I had one thing in mind for today… to make a pair of black pants for Violette! Well, let me tell you about my day…
I first consulted with my Ruby Red Fashion Friends “designer,” (my daughter, Rebecca) and she said a pair of black or denim pants would be a nice mix and match piece! Perfect! How could I go wrong with that?
I found a piece of black denim in my stash, which had just a slight glimmer of gold flecks in it, but I wouldn’t really call it glitzy! It was just on the dressy side… I thought it would work perfectly!
I was trying to capture the gold flecks in the picture, but it didn’t turn out…
Then I realized, I hadn’t made any pants for the Ruby Red’s and since I was wanting to make them “today,” I went to Pixie Faire and looked for a nice pattern. I found one by Liberty Jane and thought, “well, these should be perfect!” I cut them out and started sewing them up with a light tan thread for the topstitching… The front went together really well and they looked so adorable. In fact, so much so, I was already thinking of the title for this post… “Don’t you just love miniature jeans for dolls?” or “Tiny jeans are so much fun to make!”
Well, let me tell you the rest of the story.
I stitched the front leg to the back and was thinking in my head, “boy, these look like they are going to be a little snug.” Well, guess what? They WERE! SKIN TIGHT! and they were made from a stretch denim! UGH!
I just loved that little fake zipper and those pockets are real…
But they were so cute, I just kept going, thinking maybe they would be okay in the end…
They looked like this is the back and I totally dislike gathered up pants on dolls…
So I proceeded to take the waistband off and try to figure out another way to close the back…
Instead of having elastic in the waistband casing, I was thinking of making them lap over one side on the back and use a snap… it should be a much better fit…
Well, the more I looked at them, the more I realized, they were just too tight… (and I stitched them exactly as they said to make them).
So I thought, “well, I’ll just cut out new backs to the pants and take out the side seams and topstitching and add a little bit more room in the legs.” But when I got out my scrap of fabric, I saw it had a flaw in it and there wasn’t enough to cut the new pieces out…WAAAAHHH!
So I took that pattern and put it away and began drafting my own pattern, which I probably should have done in the first place…and came up with this…
I looked for another piece of black fabric and found a pinwale corduroy and decided to give that a go… They went together pretty smoothly and I decided to use that lap over idea in the back and closed them with a snap…
This is how they look on Violette!
They just look like ordinary black pants to me…
Here’s a close up of them…
SO… what did I learn?
* Don’t trust a pattern with your good fabric the first time you make something!
* Black pants are kind of blah!
* Now I need another piece to make up for the “blah” black pants!
Oh well, such is the life of a seamstress! Sometimes you have wonderful days of sewing and sometimes you spend your days ripping things out!
I’ll see you tomorrow!
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, my goodness, what a day you had!! I, too, learned the hard way not to make the “first” of a pattern in the “good fabric”, so I know very well the lesson you learned today! I wonder why that pattern was so snug? Did they send you the Siblies one by mistake? (That said, will these fit the Siblies or another, smaller doll? Maybe you have the start of an outfit for a different doll…)
BUT…I really really LOVE the black corduroy pants!! True, not “exciting” or “glitzy”, but they are beautiful!! I wear plain slacks all fall/winter long, in dark colors, and they go with everything. (In the summer, I have slacks and pedal pushers in fun colors–red, yellow, lilac, etc.–and I love wearing them, but they really limit which tops I can wear with them!)
So don’t apologize for the “blah” pants, because I’ll bet I’m not the only one who LOVES them!!!
What a disappointing day for you, Jeanne, but if it was me, to be able to make those darling jeans and slacks, I would feel accomplished! I don’t think I could do any better than what you call a disappointment! Have you seen the jeans and pants that AG puts out? Talk about tight!
I like both pair you have made, and wonder what the problem is with the corduroy pants. The jeans look fine to me too, but if they don’t close in the back, well, maybe for a smaller doll? I have quite a time putting my 40’s girls in pants and jeans because the ones AG makes now are way too tight for the 40’s look. I have just a couple of them that work well, and one is Molly’s corduroy pants that come with her After School Play outfit. The even close on the side! I so remember that little feature from back in the day.
Here is hoping that you get back on track today!
Very interesting about the Liberty Jane pattern. I really like the jeans. Not so sure about the elastic waist closure. I don’t think any of the jeans I have that were made by RRFF have elastic. And they are a tight fit. Definitely, finish the denim jeans and see if they fit a Siblie or your LD with some shortening.
