Hi everyone,
It seems Sissy’s paper dolls struck a chord with nearly everyone… just about every one of you had a memory or two of playing with them. It was fun to read all your stories. I, too, liked paper dolls and enjoyed playing with mine.
When Cindy and I were young, we used to cut pictures of things out of the Sears catalog and tape them on our closet door down by the floor. We’d cut out lamps and bookshelves and pillows and toys and all kinds of things. They were our “accessories” for our Barbie and Skipper dolls. I wish we had taken a picture of all the stuff we had taped on that door.
I managed to get in my sewing room today…actually, I was trying to get my mind off of still feeling crummy.
I didn’t do much, but I’ll show you and ask you a question.
I made a pair of white lacy socks for Molly and found a pair of red shoes in the perfect shade of red.
I gathered up the fabric that will be her skirt and pinned it around Molly’s waist. Then I put the red piping on top of the gathered edge of the skirt and pinned it in place. It won’t be that wide when it’s sewed in the seam.
Now here’s my question… I haven’t been to town since I got sick and I have absolutely NO solid red cotton in all of my fabrics. So I was wondering if you thought I could make a sash to tie in a bow in the back from this red with white polka dots cotton? It is the exact same shade of red as the piping and vintage rick rack on the collar. It is a thin cotton and would tie into a pretty bow.
If you look closely at the fruit print on Molly’s dress, the berries are sort of polka dotted, so the belt/sash would mimic them.
Well, that was my time in my sewing room… not much but you can see I’m at least trying!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, it’s good that you were in your sewing room even just for a bit today (that always makes Me feel better, I know–being in my sewing room) but if you’re still feeling all that crummy, I think it might be time to call the doctor. We all worry about you!
As to your question, I don’t know why you couldn’t make a sash of that fabric. You could either do it the way we did apron sashes back in the day–a very narrow hem down the long edges one end, then the end turned back at an angle and stitched in place–or you could do a two-layer sash, where you put two pieces together and sew down both long sides and ends, leaving and opening in the middle of one long side for turning; turn it and press it, and stitch the opening closed. It should be long enough to go around her waist and tie in the back.
If you’re wanting the sash to be just from the side seams, and not across the front, the first way would work better, but you’d need to enclose the raw ends in the side seams of the bodice.
I replied to a couple of comments in yesterday’s blog, so you might want to take a look.
I was another paper doll person as a child, but I have a paper doll story for you from my adult years. Back in the 1990s, I was doing doll shows some, and a lady had some vintage uncut paper dolls of movie stars! I looked thru, and there was one of Jane Powell, who was my husband’s absolute most favorite movie star EVER!!! (In our house, she was referred to as “Janie”!) So for Christmas that year I bought him an uncut book of Jane Powell paper dolls!! Then I had a few weeks of wondering if I was out of my MIND to buy such an expensive gift (and it Was expensive!) for him, when he had never expressed any interest in dolls or paper dolls whatsoever!! I was almost afraid to give it to him Christmas morning!!
He ***LOVED*** it!! Told his friends what I had gotten for him! Took it out and looked at it often!! (No, he kept it pristine.)
The icing on the cake was that a couple of years later we actually got to see Janie, along with Howard Keel, in a live production in Seattle, and we got to MEET them afterwards!!
That man did not drive home that day, he flew…on a rosy pink cloud. I think it took a week to wipe the grin off his face!! 😂🤣😂
What a great story about your hubby and Jane Powell. And how lucky for you to be able to see her perform in person. And Howard Keel. I remember him well. My Uncle Bill’s favorite was Deanna Durbin. I had both Jane Powell and Deanna Durbin paper dolls. And Sonja Henie. I always loved that movie “Sun Valley Serenade”. It came on every year around the Christmas, and I tried not to miss it. I need to check again but the last time I tried to buy it on Amazon it was pretty pricey.
What a great story about your hubby and Jane Powell. And how lucky for you to be able to see her perform in person. And Howard Keel. I remember him well. My Uncle Bill’s favorite was Deanna Durbin. I had both Jane Powell and Deanna Durbin paper dolls. And Sonja Henie. I always loved that movie “Sun Valley Serenade”. It came on every year around Christmas, and I tried not to miss it. I need to check again but the last time I tried to buy it on Amazon it was pretty pricey.
What a great present idea and it sounds like Ron enjoyed it so much. 🙂
Has your Dazzle shown up? Mine came this morning. Haven’t opened her box yet, but she is going to be tiny. 🙂
That is a great story, Charlotte! Your Ron was so special, thank you for sharing that. I can’t think of a gift I gave to a hubby that was that special to them, but my being here to help Peyton with what he has gone through has really made him appreciate me more that ever.
Bonjour.Je trouve très jolie ,l’idée du tissu à pois,il va très bien.Si vous avez de bonnes idées,c’est que vous allez mieux !!! J’ai joué,moi aussi avec des poupées en papier et mes filles aussi. Je me souviens ,aussi ,que je découpais les catalogues de jouets ; un landau avec une fente pour y entrer une poupée,pareil avec un lit ou une chaise haute. Amitiés pour vous toutes. Georgina.
Jeanne, I’m trying to figure out how I would do the sash, and find it hard to decide. I am not sure how thick the waistband binding in front would be, and wonder if putting the polka dotted sash in the back would be too distracting. I kind of like the red sash the way it is now as far as thickness goes, but to me, the front of the dress might be too plain. Would a solid color sleeveless bolero do anything? It could be a shorter one, not to the waist, and be reversible, maybe navy on one side and the polka dotted material on the other. I remember and also have pictures of me in the late 40’s, wearing dresses with boleros, sometime just the front part sewn onto the dress and were not removeable. I know you are asking about the sash, and here I am talking about something else! If you do binding at the waist, and the red and white for the bow, Ft hen maybe a red iBook bow at the neckline? I’m no help, but I will say I love the material and the dress, just not sure how to suggest finishing it.
That is funny, Charlotte, about you giving Ron paper dolls for Christmas one year! I’m sure that would never go as well here at my house! And to hear that Georgina and her daughter also played with paper dolls makes it clear that they are fun for girls everywhere!
Jeanne, I neglected to say that I certainly hope both of you are feeling better today! I know when you are under the weather, nothing seems to go just right, and you are probably still tired. I hope you get some relief soon, and do call the doctor if you are not doing better. Maybe he can give you some kind of medication to help you get over this faster.❤️
I seem to have gone off the rails in that one sentence about a red bow at the collar! Always Halle s when I try to change things! Sorry!
I love the dots! This dress is getting cuter by the minute.
I know you are taking it easy and resting. I hope both of you are waking up this morning just a little bit better, some of these viruses take over a week to shake.
We have been very lucky…. and now I shall knock on wood.
We have been communicating with a real estate agent for over a month, and he is coming tomorrow even though the house is in disarray. We are going to sign a contract and make a list of things that need to be addressed. We will not put the house on the market until we move out, however, I would be open to having it listed as “coming soon”
I hope all of you have a super nice day. Stay hydrated (I am not so good at that)
Tomorrow (she whispered)
As the non-sewer, I will defer to what the experts suggest.
I hope you will feel better very soon.
Well, it seems like whatever you and George have has gone on too long. Hopefully, your friends are dropping off some dinners for you both. Now, if you’re still feeling crummy, at least give the doctor a call and find out what it is that’s going around. Then, when better, you can schedule vaccinations. Sure hope you both will soon be on the road to recovery.
As to Molly’s new dress, I’m not liking the red wide piece across the front. I know it will be slightly thinner, but I almost think that nothing might look better. Have you tried using the dotted red for the front as well? I think that mix would be cute. All dots for the sash front and back? I think that would work.
Well, after a lot of travel, I actually have a delivery scheduled for today. Should be interesting. Not a clue if I can sneak in Dazzle’s box or not. Time scheduled is between 10 and 2. Kind of crazy as we’ll probably be home working on tilling the raised beds or me pulling yet more weeds. I was able to clear most of the weeds from the artichoke plant yesterday. I can remember when we had three of them. Two have disappeared. I guess we should see if we can find some more and get them going again in that area.
And on to a nice sunny day. Hope everyone stays well out there.
Dazzle’s tiny, Joy. Even with her accessories it won’t look like a typical RRFF box. Perhaps you bought some sock?? 🤣🤣🤣
Great idea. Socks. Love it. I will use it next time, as little Dazzle safely arrived. 🙂
Well, luck was with me today. Other person went out the back door and decided to mow the lawn. This was fortunate as FedEx, arriving early, managed to leave Dazzle on the front porch so other person did not trip over the box heading to the garage. And no doorbell or knock either. Yay. I had a strange feeling while heading to the bedroom to check the porch. What a shock when I opened the door and there was the package on the mat. I believe that Dazzle was calling and asking to be released from the box. 🙂 I grabbed the box which was much smaller than the regular doll boxes and even took off the FedEx wrapper. I have Dazzle all ready to open up soon. I think she’ll be thrilled after her round about tour. 🙂
Glad you got her in, Joy, great timing. Looking forward to photos of this one and her additions.
Jeanne, I hope you and George are on the mend. I vote YES for the sash with the polka dots. This dress is so cute it makes me want to buy Molly. I am down to 3 American Girls; Kirsten, Kit, and Caroline. My daughter commented that ALL of the dolls have blonde hair. Maybe I do need Molly.
I did cave on the RRFF Fortune Teller at Happily. I tried and tried to resist but obviously failed. I can’t wait to see her in person. They always look better than the photos. KiKi is a beautiful doll. The photos do not do her justice.
Sissy, when I got to the computer yesterday it was too late to comment. Your paper dolls were so beautiful! A publisher might have preserved them forever but at least you have your photos. You and your mother were real life American girl dolls from different generations.
Thank you, Debbie! So glad you enjoyed them. That was so special of the mother and daughter artists to do this.
Hi Jeannie,
Sorry to hear you’re still not over that bug. I hope it passes soon. I’m guessing you both picked up something in the hospital. I really cringe when I need to go to the doctors or take mom and dad for blood work because germs love me! If there are germs lingering, I’m “IT”. I must be the perfect host. lol Enough about that, it’s necessary so there is nothing we can do about that.
I think the dress is adorable, what about a dark blue sash… nothing says it has to be matchy matchy but I do think the dotted fabric is cute. That’s not very helpful, is it? lol
Thank you for sharing Sissy’s paper dolls! I love paper dolls, actually I loved/love all dolls but when I was a kid, I mostly played outdoors. Bike riding, jump rope, Badminton, sidewalk chalk, hide-n-seek. I had a little brother so playing with dolls didn’t interest him too much.
Sissy’s your paper dolls are the cutest thing. What a shame that the originals where lost. I would have been so upset. What a good idea that you photocopied them prior to leaving them with the framing shop. Also thank you so much for your kind words the other day. You are so sweet! I’m happy to hear your honey is nearly completely healed and you’re back to swimming.
Laura, Thank you for your kind words the other day. Yes, you are so right everyone got out safely. Richard went back in to get the animals out and fell on something and cracked a rib, he’s sore but doing fine.
Charlotte… you made me smile. What a unique and original gift idea. Sounds like he loved it. What a sweet memory! I’m sorry you had a fight with your serger. I’m not speaking to mine… it’s been at least 2 years now.
Thank you so much for your kind words the other day. Yes, my son and his family were being watched over. Thank you Jesus! They got out quickly thanks to my grandson.
We are back to looking at houses. This is round three. I’m getting mentally worn out. My parents keep changing their minds. It’s extremely frustrating. Thank goodness our Realtor is a sweet friend who hubby worked with for years. She also sells Real Estate in her spare time. In the end she will be the one that will list my parents house and ours… She knows what is going on and is so very understand, thankfully.
Happy hump day!
Hugs
Ingrid
I pray your son recovers quickly, Ingrid. Yes, people and pets are the important things.
So glad your grandson woke up. A grade school friend of mine, her three brothers, her father’s sister, her unborn baby, and his mother all died in a Christmas Eve house fire caused by a faulty fireplace flue while the parents were at Christmas Eve Mass. I was in seventh grade and Beth was a year older, but we knew each other as we were in Girl Scouts together and seventh and eighth grade had recess together. We had been to her house the week before to make Christmas cookies for the local nursing home. They didn’t have smoke alarms , but were getting a system in the next couple of weeks.
Thank you for the kind words, Ingrid. And I am so glad you enjoyed my paper dolls. I think I will have to frame them. I hope all goes well for your family and the house situations.
I love the idea of the red and white polka dotted fabric with the dress, but then I love polka dots. I think it would be really cute.
Hope you and George are doing better. With all the stress you have been under lately it’s not surprising your resistance is probably down some.
I have two dolls that are supposed to show up sometime in the near future – I think one in late May and one in June. One is a Dianna Effner Mini Maru doll (actually it is Maru) and the other is also a Mini Maru doll named Luna. I think I got all that right since it was months ago I ordered them.
Gloomy here today and for the next couple days. We are in line for some spring storms and really have no clue what to expect along with them. One time when they came through a couple years ago we escaped the worst but Bellville just 20 minutes north of us got hammered with large hail and power outages. The time before our south side of town got a micro burst, something I never heard of before, and it flatten everything beneath it. Fortunately it was on the side of town with mostly farms and ranches so aside from all the power poles lying flat on the ground and a few buildings damaged, the town escaped fairly unscathed. It would have been far worse had it been further north.
I like the red polka dot for Molly’s dress.
Jeanne, I hope you and George find out what’s wrong so that you feel better soon.
Jeanne I love the polka dots, and I think a red bow in her hair to match would be cute.
I hope you and George feel MUCH better tomorrow.
We went back to the walk-in clinic today with a red infection in Peyton’s eye, like what we called “Pink Eye”. He has some new drops to use in his eye, but I do it for him. He has finally realized he needs to rely on me for such things. After all, as I tell him, I raised 2 boys and I learned a lot from that!!