I’ve been busy… not just sewing, but today, it was mostly about sewing…
I think I am getting closer to the jeans fitting the way I want them too… although I saw a pair of jeans for a doll last night and they took my breath away… I did a double take when I saw them… look at the details on them…
The model in this pattern is 28″ tall, so the pattern would have to be seriously reduced…
There were no directions for this $5.00 pattern, but they had a second pattern with the directions for $25 dollars! EEK!
Did I buy it?
The $5.00 pattern? You bet! I reduced it to 80% and cut out a pair from some soft denim I had. They were close, but too big in the waist. I was really disappointed, but will try again… I had to wing it since I didn’t pick the pattern with the directions… but I was pretty sure I knew how they would go together… They did show a few pictures in the listing with the directions and I studied the one with the fly front… and learned a new way of making the fly. The second thing I was disappointed in was the pattern was labeled “right front” and “left front.” Since it was a new pattern, I just cut it out with the printed pattern right side up… but as I got a little farther along with making them, I realized the fly front was going to be on the opposite side… “the girls side.” I still went ahead and worked on them… but stopped when I realized they were too big in the waist for James…
That’s when I turned my attention to the shirt to go with the jeans I “did” have some success with.
I found a men’s Dockers shirt at the Goodwill and it was such a nice tiny plaid, I bought it. It was $3.39! I downloaded a pattern for a shirt made for the Wellie Wishers and other 14″ dolls… so I thought it would fit… I liked it because it was the only pattern I saw with a stand collar… not just an open lapel collar.
(Side note: I used to be a collar setter at a factory here in town… but only for about 4 or 5 months. I never could make my time… we were paid by the piece… (in this case… by every collar I set). I was supposed to be able to put 13 collars on in an hour and I never could get over 11… I tried, but it was too frustrating. So I quit…) Actually if we are talking about time setting collars.. I sure didn’t make my “time” TODAY either! Of course, I was doing more than just setting a collar! :o)
Anyway, back to James’ shirt. The Dockers shirt was kind of a smooth fabric and I thought it would make a nice shirt. The pattern is nice but for dolls clothes, they do a few things that need to be streamlined… it will still look the same, but won’t take as much time as what I spent on it…
It does have some nice features like that stand collar…
The sleeves aren’t finished yet… I still have the cuff to put on, but look at the little placket where the sleeves will close with a snap.
I’ll just show you some pictures so you can see for yourself…
Here is James with his new shirt tucked in his jeans…
Isn’t he handsome?
Well, I better get to bed… it’s… well, I better not tell you! :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, my goodness, Jeanne–if it weren’t for the visible joints on that Soom doll that modeled them, you’d think those jeans were for/on a real person!! The wear marks, and all the exquisite tailoring….something to aspire to, for sure!!
But James is looking very spiffy in his own jeans and shirt. I love the details you put into his collar; it, too, looks like the “real” thing! The plaid is perfectly in scale!
It’s been a weepy day for me, because today (Thurs.) was my uncle’s memorial service…back in Mich. I would have loved to go, I wanted to go in the worst way, but I just can’t leave Ron alone for the three days it would require for me to fly back there, attend, and fly back home. My brother and his wife were there, though, and four of my aunt (she died in 2015) and uncle’s five children. We were supposed to be able to live stream it, but FB froze up as they were starting; fortunately, it recorded the service just fine, and I was able to watch it earlier tonight. This is the aunt/uncle/cousins family to which we are the closest, as from 1952-1960 we lived just 43 miles from them, and spent most holidays together and celebrated all the birthdays. As my cousin John said when I was talking to him, “we were just one big family!”
BUT…Saturday I go to a baby shower for grandson Eric and his wife! I’m looking forward to meeting her, and I got the little sleeper finished tonight. (I promise…pictures!) so I’m happy about that.
Time for bed! Good-night!
Charlotte I am so sorry for your loss and that you were unable to be there in person. But remember nothing can take away the happy feelings and memories shared by and with your family. I’m sure your uncle and aunt loved being together with you all.