The corduroy pants are a nice look. Violette, might need another top to wear for Thanksgiving dinner? Something with sparkle that would look lovely in the candlelight and gleam of of the specially set table. I’ve heard that the price of turkey is going to be up this year. Oh no!
Well, Happily still has RRFF James available. Love his suit, which has fairly tight looking suit pants. Everyone is looking for boy clothes. I think the jeans would work perfectly for one of the boys as well if the pattern can be adjusted. 🙂
Bonjour .Ce genre de mésaventure m’est déjà arrivé….!Peut-être un petit galon (un ruban étroit )sur le côté ,suffirait à élargir légèrement. Belle journée. Georgina.
Hello. This kind of misadventure has happened to me before….! Perhaps a small braid (a narrow ribbon) on the side would be enough to widen it slightly. Beautiful day. Georgina.
Jeanne,
I understand your disappointment with the RRFF jeans pattern.
But wow, how talented you are, the black corduroy pants look so nice and have the perfect fit. I really like them. You did a wonderful pattern yourself.
I know your little girl is happy with her new pants.
Have a wonderful sewing day Jeanne.
I think the jeans look fine and have no problem with the elastic back. As for the tightness, are they skinny jeans? I usually don’t make those because they are usually too tight. I made a pair of jeans for my H4H doll once that were too tight. My LD Claire said they fit her to perfection once I shortened them a bit. As for the corduroy pants, I’m good with those because they can be worn with anything and I love corduroy.
I’ve had a few sewing things lately that did not please me. I think I have so much on my mind lately that my creative instincts have been back-burnered. Usually when I make something I’m in a hurry to finish it because I love it but not so much lately. Along with all the construction goings on here we’re trying to leave town on the 17th for my sister’s new home in West Virginia. The 17th because Sean’s 40th birthday is 10/14 and his surprise party is on the 15th and we want to be here for that. After a few days with my sister David wants to head for eastern TN to check out the area for possible future relocation. With Andrea moving from Colorado to Maine we decided moving east would be getting us closer to family since the east is where I came from and much of my remaining family is in that area, so he wants to check out the location he has his sights on. It is beautiful country and at this time of year should be a great place to visit. I’m hoping to be back to go to the Boo Bash on 10/31 with Sean and family but a lot depends on how David wants to allocate the time. But I also have Chorale rehearsals and I need to get back for that.
We have not traveled since Fall of 2019 and this is the first long trip since David’s knee surgery so I’m more apprehensive than usual. I don’t do distance driving but I can’t convince David he doesn’t have to drive a long day. Then I’ve got wardrobe considerations. It’s in the high 80s and low 90s here now so essentially still summer. My sister just woke up to 38 degrees the other day and her days are in the 60s. My perfect weather, but I’m used to traveling in summer or early fall and the same clothes work for the whole trip. Not to mention that I don’t usually switch my clothes from summer to winter until late November so I have to hunt through things to find my warmer clothes.
Some of my apprehension could be because we will be putting our precious Chelsy to sleep before we go. We’ve put it off as long as we can. She has traveled with us for years and been such fun to have along. It was like traveling with a toddler. Everything to her was new and exciting, but she has reached a point where her health is declining rapidly. She just had her 12th birthday and was in tip top shape for most of her life but while she is a Cocker she is a Silver and they are not as hardy as the basic Cockers David had growing up. We had no idea.
I am sorry to hear about your Cocker Spaniel. We have one. She is tri-colored. She was the only girl in her whole litter. We named her Espana (with a tilde over the n). They are my favorite kind of dogs.
Dear Barbara, I’m so very sorry to hear about your precious Chelsy. I totally understand how hard that is, but she’ll be waiting for you in heaven. I’m going to give you two suggestions that will be of comfort to you, I hope. I ‘m assuming you already have lots of photos.
Make sure you have a big bagful of her fur combings and consider getting a nose print pendent made to wear next to your heart.
I only learned about these a few months ago and have had a few/ am having them made of my kitties. Wish I had known for my dogs many years ago. Just as each of our fingerprints are unique, each dog and kitty nose is unique. I believe the same is true for certain other animals as well.
