PLEASE REMEMBER:
Tonight the little blue dress set I made for the tiny 6″ Twinkles dolls is ending. Bailey, from My Meadow, is NOT included but there are 6 pieces and I picked up a treat today… You can see it on Ebay by clicking the picture at the right side bar or you can click HERE.
You’d never guess I worked for hours on Sara’s dress and this is all I got done… I THOUGHT I had measured around her upper arm and then made her sleeve cuff accordingly… I even tried it on her and pulled it up to her shoulder and it seemed a little tight, but I just thought it was tight because I hadn’t stitched down the seams on the inside…
Well, after I got both sleeves put in and stitched down, I tried it on Sara and it fit, but it was slightly too tight in the cuff to suit me… I didn’t want the winner to have to struggle sliding it up her arm… so I adjusted my pattern piece for the cuff and ripped off the old cuff… (well, I didn’t rip it off… I took it off very carefully) and replaced it with a new one… AAAAHHHH, much better! I didn’t go any further until I heard some thoughts.
So now I have a question for you…
Sometimes it’s worse when I ask for your opinions because I can get so many different thoughts. But I’m going to do it anyway and see what happens. The background in Sara’s new dress isn’t white and it really isn’t cream… I’m guessing it’s more ivory but just a slight tinge of green hues to it. When you look at just the fabric alone, you automatically assume it’s cream, but when I laid some cream laces on it, it wasn’t reading that way…
This first piece of lace is the same as in the second picture. I just wanted to have ONE picture that showed Sara’s face. I’m calling this piece the Khaki trim… It looks good in person, but maybe a little heavy.
I do have more of those little teal buttons and will put them down the front as needed on whatever lace or trim is decided upon.
This next eyelet piece I think is too white…
I found this scalloped piece of dainty lace in my stash and it looks nice, but maybe a bit sheer… it can be doubled (as I have 2 pieces laid on top of each other) and fused together to make it a little heavier looking…
The cluny lace actually is my choice… it is the best color and shows off the buttons the best to me…
So now, let me hear what you think… and I’ll try to make the best decision… I even had Rebecca on the phone helping me try to figure things out…
See you tomorrow, maybe at the finish line on Ebay! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Hm, well, you are right about that first lace, it’s just a little too dark for that fabric.
I do Love the eyelet piece, but, yes, too white. However, maybe a tiny bit of tea-dyeing (or a weak solution of Rit’s tan dye) will help mute it. If you decide to go that route, then leave the buttons off; it’s pretty enough to stand alone. (A further thought–if I were using eyelet, I would apply it before I did the lining and sleeves, so the top end would be enclosed in the seam.)
I also really like that scalloped lace–it’s a good color for the fabric, and a pretty and feminine trim (and good as it is, one layer). However, again, No buttons! They are the wrong scale for the lace, in my opinion, and bigger buttons might not look as good on that size doll.
I agree, the cluny lace is nice against that fabric, and the buttons would work, too–or you could do a little embroidered flower in each “solid” oval.
I think choosing the trims is one of my favorite parts of making doll clothes, and I sometimes “sweat blood” over which trims to use! I try to choose them before I start construction, in case I have something (like that eyelet) that needs to be enclosed in a seam, but sometimes I change my mind after I’ve started the garment!
Now to wait and see which one you end up choosing!!
Oh yes, Jeanne, I’m with you on the cluny lace!It took me a bit of time to think about it, but the more I thought, the more I like the cluny lace. The buttons work out perfectly too!
The second to last piece is really beautiful, but for another type of dress, since it seems a bit too fancy for today’s girls. Maybe a Civil War dress? Also, I don’t think you could get three of those ovals on the bodice without cutting one or more off.
The first piece, while very pretty, is too dark and heavy for that particular dress, I will agree. The second seems too white and too plain to me.
Have to laugh, my iPad is changing cluny to clunky! I hope this isn’t too confusing to read through, I should have done it in a more orderly fashion, but don’t have the time!
Short and sweet – I like the last piece- definitely! For all the reasons above. The lace blends the best with the background color of her dress in my mind. The color of the buttons are the perfect accent on the lace too.
Good morning.
Hope George is doing a bit better each day, but that also means it’s harder to keep him “quiet”.
Anne, it wasn’t good news hearing about your big bout with pain, but it was good to hear that it has abated it a bit. By all means, keep the second opinion appointment. Keep us posted. We’re rooting for you.
All right, Jeanne. I’m going out on a limb here. I would rather not see any of those lace panels used. Have I ever seen you put a flat lace collar around the neckline…some dainty lace that could also be repeated on the sleeves and maybe at the hem of a fabric half slip that is not tulle, and maybe do a row of those pretty buttons down the bodice? I love lace necklines…delicate, softening, and feminine.
OK…I’m ready to “duck” if any of you want to throw an egg! However, I love this fabric!! Good luck on the bitty auction tonight, and have a super day.
Good call on the lace on the collar. My first thought was a peter pan, with no lace, but I think tiny lace around the edge would be perfect. And as you mentioned, the sleeves and hem too. 🙂
So sorry about the sleeve fiasco. Kind of ruins all of the fun doesn’t it? As to the lace down the front, the first looks too brown to me. The second is perfect, but too white. I see that Charlotte also thought of tea dyeing to tone it down. The third is too frilly and the last, cluny is too wide. If I had to choose one as is, it would be the cluny even though I would prefer the second tea dyed. I wonder if the first piece could be lightly bleached? Might remove all of the color though and then you’d have to tea dye it. Ha ha. Well, I’m sure there will be a perfect answer from someone. I do like the buttons. Great match. 🙂 So, if the neck facing is already done, how do you sew on the lace? Over the top of the heck facing? or? Curious.
