Let’s start with the “something small” I changed on Nora’s dress. You’ll probably laugh… but the button brooch looked like this the last time we met…
It looked okay, I guess, and you all did seem to like it, but the more I looked at it, the more it seemed to just be floating there…a little bit too low to suit me, so I moved it up…almost halfway on her collar AND I added a little color… just a little bit… to make it more interesting…
I used some silk ribbon I had in my stash, and it was the perfect color I needed to pick up the color of the bigger flower in the fabric print.
I guess I can show you the dress now…
The snaps are all sewn on the back and finished off neatly…
So, do you like it so far?
I had to laugh at Julia’s comment yesterday, thinking my “something pretty” I was going to share was a glassed front doll cabinet. Oh, how I wish, but it was something more simple…something for Nora…something to complete her pretty dress.
Things have been slower on Ebay the last 6 months than they have in all the years I’ve been sewing for my dolls…since 2006. I get it, people aren’t spending money on doll outfits like they used to, so I decided to just make the prominent piece…the dress, and one other piece to go with it, to keep the price down, but still give you something wonderful.
The second piece I decided to make was a bonnet, but I didn’t want a fabric bonnet this time. I wanted a straw one. The trouble was I didn’t have a hat mold, so the search began…what could I use to make a Civil War bonnet? I looked in all my antique dishes, all my bowls, and every kind of glass container I owned… I didn’t seem anything… then I stumbled across a salad bowl that had just a tiny lip on the edge and my mind began to think… would it work? Could it work? Should I try it?
I decided to give it a whirl… I took a grease pencil and drew on the bottom side of my bowl, the sort of design I’d like to follow… and I just started…
I took my double stick tape (the really thin kind) and cut it into about 1/2″ pieces and taped it around the edges I had just drawn on the Corel bowl. Like this…
I took a pin and removed the top layer of the tape, exposing the sticky side…it looked like this…
I used my hat straw and began lining it up along the edges of where I had drawn on the bowl and pressing it into the sticky tape, going along the edges of the lip of the bowl, until I met at the back again…
Then began the second row… using Aleen’s turbo or quick dry tacky glue, put some in a tiny zip lock bag and cut the very tiniest tip off one corner. Just enough so you can get a tiny drop of glue to sit on the edge of the row of hat braid… like this…
…and you just keep going round and round and round…
Since this was the first time I had ever “made” this hat, I wasn’t sure how it would turn out… would my braid meet in the middle and there end up 2 holes that resembled a mask? I wasn’t sure, but I just kept going…
…until my last piece laid across the top and filled in the gap. Whew! It worked! I cut the end of my straw with a 3″ tail that would be tucked under and pulled to the back side, once the hat was taken off the bowl…
They dry almost as fast as you make them so there isn’t much drying time needed. I usually let mine set for 5 or 10 minutes, pressing it to the bowl every once in a while, just to make sure every strand is holding onto some glue and there are no gaps! :o)
The next part seems like you will just rip the hat to pieces as you tug on it to get it pulled off the tape, but I’ve never had one tear apart yet. They can almost turn inside out…
This is the inside of the hat…
After all that I was anxious to see if the hat would fit Nora’s head and look nice with her new dress…
Now I think it was Sissy and a few others who wanted to know how to ruch the straw trim and add it to the hat…
You just pick one of the “strands” on the end of the braid and gently pull it, moving it like you would push gathers back with a basting stitch. Keep the straw taut and gently rub your thumb and first finger over it, sliding the braid down but holding the strand with your right hand. (It’s just like gathering up that skirt fabric we talked about yesterday… gently pull the thread and use your fingers to slide the gathers to the left…)
You have to be gentle with your strand or it can break… mine did, but I had it long enough that I was able to use the strand I had ruched.
You then glue it to the inside edge of your bonnet…
So, do you want to see some pictures of the bonnet finished? I am SO SO thrilled… I’m keeping that bowl in my sewing room and will be using it again… :o)
The color of this dress is a hard color to describe…I think I’m going to call it dusty rose. It’s not a pink and not a mauve either. Anyway, I CANNOT believe I had a few flowers that matched it wonderfully! I had 2 paper dark burgundy roses and those little silk flowers were almost an exact match. I couldn’t have found anything better if I had tried!
