Hi everyone,
It’s getting cool around here in Southern Illinois? How about where you are? Perfect weather for corduroy isn’t it? I just purchased some small print corduroy fabric pieces from Sissy, but forgot to take a picture of it… so I’ll have to show it another time. I got some real beauties and will have fun fashioning them into sweet dolly clothes!
The next order of business is my Morning Glories bush again. My hubby told me this morning the purple flowers had blossomed out and were very pretty… but by the time I got out there, they were somewhat closed up. They must be a different variety because they aren’t like the blue flowers. I would have to call the blue flowers MAGNIFICENT! Really, when you look at that bush from afar, it is just amazing and gorgeous. I read that sometimes in warmer climates the Morning Glories can actually act like Perennials and come up the next year instead of having to be planted again. However, most of the time they are Annuals and DO have to be replanted. You can bet I’m going to be hoping for a warm winter… :o)
If you click on any picture it will enlarge, so you can see it better.
Here are some shots from all 4 sides of the trellis. The bush is 7 feet tall…
I still can’t believe it blossomed out like this! We have NEVER seen more than maybe 20 Morning Glory blooms on the bush in all the years we’ve planted them on the trellis.
Next up is a wedding dress. The lady, Sherry, who gave me the patterns (next) said she had a wedding dress she was wanting to get rid of and asked if I might like it for the lace. I wasn’t sure, but I said I could see… so she brough it out in this box you could see into. I could see appliques on the front and thought, “hey, why not give it a try.” So I took it home…
I took a few pictures of it hanging up in my sitting room and you can see for yourself, there is lots of lace and even a hat!
It wasn’t satin, but a taffeta and was a very small size and pretty outdated. It may have been someone’s style, but I didn’t know ANYONE who would wear it, so I decided to just cut it up for the lace, possibly on slips or crinolines. (Don’t hate me for cutting it up, but it was taking up a lot of room…)
I cut the rows and rows of lace off the bottom of the dress, and then cut all around the appliques on the bodice… like this…
So it will be much easier to find a place for this lace, and one of these cold winter nights, I’ll take the stitched lace off the netting and roll it onto a spool… Don’t hate me for cutting it up… I did put the hat in my bag of things to take to the thrift shop…
Okay, so now to the patterns.. I think I counted 69. I had some of them already, but not as many as I thought there’d be. Here they are in a box… Some of them I’d never seen before.
Underneath the patterns were a few things cut out and pinned together and a few little trims.
Here they are all stacked up.
I grouped them sort of into categories. These were for Barbie and other 11 1/2″ dolls.
Here is a dog coat pattern, a craft project pattern and one for a little girl.
Here are a few patterns with grown up outfits, kids outfits and doll outfits all together.
These are a few baby doll clothes patterns.
The bulk of the patterns were American Girl doll patterns… so here they are…
I need to go through my patterns and see which ones I have duplicates of and look at them all a little better. I did see some I know I have…
Sorry, it’s taken me so long to show them. I had to put them up in the attic until I could find time to take pictures of them. Okay, I can check this off my list now!
I hope you wonderful weekend. I’ll be cleaning house most likely! :o)
See you Monday!
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, that wedding gown yielded a LOT of lace for you, Jeanne! Lots of petticoats, for sure! Or lace trim on something.
And what a treasure trove on your patterns! I recognize quite a few of them (I probably own some of them!). The Marie Osmond pattern (next-to-last picture) is actually for a Barbie-type doll; on the back of the envelope it says for 11-1/2″ and 12-1/2″ dolls, and both sizes are included in the envelope. (I looked for it elsewhere online so I could see the back of the envelope!) I noticed someone pencilled in “hard to make” on the envelope!!
In the fourth of the “American Girl” pictures, there’s one pattern (top right) that is for baby dolls. Not sure of the size of the baby dolls they are for, though.
I do remember when Simplicity did some patterns with the American Girl brand on them; I think that was maybe 20-25 years ago. Just guessing.
Had a nice supper out and trivia questions at IHOP with my friends tonight. I’m pretty much back to normal again.
Oh! I meant to add, I see that the boysenberry outfit has one bid already!! I think this is going to be a popular outfit; everything just works so well together!
Oh, your Morning Glories are truly glorious, Jeanne! What I would give to look out at a sight like that! Are you fertilizing them or something? Just beautiful!
That wedding gown could have been made for a 1980’s wedding, as I have a friend who was married around that time, and she also had a lace embellished hat instead of a veil for her wedding, and a Gunne Sax type of wedding gown, which this looks somewhat like. But lucky you to get all that lace!
