Just a couple of things to tell you…
Every year I try to bless the top 3 customers who have bought doll outfits from me… I’m running a bit late but I closed out my books for 2018 and I do have those 3 winners… I’m not going to tell you who they are, but if you bought from me… you might be checking your mailbox soon… I haven’t sent those gifts yet, but I’m hoping to get working on them… Thank you to EVERYONE who bought from me, and especially you top 3 buyers! I really appreciate your business and your friendship!
The second thing I wanted to share was Ingrid’s newest doll…It’s Giggi, by My Meadow Dolls. She’s a honey skin tone Dumpling size and is 11″ tall and wears a 8/9 wig. Ingrid apologized that she was still in her Christmas outfit, but I think she looks adorable in it. She probably looks adorable nude too! Ingrid said she was very poseable and loves her smile… Me too…
Ingrid… just to let you know, I preordered Dumpling Bailey back in August, so maybe she’ll come in the spring. I do love Giggi though… Thanks for your enabling… I loved how you tried to sell me on getting one! :o)
One more thing… Marilyn posted a link about quilts in the comments yesterday. It was a fabulous look at some really beautiful ones and if you missed it you might want to take a peek at it HERE. I’ve got dibs on that spool quilt. It’s gorgeous!
I managed to carve some time out today to get all those 16 buttons sewn on the front of Addy’s bodice for her newest Civil War dress set. Linda said I had to say they were “dancing” down the front instead of “marching” down the front… so here they are! It took a little time to get them straight and evenly spaced. I always sew each one on separately so when I look at them (preferably with a camera) if one is off, I can take it off individually instead of clipping the threads for that one and the one above and below coming loose.
They really pop on the blue fabric and I was so pleased that I had just enough in my stash. Miracle of miracles! :o) AND… I didn’t drop a single one, very carefully picking up 2 at a time and only working with them until they were sewn on. I may look to see if I have a button I can use as a “brooch” or I may decide I like it just as it is…
I had to do a little work on the back of the skirt because it kind of overlapped on the back left side and made a sort of bustle like effect. You can see if you look closely that there are a few more gathers on that back left side than there are on the right back side. There was nothing I could do about it if I wanted to keep the scallops all even around the hem of the skirt. If it had been on the front side I might have tried to figure out something, but on the back, I wasn’t too worried about it.
This is the front of the skirt…
Underneath her skirt I managed to make a new white tulle slip for Addy. It’s not authentic to the Civil War era at all, but I just couldn’t do anything with any bulk at the waist and I’m still hoping to make a pair of pantalettes for this dress. So the slip just has a lower tiered ruffle and a waistband made from picot elastic. It’s easy to slide under the skirt once you have it on.
I also took a picture of the pale yellow boots I’ll be using when Addy’s models this dress. I’m keeping them, so they won’t be in the listing when I sell this dress.
Addy was so tired when we finished with pictures, I turned around and found this… Guess it’s time for bed for both of us! Night!
(trust be told… it’s morning!)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Ingrid’s doll is just as cute as can be! Thanks for sharing the pictures!
Addy’s dress turned out beautifully! I don’t think that bit of extra fullness on one side of the back is noticeable at all; in fact, if you hadn’t said something, I doubt I would have noticed! I’m sure Addy is just as pleased as can be with it! Hope you both had a good rest last night!
Hi Charlotte,
Yes, I agree, Ingrid’s little Giggi is such a doll. I am totally smitten with her smile, and have to fight the urge to ask on the doll forum if anyone has one they’d like to rehome…
Thanks for the compliments on Addy’s dress. I’m glad you like it and yes, we both got some rest last night.
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Giggi is the cutest little doll I have seen in a long time! Thanks to Ingrid for showing her to us! I can’t get over how sweet her little smile is, and wouldn’t it be fun if she could “talk” with us? She looks so happy!
OK, the “dancing” buttons! They really do dress up the front of the bodice without being overpowering, and I was surprised to see that they went clear down to the points in front! That way the points do show up without any extra embellishments like lace.
I love the way the slip holds out the dress, and yes, like charlotte, I think the back looks just fine. I think a pretty pale, yellow bow in the back would be pretty in her hair, with the sides sticking out a bit so that you could see it in front.
I think a button brooch would be a bit much for that dress. If anything, I would use a black, very thin ribbon and tie it in a bow, kind of a drapy bow, and put that on the front. You don’t want to hide those buttons! I’d have to see how that looked, but I do think a brooch would be too much for that dress.
I am now halfway through taking down the Christmas decorations, then to get them in the closet! That’s a good part of the work, trying to fit everything in the way it was before, but I’m getting there. It is definitely NOT a one day job, but then it wasn’t a one day job to put it all out either!
Hi Linda,
Isn’t Giggi just adorable? She came up on the My Meadows fan club site and apparently Ingrid got to her a few minutes before I did. She saw I had inquired about her to the seller, and apologized for getting her first. It was okay and I’m thrilled for Ingrid. Seeing the pictures of her on the site made me realize if I ever do get a Giggi, I want a Honey skin toned doll.
The yellow buttons stand out even more if you could see them in person. I like them very much….glad you do too.
