It sure doesn’t seem like I have much to show you since yesterday, but it’s the stuff that takes time that always seems to never show…the handwork! :o)
I was going to use this post as a tutorial and show you how I put the cuffs on Addy’s dress, but the colors in the fabric were fighting me when I took pictures, so I decided I’ll have to show you how it’s done when I make something in a solid or smaller print fabric sometime. I can tell you that this way of adding a cuff definitely takes the longest, but it’s the correct way…
You can put the cuff on without any snaps and just make it big enough to slide over the dolls hand… I think Linda mentioned that American Girl was doing this now… It’s the quickest and easiest way to do it…
Another way is the make the opening where the seam is and I do use this way much of the time.
But this way has about a 1″ slit cut in the back section of the sleeve and you make a little placket that gets stitched down in a way that’s kind of like a vent. I’ll show it in a few of my pictures, but will wait to show you again how it’s done sometime.
I also decided to redo the back of Addy’s skirt…it just seemed too bunchy to me and I wanted it to be smoother when her bodice went over the waistband. That’s why the yellow trim on her skirt looks a little wonky…I have it pinned in the back so it’s not exactly sitting on her waist right…and she doesn’t have a crinoline or a fluffy petticoat on either.
My lighting isn’t great so the fabric isn’t as pretty in my pictures as it is in person. My hubby came in my sewing room this evening to see what I was working on… He said, “Hey, that’s the fabric you bought at Sandi’s, isn’t it?” I told him yes, and he said, “I think I found that one didn’t I?” And I think he was right… he did find it! :o) Then he said how differently it looked being made into a dress instead of just a piece of fabric laying flat! I took that as a compliment! :o)
I also had to add a small piece to the back of Addy’s bodice to make it a little longer… being the dark and busy print that it is, it’s not very noticeable… I might make it scoop down in the back or come to a point… I haven’t decided yet, but I have about an inch of fabric to work with.
Here’s one last look… still lots to do, but it’s coming along…
I hope your Saturday is a good one! See you Monday!
Blessings, Jeanne
The dress is coming along very nicely, Jeanne! Thank goodness for busy prints that hide the little adjustments we have to make sometimes!
Yes, your way of doing the sleeve opening is the correct one (although I do sometimes use the sleeve seam for the vent above the cuff, too, depending on the fabric). The cuffs look really nice.
My dollies are about to mutiny, because I haven’t made anything for any of them in quite a while! I did explain about Christmas sewing, and now we have birthdays coming up (8 or 9 family birthdays between 1/13 and 2/9!), plus Expo sewing (of course, I Have to make something new to wear to sewing expo!!)…but soon!!
Yes, Charlotte,
Thank goodness for busy prints to hide imperfections in little things that we have to change up. :o)
The dolls think they come first but I’d make something new for myself if I were going to Expo too! Hope you get it done!!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I wrote earlier, but think that I forgot to post it! Talk about getting forgetful!
Yes, the pattern on the material is a bit hard to show how you do things, so I will be watching for when you do it with plain material. What I can make out though, is very nice, and I am wondering if you use Velcro on the sleeves or not. Knowing you, though, I think it might be snaps!
Everything is turning out very nicely, and I can’t wait to see those tiny yellow buttons dance up and down the bodice!
It looks like a nice day here, at least for me, so we will be outside taking down Christmas lights and decorations. This coming week, the inside!
Hi Linda,
Sorry you had to redo your comments but I know a thing or 2 about the forgetfulness part too! I used snaps on the cuffs and not Velcro, but I did use Velcro on the skirt just so I could accommodate for different sizes in the dolls waists.
I can’t wait to see those little yellow buttons down the front either…
It’s 60 degrees here today and we’re loving it…
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
I got your email this morning, and it said it was for 1/5 but the body of the mail was for yesterday, and nothing I tried would let me into today’s blog. I contacted a friend who sent me the connection for this, so I here I am. This happened a few days ago too, but I didn’t realize I was reading the wrong day’s blog and tried to comment, but when I posted, my entry disappeared. You can’t post to an old blog entry.
I’m mentioning this because the same thing might happen to other people. If your comment doesn’t appear, it may be that your link is to the previous day. I didn’t think to check the date, but in the future, when my comment disappears, I will.
