I was looking at the pictures I had taken with my phone the last few days and they just looked a bit drab to me. Addy looked a bit sickly too! I kept making excuses for how her dress looked “in person” and finally decided tonight to get out my camera (that has one setting) and get out my lights and go whole hog with my pictures. I think you’ll be surprised at how different it looks. If you liked it before, I hope you REALLY like it now…
I finished a pair of pantalettes in a white vintage eyelet that’s very soft. There’s a lot of embroidery on the bottom edge and I just decided to leave them without any decoration…
Here’s her slip again with the pantalettes underneath…
I added a little blue grosgrain ribbon at the top of those buttons and believe it or not, I had the exact color I needed! Another miracle for this dress. (having those tiny yellow buttons was the first!) A bow was too fussy so I just gathered it up in the middle and cut my ends at angles… then I stitched it on. I think it was just what the bodice needed.
I decided to fill a basket with some cookies (Ultrasuede ones… who wants the recipe?) :o)
I still have to make her hair accessory but I ran out of time… so it’s all that’s left. YAY!
Here are a few more pictures…
HUGE difference, huh?
I need to look back and see when I first started making this dress. It seems like I’ve been working on it forever! But we’re close to being done now! :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, that little bit of gathered ribbon under the collar is just perfect! Not too fussy, but dresses it up a bit. And, yes, using your camera did make a huge difference!! The fabric looks even pretty now (and so does Addy!).
HI Charlotte,
I couldn’t believe how much difference that little ribbon made either… it was the perfect touch I think1 :o)
I don’t think I’ll ever take pictures again without both lights being set up…there was just too much of a difference when I saw the dress pictures next to each other.
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a difference, Jeanne! The buttons now show up much better, they were a bit lost with the older photos. And—is the lace trim yellow? I just now caught that, it had appeared white in the earlier photos, at least on my monitor!
Oh, yes, the ribbon “tie” is just perfect! I had fist thought a bow, but after thinking about it yesterday, I thought maybe something else, not sure what, but you certainly did do it with that perfect ribbon! And the color matches!!
I think I’ll pass on the cookie recipe! LOL 🙂
HI Linda,
Yes, the lace on the bottom of the dress is a pale yellow… I know… big difference isn’t there?
I had a wider piece of blue ribbon almost the same color but a bit wider and I wanted to use it, but it was shiny on one side and matte on the other, so when I twisted it over, it was too obvious… I like what I ended up with though.
I was debating about “sprucing up” my cookies a bit but I don’t know how… I’m not sure if Chocolate chip cookies were made back then… and they might look goofy if I put spots on them… so they’ll probably just stay as they are… I might look in an old Delineator magazine I have and see if there are any recipes that were popular to see if something else was eaten more… just a thought.
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, what a beautiful dress! Maybe Addy and her mother are making cookies to raise funds for the abolition cause. She is a brave little girl.
HI Dorothy,
Wow… now I have 3 storylines I can decide from… Thanks Dorothy,
Blessings, Jeanne
That is a darling little doll. Thanks for sending the pictures of her. The new Addy dress is wonderful. Thanks for the sewing tips.
Speaking of quilts, there is a yearly show held at Ontario, California, that is wonderful. My favorite was a wall hanging of people looking at the quilts with the quilts done in miniature, an amazing accomplishment. Another was a quilt made by a lady who was 98 years ol. I think it is a traveling show under different names depending upon where it is staged, but I’m not sure. Here’s the link to their website with a wonderful overview of the venue. They have all kinds of fabrics and equipment for quilters for sale and fabric booths by vendors. I went once several years ago. Here’s a link to their website: http://www.road2ca.com/show-info.html I may have to go again this year but hold onto my wallet as I have too much fabric-in-waiting already.
HI Susette,
I’m glad you learned something from one of my posts…that’s always been on of my aims.
I used to go to the Paducah KY Quilt show every year with a group of ladies. We had the best time and I LOVED the miniature quilts (always displayed under glass) and LOVED the vendor booths too! They always showcased the latest fabrics, sewing gadgets, notions, etc. I loved looking at all those things… One time I even bought a 10 foot roll of tear away stabilizer for $3.00 because it was bent in the middle…It was 54″ wide so I had a treasure that lasted me for a couple of years.
The picture on the home page looked just like the Quilt show in Paducah… so much fun and so many memories!!!
I know what you mean about spending too much… it was always so hard to resist patterns and new gadgets and books! :o)
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne.. it’s fabulous!.. and your photos are much richer with the camera!
Best wishes for you and Addy with the auction:)
Thank you Shara,
I really like Addy’s dress too and hope to get her hair “thingy” finished this evening. We have been helping a friend with their house…a few projects that needed to be done…
I was hoping to get it listed on Ebay tonight, but that didn’t happen… maybe tomorrow night!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
I had a wish that you had some ribbon the right color. That added touch is perfect. Sweet pantalettes too. The photos really showcase the fabric and the soft yellow accents. I hope Addy doesn’t eat all of the cookies before the bake sale or whatever benevolent cause she is supporting.
Hi Joy,
It’s a good thing those cookies are fake…or Addy would have an empty basket! :o)
I thought my pictures before looked okay… a little bland, but okay… But when I saw the difference, I was shocked and embarrassed that I had shown them the way they were… No more pictures without lights!