I haven’t cut my cream rayon ribbon that ties under her chin into yet… It’s just looped from one side to the other and tied in a bow…
So that’s how I made a bonnet from a salad bowl! I hope you love it! :o) It’s amazing what this pandemic has taught me…look for ways to be creative and you can be! No need to spend money on a hat mold when you have a salad bowl! :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, I agree–adding the silk ribbon and moving the brooch up a bit made a Huge improvement!
And I do love the hat you made. I think I really need to order some of that stuff and try hat making–one of these days! It looks like a lot of fun (and, after, 325 hobbies just aren’t enough! LOL)
The whole outfit has come together beautifully, and has a really polished look.
I have to say, though, I think I might still have gone for a solid color collar band/cuffs. (My 4-H training–we were not to mix prints. Period! I kind of “got over it” when I was doing a lot of quilting, but…..not so much for garments. That’s just me, though.)
Charlotte I forgot to tell you yesterday that I hope your hubby is okay. Maybe it’s just some stress from all that’s going on. I usually don’t have a problem with stress but this all has gotten to me more than I’d like.
Hi Charlotte,
I think I beat you… I’m sure I must have 326 hobbies!! :o)
I’ve always been a mix and match kind of seamstress so I’ll probably always go for a coordinating print instead of a solid…just me…
:o)
Thanks so much Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Beautiful, Jeanne, and I too, think that was very clever to move the brooch up and have the added ribbon. It looks much more connected to the dress. Nothing seems to escape you!
Oh, the hat! I had a hat something like that for Easter when I was little. It was more of a “half hat”, was natural straw colored and had sugared cherries and leaves on it. I loved that hat to pieces! what I am wondering is, if you use double sided tape to stick onto the bowl, isn’t that hard to take the hat off?
Aren’t you glad that now you have a stash of various fabrics and adornments? It is certainly getting harder now to run out and get anything. Even online is getting harder to get what you want , and you really don’t know the quality or colors until you get it.
All in all, I love the way the whole outfit came together, and really, nothing more is needed to make it special, …it is special enough in itself!
Hi Linda,
I’m glad you like everything about Nora’s dress set…including her new bonnet!
It called a double sided tape, but it’s not the kind that is white and about 1/8″ thick…it’s very thin, almost like scotch tape that you’d find on a roll.
The straw doesn’t stick to the hat, but stays on the bowl, until you rub it with your finger and then it runs off. The hat just peels off the bowl with just a little bit of careful lifting.
Thanks so much Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, you outdid yourself this time, Jeanne! That was fascinating and I learned a lot!! Thank you so much for sharing your creativity!
Hugs,
Sissy
Hi Sissy
I’m glad you enjoyed today’s post and learned something too! Thank you so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
This is one of my favorites of your beautiful outfits. It makes Nora look like the most appealing AG ever. The bow under the brooch does indeed make ALL the difference in bringing the dress and brooch together. The hat accessorizes the dress perfectly. I’m glad to hear that you are already planning to make more.
Hi Marilyn,
I’m glad you like the dress and bonnet to call it one of your favorites!! I trying to decide if I’m going to do an auction on Ebay, on my blog or just sell it outright on my blog to one of my readers…hmmmm….
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
It’s all so lovely, Jeanne. No matter what you do/make, it always turns out beautifully-at least what you show us. The dusty rose colors, the ribbon behind the brooch, your amazing ruched hat……such a pleasure to the eyes to see it all on Nora. It’s another stunning star in your portfolio of doll outfits.
Blessings.
Awww..thank you so much Becky,
I enjoyed making this one and Nora certainly has enjoyed showing it off.
Thank you for your sweet compliments,
Blessings, Jeanne
I love your bonnet! I make straw hats/bonnets too. I get my braid from straw hats I find at the thrift stores, and then rip them apart! They usually come apart quite easily, once you start unpicking a few stitches with a seam ripper. You can get yards and yards and yards of braid from just one hat, and I never pay more than $5 for one! I’ve made my molds from previously purchased doll hats (the cheap straw kind that are available in the craft stores–I alter them by cutting off certain portions and adding brims made of cardboard. Then I cover the whole thing in duct tape to make it sturdy. But I think I’m going to try your method, as well! All of my “molds” are for smaller dolls…I’d really like to try one for a larger head, like an American Girl. You have inspired me to hunting through my kitchen cabinets today for the perfect bowl!
Hi Angela,
I have taken apart a few straw hats from the thrift shop too!!
I hope you found a few things around your house to use for new dolly hats.
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Nora’s dress is lovely and with the improved pin and sweet bonnet, she is ready to face the challenges of shopping during the Civil War. I’m sure she’ll return with her basket full of fresh produce to make a delightful dinner for her family.
Pulled blackberry in the yard again yesterday, so can hardly move today. I need to get moving on the sew along, only have one ruffle cut and pieced and ready to sew, but want to add pockets before that. I’m going with 2.5 for the ruffle length. Thanks Jeanne.
Hi Joy,
I guess it’s time to think of a name and a storyline for this dress…maybe I do need to add an accessory…making it 3 pieces…
I hope you aren’t sore for too long…don’t want it to get in the way of your sew along!!
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Nora’s dress is so sweet. The color of the material is a lovely summer choice.
I like how you accented her brooch too. It lifts the brooch up to be more accented.
Her bonnet is adorable. Glad you found the perfect bowl for making it. Creativity!! The flowers are really a pretty accent for it.
Wonder what Nora’s story will be In her new outfit?
Thank you Paula,
I’m glad you like it all!! Now about that name for it… I do need to come up with something, I guess….snd that storyline…
Thank you for your kind words..
Blessings, Jeanne
I just love that fabric. There’s just something about it. And I love the position of the brooch and what you did with it. The ribbon is perfect. And the hat and it’s embellishments is lovely. I think I would have to do a few straw hats myself to get the perspective in my mind. I can’t look at the bowl and see how it could be a hat like you do. Or when you used the mold you have and altered the way the hat would ultimately look. There is definitely no substitute for doing something. It’s kind of like driving somewhere versus being driven. I still haven’t started on Betsy and Taylor Jane’s boater hats yet. Their dresses are finally finished but I need to pull out my plastic canvas supplies to see if I have some circles. They are done with plastic canvas and raffia yarn. You can use other types of yarn or ribbon, but the first I saw them they were done with raffia and there are lots of pretty colors. They will be ready for next Easter – hopefully.
Hi Barbara,
Thank you do much for your kind compliments… it really is a pretty dress and Nora does look nice in this color.
As far as the hats go, you just have to think outside the box and just look for things that mimic the shape of your dolls head. It gets easier the more you do.
Thanks Barbara,
Blessings, Jeanne
“Necessity is the mother of invention.” You have invented a couple things just for the bonnet. Making a tiny glue applicator will be useful in lots of crafts. I think I’ll be using that idea. Thanks for sharing, Jeanne. Did you add color to the button brooch itself besides putting the ribbon behind it? The rows of colored dots make me think of the selvage on some fabrics that have dots. One dot for each color used in the print. I took clothing construction in 4-H but I don’t remember anything about not mixing patterns. I like doing that!
Hi Julia,
I’m glad you found a few things in this post you might find helpful in your crafting!!
No, my button was just as it is…I found it in my stash…actually I just realized I called it a button, but it isn’t a button, but just a charm…something I found at Hobby Lobby.
I like mixing prints like you!!
Thanks Julia,
Blessings, Jeanne
Hi Jeanne, I saw that my comment was missing, but thought it was because I added a link. When I add a link it always says “your comment is waiting moderation”
The measurements I posted yesterday for Sophie were as follows My Felicity and Samantha, both PC German made dolls , have 12 1/2 inch waists (probably from all the tarts and petit fours they eat!). Caroline is much slimmer, with a 11 1/2 – 11 5/8 waist. MG and Nellie have around 12 inches. That does make sense though as the newer AG clothes is cut very skimpy. I bought one of the BF dresses and it didn’t even fit Caroline. I returned it.
I had post this link to the free AG patterns for Sophie, maybe since you know her email you can get my response to her.
http://www.agplaythings.com/AG%20Patterns/DollDressPatterns.html
Nora’s dress is just lovely. I agree with you that just the two pieces is complete enough and might make for a better, faster sale. You certainly have a well stocked sewing room to find a perfect color of ribbon for the brooch and embellishments for the bonnet.
Love, love, love the bonnet. Where do you buy the hat straw, please? Etsy or a doll site?
I have a similar looking salad bowl and would love to give this a try. Sadly. I think ebay in general is slow. I have a few things (not doll stuff) in my watchlist, purely for ideas or someday wishes , and have been sent multiple special offer prices. I have also noticed that a number of the early PC historical sets don’t even come up anymore for sale, or if they do, the price is unreal. So very glad I finished all that five years ago.
