UFDC Peggy Sue's Autumn Fashions

Halloween is just a week away now.  Well, okay, eight days from now.  While I've been enjoying the fall season, for some reason I was having a difficult time getting in the swing of things ghostly and ghouly until around the 15th.  Shame on me.  I usually have my tables decorated for Halloween on the first of October, and no later.  This could be due in part to the Indian Summer we face here in California every year.  Its been HOT.  Hot and dry.  The mornings and nights are just getting cool now, and leaves beginning to show signs of turning.  Having an active imagination does nothing to promote the change to autumn around here.

One thing I have been doing though, is creating a few fall fashions for Peggy Sue.  It wasn't until I found the Halloween Woolworth's ad that Halloween truly kicked in for me.  So I took a break from the fall fashions and made Peggy Sue her costume.  Which is intended to be part of the fall fashion collection.  So if you count them up, I made five for her.

I'm in love with the 50's right now.  Such a pretty and feminine time for women and girls' fashions.  But, there is also a feel that is undeniable.  Coming right out of the WWII, Americans were invigorated to start rebuilding lives, begin having families, celebrate with gentle pursuits and settle down.  Images from this time are often bucolic in nature and give us a feeling of comfort and serenity.  Children play, animals frolic.  There's an innocence to the 50's that has been lost to the times we live in today.  It is this very feeling that has kept me sewing for Peggy Sue like I haven't for other dolls.  Simplicity.  And, don't we all need a little simplicity and innocence in our lives today? 

Recently I discovered the Jack and Jill magazines that were published by Curtis Publishers for young boys and girls.  Pinterest, Ebay and Etsy all feature ways to enjoy these delightful magazines, and I have purchased a quite a few of them.  This should not surprise anyone since I'm an antiquarian and contemporary children's book collector.  

But, let's get to Peggy Sue's autumn fashions!  As I mentioned in earlier posts, I've been going nuts for Riley Blake and Lori Holt quilting cottons.  A half yard is more than enough to make a charming dress for Peggy Sue.  The colors and patterns are artful and bright.  And, there is no denying that cotton is super easy to sew on.  And, inexpensive to purchase!  I've taken to purchasing half yards of fabric just because I'm charmed by the print.  And, these fabrics are also seasonally themed making them all the more fun.  If fabric prints can be called artwork, I'm all in.  Any doubt?  Just ask Spoonflower.  Which by the way is pretty awful fabric wise.  Don't buy the Signature Petal cotton.  Buy the poplin.  The Signature Petal is like canvas.  At least you can return it, but orders takes a long time to get, especially now.  Poplin.

For Peggy Sue's first autumn dress, I chose this pumpkin-y color with little fall leaves on it.  Artistic license going on here.  This color is in no way indicative of the 50's, but I loved it and used it.  I've been saving off files from Pinterest on 50's fashions for girls.

I was attracted to the design of the middle dress in blue with red from this pattern.  After the Back to School outfits, I decided to flex my creative muscle a bit more and get back to more intricate designing.  The bodice on this dress has an inset of pleats in a V shape.  I was also looking for dresses with longer sleeves, and the 3/4 sleeve was a popular style in the 50's.  The red dress in the forefront has these sleeves.  It was always up to the seamstress to make up any dress she wanted from these patterns.  

Another great feature that is not at first recognizable, is the pleat in the front of the skirt.  Its a deep pleat that mimics in opposition the V in the bodice.  Love it!  Although you can't see them for the print, the pumpkin dress has patch pockets just like those on the pattern.  The sash is separate and ties in the back with a big bow.  

Polka dots were popular in the 1950's as well.  When I was sewing for Cissy, I found an image of a dress in polka dots that was quite a work of confection.  Seriously more work and a level of difficulty I wasn't ready for.  And, I like sewing for child dolls better anyway.  So when I saw "pattern 2705" with the details in the bodice, I had to try it.

The pointed, high waistband is sewn to the the upper bodice that is gently gathered under the bustline.  Not that little girls have a bustline, to speak of, but little girls dresses were often miniatures of adult dresses, just like in the 1860s.  There is so much similarity in the simpler styles that its not funny.  In fashion circles, they do say "it all come back around". 

I spent a good deal of time with this one, figuring out what was going on and how to produce it.  I love doing these little button plackets down the front of the dresses.  They have the look of something buttoned, but the buttons are decorative.  There's two ways to achieve this look.  One is to widen the fold on the bodice and make a box pleat.  The other is to make the placket separate with a long, narrow pied of fabric folded under on each side, then sewn on down the front of the bodice. 