The patterns are fun to look at, but I never did get patterns for doll clothes. I just made them up as I went along! LOL. Of course, I was a little girl when I made doll clothes, but I did get an online pattern for a gown I made for .Felicity a few years back. That didn’t go too well, at least not for me, as I made mistake after mistake, but managed to get a dress sewn, that is just “OK”!
Have fun cleaning this weekend!🙃
So, where is the trellis?? 🙂 Wow, that is one thick bunch of Morning Glories. So nice to have some fall color, I think.
That dress is definitely interesting. Kind of reminds me of a vintage nightgown in a way. Looking at photos of the wedding would probably be comical at this time too. So, doing the cut up doesn’t bother me at all unless of course, it was a vintage gown made before the 40’s and had handmade lace. 🙂 Seems like the white fabric could be reused as well for a lovely summer dress of some kind for a dolly or a passel of ghost costumes as well.
Oh those patterns are a kick. I couldn’t believe that I saw one that I was just looking for yesterday online. Love patterns although, I may have a bunch of those already. Way too many AG patterns around here. Thanks so much for sharing those. So much fun.
Hope cleaning doesn’t get in the way of starting on a new outfit for some dolly at Jeanne’s place. 🙂
Have a great weekend everyone.
the morning glories are outstanding. Funny plants.🌱🌱😂 I have a few flowering bushes that are just timid most years and then one year it goes crazy. Not sure how that happens…. maybe the bees? or maturity?
I have two large camillia bushes that I planted 20 years ago! They have really grown and they blossom in November!!!! when it is cold out! the blooms are pink 🌸and very delicate, like fine crepe. We always get snow on them which is very funny too.
Okay, I am DROOLING over that lace. It looks like Schiffli lace. My mom was a lace … um, she knew everything about lace, and learned how to make lace in Belgium. Anyway, wow, nicccceee lace.
The patterns, I am drooling. I need to see what patterns I have. I am torn between cutting up old clothes and mom’s kilt from Ireland… to make a jacket… or maybe coats for the dolls. The plaid is too loud for me, even though it is RED.
Have a great week-end everyone.
Jeanne, that box of patterns is a treasure
You have definitely won the contest for wonderful Morning Glory bush. Unfortunately mine are/were growing up the side of my house and along the eaves so they have to be pulled down. It must have been the year for Morning Glories because I’ve never seen them like this. They seem to grow wild around here so they takeover before I can corral them. But this year was more so than I’ve seen before. Definitely perennials around here.
I think I’m a true pattern fanatic (I actually prefer connoisseur LOL). I have several of the AG patterns since I started sewing for 18″ dolls before there were online pattern sites. I keep thinking I need to thin out my supply but every time I try doing that I see a pattern I forgot about and just have to make it up and sometimes that becomes my next project. In the baby doll patterns I have the one in the middle. It has different sizes. I bought it to make clothes for my 16″ Build-A-Bear Bunny. I made her several cute outfits using that pattern. You definitely hit the jackpot with those patterns. My hat is off to the lady who has the will to part with so many wonderful patterns.
That wedding dress looks to me like a Gunne Sax pattern I saw once. I had several Gunne Sax dresses, some I made from their patterns and some I bought. I loved the look and one year made Gunne Sax dresses for me and my two stepdaughters for family pictures. Another time I bought us matching Gunne Sax dresses again for family pictures. You are blessed to have so much lovely lace to work with and it does look to me like you could use the dress fabric for something. I couldn’t tell what shape the dress is in.
As to weather here. Right now it is glorious. It was 49 degrees when I got up this morning and 66 in the house – no A/C needed. Not sure what the high is but I’m sure it won’t be in the nineties.
Have a great weekend everyone.
Barbara, I have a Build-a-Bear bear myself! The first Reading bear (standard size) they came out with. Her name is Matilda, and she lives in my sewing room. She is thoroughly spoiled, having a variety of outfits (all from BAB) from swim wear to a school uniform to…you name it! I’ve never tried sewing for her (although I think I do have one pattern).
Beautiful Morning Glories, Jeanne! I am thinking its about time to bring my large potted Croton plant and the Hydrangea plant inside from the front porch….last night was quite chilly, although our Texas days are still reaching the 70’s-80’s somedays. The porch plants are in pleasant sun during the day, but I have managed to keep them alive by bringing them inside each winter season. I’ll need to rearrange the plant area in front of the double wide dining room window which gets morning sun. There is one umbrella tree plant, Schefflera plant, Pothos, Money-tree plant, Ivy, Lily plant. Feeling very good about the Umbrella tree plant since I almost lost it last summer due to the high Texas heat on the patio….sawed the branches down to about 12 in., brought it inside and it came back to life! I’ve had that plant since 2018 when I used to live in Indiana. The greenery indoors brings makes my days!
