Two Sewing Projects

Okay, I couldn't help myself...I bought more fabric, even though I have who-knows-how-many-yards stashed away in my closet.  But can you blame me?  Just look at this cuteness:

 

It's called "Little Red Riding Hood" by Riley Blake Designs.  I have been pretty picky about buying any new fabric lately; it either has to meet a current need OR be super cute.  Guess which category this one falls into?

In all fairness to me, I had actually spotted it on previous shopping trip last week.  But I resisted.  Yes.  I walked out of my favorite fabric store without it.  My best friend (who didn't accompany me that day) would have been so proud.  Or not.  On second thought, she probably would have talked me into it.  But that's not the point.  I went home without it, telling myself I didn't really need it, that it would simply be another project staring me in the face.  But I couldn't get it out of my head!  So I waited three whole days before breaking down and rushing back to the store, eagerly anticipating the pattern I was going to use, the fabrics I would coordinate together, etc.  And then, horror of horrors...it wasn't there!

I couldn't believe that somebody else had snapped it up, that the beautiful design I had planned out in my head would never come to fruition.  Just when I was coming to terms with the fact that it wasn't meant to be, I discovered that the entire line had been moved to another part of the store.  I grabbed those bolts just as quickly as possible and did a happy dance inside my head.  It was meant to be, after all!

Here is the pattern I'm going to use as a starting point.  I say that because I don't think I've ever followed a pattern exactly.  I like view A, which has the contrast, upper bodice.  It will be sleeveless, and there will be an attached petticoat with ruffle peaking out from underneath.  I am going to add a hem band on the dress skirt made up of several different fabrics, and an attached apron trimmed with rick rack.  It will be adorable, that I can promise!

I think I've decided on the light green rick rack...I couldn't find a blue to match, and white didn't have enough contrast...

And while we're at it, here is the fabric that I have set aside for Sophie's Easter dress.  I will use the same pattern mentioned above.  The main dress will be from the pink gingham, and the print will be an attached pinafore.  Isn't that print just adorable?  It is called 1 is One by Tasha Tudor for RJR Fabrics.  I had admired it for many months but never quite knew what to do with it, so I resisted purchasing it until I happened upon the last bolt that the fabric store had on clearance.  I quickly bought two yards, found the pink gingham, and instantly knew it was going to become an Easter dress.

Tasha Tudor is one of my favorite children's author/illustrators.  Her illustrations are just so soft and innocent and old-fashioned.  This fabric originally came in a blue colorway also (which I would have preferred) but I think the green is pretty, too.  In any case, I'm just glad to have been able to acquire some, since I don't think it's being manufactured anymore.

 

Okay, enough blabbing about fabrics...time to start sewing!

 

 

 

 

 



Got chicks???

Meet the new little ladies in our house:  Helen, Stella, Susan, Jackie, Penelope, and Nicholai.  Don't ask me who is who...I can't tell them apart except for the little dark one who's giving us a good view of her hind end in this picture.  That's Jackie.

Aren't they just the cutest little balls of fluff you've ever seen?  Three are Rhode Island Reds, and the other three are a breed that my husband can't seem to remember the name of.  He was the one who took the kids to the feed store last weekend while I was away at a doll show, and like a typical man, the details just aren't that important to him.  Hey, they're chickens, right?  That's the important thing.  And hopefully, they're all of the female variety, because we can't have any roosters living in suburbia.

Right now, they're temporarily residing in a Rubbermaid box with a heat lamp out in our garage.  But I figure they'll outgrow that pretty quickly, so we are in the process of converting our unused side yard into a chicken pen.  There's lots of grass and weeds and blackberry vines for them to munch on, so I think they'll be pretty happy.  And happy chickens lay eggs.  Which is the goal.

I was just informed by my 4 year old that this chick is Stella.  Hmmm.  Not sure how she can be so sure, but I'll take her word for it.  And just in case you're curious about the poor, little chick named "Nicholai", well, that's what happens when you let your teenage son name one.  He thought it was pretty amusing to name a chick a cross between his middle name, Nicholas, and the disease, E coli.  Just watch, this one WILL turn out to be a rooster, and then what ever will we do?

 

 

 

 

New Dolls and Ebay listings

I've added several dolls to my collection over the past few months, like this 23" papier mache beauty above.  Isn't she pretty?

She has a papier mache turned head and shoulderplate, arms, and legs.  Cloth body.   Her mohair wig is a replacement, but it suits her, I think.  Blue glass eyes.  I just love her antique dress.  No markings, but she is most likely German, and could possibly be a Schilling.  Circa late 1800's.

 

I just love these American cloth dolls made by Martha Chase.  Each one was hand made and hand painted from 1889 and on...hard to imagine in our current world of mass production and everything coming from China.  These dolls were meant to be played with and loved.  As a result, she shows some wear on her face, but her expression is so sweet that I had to bring her home with me! 

Oil painted features, molded cloth face, cloth body, 16" tall.

 

This is a 10 1/2" bisque head baby by George Borgfeldt, mold number 327.  I am drawn more and more to these small, "cabinet size" dollies. 

Brown sleep eyes, original mohair wig, composition body.

 

Another cabinet size baby...this is an 8 1/2" Franz Schmidt character baby with a very rare mold number--I believe it is incised 1237.  Her little dollie is a 4" Nancy Ann Storybook look-a-like baby made by K & H co.

Brown sleep eyes, open-closed molded mouth, molded hair, composition body.

 

And just to prove that I don't only buy antique dolls, here is the newest mini American girl doll character...Caroline!  I love the American Girl dolls, especially the mini ones.  They are exquisitely dressed, with undergarments, socks, and shoes, just like their 18" counterparts.  And if you buy them from Amazon, they'll cost you less than if you order directly from American Girl.

6 1/2" tall, cloth body, vinyl limbs and head, rooted hair.  Jointed just like the 18" American Girls.  I paid $16 for her on Amazon--great quality for the price.

 

Now, all these dollie purchases come with a price...I now have to sell stuff to help pay for my splurges!

Among the many things I have currently listed on Ebay is this sweet, 14" articulated doll.  She is Lark Little Lady by Helen Kish.  I bought her nude several years ago, thinking I'd sew for her, but it just never happened.  I did manage to make the one outfit she is wearing, and I think she looks so sweet in it.  It's going to be hard to part with her.

Her bodice has an inset of french laces, and the same laces trim her attached over-skirt and dress.

 

This is an 18" Magic Attic doll named Heather.  They are no longer made, but were produced as competition to the American Girls.  They are nice quality, with all-vinyl bodies, wigs, and stationary eyes.  I made her a simple sundress from quilter's cottons.  There is rick-rack trim over the yellow hem band which is hard to see in the photo, and a sash that ties in back.  I found that dolls sell much better on Ebay if they have clothing, so I made this dress for her right before listing her.

 

Another dollie that needed a dress...this is a 13" Corolle Les Cheries Camille.  Her dress is identical to the Magic Attic doll's dress above.

 

So, you see, I HAVE been sewing!  I also bought fabric a couple of months ago to make my little one an Easter dress, but it is still laying on my sewing table.  Seeing that Easter is only 1 1/2 weeks away, I should probably get moving on it!  I've also done a bunch of mending, but that isn't really sewing, is it?  I mean, I did use the sewing machine, but mending isn't creating something new, so I don't think it really counts.

 

And every few days or so, we get some marvelous, spring-y type weather, so I've been out in the yard, getting vegetable beds ready for spring planting, pulling weeds, straightening out sheds, and picking up forgotten socks, forks, cups, and other kid paraphernalia strewn about the yard.  I'd love to spend more time sewing, but living in the Pacific NW means taking advantage of the nice weather when it comes, because those days can sometimes be few and far between.

 

Hope to be back soon with more sewing projects completed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Art Mills Fabric Doll

Last summer, I picked up this little sweetie at a local doll show.  She is a 24", Art Mills Fabric Doll, made around 1900.  Around this time, pre-printed fabric panel dolls were very popular.  Mothers bought the panels, and then sewed and stuffed the dolls at home.

Because she is was in poor condition, I was able to purchase her for a fraction of what she would have cost otherwise.   So I brought her home, fully intending on mending her immediately.  But like so many of my other projects, she languished in the "to-do" pile in my sewing room.

 

I think the thing that kept me from repairing her right away was the extent of her damage. Her head was tearing away from her neck, and some previous owner had tried to patch it. She had a badly torn left arm, a ripped out crotch, and numerous other rips in her seams.  But her face just spoke to me!

 

 

Because I had a few, uninterrupted hours today, I finally decided to tackle this project.  I started with the easiest mends first, and then worked my way up until only the head remained.

 

Because so much of the fabric around her face and neck was disintegrated beyond salvaging, I decided that the best of course of action would be to remove the head, cut away the damaged fibers, and then add a strip of bias fabric.  I just so happened to find a twill fabric at my fabric favorite store that matched in color very closely.  First I attached the bias fabric to the head, and then I sewed the bottom of the bias fabric to the body.  Much better.  I am toying with the idea of "dirtying up" the bias strip so that it more closely matches the soiled fabric of the head and body, but for right now, I think it looks a hundred times better.  The sweet little thing can now hold her head erect without fear of it ripping off!

 

In the process of mending, I had to remove some of the cotton stuffing and put it in other places because it had matted and shifted so much over the past 100 years.  I pulled the wads apart and re-fluffed them before stuffing them back in.  I have to admit, I kept daydreaming that I might find a centuries old love letter tucked inside the body cavity, or maybe even money!  But no such luck. 

 

Before I show you her "after" picture, I just wanted to mention the thread I've been using, and how much I like it.  It's 100% cotton by Coats & Clark, especially for machine quilting.  There are 1200 yards per spool, so it lasts a really long time.  It regularly costs $6 at JoAnn's, but I either use a coupon, or wait until all thread is 50% off.  Plus, when the thread is gone, all you are left with is a simple, cardboard spool that is easily recyclable.  It is strong and feels nice, especially in all my vintage projects.  I guess the one downfall might be is that it doesn't come in too many colors.  But since I use mainly muted colors, this hasn't been an issue for me.

 

And here she is!   Doesn't she look much better?  I named her Izzy.  Every time I looked at her, that was the name that kept coming to mind.  I was able to find her an antique slip and baby dress among my collection of vintage clothing that fit her just right.  Oh, and I forgot to mention:  because I added a simple running stitch along the top of each leg (where they connect to her body), she can now sit in a chair.  Prior to this, her body was stuffed and sewn all as one piece, so although she had limbs, they couldn't be bent.  And since I wanted her to be able to sit in a chair, I decided that it would be okay to add the stitches.

 

It's hard to tell from the rest of her body, but here you can see the detail in the printing of the fabric.  Aren't those the cutest little boots?  Her torso has a one-piece underwear printed on it, but it has become so faded that it's really hard to see.  She is really quite dirty, but I kind of like it.  How many little children loved her?  I can just imagine her being pulled around in a wagon (and tumbling out!), and playing "house" with her little owner under the shade of a large bush while making mudpies.  This doll (and those like her) were made to be loved.  They did not sit on a shelf like their fragile bisque and china sisters.  They were dragged around, played with, loved.

 

And here she is with her "little sister", another fabric panel printed doll of the same era.  I think they look quite happy together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seven (or more!) Years in the Making...

Wow, I didn't mean to let so much time slip by since my last post!  So, without further ado, I present you with my most recent project:

Isn't it adorable?  I fell in love with this cross stitch pattern the moment I saw it--SEVEN (maybe even eight!) years ago.  I finished half of it very quickly, and then, for some odd reason, I set it aside.  Weeks, months, and even years went by.  Every now and then, I'd add a stitch here and there, but it has mainly been languishing and collecting dust.  Well, I finally picked it up again last week and forced myself to finish it.

 

I'm so glad I did!

 

This is the leaflet I picked up so many years ago at JoAnn's. Funny, when I originally started it, I kept envisioning it ending up in my kitchen. But that was before I had a sweet, little three-year-old who has claimed it for her own. She has eagerly watched me put the final stitches in this project, anxiously waiting for the time we could hang it on her wall. It will look perfect in a little girl's room, don't you think?

 

Here's a close-up:

 

And because I always need to have some sort of cross stitch project in the works, here is the next one I have already started (the sleeping baby surrounded by Kewpies):

 

 

Here is the envelope of Kewpie cross-stitch patterns which I picked up at a doll show at least ten years ago:

 

After I finish the sleeping baby print, I'd also like to make the two pictures matted in dark blue--a Kewpie reading a book to a kitty, and a Kewpie feeding a puppy.  So cute.  I think these would make really darling throw pillows for my little girl's bed.  Hopefully, it won't take me another seven years to complete these projects!

 

And in other news (because there is ALWAYS something happening besides crafting, especially in a large family!) , our sweet, little Jackson re-broke his leg, after only being out of his cast for two weeks from his first break!  So back into a new cast he went, and now, 8 weeks later, this is the picture I snapped right before his appointment yesterday to finally make him cast-free again:

 

He was pretty excited about getting it removed.  For the past two weeks, he's been in a short-leg cast, so he's had much more mobility than with the full leg casts.  But let's face it, it's still a cast.  And now, upon doctor's orders, we're supposed to keep him from running, jumping, wrestling, trampolining, bicycling, scootering, etc. for at least another 2-3 weeks.  Right.  We'll see how well that plays itself out.  I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for no more broken bones!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Costumes

We don't "celebrate" Halloween.  No witches, evil characters, or celebrating anything gory.  However, my kids, like probably every other kid, love to dress up.  For us, it's all about the costumes and the candy!

 

So every year since my oldest was about three (almost 21 years ago!) I have made them costumes.  We have NEVER resorted to a store-bought concoction.  I enjoy making costumes that are sturdy and will hold up for hundreds of hours of make-believe play throughout the years.  That said, I haven't made a new costume for several years now.  As each Halloween comes around, the kids dip into the dress-up box and see what might fit them.

 

I had thought I was going to have to sew a new costume for this one since we couldn't find anything that fit.  But at the last minute, her older sister remembered the 1950's poodle skirt which I had made several years ago that was hiding at the back of their closet.  We paired it with her daddy's letterman's jacket and voila!  Instant 50's girl.

 

"Daniel Boone" has been a favorite for many years now.  The coon skin cap is really made from fake fur.

 

Notice the pillowcase he's clutching?  I used to make matching trick-or-treat bags for each costume, too, but the kids envisioned collecting more candy than the bags could hold, so they opted for pillowcases instead!

 

My little "Indian".  Isn't he just the cutest?  This is third of my sons to have worn this costume.  It's still a little roomy on him, and I had to temporarily hem up the pants (with masking tape!) about 6 inches so he wouldn't trip on them. 

Both his and the Daniel Boon costume are made from a fake suede material.

 

My little froggie!  I made this for son #4 when he was a little guy, so she is now the third child to wear it.  It is made from a nice, soft, corduroy.  The collar used to have little jingle bells attached at each point, but I noticed this year that they were missing.  Hmmm.  Some little person must have pulled them off.  I'll have to fix that.

 

It makes me a little sad to think that this is the last time any of my kids will ever wear this costume, since next year, she will be too big for it.  I suppose I'll have to pack it away for future grandkids!

 

Besides the costumes, this is what it's all about...the CANDY! 

 

My 50's girl and Daniel Boone went trick-or-treating with the neighbor kids, but my two youngest were escorted by their oldest brother and his girlfriend.  Since Jackson still has a cast and can't walk, he enjoyed being carried the entire way.  Sophie, on the other hand, ran from house to house, the excitement of filling her bag with candy spurring her on!  (This picture was taken after the costumes had come off, and son and his girlfriend were getting ready to leave.)

 

So now, suffice it to say, there are candy wrappers everywhere.  I pretty much just let everybody eat their candy until it's gone.  I find it's easier that way than trying to ration it out, and constantly having someone begging me for candy.  When it's gone, it's gone.

 

And speaking of gone, I'll leave you with this image which was fading quickly by the time I noticed it and could grab my camera.  Such a beautiful reminder of our creator.