A Dolly Dingle Christmas 2021

Just finished watching that most precious of Christmas movies, Prancer.  When Prancer snuggles up to the fallen Jessica, I simply fall apart.  I love animals, and they did such an awesome job on this special movie.  Then again, who can argue with watching Sam Elliott for a couple of hours with a glimpse of him in long johns?

And, if you really want a special treat, find copy of the new Christmas book, Grande Jete and Me!  It was written by a former prima ballerina and illustrated by Robin Priess Glasser, of Fancy Nancy fame.  The story is about the former ballerina taking her granddaughter to see The New York City Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker.  Is it any wonder that I collect beautifully illustrated children's books? (see below for book cover)

It was while designing and sewing for Little Miss Christmas, that the December Club Grace box arrived in the mail.  Rachel simply pulled out the stops with this one, and I think it will have to be my favorite of this year's selections.  Snow boots, and a fur snow coat, with add-ons of a scarf and hat and fabulous red boots to go Christmas shopping in.  

But, the greatest surprise and joy to me, was the inclusion of a tiny Dolly Dingle Christmas paper doll by Diana Vining.  I simply flipped!  You know how I love Diana's artwork of Grace and Dolly, and this was such a happy surprise.  I'd fully intended on making Dolly the red holiday dress from last year (remember, I didn't get Dolly until this year), and that idea went poof! when I saw this sweet paper doll page.

How could I not do one on the costumes?  Yes.  I know.  I wanted to make up the gingerbread cookie, but I really did not have the right fabric for the brown.  The pink would have been 

velveteen, which I had, but for a three-tiered ruffled skirt, velveteen would have been too thick.  Oh, I still might try it, maybe in silk or cotton, but gingerbread cookie means thick sweetness to me, and velveteen is so rich.  Remember, this doll is very small, and tubby!

So I made the costume the paper doll is wearing.  Where on earth was I going to get jersey for those tights?!  Well, I made it.  I had a baby's sleeper in the red and white stripes, and I cut the tights pattern at an angle to get both legs' stripes going the same way.  Then I painted in the green dashes.  Seriously.  What a task!

The jumper is one that Dolly can climb into with straps that snap in the back.  The A-line jumper is velveteen and the brown cookie trim is brown silk.  Vintage, cotton white rick-rack was hand-sewn on at the points, top and bottom, with a hidden stitch.  The jumper is lined in red silk.  

Two little pom-poms were sewn at the ends of the straps, and the gingerbread boy decal is hand-painted faux suede (or mole skin?). 

Her little blue top, or sweater, is cotton jersey and snaps in the back.

The red shoes with pink and blue bows, opposite the pom-poms on her dress (love Diana's design!), have little straps with a pearl "button" in the center.

Detail of tights and shoes.

Dolly's little head band is a peppermint band of silk wrapped metal sheeting (that's how I do my head bands), with a red and blue pom-pom on either side of a peppermint.  The peppermint round is silk wrapped cardboard, with hand painted red details.  

To make these photographs extra Christmassy, I channeled Fancy Nancy, and set Dolly up with my little lighted ceramic trees.  I had a green one, and couldn't find it earlier this month, so I bought a pink one and a green replacement.  I adore these little trees.  They're the perfect Christmassy color spot, anywhere you put them.

I hope you'll enjoy Dolly's new outfit.  Below are some of Diana Vining's brilliant artwork for Club Grace December, and a few more photos of our little moppet, Dolly Dingle.

Happy Christmas wishes, Melissa