I meant to add, Jeanne, since last weekend, when you were “locked out” of your blog, I’ve only gotten the blog thru WordPress; I used to get both thru that and thru your gmail account. Not sure if that’s important for you and your webmaster to know, but I thought I’d mention it.
Jeannie I’m loving the shirt. It’s so hard to find plaid let alone small plaid! The jeans are pretty dapper too. Personally I would like the waist a little lower. I’m sure there will be a BIG demand for boys outfits. Maybe even boy and girl matching outfits.
I also have not been getting your blog. Like others I have to go back to last Friday to access the new post.
I can’t get my day started without morning coffee on Jeannie’s sofa with the sofa sisters!! Hope someone can figure out the problem soon. Thanks for being you and being there.
Impressively done shirt (with collar stand!) Also, the jeans are looking great too!
This shirt is the cat’s meow!! Wow, your collar setting days certainly paid off. Of course, now I want that huge pattern for the 28″ doll. Not that I’ll ever attempt those jeans. Did you have any trouble downloading as it looks like some had to have the maker send it? And was the shirt pattern also from the same site? The great shirt fabric you’re using looks like it came out of other person’s closet! Guess I might need to go shopping in there. If you think George has a lot of plaid, you should see what appears in the closet of other person. 🙂
I had success in doll delivery yesterday. 🙂 My latest girl coming from Kentucky, was set to arrive yesterday afternoon between 12:45 and 4:45. No follow the truck available, and I was supposed to sign for her. Of course, that would mean that other person would probably answer the doorbell and discover my latest purchase. So, figuring that the truck wouldn’t arrive until closest to the 4:00 time, we ran a few errands, and when we returned, I attempted to run a lot of water down the kitchen sink to see if it would back up. I didn’t want to run the dishwasher or washer until I was sure. The sink did back up a few days ago when I was prewashing some fabric. Of course, all over the kitchen floor. Ugh. However, the sink hasn’t backed up since, and we’ve used it a lot. We thought maybe it was just a clog that had gone on down. However, when I replicated what happened with the fabric problem, it backed up again. So, other person tried to call the plumber we use, but the phones were not working. What? That must be why we stopped receiving political calls. So, we’ve had no phone for several days. We checked everything and the tv and computers worked just fine. Other person finally used his cell and got through to the plumber who said that maybe today he might be able to run the line. Other person was very frustrated about the phones, so I said that I would call ATT, but needed the bill to proceed. That finally located, using my cell phone, which I rarely use, I finally was able to get through to them. The automated person went through a lot of tests and wanted “the password”, which other person did not know. But, finally getting a real person to talk with, she was able to proceed to do testing. I had to check to see if the landline worked. Not an easy task after the earthquake in the doll room, but managed to find out that it was working. Humm. Hadn’t thought to check it at all. Back to the office, other person had finally produced “the password” so we could continue. The kind person said to check to see if the phone was plugged into the outlet. Duh, of course it is. Other person with my directions looked around and said yes it was plugged in. However, I spotted wires under the desk and told him to check under there. Very unhappy at this point, he pulled out a wire, the phone wire that goes into the wall. It was not connected. He managed to click it back into the outlet and yay, the phone was working. Did I feel like a fool! But, the nice lady helping us was very relieved. Apparently, other person had kicked it out of the outlet at some point. At least I’ll know where to look if it happens again. Now, all of this tech support and me telling other person what to do and find tired him out. So, he decided that he needed a couch nap. Back to the problem at hand, “the doll delivery.” I kept hopping up and running to the window at every noise thinking it was UPS. Other person was snoring. Good. Finally very close to the end of delivery time, I heard a familiar sound. Peeking out the window, there was the truck across the street. Through the house like a flying rabbit, I ran almost running into other person who was up from his nap and holding a flashlight? Guess he wanted to check that phone connection again. Now, other person was heading towards the office, I turned on the tv and upped the volume hoping to mask any porch noises. Then, I remembered the signature that I may or may not have to give. I did request that they leave the package without signature, but since I didn’t know I could do that until after the package was out for delivery, I wasn’t sure it was possible. I heard a thud over the tv noise, but no bell ring! Other person was involved with his flashlight and trying to view the phone connection again. I popped open the front door and there was my latest in her very large box. She is 19″. Without hesitation, I grabbed the box, came back inside and closed the door. I’m getting better at holding a large parcel and locking the door at the same time. 🙂 On I trooped to that secret dolly landing place. Heart racing, I think I’ve pulled off another escapade. Yes, no one is following me! No sounds from the office. Whew, I think I will need to take off Veteran’s Day to recover. However, we will head down to the cemetery with flowers for my dad, a WWII veteran.
