Quick Reminder: My 12 piece set for the the 13″ Dianna Effner Little Darling dolls ends Monday evening (tonight) on Ebay. You can see the listing by clicking on the picture at the right side bar or you can click HERE.
You surely know by now how much I love to make Civil War dresses…if you didn’t…I DO!! I love the styles of the 1860’s and when I find a fabric that I think will work, and then I find the perfect lace trim…in my stash; no less, and then I discover I have the perfect number of little black micro buttons and a miniature cameo, you know a Civil War dress has to follow!
I made quite a bit of headway on this but when I tried it on Eden…I thought she’d be a pretty Civil War beauty this time…I discovered this dress wasn’t going to fit the chubbier bodied dolls.
Eden has a 10 1/2″ waist and it “just” fits her…
So I tried it on Caroline…she has a 10 1/2″ waist too..it would work for her.
Then I tried it on my new Kirsten doll, but she has an 11 1/2″ waist and the back of the bodice doesn’t meet at the bottom.
I could probably make it work if it were just the bodice, but there will be a skirt waistband underneath the bottom of the bodice and if I plan on using a crinoline, it just won’t work…so I’m debating if I shouldn’t add a little extension on the back of the bodice.
Looks like I’ll have to make a decision soon…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’m loving what you have so far, Jeanne, the tiny buttons, the pretty cameo pin with ribbon, the lace! You certainly must have had this in mind, or it came to you pretty quickly! I’m wondering if the skirt will have any trim or be just the skirt. What you have so far is just wonderful!
by the way, Eden’s undies are so pretty and different, are they something you made?
I find that just because a doll is “newer”, she doesn’t necessarily have a slim body. I have what you might call “newer” dolls, and the waist on them varies quite a bit. My Cecil has the smallest waist, but my Susan has been eating too many cookies! There are some outfits she just cannot wear! If nothing else, you might want to add on your listing, how big the waistline is so people can check their dolls, or maybe make it somewhat adjustable for various sizes.
We are expecting rain today, so maybe you can make a good headway on what is going to be a beautiful outfit!
Hi Linda,
I guess it’s just you and me today! :o)
I’m working on the top right now…I added an extension so any doll can wear it…it’s much better and I’m sure “more comfortable!”
Eden’s panties were made by Sherry…a lady who used to read my blog, but her husband emailed me that she has passed away… :o(
They are really sweet…she sent me 2 pair…
Boy, we got the rain today too! It absolutely poured when I was in town. I got drenched getting my groceries to the car…
Well. back to sewing!!!
Blessings, Jeanne
Looking extremely beautiful, Jeanne….an extension sounds like a sound solution.
Blessings.
Oh, hello Becky,
My phone didn’t show any comments but Linda’s, until I commented on hers, and now I see others.
I am adding that extension to the back… it works out better and it should be more versatile for most any doll
Thanks Becky,
Blessings, Jeanne
So pretty Jeanne. I love the print with the white material and buttons on the bands on her sleeves and the panel down the center of the bodice. So crisp looking. The pin with the gingham ribbon is spot on!
Linda may need to hide the cookie jar from Susan! Lol.
I got myself another AMG doll. I don’t know how that happened but apparently I lost my mind for a moment and ordered her. So, now I have Luciana Vega. She is s beautiful doll. Her purple streak of hair makes her a modern girl or the streak can be hidden easily and she becomes a girl for my 50’s group. I love her simple hair style. Since she is the 2018 Girl of the Year, I was surprised AMG still sold her. She has ordinary underwear, not part of her body and her facial paint is very nice. I’m happy with her. First thing I did was put her in a 50’s dress. She looks adorable in it.
Hi Paula,
I’m glad you like the new Civil War dress so far…I’m loving it too… I really like this idea I had for putting the little buttons down that placket. I woke up one morning and had that idea…
Oh Paula, you’ll have to send me a picture of your new doll, Luciana. I’m going to have to look her up again…is she the astronaut girl?
I’m glad she’ll work as a new 50’s girl.
Thanks Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wondering how the dress fits Elizabeth? She is such a great model. I think adding some cookie room in the back would be a great idea. Then the dress would be available to the many sized AG dollies.
Looks like it will be cooler today after our heatwave. No fog yet here in northern CA, but you can feel the ocean influence this morning.
We’ve been trying to decide on a new bed. What a dilemma this has been. Not like the old days when you went to a store and tried one. Now you order online and it arrives in a box. We want a 100% natural organic latex with no off gassing. You would think this is a simple feat, but no it is not. Many choices that sneak in petroleum based latex or have some other aspect we did not like. So many weeks later, I think we have finally decided on something. We’ll see if it works out. Has anyone else bought a bed lately? Any recommendations?
Forgot. Mae has claimed the slip. She loves to dress up. 🙂
Hi Joy,
Well, I took your advice and tried the top on Elizabeth…and she looked wonderful in it with her blue eyes sparkling!!
There is “cookie” room I the back of the dress now…much nicer for all the dolls.
I hope you find the right bed…it’s a really big decision…and one that sometimes you can’t take back… I’ve heard great things about those all latex ones and read about that gassing issue with some of them…
Happy bed shopping!!!