Thanks Joy,
Hopefully tomorrow night it will be on Ebay…
Blessings, Jeanne
Dorothy has a great idea — I think you now have 3 possible story lines. Maybe another Civil War dress is what you need to make next to use up another story line.
I thought this fabric was darker — closer to navy — but it’s sort of a warm French blue? These pictures make all the difference. I agree with Linda that I thought the lace was ecru, but it’s butter yellow? I think I’m ok on the pink, which has always looked pink. I know I suggested a blue bow, but this blue is much nicer that what I pictured, and I didn’t realize that it would emphasize the collar so nicely. Like Linda, I think I’ll pass on the cookie recipe.
HI Marilyn,
I DO have 3 story lines now! Yay… but I already know which one I’m using… :o)
I think I could just sew Civil War dresses all the time and be happy with it. I actually made out a list of the dolls I have now and was mixing them up with an AG doll every other time I made something… and when I got to Addy… I thought… Oh no… I only get to make a Civil War dress every 13th time? She was the only one I thought like that… I guess I must love Civil War dresses the best! I’m pretty sure I already knew that!
Yes, the lace around the hem of the dress is a pale yellow, and I guess because I knew it was yellow, I saw it as yellow, but it wasn’t until I saw the new pictures, that I realized how white it looked to everyone.
The ribbon is like a French blue and it is a perfect match.. I couldn’t have gone to town and found anything better… that was a nice surprise!
Aww… come on… nobody wants the cookie recipe… (Take a piece of taupe Ultrasuede and cut out 3/4″ round cookies! See how simple that is?)
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Unbelievable that you found exactly the right color ribbon. I’m always lamenting to hubby that in spite of all the gazzillions of ribbons and trim I have in what seems to me every shape or color, I never seem to have exactly what I’m looking for, especially when it comes to width of ribbon. The “bow” added a lot to the top of dress. It made a lovely dress lovelier. Cute little basket. I’ll pass on the cookie recipe this time.
HI Barbara,
I know what you mean about having gazillions of ribbons and trims too but fortunately this time I had exactly what I needed. I do have a large inventory of most things I use, but I do need to get things a little more streamlined to help the search!
Thanks for your sweet compliments on Addy’s dress. I’m liking it very much too!
Blessings, Jeanne
That’s adorable! And, the camera and lighting did make quite a difference. I love the embroidered edge on the pantaloons. They’re really cute.
Thank you Carolyn,
I couldn’t believe the difference in the before and after pics either.. it just seems so much richer than when I used my phone … I need to work on the settings probably because it’s supposed to be one of the best cameras on a phone.
Thanks Carolyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
I know you still have finishing touches, but one thing to think about is the background. The pale gray is neutral, but doesn’t add anything to the dress or the story. I’ve always thought the reason I lucked out on Victorian Elegance was that the photo wasn’t eye-catching. The dress, on the other hand, is stunning and one of the prettiest in my doll closet, and I have some nice ones, as you know.
For some reason, no one seems to want Addy’s cookie recipe. I wanted to add some chocolate chips, but
Chocolate chips were created with the invention of chocolate chip cookies in 1937 when Ruth Graves Wakefield of the Toll House Inn in the town of Whitman, Massachusetts added cut-up chunks of a semi-sweet NestlĂ© chocolate bar to a cookie recipe.[1][2] (The NestlĂ© brand Toll House cookies is named for the inn.) The cookies were a huge success, and Wakefield reached an agreement in 1939 with NestlĂ© to add her recipe to the chocolate bar’s packaging in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate. Initially, NestlĂ© included a small chopping tool with the chocolate bars. In 1941, NestlĂ© and at least one of its competitors started selling the chocolate in “chip” (or “morsel”) form.
I guess we’ll have to live with molasses cookies.
HI Marilyn,
I need to take a look at my background… It’s actually a pale gray doe suede fabric and it works well because the lights don’t reflect on it, but I have been looking for a very pale blue to use… Maybe it’s time for a change. I might try something new…thanks…
Interesting story about Chocolate chips… I didn’t know that… It’s funny as I was just now reading your comments, I heard a commercial about real chocolate chips being in Lara Bars… it seemed funny to me to be on just as I was reading this…
Okay…molasses cookies they are!!
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
What lovely photos you got with your lights on. It really does make a world of difference. Addy looks so pretty. Love the pantalettes and the neck tie looks perfect. I also thought the blue on the dress was a darker blue. Everything looks lovely.
Color me happy, I have a brand new living room with the first round of drywall goop on ? they are coming back tomorrow for a second coat and hopefully Friday they’ll finish up… yeah!
Hugs
Ingrid
HI Ingrid,
I can’t believe how different the dress looks from the first pictures. I think the lights were a BIG improvement… Thanks for your compliments!
BIG congrats to you on getting new drywall up… WOW… a new living room! Do you know what color you are going to paint it or have it painted? There are SO many choices to pick from!
Thanks too, for the “brown” sweater… I LOVE wearing it and find it’s my new go-to item to grab! I love how warm it is and it’s certainly no “homeless” sweater! :o) Thank you again!
Blessings, Jeanne