With the persimmon pink dress, the placket was created with the box pleat.  Gentle gathers were made to attach it to the waist band, and ties were created to sew into the side seams.

Another fun feature of this dress were the pointed pockets.  I know a lot of patterns or instructors will have you make one pocket and fold and press the edges in before applying to the garment, but I line the pocket with the same fabric.  Turn it inside out, press, then sew it to the garment.  Its a little thicker, but cleaner looking.  I also hand stitch the pockets on.  

One thing I haven't found in any instructions though, even online, is where the heck to place the pockets.  They all say to "sew on the pockets before gathering", but there's no indication of where on the skirt to do this.  There should be a standard, and I haven't found it, so I just measure and place, measure and place, after I've gathered and assembled the dress.  This way I can adjust where they look best.  I chose short sleeves for this one sticking to the illustration on the child.

One of the things I hadn't made Peggy Sue yet, was a skirt.  I'm not a skirt person.  I like dresses.  On me.  But, little Peggy Sue looks good in everything, so I made her a skirt.  She will get a circle skirt at some point, but for this outfit, it was a gathered skirt on a high waist with straps.  Another very 1860's look.  Call them bretelles, and you have French Fashion.  

The image I found for this skirt was one for Holiday Parties for Sub-teens in a catalog advertisement.  These were not patterns, but outfits you could purchase direct.  I wanted to try the skirt with the double flounce.  Again, it is hard to tell there's one in my photo, but there are two flounces.  

The straps on the one featured were wide and gathered, but this can't be done smoothly with quilting cotton on a small doll.  So I made the straps with simplicity.  The addition of a black satin bow to the center of the high waistband makes a plain skirt fancy.

What I find interesting, is that the samples shown of these dresses gives no indication that they are to be worn for parties.  Except the inclusion of lace on blouses and front bows on the dresses and skirts.  Perhaps it was in the fabrics they used that the "dressy" outfit happens.  In today's clothing, you know exactly what the dress is for since our fashions are so diversified now.  For instance, the term "Holiday" gives me the impression these were worn at Thanksgiving or in particular, Christmas.  With today's fashions, a Christmas print or color (red, green, gold, etc.) would give you the indication for holiday they would be worn on.  I see these dresses suitable for any kind of party.  The gifts in this advertisement look "Christmas" to me, so it troubled me some that I wanted to make the skirt in this style,  Was it too fancy for a simple fall skirt?  I did it anyway.  

I added a basic white blouse that can we worn with other skirts and jumpers in the future.  Thinking ahead!

And, of course, I took a break to make the Woolworth's Halloween costume.  Upon completion of that, I began her last fall dress.  Its not that I couldn't do more, but we have to begin thinking about Christmas, New Year's, and winter.  Peggy Sue only has one pair of britches, and these were for summer.  

Again, the dress styles I was looking for would include 3/4 sleeves for fall.  It is my impression that sweaters were frequently worn over short sleeves, and I have yet to see a 50's style, besides a basic blouse, with long sleeves to the wrist.  I am having a knitter make a couple of sweaters for Peggy Sue.  I asked her take her time, but I will share them at some point.  I liked this pattern for Sub-Teens because of its inclusion of lace around the front placket.  I'm about as into lace as skirts, but it was something I hadn't yet done for Peggy Sue.

This dress has it all when it comes to the classic 50's dress.  The white collar, full skirt and matching belt, and simplicity of design.

I had a cocoa color in the same print as the skirt above that I'd purchased earlier.  It was my intent to have both colors in a dress, but wasn't sure that was authentic to the 50's.  I wanted a brown dress though, so purchased this little cocoa print with petite white flowers.  I was skeptical that it would make up into a pretty dress, but when I added the lace, the look popped.

I learned something here, too.  The placket is a separate piece this time instead of the box pleat used in the polka dot dress.  I gathered the lace by finding and pulling the little thread, and pinned it under the fold beneath edges of the placket.  The lace does not go all the way to waist and its width is smaller at the bottom to create an almost V look.  This was achieved, by running the lace under and midway beneath the placket.  It worked!  Sometimes I just sit and play and work with something until I get the look I want.  In the case with this lace, this was no exception.  I was pleased.

