It’s not much, but as they say, “every little bit helps.” I only had time to get Felicity’s skirt hemmed today. It was hemmed by hand and now looks nice and neat. I was hoping to get her jacket finished… snaps sewn on the back, sleeve insides finished and however I’m going to embellish it, but that didn’t happen. (It seems my life isn’t very productive in the sewing area lately…hmmm….) But I’m not giving up. If I manage to get even the smallest thing done, it’s closer to being finished… than it was yesterday… (I think I just said that a few days ago!)
Here is the skirt now… Well, wait, first Felicity wanted to show you her mob cap again… I fixed her hair by pulling it back on the sides and she likes it.
Now, here’s the skirt…
Since the skirt doesn’t open all the way to the hem, it’s easier to put the ruffled petticoat on first…then scrunch it together with one hand around her legs and use the other hand to carefully pull the skirt up and over the petticoat. It isn’t hard, but if you are careful, you can keep the yellow linen part of the skirt nice and wrinkle free. (If you put the skirt on first it would be hard to keep it wrinkle free while you fussed with her slip underneath.) However, I just thought of something… the opening in the skirt is wide enough you could probably put the petticoat on and them put the skirt on over her head with her arms raised up… I might give that a try tomorrow… that would keep the skirt in the best possibly shape for neatness. :o)
I made a dress one time for Felicity where I used a yellow linen insert in the dress skirt and as the trim for her jacket. I was “thinking” of doing something like this again… only a bit more dainty….not quite as wide… any thoughts on that? This print wasn’t as colorful or busy as the “Fall Fancy” one, so that’s my holdup on doing it. I’m not sure about the buttons either. I hate to make such an authentic looking Colonial gown and then have plastic buttons in it… I don’t know of anything else that would work… I have some tiny mother of pearl buttons I could use…but they’d get lost in the print of the dress.
I looked in a book I have on 1700’s Colonial gowns, and embellishments really weren’t that widely used. Most of the dresses I saw had gorgeous laces, but it was mostly the design of the dress that made it pretty… Sure they had big bows and sometimes ruched trims, but there weren’t the details with buttons and accents like in the coming Civil War years…AND she does have that fairly busy hat to go with this set… hmmmm…
I did think about adding small bows to the sleeves… at the elbows… Just wondering what you might be thinking… :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hooray!! Progress has been made!! That skirt is looking really nice now; can’t wait to see the entire thing completed!
As to the other dress, I have the original Amer. Girl patterns for Felicity, and did make one outfit up; the top (or jacket) actually calls for eyelets to lace thru–the bodice was, quite literally, laced up! You could probably use tiny metal eyelets, or, perhaps more authentically, little embroidered eyelets. Some machines will make them, but they might be too big for doll clothes; you’d have to stitch out some samples.
Hope that helps!
Hi Charlotte,
I know…YAY…someday this set is going to be finished….what ever will I do when it’s done??
I thought about some kind of lace up front, but I’d be afraid of messing it up if I did. Putting in eyelets can be a little tempermental.
Thanks for your thoughts…
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I’m of the opinion that less is more on this dress. I don’t think the ruffle around the neckline would work, at least not for me. By the time she has her hat and mob cap on, and if you put tiny bows on the sleeves, then her necklace too, it might be too much. I wish you would have shown a picture of the whole dress on her today, so we could see for ourselves what it looks like so far. I had to go back a few days to see it.
The lacing might look nice, like Charlotte mentioned, but if you make one little mistake on an eyelet, there goes a perfectly good dress!
Maybe a little drawstring purse would work for this to top it off. I’ll think about it through the day, and it will be interesting to see what others say.
Hi Linda,
I’m glad someone said this…I was thinking the same thing but…didn’t want to say it.
If the dress had been more of a solid color, eyelets may have worked or ruching around her neck…but it’s kind of a dainty busy print and I didn’t want to overdo it.
I like the idea of a drawstring purse…or a Reticule, as they called gem in the 1700’s!!
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hemming takes a lot of time, so I’d say you accomplished a lot. Not sure about the gathered trim but maybe just satin ribbon with tiny matching ribbon flowers criss crossing for the jacket. Would show up and not clutter the fabric. Just another take.
Tell Felicity her hair looks lovely. 🙂
Thanks Joy…
I think I’ll add the bows to her sleeves and step back and take another look…with her hat and maybe a Reticule, it might be enough…
I did tell Felicity you liked her hair…she smiled! :o)
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
I think this is beautiful. I just discovered your lovely blog and you look like an experienced and marvelous seamstress! Your photos are so adorable.
Thank you, Loretta,
I’m so glad you found my blog and I hope you’ll join in with everyone. We are a very friendly, dolly loving bunch and have a good time sharing things with each other.
Thank you for your kind words about my sewing…I do try hard to make pretty things and it’s nice that you noticed!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
It seems I get later and later now when I do get a chance to comment. Felicity’s gown is coming right along. I don’t mind that it’s taking a while because that means I can enjoy one of my favorite dolls and eras a bit longer. A reticule would be perfect for Felicity.
I agree with Linda that a ruffle around the neckline might make the dress a little too busy and detract from the print and her pretty hat.
I also have Felicity’s original patterns along with Samantha’s, Kirsten’s, Addy’s and Josefina’s and it doe have eyelets rather than buttons., but I went back a few days as well and perhaps with all the other details this dress has, the lacing isn’t necessary.
Thanks Laura,
It seems my comments are sometimes the very last ones on here.. It’s just a busy season I guess.
I plan on making a reticule and then probably leaving the jacket as is… It would have been nice to have had some vintage trim to go around the peplum skirt part, but I think it will be okay the way it is now.
I have Felicity’s patterns too and know about the eyelets. I have a Cropadile too, but can’t say I’d trust myself to make eyelets in a dress that is already nearly finished… I’m not that brave!
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne