Hi everyone,
We had to go out of town again, to see the doctor again… about my legs and the blood clot issues. I have a confession to make… we have been going to this place for the last 5 weeks, so if I’ve seemed a little distracted or like I haven’t been sewing enough, or never seem to answer your comments anymore, there is a reason. I’ve not had much time. My life was already busy and then you take a day out of the week and it seems like it’s catchup all the rest of the week.
They have done an ultrasound and found I would benefit from something called a Venous Thermal Ablation. It would most likely make the swelling go down and I’d have better blood flow. They go in and remove (actually burn out) the Saphenous vein which you can actually do without. The blood from that vein will reroute itself and find a new vein to empty into. It sounds crazy and they have already told me it’s not fun because you have to be awake, and end up with a pretty punctured up and bruised leg from all the needles being inserted, but it has a pretty good success rate and so I have to let them know.
I just wanted to let you know that’s why I can’t seem to stay on top of things. I think I’ll get to your comments and something comes up… I can’t believe I only made ONE Christmas doll dress made this year! That has to be my ALL TIME LOWEST NUMBER EVER! That’s why I just HAD to make a New Year’s dress and Lavender was the winner for that! Everyone has REALLY responded to her outfit! That makes me smile!
BUT… Sissy came to the rescue this evening for me, as we got back this evening and I had no idea what I was going to write about… but here is her email explaining her pictures!
Here they are, Jeanne. If you need a fill in. One with Meadow Bailey and one with my Kyrra Dumpling and one with Mae. They all finally sold.
Bailey (18″) and Kyrra (11”), 2 of my Meadow dolls, are dressed alike in red, white, green check. The pinafores are made from Swiss trims. I love using these, but they are pricy and also I sew the pinafores by hand so my prices get higher than most people want to pay. They have bloomers trimmed with vintage red embroidery, and hair bands made with ribbons.
(Jeanne here…Sissy, I LOVE those Swiss embroidered trims too and the pinafores are so adorable. I also LOVE how you made the hairbands… wrapping your ribbons around the trim… very clever! :o)
The other outfit made on Mae is a romper made from red corduroy covered in toys. The hat and outfit are trimmed in some soft fuzzy fabric I found, as well as the little jacket.
Thank you Sissy! I know you did the Happy Dolly Dance when they all finally sold. Nothing worse for a seamstress than to have a cute little outfit and nobody seems to want it. I’m glad you found new homes for all the outfits. They are very sweet!
Well, I don’t know of anything going on tomorrow, so I HOPE to spend some time in my sewing room. No telling what I might find to talk about tomorrow! :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, Jeanne, I knew you had been pretty quiet of late, as far as replying to our comments, but had no idea you were still dealing with this vein situation. I’m so sorry to hear that! Yes, medical appts. sure do take a chunk out of our lives!! And especially at holiday times!! I remember when Ron would often have several appointments in a month, and felt to both of us like we were going to the doctor all the time!
I have heard, yes, that one can do without that particular vein, but the treatment doesn’t sound like much fun, for sure! I will be praying for you as you make this decision, and for wisdom for your doctors, as well. Please keep us posted.
Sissy, your outfits are so cute!! I love those trims, too, and I think I have some all-white ones and perhaps a pastel one, also, but not the Christmas ones.
And Mae’s romper….believe it or not, I have what might be that exact same print (if there are snowmen on it as well as trees, candy canes, etc.) on a dark green background! Originally I bought it to make overalls for my then only grandchild, but he got bigger, and I never did get them made. Then I realized I had enough to make a skirt, so that’s what I did!! I wear it two or three times around Christmas, usually to church, and always get compliments on it! I don’t remember seeing it in red, but it sure looks like the same print!
I have finally gotten a few presents wrapped. My Christmas letter (hard to write this year) is still in rough draft form, and I’m hoping to get it typed and printed off and mailed very soon. I know there are still a few on my Christmas list who don’t know about Ron yet.
Baking? Am I supposed to be baking???
Dear Charlotte, I am sending prayers your way.
Oh and baking, hmmm. You mean that cakes don’t come from the local supermarket?
People actually make them? When did that happen (laugh)?
Many prayers for you Charlotte during your first Christmas since Ron’s passing. I know your friends with appreciate hearing from you anytime.
I never seem to get to the baking. I had more time for that before I retired but there were more helpers in the kitchen and no dolls calling for new outfits or new friends.
No worries about the Christmas letter. One year when the kids were little, I just wrote “Happy New Year!” and mailed out cards very late. 🙂
I’ve had a few years when the “Christmas” card was actually a “New Year’s” card and the wish at the end of my letter was Happy New Year versus Merry Christmas. Right now I have it all set to go and I still can’t seem to get it done. Still need to do all the wrapping too.
Charlotte, all in good time, and especially this year, please do not push yourself. I think about you so often.
I am not baking this year. So, there is that from me 🙂
Thinking of you and the differences you are experiencing, Charlotte. Take care.
Had to laugh at your question about making cookies! Your sense of humor is strong. That’s a good sign.
We kids all dealt with such heartache with our mother when my father died – too young at 59. No warning. She was strong but we all felt the change, especially that fall and then the holidays.
Dear Charlotte, Thank you for loving my outfits. I would love to see your “matching” fabrics.
Sending wishes for a blessed Christmas for you with sweet memories. I know it must be hard for you this year.
Many hugs.
Jeanne, I understand how things have somewhat gotten away from you, with all the doctor visits and wondering what to do about your legs. I guess my opinion is just my opinion, but you have to think of the future, and having it taken care of now will prevent more problems. Whatever you do decide you have my prayers for a good outcome.
Sissy, what DARLING outfits you have made! Oh, the Swiss embroidered pieces are just perfect! I am of German and Swiss heritage, and those little outfits just have me wishing I had outfits like that for my dolls! Love the unique way you made the headbands too! Where the aprons handkerchief’s?
Mae’s little romper is so cute, and fits her to a “T”. Everything you have made is so well done and so cute! Thank you for sending those pictures to Jeanne!
Linda, guess what, I am German and Swiss heritage on my dad’s side, but Scotch Irish on my mon’s side. Quite a mix-up!
Thank you for loving my outfits! The Swiss aprons and trims are embroidered fabrics that I buy at farmhousefabrics.com, no hankies.
I thought Jeanne might need some photos before Christmas so I sent them.
Bonjour .Faire des robes de poupée ,c’est du plaisir pur, mais se soigner ,c’est quand même plus important. Occupez vous bien ,de vous et vous retrouverez le temps de la couture .Nos poupées sont sages et savent attendre sans rien dire . Ma sœur a eu cette opération et elle en a été très satisfaite. Toutes ces tenues de Noel sont charmantes ;quelle imagination ,ces rubans ! Amitiés pour vous toutes.
Hello. Making doll dresses is pure pleasure, but taking care of yourself is still more important. Take good care of yourself and you will find time to sew again. Our dolls are wise and know how to wait without saying anything. My sister had this operation and she was very satisfied. All these Christmas outfits are charming; what imagination, these ribbons! Friendships for you all.
Thank you, Georgina. I love to sew them.
Dear Jeanne,
I will put you on my prayer list and ask for continuous blessings for you.
Thanks for sharing Sissy’s cute outfits. She is going to have to have a party for her girls so they can show off their ensembles.
Thank you, Dorothy! But my poor dollies are necked at the moment as all 3 outfits sold.
Jeanne I am relieved to hear that you are considering treatment for the blood clots causing the swelling. I did not make the connection between your swollen ankle and my husband’s swollen ankle until I read to him your post today. His doctor recommended the same treatment.
I see 3 bids on Lavender’s New Years outfit. Good start!
Adorable embroidered dresses for the My Meadow dolls Sissy. I looked on the eBay but I did not see them on that site. If you are selling them on Facebook I would not see them because I am still a FB hold out. I might be missing out.
Thank you for loving them Debbie. I do sell mostly on the Meadow fb page, only send them to ebay if they don’t sell there. I am happy to to commissions and work with the client if you ever what to contact me.
I’m so glad to hear that you’re getting treatment for what sure sounded like a serious issue when you described it. Sitting up straight at the sewing machine for long periods is not recommended given that condition, so you’ve done an amazing job of completing the latest inspired creation. It’s going to be the star of someone’s collection just as the Flapper Ensemble is for my doll. I haven’t the heart to change her into anything else. Best of skill and experience, not just luck, with your treatments.
Sissy, your creativity shines through in your beautiful dresses. Your choice of fabrics and combinations of details are amazing! The headbands are darling. Who’d have thought of doing that? Sissy, that’s who! And you sew the pinafores by hand! You are a wonderful seamstress and designer! Thanks for sharing your pictures.
Susette you make me blush! Thank you for brightening my day! I love to sew by hand. My hubs and I like to watch tv at night and I do my hand work then. You are so sweet!
Well, I’m so glad to hear that Jeanne is going to get the vein problem solved. Other person had vein stripping done close to 40 years ago without any further problems. He was hit in the back of the leg with an out of control chair lift. I understand that your surgery is the new improved method to solve the vein problem and so much less invasive. I’m sure that they will give you some pain meds or numbing during the procedure. so don’t worry about that. I hope you can get it done as soon as possible.
I’m in love with Sissy’s dresses. That Swiss trim is something else. I’ve never seen it before. And I’ve never seen green/red/white checks either. It’s perfect. The detail work done on each outfit is well worth whatever price Sissy might charge. Fantastic outfits. And that photo of the two girls reading with the little doll is wonderful. So creative. Can’t imagine what might appear from Sissy’s work bag for Valentine’s Day. 🙂
Around here, I was able to make a Santa Hat for the Ruby Reds. Absolutely, nothing special and made only from fleece not velvet. Oh well, at least it fits, but not my favorite and not creative at all.
Stay Healthy everyone and keep warm if you are in a cold zone.
Thank you, Joy, for loving my outfits! I get the Swiss trims from farmhousefabrics.com. They used to carry the red, white, green check but ran out. I found some more on ETSY.
We are going on our usual trip to Helen, in N GA for 2 weeks in Jan. I will be taking my machine, dolls, and fabric to make Valentine outfits there. It is such a quiet and peaceful place after Christmas.
Well Jeanne, no need to apologize for addressing medical adventures.
I wish you full recovery – none of it is enjoyable or pleasant but the medical peeps try to make it as bearable as possible. I hope you have gathered some projects to focus on during your recovery and rest: hand sewing, reading, listening to podcasts, or watching some movie you never had time for.
I will be keeping you in my prayers.
Thank you for sharing Sissy’s dolls
Sissy, your dolls are adorable these outfits are just precious. Did you do the embroidery or find these pieces as they are, Either case, well done, stunning and lovely results! ‘
At present, even though I am working on another quilt top, I have halted production to focus on Christmas.
I am making doll clothes for American Girl, which I have done in the past, long ago, and getting back into it is …. interesting. It is not difficult, I just realized I have piles of fabric but not so much the kind that would make nice doll shirts.
I have made several pairs of pants and skirts and shorts. Now blouses… I do not have a good stash of solids fine enough for nice doll blouses. So, I am looking into that. One funny story: many many years ago, we were friends with a military family that spent a tour in South Korea. They shared the choices of colors and patterns that the people of Korea wear. They mix patterns frequently. If one blouse is patterned and pretty, and some pants are plaid and pretty, they will wear both because they are both pretty. This is a memory that they shared with us and we all laughed about it, they said the people wore some very crazy combinations in clothing and it was not surprising.
I think most people like coordinating outfits with out too much contrast.