Another hilarious tale in the ongoing saga of dolly smuggling. But where are you putting all these acquisitions?! I have a question for you and can’t remember if I asked you before or, if I did, what you answered. I really want to get a Sylvia Natterer Minouche doll and I know you have one (or more). What is your opinion on them? I just never hear anyone mention having them – except you – and that makes me curious.
I do have a few SN dolls. Most bought from Ebay quite a few years ago. I know the doll shops have them available. I think they are adorable, especially, the smaller ones. They are fun to sew for as well. The larger ones which are AG size are too big for me. There are also several FB groups for them. Hope that helps.
Thanks, Joy. You are a big help. The 13.5″ Minouche dolls are the ones I’ve been looking at. Samantha’s Dolls has several of them both girls and boys. I’m having a hard time picking out which one(s) I want since they are all cute and special in their own way.
Oh, that is great. The 13.5 size are my favorites. For awhile, Kathe Cruz, made some. Now, they are so very pricy that one of those will never land here. If you go to the Sylvia Natterer archives from Google, it tells the history of which companies made the Natterer dolls.
I couldn’t find the reply button to answer your latest comment so I’ll try this. I had no idea Sylvia Natterer was involved with the Gotz dolls too. I love those dolls but they are bigger than I want to collect. Those dolls are pricey but I found the Sylvia Natterer dolls at Samantha’s for $159.00.
Very nice shirt, Jeanne! I love that tiny plaid and it looks so crisp and fresh on James! It’s the perfect plaid for jeans! I do like the jeans for boys, especially, to have a lower waist, since the girls wear theirs higher, and these look kind of high. I think Dorothy L. mentioned that too.
I can’t get over how you sew so expertly the small doll clothes! You sure have what it takes to do them so well! A lot of boy dolls are going to be watching this set very earnestly, hoping their “moms” make a bid for it!
I am going to do an update in a little while… they are building up, and if something happens, I’ll call Tech Support before the weekend gets hère…
Just wanted to let you know…
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow Jeanne! What a stunning outfit for James. The shirt is absolutely beautiful and made to perfection. I think the jeans are wonderful. Someone mentioned that the waist needs to be a little lower but that’s minor tweaking in the broad scheme of things. I have some doll jeans patterns for my girls and some of them would work for a boy doll with a few changes but I’ve had good and bad experiences with things like jeans, shortalls and overalls. Unfortunately you can’t tell the good from the bad until you’ve spent the time making them. I’ve had occasions where I’ve had to give them to a doll other than the one I made them for for various reasons. Thankfully I have a lot of dolly options.
I’m still hoping to find some time soon to spend quality time in my sewing room (that’s time sewing rather than cleaning and organizing). Unfortunately I’m still playing catch-up with stuff I have neglected. Today it was clean the microwave and cooktop. The cooktop is a dream to clean but often slips my mind when I’m tidying the kitchen. The microwave is another story. I have to stand on tiptoe to clean it and my step stool doesn’t work because it makes me too high. I opted for tiptoe and got ‘er done. Hopefully I can complete a few more things today and maybe have the weekend to do some sewing and play with my new serger.