Hi everyone,
REMINDER:
Tonight is the night when “Pretty in Pink” ends on Ebay! If you are searching for a pretty and very dainty Easter dress for your Little Darling doll, I have one you might like… It’s listed on Ebay and ends this evening… You can see it by clicking the link at the right sidebar, or you can click HERE to be taken to the listing…
Now, let’s turn our attention to somethings I made for the Ruby Red Fashion Friend boys. I have had James, who has been sorely neglected, and now I have Russell. I bought Susette’s Russell from Suemae. Susette bought him because he reminded her of her grandson, Krish. I am going to be selling James, but he’s doing a little swimsuit modeling for me today.
I saw some patterns on Etsy for the Ruby Red dolls and wanted to give one of them a try. I thought I picked a good pattern, but it has been a challenge… I can pretty much tell from looking at a picture how whatever I’m making will be put together. NOT THIS PATTERN. I had to read and re-read and then re-read again what they were talking about… They had good directions, all numbered with pictures, but they didn’t tell enough about what piece they were talking about…which is strange because there were ONLY 5 pieces to this pattern and I didn’t use 2 of the pieces. Maybe this is the pattern Joy was struggling with the other day…
I’m not entirely sure why I found it so difficult… how can a pair of shorts with a waistband be so hard to figure out. Part of the problem may have been her pictures. She was using a hot pink or maybe a bright coral color fabric and it was hard to tell exactly what she was doing… even though she used dashes shown in white in her pictures to indicate the stitching lines. I tried a second time and just did it the way she said again, and got to that point again, where I just said, “I know how shorts go together” and just made them on my own…
The thing is, I wanted to try making the swim trunks or board shorts (as they were frequently called) and was hoping they would go together quickly enough that I could charge a reasonable price for them… but these were taking up too much time to be profitable. I was about ready to cut out the shorts and make then taller at the waistband… then just fold over the waistband and make a casing for the elastic… but I’ll let you see what I mean and I’d love to hear your thoughts on them. Please tell me what you like and what you don’t like.
This was the first pair I made… I used a green print and then 2 green eyelets for the cord to run through and tie.
They are cuter in person as they look flat and not 3D enough in my pictures…
I tried a second time and used a fun plaid that reminded me of guys swim trunks. I think Russell looks adorable in them…
Here are the boys together…
Next I tried copying the flannel shirt that Russell came in… My pattern I drafted was pretty close, but needs a few tweaks…
I need to make the sleeves just a hair shorter…
The collar needs to be shorter and closer around his neck about 1/4″…and the back needs to be just a little bit more narrow.
And one last thing… JOY, this may interest you… I found a different way of putting on snaps… you only have to sew one side!! I’ll do a post on this later…I’m trying to figure out how to make the snaps almost totally invisible…on both sides! :o)
Well, my Aunt Sally is coming today, so I may not get to your comments until later, but I’ll try to check in!
See everyone tomorrow. I’m going to show someone’s doll they bought from Susette’s collection…
Blessings, Jeanne
Well, those shorts turned out just darling, both pairs, but I can see, with the pieced waistband, that they might have been a bit tricky to put together, particularly if her directions left something to be desired.
I’m so glad you have Russell (and Susette’s Russell, at that!); I bought him right away when he was first offered, and the first thing he told me was that Russell was only his middle name. It took a while but we finally figured out his first name is Nolan. Anyway, I was really impressed with the quality of his outfit. Plaids that matched Everywhere!! Functional pockets! Functional zippers (and that includes the zipped pockets on his jacket!). Just blew me away.
It looks like you are making good progress in replicating Russel’s plaid shirt, too. I really like it in that little stripe.
I do hope all goes well with Aunt Sally’s visit…..hugs.
I can’t imagine, teeny tiny sewing machines? Perhaps using tweezers instead of fingers? Something like micro surgery!! and impressive!
Those shorts turned out so well, that they almost make me want a boy doll now! Not really going to happen, but I just love how real they look on the boys! That pattern looks good in both fabrics but I really like the plaid ones! And you have our Susette’s Russell too! I can see how his coloring is good for modeling clothes!
How spicy and crisp that shirt looks, Jeanne! I love it! Yes, I can see with a few tweaks, it will be a perfect fit, and the snaps are so easy to close. Dolls that size have clothes that are really difficult to dress them in, and those snaps certainly do help with that!
Since I am familiar with your Aunt Sally, tell her “Hello” for me and that I wish her well!
Hugs!🙏🏻🥰
Excellent pattern drafting on the shirt! Well done. I am intrigued about the snaps! Is it possible to do the same technique on the sleeves?
The swim-board-trunks-shorts. The style is great. This was a good pattern to try out. Both came out really perfect.
How tall are these boys? 14 inches? The fit is great. all of your workmanship is neat and tidy. So, tell me if I am wrong, but this looks like a standard shorts pattern with elastic, the first pair has two channels for thinner elastic and the second one just one channel? (I am going rogue here, not wearing reading glasses for a proper look) and then the front pieces (is there a technical name for those? “flap closures”?) with the eyelets must be sewn on after the shorts are finished! So I see you need to be mindful with the placement before the elastic. 😵💫😵💫
Jeanne, did you find the instructions lacking in technique, or just the bright pink fabric showing the corresponding step? bright pink is a not an ideal color unless she was using white thread, but still, difficult to see joined pieces. … in my opinion …. or maybe poor photos?
Your efforts produced an excellent result! Neat and tidy. I can relate to the chunkiness of the front pieces. One has to flatten the dickens out of those parts so they do not look so chunky.
These shorts are really sweet. The shirts are well done too Jeanne.
I am glad you got a boy from Susette. It was a fair price too. I loved the dolls presented yesterday but now it is kind of out of reach.
Anyway, Best wishes and enjoy a perfect day with your dear Auntie.
Tomorrow morning….. I will be going to the dentist very early and spend the entire morning there getting two crowns. I will bring some hand sewing, but will most probably take my iPad with me look at cute pictures and certainly checking in on all of you.
It looks like rain today…. I hope everyone has a very nice Wednesday, and starting to feel a bit more alert post time change.
Oh, Rosemary, TWO crowns, you brave girl! Wishes for a good procedure, and hugs.
I am not looking forward to it.
I am making a pile of toys to bring along for the long waits between – a quilt to finish binding and some hexies to sew together for no reason, and I will probably bring my iPad.
I am also bringing a thermos of coffee…. just in case I feel
a need to have it. Ugh, then it will be over.
Hi Rosemary,
You will need to get yourself a reward after two crowns. Not fun at all.
The Ruby Red dolls are 14 1/2 inches. A few of the boys (not Russell) are 15 1/2.
Those dolls are a dreamy size!
I will certainly be rewarding myself. I am no stranger to the dentist though. I inherited some really bad teeth.
One dentist in Belguim, roughly 50 years ago told me my teeth were soft as butter. wow. 🫠😣
I absolutely love the board shorts! They look perfect to me. Love the plaid and the bright green. That should definitely keep the sharks away that lurk off our shores here. 🙂 This wasn’t the pattern I still haven’t even cut out yet because it is so different, but I can sure sympathize with Jeanne. Photos, directions, whatever, sure haven’t helped me at all. I never bother to print the directions on patterns, but the one I have, will probably need them in hand rather than referring to them online. And the pattern makers way is not my way of sewing. Oh, the long sleeved shirt looks great to me, and I’m sure with the tweaks, another will be perfect. Shirts can be so difficult to fit, for me especially. If I didn’t already have James, I would probably be contacting Jeanne about him. 🙂 On a side note, the shirt with the sleeves a bit long may be a perfect fit for the Ruby Red 15″ boys. I believe that their measurements are out there, but I don’t have them at hand. I guess that I could put the two sizes together and take a look if Jeanne wants me to. 🙂
Yesterday, I finally buckled down and got to some weeding. I did the fence line in front. Not a huge chore, but in between weeding sessions, I was herding cats. Callie Cat does not like Charlotte, next door and will attack her if she gets the chance. So, when I heard the cries, I jumped into action. Couldn’t get Callie Cat to go to the backyard, so opened the garage door. and Miss Curiosity, Callie Cat, ran inside willingly. I tried to get her to go out the back door, but she wasn’t budging. So, I closed the door and gave her a garage time out. That gave poor Charlotte, time to eat and roll around in the driveway without being bothered. Then, between weeding sessions, I carried Charlotte home several times, but she kept coming back. Gave up. Finally finished weeding, and found that Charlotte, had finally gone home on her own. Yay. Opened the back garage door and called for Callie who was still enjoying the garage. We think she would like to move in there. Anyway, finally got her into the backyard and gave up on more yardwork. Such is a day of my life.
It’s pretty chilly this morning, but it’s going to heat up. Definitely will be in the 80’s, I think. First thing, after a walk, I will be watering in the back and front. I was so excited yesterday to see my pot of freesias just starting to bloom. So pretty. They are multicolor and not like those along our fence line in front. Yay, it’s Spring! 🙂
I totally forgot the snaps! I would love to see Jeanne’s new way of sewing those dreaded items. 🙂
And my latest RR, Sugar, is on her way north. Hopefully, I will get an update soon. 🙂
Oh Joy, the wait must be crazy…. I would be pacing the floors. It is good to have kitties and weeds to keep you busy.
Your Kittty drama is a hoot, I would be laughing! They are so silly.
I am excited that you already have some flowers coming up.
The tulips are coming up on our old property. in 2023 I planted 110 tulips in memory of my father’s passing, and of course my parents are both from the Netherlands. Those are coming up. The shrubbery I have here at the new house is not too exciting. I am just going to go with it until I can think of better, which I know there is!
Sewing and gardening, there just isn’t enough time in the day! At present, I am fixing all of my assembling mistakes I made while phone blabbing with my oldest daughter on Monday for two hours…. just wow! goofy mistakes.
Those RR boys shirts and swim suits are really cute. I don’t have a boy RR but how great you’re making them available. I love the plaid swim suit.
When I hear the talk about sewing, and all that’s involved, I shuddered. I’m grateful Jeanne sews and I appreciate that several of the Sofa Sisters enjoy sewing themselves. Like I say, I have other talents. 😂
I’ve been working up in my She Shed and enjoying my puzzles. I just finished a celebrity “solve the murder” puzzle, that once done, you guess who the murderer was and now I’m working on a Route 66 puzzle. I kind of watch movies as I work on the puzzles.
I only do this after I do my chores! 😊
Oh yeah, chores. So many to do, it is good to space them out. 😁
especially while working on our talents
We have snow! It is only about 3 flakes deep, but any snow is welcome here — one snow says that there might be another.
So much for our excitement. I’m glad you have the Krish doll — I’ve seen pictures of the original, and they do resemble each other. You’ve done a great job on the shorts, but the detail on the shirt is amazing. No one would guess from the picture that it’s tiny, it’s so perfect, even more perfect than the original.
I hope your aunt’s visit goes as smoothly as that shirt. Do you still have that ice cream place nearby — the one with all the toppings? Maybe a treat from there would be nice.
It’s making me recall visits from my father’s family, who came from a distance and stayed. Most were born in August, so my mom and I spent a lot of time baking. Once when they were here, my aunt and uncle bought a mint green truck. While everyone was out having fun, my mom stayed home and secretly baked another cake. She chopped walnuts to make a road, and reshaped a matchbox to make a truck, which she covered with green frosting. After dinner, she surprised everyone with the truck’s first birthday cake.
About 30 years later, when my aunt and uncle died, my parents went to California to clear out the house. The frosted truck was still in their refrigerator.
Yay for snow,
Your family story is great. Yay for family gatherings and mint green trucks and baking!!
Sweet your parents found the truck still in the fridge haha that is special.
Dear Marilyn, what a lovely story. Thanks for sharing it. I often reminisce with my cousins about our childhood days.
What lovely family memories. How fun that your parents found the truck cake after all of that time. I’m sure that they celebrated the occasion every year. 🙂
And yay, for the snow!
The shorts are really cute. I like the plaid ones best.
I hope all goes well with Aunt Sally’s visit today.
Jeanne, I love the boys’ pants, they are just right! The plaid is perfect!
The blue shirt reminds me of my dad, he wore blue shirts or yellow ones, his favorite two colors. I know you will have yours set up just perfect. Like Joy I would love to know how you did the snaps.
We had another service with our priest this morning and I had to mail a box to Joy when I got back. She will kill me when she sees it. She said she wished she could find some food for her dolls. I had been buying that with lots of foods and also things to go with them for YEARS! I am sure she will head out for Good Will or some where to get rid of a lot of them, LOL!
hilarious fun, Sissy. did you make the food yourself?
What a fun package!
No, Rosemary, I had been buying them for years, they are all plastic.
I just received the USPS update about said food. They said that the CA border patrol will be checking the package for any spoilage or unusual food so as not to allow any pests like fruit flies into CA. 🙂 No really, I am so excited to be getting the package. Can’t wait. And a big Thank You to Sissy!
And my latest RR, Sugar, is in the bay area so, I expect that she will arrive either tomorrow or Friday, if all goes well. 🙂
I can almost hear the “Mission: Impossible” theme in the distance!
Dear Jeanne, I say “let’s hear it for the boys!” They look adorable. I am betting they are already thinking about Summer fun by the beach or on the boardwalk.
Those swim trunks are adorable!
I’ve ALWAYS wanted a Little Darling doll, but when I first started looking for one, and found out the price, I just couldn’t, and then they just kept getting more, and more expensive! When I first saw the Ruby Reds, Bella reminded me of my granddaughter, so, I bought her! I’m NOT however too fond of her skin tone. C’est la vie.