I did want to see what was happening to Addy’s dress. I can’t believe that you are putting the cuffs on in the way you would for a human sized blouse. This is wonderful. I was thinking about the velcro, because we do see that, but I’m wondering if snaps would be nearly as easy (as well as nicer) than trying to work with tiny squares of velcro. I suppose you are doing the sleeves in the time-consuming, detailed way because you want your cute yellow buttons to show to advantage. Does anyone else love buttons as much as you do?
Speaking of the love of things, I love the house pictures above the table in yesterday’s post. I want all of them.
Hi Marilyn,
I am still so sorry you ate having trouble with getting my posts. I was looking last night for some help with Mailchimp…ugh!
Actually you can post to an old post…I get comments from people all the time. Hmmm…another glitch for you…
I left buttons off the cuffs, just snaps, because I barely have enough buttons to go down each side. I’m going to have to stitch them on over my table as in can’t afford to lose a single one…
Thanks for liking my house pictures…I like them too…that middle one is Anne Hathaways cottage…Cindy found it for me…
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, would you look at the lovely finishing on the inside of that dress. Perfection. I like how nicely you added in that back piece too. And I think I used to make human cuffs/sleeves that way sometimes. Addy is going to be one happy model.
It’s a rainy Saturday here with thunder/lightning perhaps and high winds. You just don’t know anymore what to expect with the changing climate. But, we have heat and are enjoying it. 🙂
Hi Joy,
Sorry for the delay on getting to the rest of the comments…we were helping a friend, George’s old boss at the Unversity, who now lives in Wyoming. They are trying to sell their house here and we are helping them long distance! They were trying to figure out what to do with their flooring. I sent her my blog post on what we did…she was impressed so we went to Karpet Korner to get some estimates for them…we are just now getting back home…long but beautiful day…
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Another lovely dress for Addy. I do the sleeves the same way after following the pattern and not liking the results too much with using the side seam for the opening.
Thanks for checking on the price of the doll-size chaise in the antique store. Turns out I sure would have gotten out of the store without it, beautiful though it is. There is an old-fashioned coffee table in my family that is exactly like the one behind the chaise. The top is a tray that can be lifted off. I don’t have it as it doesn’t go with any of my furnishings. Your decorating is looking like Cindy did it (consider it the ultimate compliment).
Hi Susette,
I bet that little fainting couch is still at the antique shop…and probably will be for quite some time!
I’ll have to look back at the picture to see what your coffee table looks like.
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
That’s great that George helps out picking fabric for your sewing. Well, he certainly picked a pretty one. Addy looks pleased as punch standing there modeling the lovely dress. I’m trying to decide what special occasion she would be attending.
I wasn’t aware that AG is making dresses without velcro on the sleeves. Wow, that is certainly a cheap way of doing things. I realize velcro is easiest for little girls, but I was impressed when I bought Kit’s first birthday dress (the light green floral with the green piping) that it fastened with clear snaps. The way you make the sleeves and I’m sure they will fasten with snaps is what sets your work apart from the other seamstresses. I’m looking forward to seeing what accessories Addy will have as well.
Your mantel decorations look really nice. I, too, would enjoy your deer a bit longer. I like those light up deer for the yard that were out a few years ago. There’s a farm on the way to church that had a few of them in their front yard and blue lights on the ground to resemble water. It was very pretty. I took down the few Christmas things in and outside as well. I strung my strand of clear blue, clear, and frosted white bulbs on the porch tree and have blue lights in the window… now I just need some paper snowflakes. January is usually so dull, it’s nice to have some sort of lights still up.
Oh, decorating for January! What a great idea. 🙂
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your compliments on Addy’s newest dress…I’m liking it very much, like she is…
I’ve been trying to decide what I’ll use for accessories too…something fun I hope…
We are driving through town right now as nd there are still lots of lights up… you aren’t alone!
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne Lovely dress. The colors are really beautiful and it looks lovely on Addy. Can’t wait to ee the finished product with all her accessories and the yellow boots. The pictures of your house look nice and I love your new end table. I was looking back over your last posts and loved the one about blessings and trusting the Lord. I totally agree and love how you said it all. Truly beautiful sentiments. God bless! Carole
Thank you Carole,
I’ve got to get my lighting figured out for Addy’s dress before I list it on Ebay. It’s much prettier in person than it looks in my pictures.
Thank you for your kind comments Carole… The Lord truly has been so kind to us this past year especially!
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne