Well, how about that… I sold 7 dolls in 7 days! That might be a record! Both of the dolls I listed Wednesday evening sold before I was even out of bed this morning! Everyone seems excited to receive their dolls. I do have more to sell but will have to wait until after Rebecca and Karn leave.
We have been busy the last few days and I don’t even know HOW I found time to get my dolls listed, then packed up and taken to the Post Office. Rebecca and Karn are coming this Sunday and will stay a week. Yikes… I’m not ready! And on the 28th, the day the kids leave, there is a baby shower for a lady at church who has been waiting for 10 long years! I am kind of in charge of it and have been dividing up my time between planning this shower, getting dolls ready for sale, helping my hubby with some things he’s needed help with, giving Reuben a haircut…(I found a pair of doggy scissors that I could use if I held them down on the end of my thumb.) My hubby is hoping I can give him a haircut in the morning. Today was the first day I’ve had my brace off more than on! My thumb is better, but it still feels VERY vulnerable when I bend it. I sure don’t want to go back to square one.
So I am doing a quick show and tell for a few things today…
I found these cute tiny pennies when Rebecca was home last. We went to a jewelry/bead shop and I saw these. I picked up 20 of them… They are exact replicas of Lincoln Pennies and are teeny tiny. I got them to make Penny Loafers for the tiny dolls I sew for. I can just imagine how cute they’ll make little leather shoes.
Then a couple weeks ago, a friend of mine wore this sweet dress to church. I was immediately drawn to it because I LOVED the front inset. It’s almost like a Colonial Stomacher in front. One side snaps onto the front placket piece and it looks like it’s one piece. The piece in the middle is all one piece, but it’s folded, sort of like Origami… I was so intrigued with it, I asked her if I could take a picture of it. The next time she saw me, she had brought the dress, and said I could take it home and try to figure it out.
Isn’t that interesting? I hope I can figure it out!
Then, a few days when I was mailing one of my doll dresses, I stopped by the Goodwill… just down the road. I found this really interesting dress and bought it. It’s a very pretty fabric… and is like a voile… super sheer, almost like vintage headscarves used to be. It’s a dark teal and has little pleats at the top part of the dress and then gradually smoothed out as the dress gets to the hem. It’s a border print and is so interesting. I think it might make a really neat Regency dress or something from the 20’s to the 40’s.
You can see how sheer it is with my hand underneath… Normally I don’t relish sewing with sheer fabrics, but this is just SO SO pretty… I couldn’t resist!
I can’t believe I missed this, but the sleeves have been cut out. Look…
I think it will make a pretty Regency dress with the pleats at the bodice area and then the border part of the fabric as the skirt of the dress. I think the sleeves should maybe be out of the pleated part… I’ll have to see!
Well, that was the best I could do for the time I had… I just now saw an email from Joy and will be using it next week… Here’s a hint…
What’s colorful and “grows” in California?
Thanks everyone,
I will see you Monday!
Blessings, Jeanne
Congratulations on your successful doll sales, Jeane!! I’m not one bit surprised.
What interesting dresses those are! The first one…that inset part kind of reminds me of origami. First I thought lattice smocking but no, it’s too flat for that. (lattice and/or Canadian smocking is very dimensional, as you tuck and pleat the fabric in different ways to form a pattern.) So, origami. You might practice with some paper and see if you can fold it like that. Another thought is to try googling “fabric origami”–I have a book that has some projects with fabric origami, which I just thought about. I’ll see if I can remember where I put it, and maybe there’s something in there that will be similar.
The rest of that dress, I’m sure you’ll figure out quite easily.
What lovely fabric on that other dress!! Interesting that someone cut the sleeves off that way. Perhaps one of them got a rip that couldn’t be repaired? I know you’ll enjoy using that fabric in some dolly projects!
I’m glad to hear your thumb is doing a little better; do keep wearing your brace as much as you can (or as many hours per day as the doctor says); it will be worth it in the long run.
Starting at the bottom, could it be California poppies that are colorful and grow in California? I actually had some, and they are long gone, but I loved having them to brighten up my garden. Actually there are a lot of things we could be talking about, since California has so many flowers year round, but that’s my guess!
