…you can’t just make your first pair and be done with it. It hardly ever happens that way (at least with me), that you get it 100% right when you get a new doll and you try making her some shoes. I think it happened on the Little Darling sandals I made, but I still ended up tweaking them a few times before I decided they were good to go.
No matter how well they fit, there is generally something that needs to be tweaked… the sole cut a bit longer or shorter or narrower; the elastic lengths corrected; the type of leather used for the foot area softer or firmer. It’s not a one time happening and every time you make even the slightest change, you have to make a new pair of shoes to see if you got it right. It’s not that I’ve forgotten about my sewing, it’s that while the last pair of shoes is fresh in my mind, I need to make changes before I forget what I learned from them.
I look at that first pair I started with and now I can see I’m getting there… hope you can too!
Anyway, I made a few more pairs today and wanted to show you… (I’m hoping to do something with “FABRIC” tomorrow!) I just read some of your minds… (I’ll believe it when I see it!) :o)
A solid brown pair…
A navy pair with little white anchors on the trim. It was hard to photograph this pair and brown pair above.
A pair of pink and blue flip flops.
A new camouflage ribbon was used for these.
…then I tried something new… the elastic hooks around her ankle and then her foot slides under the trim.
So here is a look at my Siblies shoes so far… :o)
There were several questions in the comments yesterday. I’m hoping to get them answered Thursday.
See you then,
Blessings, Jeanne
I totally understand your need to continue tweaking something new until you have it “right”, Jeanne. I find it’s best to do that while things are still fresh in my mind. I made a nightgown for myself, and ended up giving it to my sister-in-law, as it was just a little too much for me–the armscyes were too deep, the neckline too wide, etc. But she’s enough taller than I, that it worked for her! I did take notes, but now I Need to get in my sewing room and make those changes on the pattern while it’s still fresh in my mind!!
Anyway, I think you have a nice assortment of colors/materials for this batch, including some that boys will love! Those camouflage ones, and the anchor ones, I especially like. Of course, I don’t have a Siblie…yet. (I do love Minnie, though–one of the new ones that’s coming out soon!)
Barbara, congrats on the sale of that piece of land–and your new “toy” (the serger)! Good for you. I don’t think I would want one of those big fancy embroidery machines, either. I have a Viking #1+, which was resuscitated a few years ago, and I’m still sewing on it, but rarely use the embroidery functions. I did replace my balky old serger a few years ago (it was dying), and I’m glad I did! (I hope you were able to get at least one or two new dollies in the house, though!! 😊)
Jeanne, your flips flops are wonderful. You’ve hung in there and not given up on the tweaking. Practice makes perfect as they say. The flip flops look just like the ones you get from stores.
I love the anchor one as our family are boaters on Lake Erie. ( not that I take any of the girls ) 😉
I have Kayla who wears a nautical looking outfit, at least to me. I’m sure she’s hoping to have a pair of the anchor design!!
HI Paula,
Thanks for your compliments on my flip flops… I’m still tweaking them.. trying to make them the best I can… I might make some more anchor ones… sounds like they might be popular… with the boy AND the girls. :o)
Thanks so much!
Blessings, Jeanne
Charlotte, some of my machine history. Right after we were married David bought me a wonderful Pfaff machine with the patented “walking foot”. One thing I love about that machine is it hads a speed control so if I was teaching someone to sew I could slow it down. In time the machine started needing repairs but it was becoming increasingly difficult to find the parts. I still have the machine and will one day take it in to my favorite sewing repair guy to see how much can be fixed. The thread spool holder broke off but I can use a free standing spool holder. The bobbin winder no longer works so I bought a separate bobbin winder, but I need to find out if it has any problems that cannot easily be remedied. Hence, I decided I needed a new machine.
My Husqvarna Viking Ruby is an all-in-one machine. I wanted an embroidery machine for years but was not willing to spend the money on a dedicated embroidery machine that only allowed the use of one format. My Ruby does sewing, quilting and embroidery using a particular format for best results but it will do all formats. It can be upgraded by hooking it up to my computer and downloading changes such as the use of new hoops when they come out. When I bought it I did a lot of research. I sure did not have the money for a Pfaff embroidery machine. I love Pfaff but they were off-the-chart expensive. So I looked at the Husqvarna Viking and liked that they had three levels of price and features to choose from. The Diamond, the most expensive, was not twice what the Ruby was as far as features went but the mid-level Ruby was several times what the less expensive Opal was including it had a bigger screen. So I went mid-level. My machine has been upgraded by HV and is now called Ruby Royale but my machine works fine and I know a good repairman when it doesn’t, so I’m good to go for awhile. The all-in-one machines cost more than the house my parents bought in 1955.
HI Charlotte,
I knew someone who sews would understand about staying with something until you got it right. It’s too easy to forget what you did last and try to remember what you improved on the last time too. That’s why I stuck with it… and still am doing some tweaking on them…
The day after I got Sydney, I saw that little brown haired one coming out soon… or up for pre-order… I forget… she’s adorable…
Thanks Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
I see your point in doing things over and over until they are perfect, but you almost have to be in business to make that worth your time, Jeanne, and you are! I think a solitary sewer would “make do” with something they make! At least I would!
So many shoes, so little time! The boys now have something to look over and choose, and you have so many pretty ones for the girls too! You certainly are ready to hang your shingle at “Jeanne’s Shoe Shoppe”!
HI Linda,
I just like to do things the very best I can, whether it’s a one time thing or something I’m doing over and over again. The more I do the flip flops, the more time I can shave off… It’s taking me more than it should, but by tweaking my pattern and how long I cut each piece of trim or elastic, that helps with a perfect fit.
“Jeanne’s Shoe Shoppe” … when I think back on that first pair of shoes I made for Ten Ping… I shudder. I should show that picture again… I can definitely say, “You’ve come a long way, Baby!”
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
These sandals look pretty and well done! Great job!
My father in law had surgery the other day. They took out part of his leg bone and connected it to his jaw bone, because it was dead from chemotherapy from years ago. He is getting fed through a tube and is probably coming home on Sunday or Monday. I am glad the surgery went well.
Hope your father-in-law gets to come home as hoped. My goodness, he sure has gone through a lot. I hope he does well as time goes on.
Thank you, Paula. I think he is 76.
Prayers for a full recovery for your father-in-law. He’s been through a lot.
Thank you, Barbara! They are appreciated.
Thanks for your kind compliments on the shoes, Karen.
I sure hope your Father in Law gets to come home as expected. I bet he will be super excited to leave the hospital. May the Lord bless him with a speedy recovery!
Thanks Karen,
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, you definitely have enough shoes now for your “showroom.” Some little dollies are going to have happy feet the Summer!
No new dolly news. The folks who are going to the UFDC convention in St. Louis at the beginning of August are very excited about that. I am excited about the Virtual Doll Convention at the end of August.
