I carved out some time for sewing this weekend and no one was happier than Molly! She really does love to model dresses for me… actually for YOU! :o)
I started with a Bunny Bear pattern that I bought quite a few years ago. Here is the link to it in Nann’s Etsy shop. I DID modify it… cutting the bodice piece, and sewing it straight across instead of bringing it to that point in the front… I added darts in the back, I used different sleeves and left the back open all the way to the hem.
I added a soft pink extension of fabric in between the bodice and the gored skirt… just to break it up since it was a busy print.
Molly likes the dress, saying it makes her have a “nice figure!” (What’s she doing thinking about figures?) :o)
“1940’s” puffed sleeves were added because Molly said I had to!
The back is open to the hem and I think there are 5 sets of snaps…
The capelet looks very nice with it and truly is a perfect color match!
I think I would have liked this as a young girl…
Molly found the pink shoes she wants to wear, but I didn’t have time to make her any socks or thigh highs yet… any thoughts on which you’d like to see?
These few scraps are all I have left of this really pretty fabric. I probably bought 4 yards of it years ago and have made quite a few dresses from it…even some little girls dresses that I sold at our Farmer’s Market.
I haven’t decided whether to make a hairbow or something different. I don’t think I have any more of that blue wool felt either, so it might have to be a simple hair bow or a pink or blue ribbon.
Well, that’s it for today.
I hope you enjoyed this set, so far…
Things certainly are “hopping” with Ten Ping’s “Year of the Rabbit” dress set… If you haven’t seen it yet, you can click on the picture at the right side bar or click HERE.
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
I see that both your auctions are doing well–three bids on the dress for Noel, and SEVEN on TenPing’s cute outfit! Should be fun to watch these auctions!
Molly’s dress looks very cute; I like that you added a bit of pink trim, and, as I may have mentioned, the flowers on the capelet are just perfect with the dress fabric.
Hm, I think I’d like to see ankle socks with Molly’s outfit–in the 1940s, girls wore anklets, mostly, either plain with a fold-over cuff or sometimes they had knitted-in designs (flowers, bunnies,whatever–I vaguely remember wearing socks like that in the early 50s, and have found them in thrift stores years ago). For a girl Molly’s age, plain anklets were probably more common, with the decorated ones for the younger children (they had boys’ designs, too). Even in the 1950s, I don’t remember wearing tights (or thigh-highs), although sometimes in the winter we wore knee-highs to help keep our legs warm. Yes, we had to wear dresses to school, and could only wear slacks or snowpants Under our dresses–and they had to be removed once we got into our classroom, so we were properly dressed! It was a real pain to have to put them back on for every recess–and take them off again when we came back in!
Hi,Charlotte.
WAY late, but before it gets even later,I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your pics, especially of you holding Skyler. Thank you so much for sharing with all of us. Also enjoyed your picture of your lovely cardigan. I remember sewing one of those LONG ago before I decided I couldn’t bear sewing. 😣 Have fun with that wee tyke.
Sally
Looking so pretty, of course. As for the feet, I also vote for anklets.
As Joy pointed out, the Ten Ping 8” is becoming a very hot thing in the RRFF world this spring. This auction should do very well for you.
Terri, again late, but I really, really liked your egg purses. That is something I could manage. A million thanks for sharing your idea and lovely samples.
Thank you so much, Sally! I appreciate your comments.
Now I am the opposite of you–I absolutely LOVE to sew, and have since I started in 4H at age 10! And I’ve now made, I think, Five of those jackets!
Molly looks so grown up in her pretty dress and cape! Everything just “clicks” with this outfit, Jeanne!
As far as socks or thigh highs, well, I am torn in this decision! Yes, of course, girls Molly’s age wore socks or anklets with their pretty shoes in the 40’s, even some in the early 50’s. But I can see her wearing thigh highs with this outfit too, maybe pretty light pink ones, that would make her look and feel very grown up! Nowadays, we are so used to seeing tights on little girls, sometimes we don’t really think of the historical aspect of it and just go with what we normally would see today. The anklets would look very 40’s, yes, but the thigh highs would look good too, and make Molly look so grown up, but without the historical aspect. Maybe you could make both and the new owner could do whatever she wanted?