So, I have to make some solid pants and skirts, because I really can’t find anything readily in my monstrous stash appropriate solids for blouses.
Konas and Bella solids are pretty thick. Art Gallery has fabrics with a lighter hand. I am not adept in sewing with knits.
Anyway, my younger grand daughter has a smaller doll: a glitter girl I think it is called. This doll has some tricky measurements, so I have to take that into consideration, at best I can at least decrease the size of the AG patterns I made so many years ago by 50% and then do some alterations to fit the longer arms in proportions and also longer legs. Good fun.
Happy 6 days until Christmas. I am also in the process of sending some flower arrangements to my aunt and uncle in Europe, one in Spain and the other in Holland. So a busy day and I better get on it.
Best good healthy feelings and peppiness, get rest, do what makes you happy, Yes, buy the cookies or whatever, cutting corners is not a sin 😂
Love to all of you,
Rosemary, thank you for loving my outfits. The Swiss trims on my pinafores come from farmhousefabrics.com. I just sew them together.
You seem to have your hands full with your sewing! I hope you will send us some photos of your results!
I’m sorry to hear of your on-going vein problems, Jeanne. I’m sure fixing things now will avoid worse problems later.
What simply adorable outfits, Sissy. Just my style for dolls. I love the sweet pinafores and bloomers. I love the Swiss trim and I would love to find that red, green, and white check you used. The hairbands are just darling. I’m very glad they all sold for you.
No baking happening this year for me either. I absolutely love to bake and especially Christmas things, but just not up to it this year.
Laura, so glad you like my outfits. I get the Swiss trims from farmhousefabrics.com. They used to carry the red, white, green check but ran out. I found some more on ETSY.
So sorry to hear you’ve been dealing with this leg swelling situation- I hope it will help with this procedure. The procedure makes sense though. Unfortunately, you’ve suffered with this for awhile. You’re busy enough so no apologies for being absent at times.
Sissy, your Christmas outfits are adorable! Every part of them. Those tiny tree prints are precious.
Excellent work! Glad you could show us.
I’m still laughing about the comments on how Lucky ate her family!!! Ha ha!
Thank you, Paula, I do love to sew!
Jeanne, thank you for showing my photos, I am so please that the sofa friends liked them.
I am so sorry you are having to go though for your leg problem, but glad you have found away to get better. You have me and all of us praying for you.
Sending blessing and a good result.
Jeanne, I am so sorry to hear what you are going through with your vein problem. Definitely will be praying for you. I remember when David had his heart surgery and two knee replacements in one year (from January to December 2021). It seemed like everything we did that year involved medical procedures and recovery. I spent a lot of time sleeping in my recliner in the living room next to him.
I really love Sissy’s doll outfits. Really pretty and very creative. I don’t have any of the dolls she does or I’d be glad to relieve her of some of the outfits and pay what she asks because I know how much time and money can be put into making even doll clothes. I’ve heard more than once that if someone was going to pay “that” much they would buy something for their daughter and not a doll. That’s the one thing about selling on Etsy or eBay. They buy it or they don’t, and you don’t have to know anything about the ones who don’t. But it is disappointing when it seems no one is interested when you have worked so hard on something.
Thank you, Barbara. I fell in love with Meadow dolls after the Kish dolls were no longer popular. I loved sewing for them and have also sewed for Effner little Darlings, and still do some. The Meadows are my favorites though. There are just so many people sewing for them now and many of them are selling much lower prices. Still, I love to sew for them and sometimes I get commissions and that is fun.
Thank you for your kind words.
Praying for you along with all the other readers🙏
Welcome back, Joy!!! Thank you!
Lovely outfits Sissy! And I recognize the Swiss embroidered trim from WAY back when my kids were young. If I’m not mistaken, they were from Capital Imports? At any rate, I believe Martha Pullen carried them. It didn’t surprise me when I noted you’re from Georgia. Seems a lot of you ladies from the South were more exposed to these fancy trims than the rest of us. LOL!