Well, I was relieved to read today that everyone (well, most everyone) was on board with the skirt staying brown. I added another OTT light in my sewing room and I think my pictures might look a tad better as far as the coloring goes.
I was busy today finishing up Julie’s purse and making her head band. I thought about making a flower garland for her hair, but I didn’t have the right kind of flowers, or the right colors, and nothing in browns… so I opted to make a narrow scarf like I did a long time ago for a Julie outfit…this one… (Elizabeth was my “Julie” before I got one.)
I’ll show you her new dark chocolate brown leather purse first… I used the same pattern as I did for the gold one, but I enlarged it for the American Girl doll size. I know Laura asked how much I enlarged the pattern… I have forgotten, so I’ll have to try and remember to figure it out… I know I enlarged the pattern the first time to 170% for the RRFF dolls… Then I took that size and enlarged it…
The brown leather is very soft and pliable and easy to work with. It’s very bendable and not stiff…
Here is her head scarf… it’s tied around her head and into a square knot…
Now, here are the rest of the shots… sorry, we had a fun photo session… because everything (I think) is done…
I DO believe my pictures are pretty true to the color I’m seeing now…I think that new light helped…
Well, I hope you enjoyed those… Julie looks so pretty standing on my cutting table…
You know what’s next… I’ll see if I can get it listed on Ebay…
In the meantime… we have some Easter pictures I’m sure you won’t want to miss…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
I think I remember seeing that outfit (on Elizabeth) before–and I do remember that head band style–“Rhoda” wore it often on the old Mary Tyler Moore show, and carried it off so well.
The purse is darling; I love the little flower trim. Did you have to hand cut them, or do you have a die cut? I have to say, in that third picture, really close up, where the purse is up against the dress, I am finally seeing what others have seen, about the beige fabric, and how that color is repeated in the print of the brown fabric, and it does look better, seeing it up close like that. Also, adding the headband in the brown-background fabric does seem to tie the whole outfit together (pun unintended), and balances the look of the brown skirt. Before, it just looked like a dark “blob” to me. So, although brown will always be Waaaaay down the color preference list to me (just slightly above orange and avocado green! 😄), I am much happier with what I’m seeing now.
By the way, brown was my grandma’s favorite color, and she wore it often; her sofa was brown plaid, she had brown towels….you get the picture!
HI Charlotte,
I can’t remember what year I made the brown set on Elizabeth in a 70’s style, but I always liked it… You were right… that scarf is a definite Rhoda scarf! :o)
I had cut that flower out, but have been searching for a die cutout… I found one, but it comes from China… still looking for one closer… It would be a real time saver… I’m also looking into a rivet setter and some tiny rivets… so far, only found them from China too… but I’m still looking.
My former pastor LOVED brown too… if it was brown, you knew he’d give his approval on whatever it was you were making… some people just love the brown tones… not you, but some people! :o)
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, you really did an excellent job of pulling everything together against all odds! It sure didn’t seem like this outfit was going to “go” together like it does now, but I think it was the way the dark brown looked in the first photographs. Yes, I see now that it is a warm brown, not a black brown, and goes very well with the other two colors. So, it was the lighting that changed everything?
The tie around her head is spot on, and again balances the whole outfit! I see that you used a square knot, were you in Boy Scouts? Ha! I have no idea how to do that, but hope that whoever buys the dress can do that too, or is it something you did that stays with the headband? I also notice that you must have used a thin strip of leather tied around her braid!
I love that purse too! There is nothing I would change!
Hi Linda,
I saw your comment on square knots and thought I’d answer you. Tying a square knot is easy. You take your piece of fabric, ribbon, or whatever and you cross the right over the left and pull in taught. the for the second part of the knot you do the reverse and cross left over right and pull it taut. There you have it, a square knot.
Thank you, Laura! I’ll try that!
Thank you LInda,
I’m so glad you like it and NOBODY is as happy as I was to see it all come together. I thought it was going to be another fiasco like the purple dress that ended up being a top with a pair of white bell bottoms to go with it. But miraculously, it worked out. I really like the looks of all the pieces too.
I have used the OTT light before, but I guess I didn’t have it in the right place… I’m going to remember this and use it again to see if it works just as well.
Square knots are pretty easy… right over left, then left over right… and that brown you see on her braid is some of my leather stitching thread… it’s a little heavier than regular thread and worked well.
I like the purse too and am wanting to improve on them too… thanks so much for all your compliments on this set… I truly appreciate your comments.
Blessings, Jeanne
What a difference with that Ott light. Really makes the colors pop. I’m so amazed that I might need to invest in one myself. 🙂 I like Julie’s head scarf which again ties in the dark skirt with the outfit. We wore scarves/ties around at the forehead and tied at the side though, to be authentic. 🙂 Everyone will love that era perfect bag as well. Makes me want to start singing some of those old tunes. Fun outfit.
HI Joy,
I was thrilled with the way my pictures turned out using my OTT light too. I have used it before, but apparently not in the right spot. It’s the big light I got at the Goodwill that is up on the stand with a few other attachments… I’m so excited to have figured it out. I hope it works as well the next time I try to use it.
Thanks for all your kind words, Joy!
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, I love the purse. The ensemble has really come together.
I think that you are now ready to open a dolly hat, shoes, and purse boutique, inside of your fabulous doll fashions shop.
Hi Dorothy,
Thank you for your kind compliments on Julie’s set. I’m glad it all worked out like it did! I was thinking I had created a monster of a set a few days ago…
Let’s see… what can you find at Jeanne’s Boutique? Doll dresses, shoes, hats, slips, necklaces (sort of), bralettes, thigh highs, purses… did I forget anything? If I did, I better learn how to make them… :o) just kidding…
Thanks Dorothy!
Blessings, Jeanne
Julie’s whole outfit looks so sweet now. The fabrics really go so nicely together and the skirt fabric repeated for the hairband blends it together. I really love the purse.
As a funny aside, after Joy mentioned a flower hair wreath I got the song “San Francisco” stuck in my head for the rest of the day. SF is my Dad’s birthplace and I invariably end up hearing that song at least once on each visit if he’s playing records.
Thank you Laura,
I’m so happy you like the whole set! I’m happy with it too… and you should see Julie. She is THRILLED with everything! :o)
It’s funny how something you see or hear can take you to a distant memory. I’m happy that you have good memories from a song… that’s happened to me before too!
Thanks so much Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
The whole thing has come together so well. Another successful auction is happening!
Love the colors and that purse pattern looks good no matter what you make it in.
Good luck😉
Thank you Kathie,
It HAS come together and now it’s listed on Ebay… another successful outfit up for grabs! Thanks for you sweet compliments!
Blessings, Jeanne
The set looks great despite the fears of the past. Every specialist is a gun fighter.
Thanks Alina,
So good to hear from you… I guess if I keep persevering things generally work out… Hope you are doing well…
Blessings, Jeanne