Here is the site I’m using. Best price I’ve found and really well done. I’m very pleased with the ones I’ve received. https://www.preciousmetalprints.com/collections/pet-nose
God’s blessings,
Laura
Thanks for the lovely suggestions for memories, Laura. My son-in-law is an excellent photographer. A few years ago when they were visiting he saw Chelsy standing on the dining room chair looking out the window and took the cutest picture of her. It hangs in the living room. I think I had more pictures of our previous dog an American Eskimo named Gwynne, because the kids were home then and she was in a lot of pictures with them. Since the kids have grown and left I have been negligent at picture taking. My DIL Dionne is great at it, so she has tons of them of the grandkids. I’ll have to see if she has any from Christmas that include Chelsy. As for fur combings, I’m sure I will find some behind her kennel when I remove it to give it to Sean for his dogs. She’s always shed like crazy but still had a ton of hair. I will save some of those. She will be buried in our pet cemetery down in the pasture in a lovely casket made by her human daddy.
Hope the remodel is coming along as planned although there always seems to be something that comes up. Sounds like a wonderful trip to see your sister. So much history in that part of the country. Very sorry to hear about your pup but know her comfort is the top consideration. Please take some time for yourself somehow. Sounds like you have a plateful going on right now.
I think both pairs of pants are nice. Perhaps the jeans with adjusting will work for an LD. The black pants are really cute and i don’t think of solid skirts or pants as blah, but rather lets you focus upward on the top part of the outfit.
Violette looks ready for a day at the pumpkin patch.
Well darn…you and Jack the Ripper had a date yesterday. Those jeans are so cute…wouldn’t they fit a Little Darling? I really like the black corduroy pair too.
If you added a simple knit top in orange or black or both it would make lots of changes for this outfit. I’m sure you will come up with something to complete it and surprise us.
My challenge this week is to make a xl one piece costume jumpsuit fit a 2 or 3 xl body. I have a second suit to use for parts. It is also slick nylon like fabric. Took forever to take apart and I surged all the edges right away as it would fray as soon as you handled it.😳 I’m going to add in 4 “ from just above the wrist to right above the ankle on each side and a gusset in the crotch to start with and see what that does. Then she can try it on. Crossing my fingers😉
Please take a pic of that 3 xL costume before sending it off. Would love to know what exactly it is as well. 🙂
Jeanne I am sorry you have had so much trouble with the Pixie Faire pattern. I have had a lot of issues with some of them being too small but thought it was because I was putting them on the OG doll and not AG. The first jeans I made I added a red stripe down the side but wasn’t overly thrilled with the result. Thereafter I always added extra in the seam allowance. I do love the finishing touches that Pixie Faire put in like the pockets and fly though.
Having said all that I am not sure why you are so worried about the ‘blah’ black pants. They look fine to me. It seems to me, like Laura said, that plain pants are there to let you focus on the lovely blouse.
We had snow last night!!!!! In October! The only snow we have had for several years and 1969 was the last time we had snow in October. My phone tells me it was 2C at 3.am but it has risen to a tropical 3C! The phone also tells me that the wind chill makes it feel like -3C. Last week we were getting temps of 18C and above. My black grape vine is OK the new shoots are sheltered under the deck roof. Not sure if the cold weather has done nasties to the green grape one or if it has decided “I’m definitely not coming out yet” but there were only a few tiny shoots on Tuesday. I certainly hope that is Winters last gasp! It is supposed to get better by Sunday. It is the kids school term break thou judging by to TV The children don’t seem to mind the snow they got down south. They had to be quick though, they had about 12 inches and it was all gone by midday.
Barbara I am so sorry about your Chelsy. It is always hard having to make that decision. Sam has a Spoodle who is 12 now and clearly has dementia as well as being nearly blind and very deaf. He seems happy enough at the moment though it can be really frustrating for us! Ashley, my 11 yr old granddaughter absolutely adores him but there may come a time in the near rather than the far future that Sam may have to make that decision. Always tough. My Dad had a black and tan Cocker that he and Mum had bought only a short time before she died. Sabre lived till he was about 15 and I think Dad hoped he would just pass away in his sleep but he didn’t and he had to be put down. Dad was distraught. I thought he might like another but he never did. I got a cat though he wasn’t keen and the first two were killed on the road one after 3 weeks and the other a year. At first Dad wouldn’t have another but he really missed not having one and we got Sooty. On the advice of the lady at the SPCA we made sure he was in every night and his cat door locked. They loved each other and although he was really my cat it was Dad he loved best.
I hope you will enjoy your trip Barbara even though you will be still grieving. Hopefully seeing your sisters new house will help. Stay safe
I have done a similar thing, although I had enough fabric to try again, but I followed the pattern exactly, and it was too small for the doll. Frustrating. But I like those black pants. Could you use some of the orange fabric to make little pockets on them or something?