I have a metal dollhouse headed this way. Currently visiting Ohio, but originally from Wisconsin. Due here Friday. Hope it makes it in two pieces. It is in two pieces for shipping. 🙂 Not like Linda’s lovely house, but like the one I had back in the dark ages. 🙂
Going to be unseasonably warm here the next couple of days. In the high 80’s. Ugh.
Dear Joy, I had to laugh when you said you hope the dollhouse arrives in “two” pieces.
I attended (via Zoom) a program a few years ago about dollhouses in England. It seems that over there they say dolls’ houses or something like that. The presenter showed dollhouses that were modeled after actual manor houses.
I’m sure those houses were absolutely lovely. I’ll be lucky if I can even place furniture. That is if I had any. Going to be pretty empty for awhile. 🙂
Ha,ha, Joy, my dollhouse is from darker ages than yours! It’s the memories of your house that makes it special! Be sure to send pictures to Jeanne!
Linda, I really would love to have your house. So spacious, but this one will be fun I think. It comes with some things, but not sure what exactly or the scale. I just bought some kitchen pieces by Small Better Homes/Tomy. We’ll see how they work. I’m saying the 50’s are being remodeled to the 60’s. 🙂
Dear Jeanne, I will be a cheerleader on this one as I am the non-sewer. Go Jeanne, go! I am sure whatever you decide the dress will be lovely.
My vote is the last one, the cluny lace. Buttons look good. I’m intrigued by the suggestion of embroidered flowers that you do so beautifully, have you ever done embroidery thread in the ladder edges of this lace like you do in eyelet? Can’t wait to see the end result.
Hope George is doing well. I’m sure the chickens are more comfortable with him (although I’m sure you did a fine job). Does he still have the German owls? Do they hatch for him?
I hope we get some pictures of the dollhouse soon!
Alina, knowing you as a sofa sister makes me think often of life right now in your area of the world. All my grandparents were from Poland and Slovakia so I have often wondered about distant family there. You have been a great connection for me.
The cluny would be my choice as well because it mimics flower centers and petals in its design.. Btw,I love the third piece and can see that on a Victorian dress.
I enlarged and am trying to see if this fabric is a bit thicker as it appears instead of a fine cotton or lawn. I think it is and therefore cluny and buttons make more sense regardless of the gilding.
I liked the last one the best until Sally gave the suggestion of the collar. That might be something to toy with. So glad we heard from Alina, I can’t imagine going through what her country and that part of the world is facing right now. It is like a nightmare or a bad video game. So sad!
I’m late to the party today. Scheduling for the A/C jobs (church and new A/C/heater for our local insurance man) went a bit awry, and things can’t move forward on them until tomorrow so it was decided to put the floor down in the bathroom today. Of course such things never go as planned and they could not find the flooring tool anywhere so we decided to lunch in Katy because the tool was not available in Sealy. Translation, already half the day gone. They worked on the bathroom floor when we got back but they ran out of time and energy before it was finished. The remaining part will take some thought and patience so that has been backburnered until at least next Monday since the paying jobs take precedence.. The one thing I hoped would not happen has. My bathroom floor is half done. But then I remind myself of the people in north Texas who don’t have bathrooms anymore because they no longer have houses and I put my disappointment aside and say a prayer for them. I understand there were at least 20 tornadoes that went through Texas and Oklahoma overnight.
Having just had the trim dilemma myself, I’m a bit overwhelmed but I’ll give it a try. I like the scalloped lace single layered the best. The fabric is so lovely and I think that compliments the fabric without being overwhelming. Not sure about the buttons even though the color is perfect. Maybe it doesn’t need anything at all down the front but perhaps something just at the neck.
I’m like Charlotte. I love playing with the embellishments and my worktable is usually scattered with different possibilities. I’m never sure until I’m finished how things are going to look. I started out with an idea for Evianna’s dress and ended up going down a totally different path than my original plan just trying to bring out the color of the tiny leaves in the fabric. Then I decided to use some tiny felt flowers on the waistband to bring out the colors of the flowers. Evianna is only 11 inches so her clothes are not very big so I left it there although I had lots of other ideas.
We had a nasty storm go through here between 5 and 6 a.m. this morning. Thankfully we did not get the worst of it. But it has been a beautiful day. Definitely the calm after the storm. .
I proofread my post tons of time and still missed this. It should say… Maybe it doesn’t need anything at all down the front except the lace and perhaps something at the neckline.
What size pattern are you using for Evianna? Maybe you were able to resize something? I don’t have her yet, but you never know. 🙂
I used a pattern for my 10″ Ann Estelle Sophie after trying on some of the clothes I made for Sophie and they fit well. But I am hoping someone starts drafting patterns just for the L’il Dreamers. They are bigger than the Bonekas but smaller than the Siblies and although the Meadow Dumplings are 11″ the L’il Dreamers have a different body type. They can wear some of the Dumpling patterns but the dress I made first for Evianna using a Dumpling pattern did not look that good on her but it looked great on my MA LIssy who can share patterns with the Dumplings.. But Evianna wears the same size shoes as my MA Lissy which is 42mm.
Hello sisters, in my opinion No. 2 is the best. White and elegant.
Oh…this is fun. I purposely didn’t read the comments yet. I love your choices and the scalloped is my favorite for color…perfect..but the cluny lace does look good too. All you need for a perfect match is tea. You would have fun doing it too. Just make a hot cup of tea and dye your white sample little pieces for color…you can get from just off white to beige and anywhere in between let it dry . Label how long you left the piece in the tea and see what the color was when dry. The buttons are such a perfect match I’m sure you will use them somewhere.
Now I get to go read what everyone else has said🥰