What pretty material for a Regency dress! What lucky doll will get that? And what an interesting dress your friend from church was wearing! Is she a student from a foreign country? I can’t even imagine how that could have been thought up! What a beautiful gown! Good luck in figuring it out!
Have fun with Rebecca and Karn!
Your friend’s dress looks quite complicated and definitely has the Asian influence. Charlotte’s idea of origami may be the key.
The Goodwill dress fabric minus the sleeves would definitely make a unique dress for any of the larger dolls. Love the colors and fabric details. Border prints are not easy to find any more either.
I’m sure with R&K visiting you’ll hit some great shops. It’s also the time for garage/estate sales as well. Maybe R will find some more items for resale. Sounds like fun, and I’m sure Reuben will be delighted to see old friends too.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Congratulations!! But I’m not surprised your dolly sales went so well. With all your refurbishing who would not snatch up such lovely dolls.
Have a wonderful time with Rebecca and Karn. Can’t wait to see what all you do in their time with you. It’s always fun to catch up after. And I can’t wait to see what Joy sent. I have no idea what that might be.
Dear Jeanne, I am so happy that the young people are coming for a visit. That will warm your heart!
What great news about the auction. I think that is amazing and good for you!
I hope you will still take it easy with your thumb.
I know that you can figure out how to make that dress. It looks so stylish. It was nice that your friend allowed you to borrow it.
Can you believe that in 12 days it will be May! Yeaaa!
The quilting is called “Sashiko,” pronounced Sash-Eye-Ko. No, I didn’t know that, I looked it up in Search under Japanese Quilting. Isn’t that a great idea for making a garment warmer? Quilting has the same history of being based on frugality and resourcefulness as in America. There’s no central heating in Japanese homes or apartments, at least when I lived in Japan. I was a member of a group that had started after WWII which consisted of the same seven Japanese ladies and seven rotating military wives at Yokota AFB just outside Tokyo. We met once a month for visiting and went on wonderful tours together and learned about our different cultures. The lady’s dress is a beautiful, fashionable example of the art and skill involved. Thanks for sharing it.
Enjoy your family time with Rebecca and Karn. What fun you’ll have and stories to tell.
Thanks so much for the Japanese quilting information. Very interesting. And no, I’ve never been able to view the wildflowers on the hills in lower CA. I’ve always wanted to see them though. 🙂
Interesting; I’ve never heard it pronounced that way, and I’ve taken classes in it! I have always heard “SASH-ee-co” as being the Japanese pronunciation. Hmm….
Dear Susette, thanks for sharing the story of the wives. I think it is wonderful when people get to know each other simply based on common interests. It’s kind of like what we are doing here on the Sofa with Jeanne.
I bet you have great stories in your memory and photos in your memory box.
If you did not have central heating, what did you have? Space heaters?
Oh, has Joy been to see the California Wildflowers? The poppies must be amazing with all the rain we’ve had this year.
I am commenting on the darling plastic canvas boater hats shown in the pictures from Barbara. I just got this pattern thru Pixie Faire, its a GennieWren. The instructions show that it can be made for 18inch and down to many smaller dolls like the ones Barbara showed. I love that she made a white one and want to try that now myself.
I do agree with Barbara that sometimes attaching the crown and hat band together are a bit of a trial. I now have finished my 3rd hat and made the hat band as flat and a bit longer that suggested in the instructions. Then attached it to the crown and stitched it closed. This worked for me and came out much smoother.
I have used only straw and tan colored yarns, and not the raffia they suggest in the pattern. The straw color is very believable when done, it was cotton yarn from Hobby Lobby. Made a boater style twice and used a 9inch plastic canvas circle to make a Felicity style hat. Made the hat band only 1 inch wide. Love this equally well as I have not purchased any of the Felicity hats due to price.
These do take time but I love to sit in the evenings with my Husband and watch TV shows and always want some handwork to pass the time.
Hope this helps someone as this pattern is a winner for me.
Doreen from Arkansas