Hi Dorothy,
I’ve seen some talk of the doll convention being in St. Louis… 2 hours from me… and I don’t think I’m going to be able to make it… I’ll have to live vicariously through everyone else’s pictures…
Maybe I should name my doll shoes, “Happy Feet by Jeanne!” :o)
Thanks Dorothy,
Blessings, Jeanne
I like the new and improved Siblie sandals. How fun for the boys as well. 🙂 Here’s a question? Are the ribbons/cord used color-fast? I’m always a stickler about this as sometimes I leave shoes/thongs on the dolls for awhile. 🙂 I know I should probably remove the shoes, but I often just forget. 🙂
Well, after being caught the other day with my latest RRFF Daphne, yesterday, I was a winner. 🙂 Other person and I have been hacking back blackberry in parts of the yard that originally came wandering over the fence and planted itself. Ugh. Anyway, the cans were full so other person headed up to the other house with the cans to dump ours and fill the can there. I was so excited because according to Informed Delivery, my new cutie Remmie Raindrop (Rose BB Flockling) was out for delivery in the regular mail. Perfect timing. That is if the mail arrived around the usual time. Well, no mail on the horizon and other person returned. Bah… So, we continued cutting/pulling the brambles. Then, not long later, I heard the mail truck. Other person was on the other side of the bramble mess, and I guess did not hear it. 🙂 So, being closer to the house, I scrambled up the steps to the deck and into the house hoping he didn’t hear it as it got closer. Peering out the front window, there was the truck sitting by the driveway. What’s taking so long? Come on, find my package and get up here. Glancing out the back window, I could see other person in the distance who fortunately still had not heard the mail man. And then, there was our mail man heading up the steps to the front door. Yay, he had a package. Actually two. I hopped over to the door, opened it, and grabbed the packages and mail. Back into the house I sprang stealthily, depositing the mail on the counter and continuing with said packages to the back cave. The packages well hidden, another maneuver had been safely carried out. Peering again out the back window, other person was still cutting blackberry with his killer power tool. The bane of my existence. But, power tools are another story. 🙂
Dear Joy, I was envisioning the entire scenario as you told it. Well, alright my mind was adding things, like you leaping over the porch railing to get to the mail carrier and you duck walking behind the hedges carefully juggling two boxes. All the while, the theme music to Mission Impossible was playing in my head.
Congratulations on another successful mission! Until next time, Ms. Phelps (as in Mr. Phelps from the TV show)
🦈 Mission accomplish!! Yay Joy!! 🦈
HI Joy,
I really don’t know if the ribbons and elastics are color fast… most of the ribbons are only printed on one side, so they are probably okay… some of the insides are white.
All I can say about your dolly caper this time is… thank goodness for blackberry bushes and poor hearing! I can’t believe you got TWO packages smuggled into your house this time so easily… well, maybe not easily, but without being noticed.
If something ever happens to you (Heaven forbid) he’s going to find all those dolls in your house and wonder WHERE ON EARTH DID THESE COME FROM? Just saying…
Thanks Joy!
Blessings, Jeanne
I am laughing!!! 😂🤣😂
Way to start my day Joy😂 a good laugh for sure. A double delivery no less. How do you dispose of all the packing? You probably keep the boxes but the wrapping gets to be so much bulk.🥴
This batch of Flip flops are awesome Jeanne. Your color and ribbon choices are so varied and the smoother fabric forthe top of the them looks great.Seeing them in your hand sure gives us a good idea of size. Everyone that needed a pair for their guy dolls should have plenty to choose from. Seeing them made me think about it our trip to the foot Dr yesterday as we were ordering my “ other person” shoes to wear with his braces….the order was for a 12 EEEEEE. How much different could those two sizes be?👟🩴
Hi Kathie,
I was laughing at Joy’s story too… and everyone must read them a couple of times to make sure they didn’t miss anything the first time.
Thanks for liking my flip flops… I enjoy making them, but half the fun for me, at least, is perfecting them… I think I might be a perfectionist when it comes to things like this…
My hubby wears a size 12/13 in his shoes too… I should take a picture of my flip flops on the toe of his shoe… they really are little.
Thanks Kathie,
Blessings,Jeanne
Looks like Joy and others with dolly gentlemen living with them are getting their wish. All the sandals and flip flops look great. Sydney found several “must haves”.
I totally agree that when something needs to be tweaked it is best to stay with it until well satisfied. I’ve tried coming back to things when I’m not happy with them but it takes awhile to get oriented to what needed changing.
HI Barbara,
Yes, those of us who sew, can understand the persistence part of making these doll shoes… if you leave it, you’ll forget what you were doing and be back at square one unnecessarily.
I need to make a few more girls flip flops and then I’ll be ready to share them all.
Blessings, Jeanne
I can sew how itd be easy to go down that trail🥰 each pair cuter than the one before!
Hi Joy,
Yes, that trail of making “just one more pair” seems to go by the wayside, when I’m in the middle of making them… I do enjoy it… satisfaction and gratification in just a short while… :o)
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne