The last of my dolly School Dresses…and talk of a sew-along!

Today I will show the last of my “school dresses” from the archives.

First up is Kit… I always liked this outfit on her. I used a “crocheted” looking fabric and bound the edges of her jacket. She picked out her book… :o)

This next doll was my 16″ Kish Four Season’s doll… she was the Fall doll…Poor thing… I never gave her a name… just called her Fall.

I “think” this was a school dress… Cecile said it didn’t matter… she hasn’t been seen yet, so “IT’S FOR SCHOOL!” :o)

This jumper for “Julie” could be worn with the buttons in front or back. This was the prettiest featherwale corduroy…

Some of these older pics are pretty dark…sorry…

One of my VERY favorites ever… Eden is showing it off today…

I had almost as much making her school supplies as I did her dress…

Ten Ping had to show you her glasses…

Willa and Nahji are up next in their brown dress and pinafore. The book was surely a “school book!” :o)

Well, it looks like I’ve come to the end of my school dresses! I think I get an A+ for all that sewing! :o)

Tomorrow, I’m going to tell you about a Sew-Along. I’d like you to join me if you want! It’s actually not for a doll’s dress this time, but a little girls dress. I’ll go ahead and give you the pattern number so you can pick it up if you like. Joann’s has their Simplicity patterns on sale beginning the 28th, for $2.99. I know that’s not .99 cents or $1.99, like they sometimes do, but it’s still a huge savings over the original price.

This is the pattern. It might seem too summery for your part of the country, but I believe a little tee or a crew shirt underneath would be cute with it too.

I’m making this for my nephew’s little girl… they have one of these bulldogs and I thought it would be fun for her to wear.

This is my fabric… one is the main dress fabric but I’m going to use a coordinating piece for the facing of the ties on the shoulders. I thought a black and white polka dot worked well with this print…

I’m also going to be adding an applique on the front of mine…

If you want to follow along or just watch, I hope you’ll enjoy it. We probably won’t start until Monday, September the 2nd. I’ll tell you more tomorrow…

Blessings, Jeanne

18 thoughts on “The last of my dolly School Dresses…and talk of a sew-along!”

  1. Charlotte Trayer

    So many cute school fashions to choose from today!

    I love Julie’s jumper–I have always loved wearing jumpers (although at the moment, I don’t have one hanging in my closet), so that has to be one of my favorites.

    Ten Ping’s outfit is, of course, adorable; it’s another favorite.

    Of them all, though, I most love Eden’s outfit! I remember seeing skirts like that in the Sears catalog when I was growing up (probably mid 50s, judging from the flare of the skirt), and, oh, how I WANTED one!!! I thought that high waistband and the straps were just so elegant, and really took that full circle skirt to a whole new level!! Mom never did make me one like that, though. I did make a circle skirt–my first 4-H garment, made when I was 10! Sadly, I don’t seem to have a picture of it, not even a scrap of that fabric, but I can see it in my mind like it was right in front of me now. Pale aqua background, with little dachshunds (darker aqua) going both directions (so it would work for a full-circle, where the fabric mustn’t have an “up” and “down”), and the darker aqua sprigs of grass with tiny, multicolored flowers at the dogs’ feet.

    I love the pattern you chose for the sew-along, Jeanne. I wish Lily was younger again so I could make it for her! But she’s 12, and wears a lady’s medium now, so that won’t do. I might think about the kitty bag, but I have a feeling she’s a bit old for that, too. I’ve so enjoyed sewing for her these past 12 years–it’s made up for all the many years I only had boys to sew for (1 son, 4 nephews, 4 grandsons)!!

    I have just started my very busy week of judging out at the local fair. Today I judged one cooking contest (these are all 4-H, by the way), tomorrow there will be two and Wed. one, all cooking/baking, then Friday there will be one sewing contest and one needlework contest. Phew!

    By the way, I saw Susette’s pictures from yesterday, and really enjoyed them. I did add a couple of comments, too. Thanks for sharing, Susette!

    1. Hi Charlotte,
      Glad you enjoyed the last of the school dresses today.
      I just might agree with you on liking Eden’s dess the most. It really was a favorite of mine at the time and I LOVED how it turned out. I had several people who wanted it but lost out on the bidding… :o(

      My first 4H sewing project was an elastic waist skirt. Not too flattering but I still enjoyed making it. Mine was from a tiny cream and brown floral print.

      Have fun with your upcoming judgings!!
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. I can finally pick favorites from one of your blogs: Kit with the sweater, Ten Ping and Eden in red, black and white and Nahji in brown. I once again find it hard to believe while following the blog for years that I haven’t seen all of your outfits yet! Once again! How did you do it? Which pattern did you use for Kit’s dress. I know I’ve seen it somewhere.

    The Sew-Along sounds great, but like Charlotte, my granddaughter Riya is too old for the dress now. I made her a cute dress when she was in Kindergarten and someone teased her at school that she looked like a farmgirl! That was while they lived in West Virginia, so you know that never got worn again, plus it needed ironing! Oh, my. She didn’t know what I was talking about one time when I mentioned an ironing board!

    I had fun answering the questions and appreciate the comments on Molly and Kit so much. Don’t know how you come up with something every day! Wow! and thanks!

