Now, don’t jump ahead… follow my lead for a few minutes… then you can see what I did… :o)
A few of you mentioned it looked like the top button on Julie’s bodice was chipped at the bottom… it isn’t. They are vintage glass buttons and the back has a cut out where you sew them on… here’s a close up…It just shows up at certain angles.
It was mentioned too, that a black lace choker or black ribbon choker would look good… well, if the fabric was black, that might work, but that fabric was brown… it was just showing up as black. I did make a choker using one of the vintage buttons I bought at an estate sale…it had just enough of the pinkish/coral color to look nice with the fabric. I used some of my hemp cord and did a little macrame loop design, then stitched that button on…
I made it so the end with the knot could just run through the loop at the other end… It’s actually easier to put it on with the ends facing out in the front, loop them, then slide the knots around to the back…
I looked at my 1974 pattern book to see what was the best skirt style to use with this bodice… and there were lots of different styles to choose from…
…and this 5 panel gored skirt…
That last one is the one I decided on… It’s flattering and looked like a perfect fit with the bodice to me.
Okay… here we go…
Yep, I stuck with my first choice… I looked at Hobby Lobby and Joann Fabrics and found NOTHING that looked any better than it did. I know several of you liked the fabric that the upper sleeves and the side bodice was made out of, but it looked too drab on Julie to me…
The brown is hard to photograph to show just how chocolaty brown it is, but it’s a yummy color in person… and goes wonderfully with the coral color in the bodice…
I tried taking a few pictures outside yesterday, but it was too bright and the brown fabric looked washed out… like black does when you try to photograph it… I’ll have to get some better pictures, but for now, I hope you can see the colors a little better. I set up my lights to take better pictures.
Here are a few more…
I have started on a leather purse for her, but haven’t finished it yet…
Well, now I’m sure to get some comments… I hope there’ll be someone out there who likes it the way I finished it… and wants it for their doll.
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thanks for showing us how the buttons were made, Jeanne. As soon as you started explaining it–before I ever saw the picture–I knew exactly what you were talking about!
The choker is terrific! I love how that button picked up that coral-pink tone of the main print. It fastens easily, too.
I love how you share your thought processes with us–in this case, the choice of skirt. That third picture looks almost exactly like a couple of dresses I made in the 70s! One was an orange (!!!!!) check with flocked flowers, and had sort of bell sleeves; the other (made to wear at my cousin’s wedding in 75) was muslin, straps but no sleeves, and a big ruffle at the bottom (like the skirt of the 4th dress) and edged with matching eyelet, I think. I wore it with a peach shawl and a big peach hat. (This was before I knew I was a “winter”!! LOL)
I do like the skirt style you chose–very flattering. But…I have to admit, I am just Not a brown person, and, as beautifully as your dresses are made, if I had a Julie (I don’t), I’m afraid this dress wouldn’t tempt me at all. However, I’m sure there are other Julie mommas who are glad to have one less competitor in the bidding!
Oh Jeanne, I love it! I had mentioned that the brown was too much for the bodice but when you made that choker, that just made it look “evened up”! It helped balance the difference of the lighter and darker colors! You sure do know what you are doing!
I do see the outside pictures looked washed out, but overall, I love everything about the dress. I see that a purse is in the works, but what about her hair/hat? Maybe even a simple flower ornament?
Those patterns were a trip back to Memory Lane! That was when I was really sewing for myself and my daughter, and I loved those type of patterns that were so easy to sew! I actually made the first and second patterns several times for myself!
If I had Julie, I would seriously consider this outfit! Those longer dresses are making a comeback, so really modern dolls can wear them too!
Dear Jeanne, this is going to be a statement dress. Any American Girl or other doll who wears it will definitely be the hit of the party. For some reason, I am thinking of Goldie Hawn, back in the days, wearing this dress.
I wanted to ask the Sofa Sisters if they knew that Ed has been doing a series of Zoom gatherings with Doug James who just created the 1490 doll.
Here is a link to Ed’s site:
https://www.happily.com/Doug-James-1470-Doll-Collection-p/james1490gaye.htm
There is a gathering coming up. I think it is tomorrow at 7 pm East Coast time. Interested folks can email Ed and request the Zoom link.
I am planning to attend the Lancaster (PA) Doll Show this weekend. I don’t think that any of the Sofa Sisters live in the area but if you do, you might want to attend also.
Eleven days until May!
The saddest part of the Lancaster Doll Show is that I did use to live in that area and would love to go. Have a wonderful time and be sure to share your experience with the sofa sisters.
Dear Barbara, oh my goodness, we could have taken tea together and gone to doll events. That would have been so much fun!
It would have been great to have someone to share my dolly adventures with. I guess I’ll just have to live vicariously through you since there seems to be a whole lot going on in PA dolly-wise.
I was worried that you might switch skirt fabrics, and you can imagine how happy I was that you didn’t. Julie looks ready for the Shakespeare Festival, which is where I spent my college summers. When you said you were going to shorten the sleeves, I thought you meant by an inch or more — what you did was perfect. The purse looks like it will be very Julie, and the vintage buttons and the choker are already very Julie. Linda’s right about the choker balancing the brown in the skirt, which I, of course, was perfectly happy with already, but this is even better. Not only would this look food on Julie, I don’t have a doll it wouldn’t look good on.
Sorry I thought the button had a nick, but this photo shows how they are made. In fact, I think there may be some rolling around here somewhere. Probably never find them though. 🙂
I loved that fabric from the beginning and am so glad it remained part of the grouping, even though I thought it was black. The dark brown is perfect for the dress. Your “brown” macramé choker is an exact match and is perfect for the era of the dress. The leather purse is wonderful. I’d like to see a flower wreath for her hair with trailing ribbons down the back. 🙂 I really like how everything turned out. 🙂 Peace and love!
Yes, once you said how the button were made I also knew exactly what you meant. I have some old one just like that. In fact, I know my mom has some coral ones she saved from a blouse
The outdoor close up photo really show how all the fabric do mesh together. The brown choker and brown purse tie everything together wonderfully and make Julie’s brown eyes shine. I like brown very much and wear it as a fall color. I see your new purse pattern is getting another use. Just curious, how much you had to enlarge it for Julie?
This shaping up to be such a pretty dress. The 70s styles should come back….girls today can’t seem to do anything to their hair except part it in the middle and let it hang so these styles would bring the look all together. My mothers favorite color was brown so it rubbed off on me. The colors in the outside picture are beautiful. Can’t wait to see all the accessories🤗
I love Julie’s new dress! It is a perfect 70’s style and the color combo is awsome. Her purse looks just like one that was custom made for me. I love it!
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! I was hoping that you would stick to the original idea of using the darker skirt fabric. I love it so much. Everyone is forgetting how the 70’s were, I guess. We had dark colors and it was just like this. Mixing and matching fabrics together. We think now how hideous it was, but that was the way it was back then. I am so happy you stuck with your original idea. I love the choker as well. She looks happy in this ensemble and I am happy too. Great job Jeanne.
Jeanne, All Julie needs now is the Buffalo sandals that Pixiefaire.com has the instructions on their website on her feet. Remember they are the leather sandals that have the thong between the big toe and the second toe? I love the purse as well, but it is very hard to see right now. Does it have a strap to it? You did a fantastic job on this. I love how you captured Julie outside in the fresh air and sunshine. She looks like she is going to an Open air concert. Yeah!!! Go Girl Go!!!