Blessings, Jeanne
Like Linda, I’m wondering about Eden’s cute underpants. The dress will be gorgeous whatever you decide! I have some of those cameo buttons. They are perfect for the civil war era. I have a dress pattern for that era. I should look through my stash and see what else I have that would work.
The difference in body sizes between soft body dolls still throws my sewing off. I made a dress using my chubbiest as a fit model. It needed an extension to close. The next doll that wore it would have easily fit in it without the extension.
Hi Julia,
Eden’s panties were sent to me by one of my readers… I have 2 pair of them and they are aadorable. You’ll have to let us know if you find anything in your stash that will work for a Civil War dress.
My extension is finished and it works very well on all my dolls!! Yay!!
Thanks Julia,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
Cute dress! I agree with the comment to leave the extension out and make it fit the smaller waist doll, and just put the waist size in your description. Adjust the pattern to fit the bigger waist doll for next time. I found that adjusting the pattern is much easier than adjusting the dress later on.
Hi Marla,
Well, sorry…I added an extension, but it still fits the smaller dolls as well as the chubbier ones. It appears much more comfortable only girls now! They like it!!
Thanks Marla,
Blessings, Jeanne
The start of it looks very pretty, and I have to agree with the “no extension” group. An extension will effect the entire back of the dress and even the front, with the way it will then fit and also the way it will lay. Enlarge the pattern correctly the next time to fit both sizes of dolls. You can’t trust a pattern you haven’t worked with before and anytime I do that I’ll do a muslin of just the bodice pieces to make sure it fits who I want it to fit. It takes 5 minutes and saves all the aggravation. : ) Love and hugs, Ali
Hi Ali,
Well, as I told Marla, the extension has been added but it works very well on all my girls now. I’ll show you tomorrow!
I have made this one before, but I decided to skip the princess lines of the bodice and just lay the pattern pieces on top of each other when I cut it out. I didn’t want to mess up my pretty squares with a curved seam in the front and back. Apparently, I didn’t leave enough of a seam allowance on the sides and the back.
Thanks Ali,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, it wasn’t THAT far off, so hopefully, you’ll be able to compensate down the line. I just hate when ‘in theory’ something should work…and then it doesn’t. LOL. The trials of a seamstress. Your work is always beautiful and I’m sure this will be, too!! Love and hugs, Ali
Dear Jeanne, well it seems to me that you will have to purchase a slim waist doll to model your outfit (laugh).
You can purchase a Gotz Happy Kidz, a Kidz N Cats, a Key To My Heart, or a Magic Attic, if you don’t already have one of these. They are all 18 inch dolls with hard bodies (not stuffed) and slim waists.
They can wear American Girl clothing. I have found that they can wear the American Girl outfits, that I purchased from the outlet, better than the stuffed waist dolls can. The exception is that sometimes the shoulders are too wide. American Girl dolls have slightly broader shoulders.
Can you believe that August 1 will be on Thursday? Noooooo! I want May back (chuckle).
Hi Dorothy,
Oh no you don’t!!!! No slim bodies dolls for me… 2 of my AG girls are pretty skinny in the waist and will be my guinea pigs!! :o)
It’s too bad we can’t have all the dolls we want, isn’t it? Oh well, I’m content with what I have…
I really can’t believe it’s already August…(almost) and I’d like to have May back too!!!
Thanks Dorothy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne,
I didn’t realize there would be that much difference in their waist sizes. Wonder if you could figure out how men’s and boys pants that have adjustments for waist sizes work and you could do that from the side seam to side seam in the back?
The way you have the trim applied is one clever design. It’s perfect with that fabric too!
Last week at the UFDC Convention was dolly heaven. A couple of my entries won ribbons and I won several dolls! One was that Princess Diana where she is in a long straight white evening gown with a matching jacket all with sewn on pearls. It’s always been my favorite of all the princess Di dolls we have all seen inmagazines over the years. I just hope the trip home in the suitcase didn’t hurt her.
My trusty phone that I’ve had forever decided to slowly die over the week so didn’t get very many pictures😟 but will send you a few.
Have a good week.
Kathie, I am so happy that you had a great time at UFDC. Some of the women from my local club went and had a blast. They will make a Powerpoint presentation at our August meeting. I can’t wait to see it.
Congratulations to your dollies for winning ribbons. And congratulations to you for winning dolls. That makes the convention even more special.
Hi Kathie,
I know what you mean about men’s pants and that “sort of sliding” elastic waistband… but I didn’t have to go quite that far with my fix…
I’m so glad you had a great time at the Doll Convention…if I ever get to go, I’ll ask you for some pointers on what to expect!!
Can’t wait to see your new dolls and maybe what you made that won!!
Thanks Kathie,
Blessings, Jeanne
I love the dress so far. The fabric is great and the lace and buttons are terrific. I love the neckline embellishment. Can’t wait to see the outcome.
The lovely red slip arrived today and since then Gracie has been going through the dress pattern box and checking out the things in my fancy fabric stash. She’s making sure her Christmas dress this year is more than just a figment of my imagination.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for your compliments on my new dress… I’m working on it this evening. More pics to come tomorrow. :o)
I’m glad Gracie likes her new red slip and I hope she finds the perfect pattern and fabric for her Christmas dress.
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne