wearing only the pinafore on a hot summer day on the prairie! The bonnet is so special and flattering with the wide eyelet trim and button-back corners, and it reveals a bit more of Kirsten’s pretty face. Will look forward to your creative vision and use of the vintage hankie. Happy sewing, Jeanne!
Thank you for your sweet compliments on Kirsten’s dresses, Anne. I guess it’s unanimous, Kirsten looks best in blue! I’m only looking for blue fabrics in my stash… I’m sure I can come up with something.
Little House on the Prairie was one of my favorite shows… we still have one of the movies from when the kids were little, “The Lord is my Shepherd” featuring Laura mostly, as she goes up on the mountain…to ask the Lord to take her instead of her little brother. I bet if I watched it today, I’d still cry. It gets me every time…
Thanks Anne,
Blessings, Jeanne
P.S. The “Little House” original TV series was shown daily on the Hallmark channel until very recently, and they even had a “Little House” reunion of the cast on their “Home and Family” show. I loved watching the reruns as much as I did during the original TV run. Sadly, I do not know if Hallmark has plans to bring back the series, but the complete nine-season series is available for sale on Amazon, if anyone is interested.
After I looked up the Little House books and Rose Wilder Lane, Laura’s daughter, Amazon began listing related books. To my surprise, Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane are credited with being among the founders of the Libertarian party.