Ten Ping is really wowing people with that darling bunny outfit!
Looks like Ten’s dress is taking off. Great timing since the new RRFF mini Sara on Ten’s body will be out in April. 🙂
Love seeing Molly’s dress. The back photo where everything matches up perfectly is an artistic dream. I think socks with lace would be appropriate for the 40’s, but to bring it into today, maybe thin, unpatterned thigh highs which are so easy to put on, in a pale white or pink.
And Charlotte, out here in CA, we weren’t allowed to wear pants under our dresses ever. Just wasn’t done, even in cold weather. 🙁
We could wear pants under our dresses in elementary school, but you wouldn’t be caught with them on in junior high or high school. I had a long walk to high school since I lived in town and kids in town walked to school. It was about a mile. If it was really cold out we just toughed it out. These days I don’t think my granddaughter has ever worn a dress to school and since she’s been at a charter school where they wear uniforms she has the choice of pants or a skirt but she always chooses the pants. She won’t even wear a dress to church unless she can put shorts under it. I have no idea how we managed climbing the jungle gyms on the playground and still maintained our modesty, but somehow we managed.
Ah, but Joy, *I* grew up in Upper Michigan, where it often got below 0 and much snow was on the ground! School was only canceled if they couldn’t clear the roads in time to pick up the kids (buses)!! And since my brother and I lived only a few blocks from school, we walked unless it was super cold and mom or dad took us!
Molly looks as sweet as ever in her pretty dress. I see socks more than anything, maybe with a little lace? The outfit is definitely for spring or summer but as suggested, tights would work too.
Looks like your auctions are going well!
Love the dress and caplet! I had a similar style in lavender with a gored skirt in 1949-50. It was a favorite. Anklets, for sure! Lace trimmed, if possible. Thigh highs (long socks) at this time period would have been held up with GARTERS! Horrors! You’d choose to freeze first, even on Easter!
Your comment about Molly’s figure reminded me of a scene from “The Brady Bunch”. Cindy told housekeeper Alice she couldn’t eat something because she was watching her figure. Cindy was about seven at the time. Alice replies, “Don’t you think you should get one first?”
I love Molly’s outfit. Such a beautiful welcome to Spring. I think I like the idea of lacy thigh highs. Probably not appropriate for the time frame, but I was never really a sock person. After a few wearings and washings they started slipping down inside your shoes. But until I was in high school when tights (we mistakenly called them leotards) became popular I had no option. I did like knee socks though but I don’t think they’d go at all with this lovely outfit.
Obviously, socks are the historically accurate choice and with a little lace would be pretty. As to the pants discussion… we weren’t allowed to wear pants in grade school in the early to mid 1970’s We could wear pants under our uniform jumper to school and at recess, but that was it. We wore knee socks. In 1978 when I was in fifth grade we petitioned to be allowed to wear dress corduroys and were allowed if the temperature was below a certain degree. Freshman year of high school were split front jumpers and no pants ever. I went to public school starting sophomore year and chose to wear skirts or jumpers with flats many days.
Ten Ping’s set is certainly popular and speaking of auctions. I had the “Rose in Brown” saved in my watchlist just for fun. I thought long and hard about justifying buying mine and this one sold for $381.87 plus shipping. I nearly fell off the sofa when I saw that, but I guess the rarity (number in that dress color) is what did it. I think only School George and the 3 Charity auction dolls have fewer.
This set is going to be a knockout. Love the pink shoes so maybe a thin pair of pink thigh highs would be even better? I know 40-50s we wore anklets but not my favorites🤭
Could she have an Easter bonnet…straw with a front brim? Do you have any more of the cute felt flowers?
Is there a name of the manufacturer along the edge of what is left of the other colors of that print? There should be a site where you can have fabric identified like there is for unmarked dolls🤗 you know there has to be some in a fabric stash somewhere🙂
Have a good week everyone.