I hope you get the decorations stuffed back in your closet…I know that’s a job…
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
I do like the curved back, it goes so well with the scallops on the skirt. Linda is right on the buttons. Of course what she’s saying is that you’re right, so how could she be wrong on that? Smart idea about sewing the buttons on separately, and I love how each one is sewed on the same way, perpendicular to the center line and then to the points. I like the length of the skirt, and, even though they aren’t period, I prefer the flexibility of the tulle slips to hoops. Now comes one of my favorite times — the accessories. I’m looking forward to tomorrow to see what you come up with. Linda’s idea of a bow at the neck is interesting — do you have dark blue ribbon? I’m generally all for brooches, but maybe not this time. Or maybe you’ll find just the right thing, and it won’t be what we expected. We’ll see.
I thought that quilt link was wonderful and noticed that other people liked it too, and I’m really glad you linked it today — some things really are too good to miss.
I think the thing I like best about the My Meadow dolls is the way they pose. Many thanks, Ingrid, for the photos. I love the outfit and will be happy to see more outfits on your cute model.
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks so much for all your observations about Addy’s dress… I always enjoy hearing what you think…
I think her tulle slip works well with this dress and think a crinoline would make it too bunchy around her waist….especially when I add the pantalettes.
I am going to look for a blue ribbon…I might like that…
I truly enjoyed looking at those quilts…they were amazing!!
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Welcome home sweet Giggi! Lucky Ingrid. 🙂
Addy is quite the fashion plait with all of those special buttons and butter yellow boots. The slip is versatile and flairs perfectly. The narrow blue tie at the neck is a great idea. I think it would be nice to have her doing charity work for those in the hospital as well as taking something to the ill Mrs. Grundy. Goodnight Addy! 🙂
Hi Joy,
I love your color description of her boots… butter boots! I need to use adjectives more. :o)
I also liked your idea of Addy helping in the hospital…hmmm…now I have 2 storylines to choose from.
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
I love the Meadow Dumplings dolls and Giggi is soooo cute. As for the gathers in the back of Addy’s dress, all I can say is that even under normal circumstances and trying to keep all the gathers even, it always seems to me that something is a little more gathered in one place than another when I make something. But I probably wouldn’t have even noticed it on Addy’s dress if you hadn’t mentioned it. I would have just assumed it had something to do with the design and looked just fine.
Addy’s outfit is going to be beautiful when it is all completed. My LDS, Claire and Fallon, have those boots in black. They look cute no matter what era or style the outfit. I made one of the slips when you did the tutorial but I pulled out the lower row of gathering stitches so it looks like a beautiful ballerina skirt. Do you just leave them in or do something different to get the effect of slips like Addys? I love the look.
I hope Addy has recovered from her exhaustion. I’ve run into a few occasions when my model has just had enough. Probably picking up on my need to call it a day. Once it nearly involved calling the paramedics when the poor thing fell off the ironing board. Thankfully she was fine, but I was afraid to look.
I love the way you did the buttons. Very nice effect.
Hi Barbara,
It would be hard not to love the My Meadow dolls as they are just adorable and so much fun to pose.
I’m glad everyone is okay with the extra gathers on the one side…that makes me feel better.
I’m not exactly sure what you mean about my slip..I used 2 layers for the bottom of the skirt. I sewed 2 rows of basting stitches at the top edge and then gathered it up to fit the length of the yoke section. I stitched the flat yoke piece to the gathered skirt section. Then I flip the flat yoke piece over and stitch on top of the flat piece about 1/8″ from the seam. The gathers will be on the left side with the yoke opened flat on the right side.
When I have it topstitched, I then pull out any basting stitches that might show below my stitching line.
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne
Those My Meadow dolls have an infectious smile, Congratulations, Ingrid!. Giggi’s little stocking capped bear is really cute. I’ll bet they are a lot of fun.
Those quilts are lovely. I treasure the ones I have that my grandmother made. She also crocheted with crochet thread a bedspread for a double bed with raised flowers. It’s done in ecru thread, so very neutral and pretty.
Addy’s dress with the “dancing buttons” is just beautiful. I like that the button travel all the way down to the points of the bodice. The blue and yellow is such a good choice for her. I like Joy’s idea of Addy doing charity work. It seems to fit well with her personality.
Thank you Laura,
Those My Meadow dolls really ARE fun …especially to pose. You add those cute faces and it’s a match made in heaven…
I just knew you’d love those quilt pictures. Wouldn’t it be fun to scrutinize them in person???
I wish I’d had 16 more buttons to make them even closer together, but I didn’t, so I went with what I had.
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne
Better late than never, I actually read your blog earlier but wasn’t able to comment. The drywall guy is finally coming tomorrow oops today… and well there was so much to move out of the living room, phew! Hubby and I with Dominic my 2year old grand trailing behind us got it done. It’s amazing you just don’t realize how much stuff you have until you need to move it. Yikes! We did find room for everything thankfully.
Addy’s dress is darling, I love all those dancing buttons. I agree with Laura they look beautiful running all the way down to the points! I like the suggestion of a little dark blue ribbon tied in a bow at the neck. It won’t take away from all those sweet little buttons. Thank you for your tip about sewing the buttons on one at a time. Makes sense and it’s a good tip.
I enjoy quilting so I had to take a few minutes out of my day to look at the quilts! Wow that cottage quilt was absolutely to die for.. can you imagine how long that took to make oh my!
Thank you all for the kind words… Giggi now has a swollen head but she’s still cute! Lol Jeanne I’m so excited for you, Bailey is an adorable doll and I’m sure you’ll love her. I promise no more enabling …. for a while anyways ; )
Hugs
Ingrid