Yesterday when I did my post on my small vintage pattern collection, (HERE) I got a pretty nice response from your comments and emails. One of my readers, Betty, sent me some pictures of a pattern that a friend had given to her. It is so incredible, I just had to share it. It came from the late 1800’s and is very rare. Betty did a little research on Ebay and found a set that had gone for $350 and one that went for $450.
If you click on any picture, it will enlarge.
If you are on a desktop computer, click on the picture so it will enlarge. Then hit the “control” key and the + key a couple of times so the picture will enlarge enough to read it. It’s fascinating to read how they took their measurements to get a perfect fit.
This little chart was what they wrote their measurements in…
I think I’d have this framed in a shadow box so everyone could see it. It’s definitely a “conversation starter” kind of item!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Betty…
Then another of my readers emailed me and told me the fabric that was pinned to the collar was called Printed Dotted Swiss and was used a lot for little girls Sunday School dresses, and it was most definitely 100% cotton.
I have the smartest and most informative readers… thanks Jane.
Okay, now I’m sure you were expecting to see more of the “teaser” outfit that I hinted at the other day. Well… I got sidetracked with “part” of the set… but this will be a big hint for those of you guessing.
I wanted a pair of cowgirl boots to go with the set but there was nothing available for the size of the Dianna Effner Little Darlings foot… SO, once again I decided I’d try to figure out a pair on my own. I have to tell you, these aren’t quite so tedious as the little Mary Jane shoes for Ten Ping. I looked at all kinds of doll cowgirl boots and decided to copy one from a picture I saw online. I came up with a paper pattern and this was my first attempt! I just made it out of a suedecloth as a sample. I’ll do a little tweaking but I was pretty pleased with how they looked on the first attempt!
This part took the longest, because you had to stitch it by hand since it was all curvy like…
It would be cute if they could have a heel, but the Little Darlings have flat feet and no joint in their ankle so they have to stand flat footed.
I still have to figure how I’m going to close the back…
Well, what do you think of these?
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, those boots are just adorable! You are doing such a great job with shoes and boots, you must have been a cobbler in an earlier life! Since a lot of cowboy boots were embroidered with designs, you could also put felt flowers on them to match whatever outfit you are making to go with it. I can’t think of any way to improve what you have done!
That pattern that Betty sent pictures of is amazing! I cannot imagine how tedious it must have been to make dresses back then, and to have the person all zipped (or strapped) up with underpinnings to fit it! I would have that framed and on the wall too!
HI Linda,
I’m late to “the party” today… errands today!
Thanks for your kind comments about the boots. I think the boots will be much easier to do… at least so far they have been. I bought some super soft velcro at Joann’s and am going to give that a try for closing up the back.
Yes, isn’t that pattern just incredible. I would love to see one of those “up close and personal” sometime… and just imagine the dresses that were made using it. *sigh*
Thanks Linda,
Have a wonderful weekend.
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh Jeanne, They’re great! You’re really getting the hang of this shoe thing:-). Love them! Maybe you could close the back with a couple of little embroidery floss X’s.
Thanks Cindy,
I’m going to try safety pinning the back of the boot shut and see if the Ultrasuede is flexible enough to just push down and wiggle her foot into. That would be great if it will work. If so, I’ll just stitch them shut, but I bought some Velcro just in case…
Love you,
Me
Jeanne, I just bought a Little Darlings doll, and she arrived wearing cowgirl boots! I am out of town, but will send you a pic of them when I get home Sunday. They closed with Velcro, but the Velcro is very thin, not bulky like the ones we can buy. Has anyone seen a source for this?
Beth
What great boots, Jeanne. I can’t see that they anything else but a little decoration. I like the idea of felt flowers.
I use the velcro from Zipper That Doll. It is VERY thin and gentle, not at all like the velcro used in clothes manufactured by AG. http://www.zipperthatdoll.com
HI Anna,
Thank you for your compliments on my doll boots. I will definitely embellish them somehow…
I’ll have to check out the velcro from Zipper That Doll. I don’t think I’ve heard of that website before.
Blessings to you, Anna,
~ Jeanne
Hi Beth,
I saw Jo in her cowgirl outfit last night but couldn’t see her boots very clearly. It’s a cute outfit she is dressed in. I think one of the ladies who paints the Little Darlings, sells the ultra thin Velcro… Nelly Valentino… so I might check with her.
Thanks for your kind words, Beth.
Blessings, Jeanne
I have a similar pattern to Betty’sā¦.It’s for a girl’s dress, early 1900’s, and is printed on cardboard with perforations to enable the seamstress to make the pattern in various sizes. The pattern is patented to Prof Plant, in Manchester NH, manufactured in Biddeford ME, and includes testimonials in French from someone in Holyoke MA. Interesting look at the past!
HI Kathy,
Oh, how very fortunate to own one of these vintage patterns Kathy! Do you have yours framed? It must be fun to look at it and dream of all the little girls dresses that were made from it….
Thanks for letting us know there are more than one of these things floating around…
Blessings, Jeanne
Love, love the boots! Can we hope that you will offer these for our darlings?
Some thin velcro would probably make the best closure. Now to find a good source – that is the challenge.
HI Maureen,
Thanks for your sweet comments on my doll boots. I guess if I get fast enough I could sell a pair or two if someone wanted them.
I’m going to check out the website that Anna told me about and see what their Velcro is like…
Thanks so much Maureen,
Blessings, Jeanne
Thank you for sharing this bit of history with your readers. I like your idea of framing it in a shadow box.
Great job on the boots. You are so talented!!
HI Betty,
I guess this was my “Show and Tell” post for the dolls. It was interesting, wasn’t it? I love learning about the old things too…
Thanks for your sweet comments on the boots.
Blessings, Jeanne
Wonderful looking boots. They are amazing. The piece across the top of the foot really adds to the looks. No telling what else you will learn to make!!
I didn’t explain very well in yesterday’s blog about the doll dress my sister made for me. There was an old blue dress that looked very much like a young teen’s Sunday school dress and I found it all crumpled up in this attic. My sister was intrigued by the style so she offered to take parts of the dress to make it look like the original dress. Areas on the dress were ruined by having laid up in the attic for who knows how long. The doll’s dress came out looking pretty good.
The old patterns are really neat. I agree-they would look great and be safe in a shadow box.
Blessings!
HI Paula,
Thanks for liking the doll boots. They were so much easier to do than Ten Ping’s little bitty Mary Janes… I don’t NEED to learn anything else to make, but I probably will. If you can’t find shoes, just make them. … If you can’t find boots, just make them… if you can’t find ______ just make it… I guess that could work.
Thanks for explaining about the doll dress. If you still have that dress, I’d love to see it!
I think a shadow box featuring all the parts to this pattern would be really nice to have hanging on your wall.
Have a great weekend, Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne! These are GREAT! Can’t believe how realistic they look. You are amazing. Boy I bet you could sell a lot of those on e-bay!!! or even on your blog here. What next, Ski Boots?
Great job!
You are amazing.
Sylvia,
You are too kind with your compliments… I’m glad everyone thinks I got them pretty close… I don’t think this will take as long to tweak and get these right as Ten Ping’s shoes did.
I’ll have to see how fast I can make them…before I think of selling them.
Thanks Sylvia…
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, boots to match every outfit! Perfect.
My great great grandmother was a dressmaker about 1850, coming over from England. Can’t imagine doing all the work by hand. Know she had a sewing machine by 1870, as it was listed as property upon the death of my gg grandfather. Wish I had her patterns.
HI Joy,
Oh how fun that would have been to have gotten her patterns. That would have been a really nice treasure to own. Yes, doing all the sewing by hand must have been a daunting task, but somehow it always got done…
Thanks so much Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Cute boots, I had a feeling that is what you ere going to make, but then thought how can she make cowboy boots? You are just so talented!
HI Regina,
I thought the boots would be easier than a cowgirl hat… I think you almost have to have a mold for a hat… I think I’ll tie ribbons in her hair instead…
Thank you very much, Regina,
Blessings, Jeanne
What do I think of these? I think they’re perfect! I’m so impressed! I would never have thought of trying that. Good job, Jeanne! Have you thought of making them to sell? Different sizes for different dolls?
HI Jevne,
Thanks for your compliments on the boots. I’ve only got “one” boot made, so I can’t say if I’ll be selling them or not… I have so many irons in the fire right now… I’m not sure, but we’ll see…
Thanks so much, Jevne,
Have a wonderful weekend,
Blessings, Jeanne
These look ‘overwhelmingly fiddly’ to make! …but, you’ve done a great job so far! I’m inspired by your tenacity. š
Hi MaryC,
They ARE fiddly to make… and I’ve made 2 more pair, so I guess I’ve had my fair share of “fiddly” for the week… now to get back to the outfit!
Blessings, Jeanne