H Laura,
I’m so sorry I accidentally deleted your post yesterday that had your measurements listed. I will make sure Sophie sees the information…
My hat straw comes from Etsy but you can find it at PNB dolls too. It’s called Paglina…
It’s about 1/4″ wide. If you google Paglina, you can find it from a few other places as well.
Thank you Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Bravo, Jeanne! I LOVE your creativity in creating such a darling hat! The whole outfit is Picture Perfect!
Thank you Shara,
I haven’t looked on facebook in quite a while…have you gotten all settled in your new place? Get your dolls unpacked?
Thank you for your sweet words,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne love seeing your beautiful straw hats! You have inspired me to make some straw hats again for my BJD dolls. I bought straw and molds back in 2009 and had it stored in a box. I purchased from pnbdoll.com. I think their prices are very reasonable. In reading some info I had saved in the box I saw you can reshape the hat if desired by ironing it. I had one in the box I made and didn’t like the shape. It was flat on top and the brim turned up. I spritzed water on it and pressed the brim down between a pressing cloth. I reformed the top of the hat into a curve by spritzing it with water and putting it on the end of my pressing ham to push it out. Worked perfectly! You can also spray paint the hats or paint them with acrylics. I’m going to try that on some. Question: did you use a different straw for the trim? Your straw looks the same as mine but mine has the pull string on the edge of the braid. Also what width is your straw? Mine is 1/4″. Thanks bunches for your help and God Bless
HI Marsha,
How fun of you to write and tell us all these tidbits about the straw hats. I didn’t know you could reshape them with an iron… I knew you could do a few things but not that!
No, the trim I used on the edge is the same as what I made the hat from.. .Paglina straw about 1/4″ wide. The pull string that makes it curve around corners and in tight spots IS on the edge of the straw…but the way I get the edged trim to ruch or gather up is to pull one of the strings in the middle of the straw… you can get it have a few different looks depending on what piece you pull. The cut end of the straw has lots of little pieces sticking out… I just pick one that feels sturdy and gently pull on it… sometimes it makes a flatter looking edge and sometimes it’s like a scalloped edge. I hope that helps…
Blessings and nice to hear from you…
~ Jeanne
Jeanne thank you so much for that info. I had seen the straw gathered by pulling the string on the edge but not a piece of the middle of the straw. Very helpful info! I have the Paglina Swiss straw braid as well. It is very nice braid. Happy hat making!
God Bless
Marsha
Hi Jeanne,
I love getting your e mails and have learned a lot. I live on the other side of the world in New Zealand. I don’t buy or sell on eBay, by the time I factor in postage and currency conversion the price is prohibitive. I have tried to sell my dolls clothes on our local auction site but people here seem to prefer pay $29NZ which is about $20US for an outfit made in China than something handmade from here. Generally in New Zealand if you have made it yourself at home it has no real value. The outfit I was selling had seven components including hand made boots and I didn’t get a single bid so haven’t bothered since. Fortunately I have 3 young granddaughters who love the clothes I make.
Love Nora’s clothes especially the hat. Keep the posts coming
Anne
HI Anne,
What a bummer for you to have a talent and no one recognizes it. You might just keep trying… If I had given up when my dresses were selling for $27 a piece, I wouldn’t be here today selling what I do! Maybe give it another try. Surely someone in NZ has the brains to recognize nice quality doll clothes!
Thanks for your very kind words… I’m glad you enjoy yourself here!
Blessings, Jeanne
What a beautiful bonnet, and what a smart way to create it! I’m loving this entire outfit and the bonnet will be perfect for it.
Thank you Carolyn,
I’m glad everyone is liking Nora’s new dress and bonnet. It was fun to get back in my sewing room and do some creating!
Thanks again,
Blessings, Jeanne
I’ve been catching up on your blog. This just SO LOVELY!!! Thank you so much for the instructions on making this hat. I think I might have asked in the past how these hats are made, so thank you!!! And this one turned out so lovely. I may have order some of the “straw” also and join the “325 hobby club” LOL!
I’ve been catching up on your blog. This just SO LOVELY!!! Thank you so much for the instructions on making this hat. I think I might have asked in the past how these hats are made, so thank you!!! And this one turned out so lovely. I may have order some of the “straw” also and join the “325 hobby club” LOL! And I might even have that same salad bowl!!!