I applied fire-ant killer to our entire mulched areas beside our front porch a week or so ago….hadn’t been able to weed or prune bushes since I was bitten so badly from fire ant piles I did not see in the mulch. Yesterday I finally weeded and pruned wearing garden gloves, socks and shoes and my pant legs rolled up some, so I could spot any ants! No ant bites! Although, I did notice a white fuzzy fungus-like stuff on the tops of the bush branches….bushes are about 2 1/2 feet tall (we’re in a new-build home). Googled the white fuzzy stuff….apparently a fungus but could also be mealy bugs or spider mites. I had trimmed off the tops of all the bushes and am going to spray them with the baking soda & and detergent mixed in a gallon of water which was recommended after cutting the branches back. I am also having a Tylenol kind of day for my very sore leg muscles due to the stretching and bending I did yesterday….it doesn’t get any easier when growing older but at least it is exercise! As I told my daughter, I’ll keep moving and doing things to help out for as long as I can.
And my goodness….seeing your pattern photos was like looking in my own pattern boxes!! I have nearly all of those Barbie patterns and the ones for 18 in. dolls (used for American Girl and my Heidi Ott dolls), plus some for the 8 in. Ginny dolls (I still have mine from childhood). And now I have accumulated many patterns for the Ruby Red dolls from Etsy pattern sites, including a recent purchase of a pattern for the Siblie dolls….little sister to the Ruby Red dolls. Haven’t had a chance to start sewing for her yet since I worked on the Halloween witch figures I make each year for my three daughters, and now I’m onto the snowman and Santa Claus figures as my Holiday gifts to family members. Also building a Barbie Doll house (3-story “Tiny Home”!) using a lightweight storage shelf unit from Walmart as the starter (foam-core walls, scrapbook papers for wallpaper and real wood floor sheets from Hobby Lobby), for my great Granddaughter for Christmas.
I did make a Barbie doll Costume Shop for my great Granddaughter’s Birthday back in Sept, utilizing many of those Barbie doll patterns I had saved. The costumes included two different witch outfits with hats, cowgirl outfit, Princess, Queen of Hearts gown, Pirate, a Movie star gown, and a Ghost!
So I know how hard it is to part with doll patterns or even trying to downsize the collections! I will say, I parted with the Cabbage Patch doll patterns I had when my youngest daughter had those dolls….I was pretty sure I didn’t want to sew for that doll again! I don’t even know if they still sell Cabbage Patch dolls anymore! I’m a fan of the Ruby red dolls now!
Elizabeth, I’m not sure where exactly you live in Texas (I’m exactly 50 miles from downtown Houston on I-10) but our weather was quite cool this morning and very nice. We also have to keep up with the fire ant problem since I am allergic to their bites. They are nasty little things and take the pheromone thing quite seriously when they all climb on you and then get the message to chomp. I would love to see pictures of your projects. They seem wonderful and very creative.
Sounds like a whirlwind of activities and projects at your place. I too still have my Ginny dolls. 🙂 And our girls had Cabbage Patch dolls too. I wonder if your girls are in the same age range as ours? Youngest is 43. 🙂
Elizabeth, I hope you’ll take and share pictures of the Barbie “tiny home” you are working on, once it’s done! I’m sure I’m not the only one who’d love to see!!
Oh, yes, they still sell Cabbage Patch Kids, both the massed-produced ones and the Originals (faces are fabric, hand painted and hand soft sculpted), and Babyland General Hospital is still a going concern in Cleveland, Georgia! I went to the original site back in the 1990s and it was fabulous! Why, yes, I adopted a baby I saw being born from the Mother Cabbage!! I have probably close to 20 of the originals, and had lots and lots of the mass-produced ones, both special editions and core dolls. I donated quite a few of them some years ago, although I still have quite a lot. But they do take up a great deal of room, and at the moment, most are in my basement! And, yes, I sewed for my son’s CPKs, especially his first one, Flynn. He was 9 when he decided he wanted “a bald baby boy”, and that summer (1984) I was able to get him one when I happened to be at Sears at the right moment. He ended up with 3 or 4 of them (including a baseball one–he loved baseball and was a really good player), but of course I ended up with way more!! LOL He is 49 now–will be 50 next Feb. Yikes! How did That happen?!