    1. Hi Susette,
      I’m glad every once in a while something new pops up and surprises you!! Nice to hear of your favorites…
      Vogue 7565 was the pattern I used for Kit’s dress with the crocheted looking jacket. It was a pattern from 2002.
      I realized the pattern I plan to use for my Sew-Along is probably too young of a pattern for many of you, but I hope just following along or even just looking at the pictures will motivate and inspire someone to sew or “start” sewing again!!!
      Thank you for answering everyone yesterday!! I know they loved hearing from you!
      Thanks for sharing your girls and your talents from us.
      Blessings, Jeanne

  3. Great outfits. Love all of the patterns used for Kit. The styles would be great on smaller dolls too.
    Your bull dog theme dress idea is so cute. How old is your niece? If she’s older than four, might want to add in a pair of shorts or leggings to wear underneath as it reminds me of Marilyn Monroe standing over the grate in a movie and her dress flying up. Maybe not so good on the monkey bars. It would also be a perfect swimsuit cover up. I wonder what view C might look like in the print with the polka dot on the bottom and a pocket with the bulldog? So many fun ideas with this pattern. How about shrinking it down to dolly size? This would be adorable on several of my girls. 🙂 Guess there will be a run on Joann’s tomorrow. 🙂 Maybe this will spur me to finish the couple of things still sitting there half completed. Looking forward to the sew along.

    1. Hi Joy,
      It’s my nephew’s little girl and she wears a 3T. It might turn chilly one of these days so maybe she can wear some leggings under it with a black turtleneck…
      This would be a good pattern for the smaller dolls…it could even be made reversible very easily!!!
      I might figure out a way to make this for the dolls…

      I hope you are inspired with the Sew Along to get your projects finished.
      Thanks Joy,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  4. Another wonderful fashion show. I love them all but especially like the black and white with red accents on Eden. Willa and Nahji look really cute in the brown dress and Ten Ping looks adorable in her sweet little dress with her glasses. So studious looking. I will enjoy watching the sew along, but, while the pattern would fit my granddaughter, I’ve been instructed that until further notice I’m not to give my grandson and granddaughter any more clothes. They went to visit their slightly older cousins (a boy and a girl) right before school started and came home with bags of clothes that they had outgrown. Their parents clothe them very nicely and some of the things look like they’ve never been worn. With that and the fact that my son and daughter-in-law had just done back-to-school shopping themselves, well the grandkids’ closets are bursting at the seams. So I will just enjoy watching but not participating in this one.

    1. Hi Barbara,
      Thanks for your compliments on your favorite school dresses today…
      I hope you’ll enjoy the Sew Along even without sewing!! Sometimes just watching inspires you to finish something else.
      Maybe I’ll adapt this dress to the dolls and you can use that pattern for making one… :o)
      Thanks Barbara,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  5. I agree that Kit in that crochet-like sweater is beautiful. It sets of her sweet face to perfection
    Elizabeth makes a convincing ’70’s girl . Those bell bottom jeans are adorable.
    I love Eden jumper set as well. Black and white gingham look so crisp for school day s and the little red tabs are a cute touch.
    Love Susette’s display from yesterday. Molly and Kit look like young starlets. Kit’s rhinestone and feather boa are lovely.
    I’ll enjoy watching your sew along. The kitty purse is really cute, would love that in doll size.

    1. Hi Laura,
      Thank you for your kind words about my girls dresses today! I’m a bit partial to anything black and white check too…especially with just a hint of red added!!
      Maybe I’ll have to do a purse sew along sometime!
      Thanks Laura,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  6. All these outfits are super cute. I think Kit looks best in back-to-school dresses. Maybe it’s the era she’s from. I like the doggy fabric you picked for the little girl’s dress, but of course I like anything “dog”. I won’t be joining the sew-along — the style is too young for my granddaughter, but I wish everyone else happy sewing!

    1. Hi Carolyn,
      Of all the AG books I read, Kit’s were my favorite! They inspired me to sew quite a few dresses for her.
      I hope you enjoy the Sew Along from the sidelines!!
      Thank you Carolyn,
      Blessings, Jeanne

    1. Thank you Christal,
      Glad you e joyed the “final” day of school dresses! Time to move on…
      Blessings, Jeanne

  7. Usually people assume anything made with yarn must be knit. In the case of Kit’s sweater, it is! 😁 I’ve been crocheting for many, many years. It’s never had the cachet or popularity of knitting, so I feel compelled to point out crochet whenever and wherever I see it!

    All the back to school dresses are darling. I really wanted a better look at the shoes of the last 3 dolls. I wondered if you made them.

    It’s been so long since I was in a sew-along, I don’t remember how they work. I love the dog fabric! It has some of the dogs l’ve had over the years.

    1. Hi Julia,
      If you are an advanced crocheter… I just might have some questions for you. I know the basics and was trying to teach myself how to make a dolly sweater. I was going great guns and then I hit a row of instructions I just didn’t get…it’s just as it was when I hit that row…

      I did make the brown shoes for Willa and Nahji’s dress. I also made throttle black ones for Ten Pings set
      They were my first pair and I told the winner they weren’t that great. After seeing those in my pictures I was determined to draft a better pattern. I did!! Thanks for noticing!

      I’ll let you know about the Sew-Along tomorrow. If you have any questions about it…just ask.
      Thanks Julia,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  8. Hi,
    Edens black and white check, high waisted jumper is my favorite too. It’s so darn cute on her with her dark coloring.
    What a myriad of colors and designs. Do you have any idea how many dresses you have made over the years? They are all so well coordinated and well made.
    Fall will be here before you know it..this morning the humidity and temps were both down.
    Thanks for all the style shows!

    1. Hi Kathie,
      Thanks for all your compliments
      I should make counting how many dresses I have made a mission of mine…who knows how many it is. If I remember correctly, a few years back it was 859…
      That’s a lot of thread and fabric, isn’t it?
      Thanks Kathie,
      Blessings ,Jeanne

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