I'm calling this dress her Thanksgiving dress.  She has dresses for fall, a Halloween costume, and a special dress for Thanksgiving Day.  I made her a couple of mini Jack and Jill issues from October and November magazines, so that she had something to do to pass the time while the turkey roasts.  I also made her a paper pilgrim bonnet, which she enjoys wearing most of the time since it makes her feel fancy and right in step with Thanksgiving.  I made one in class when I was a child, and to hear my mother tell it, I wore it every day until it fell apart.

Peggy Sue wears classic burgundy Mary Janes with these outfits, and matching hair accessories were made for them as well.  

Below is an assortment of papers and illustrations from the 1950's that call to mind that bucolic feel I spoke of early.  Country life.  Autumn color, falling leaves.  Even if a child lived within the city limits, she surely had a family member, maybe a grandmother, that would live in the country.  I do not like to dwell on that fact that these times were 70 years ago.  But, oh what a pleasure it is to immerse myself in the comfort of a past we romanticize.

I'm taking a couple of days off.  Peggy Sue will get dressed back up into her Woolworth's costume and enjoy it for the next eight days.  I'm thinking of putting my AG Nanea away for awhile and bringing Molly back out on the shelf.  I have Jack and Jill's to read and enjoy, and a southern gothic I wish to finish, scary stories to read for Halloween, and fine tune my plans for Peggy Sue's winter wardrobe which will include a dress for Christmas.  

Enjoy this special time of year no matter what the weather.  The 'bers go by awfully quickly and Christmas trees will be coming out for display in the blink of an eye.  Don't forget to find some fall leaves to crunch around in.

Love,

Melissa

Okay, this one is from 1963

 

UFDC Peggy Sue's Woolworth's Halloween Trick-or-Treat Costume

Its that time!  My favorite time of year.  Autumn.  Leaves turning gold and red and brown.  Pumpkins making their way to front porches.  Shops decorated with flying witches, spooky skeletons, and draping ghostly figures.  Candy.  There's always candy, but Halloween candy is a lot more fun since it goes into a big bowl for Trick-or-Treaters. 

Did  you think that my Halloween costuming would end with Grace?  No way.  Not that I'd planned on any others, but when I started my poking around on Pinterest for more Woolworth ads, this one popped up!  Jolly, jolly Halloween!  It was from the 1950's, too, so I knew right away that it was meant to be.  

Who remembers Woolworth's department store?  F.W. Woolworth was one of the first five and dime department stores in the U.S.  Frank Winfield Woolworth opened his first five and dime in Utica, NY on February 22, 1879.  It was not a successful start, but a friend suggested opening one in Lancaster, PA, and the idea took off.  Frank went into business with his brother, and Woolworth's became a great success.

The concept of the five and dime became an anchor in American merchandizing through the 50's and 60's.  I remember going there as a child as a part of the weekly shopping.  You could buy just about anything at a Woolworth's, as they became known.  Gardening tools, back to school supplies, hosiery and make up, kitchen and cooking utensils and table cloths, candy and cake mixes - well, truly just about anything.  It was a variety store, and the prices were kept competitive for middle to lower income households.

Big, bright and cheery displays could be found announcing every holiday season, and Halloween was no exception.  One of the most fun times remembered as a child, was shopping (but not buying) during the weeks before Halloween.  Dazzling costumes with plastic molded masks could be found hanging or boxed for a child's delight.  My mother never steered me away from the aisle for my endless fascination, but we could not afford to buy, and I was cautious never to ask.

But, my mother loved Halloween.  Each October she would decorate the windows in the front of the house with Beistle cardboard die cuts.  Inside, she hung skeletons and witches with honeycomb crepe paper limbs.  There was a cardboard pop-up haunted house with little doors and windows that opened.  The detail work in this pop-up was incredible, and I used to play with it for hours like a doll house.  I did love my miniatures.  I took Skipper's tiny plastic Barbie and put her in one of the top windows with her arms hanging out, to hold her up.  It was the perfect sized "doll house" for that tiny Barbie.

But, my fondest memory was the Trick-or-Treat bag she bought me one year.  If I am correct, it was this one of the witch holding her own bag, the image getting tinier and tinier into infinity.  I found this on Ebay a couple of days ago and bought it.  After seeing a couple of them listed, I think they were promotional bags that were given out by department stores.  That would make sense since, again, because money was tight. 

However, Peggy Sue is pretty spoiled and gets anything I can think up to give her.  So we discussed the Woolworth's ad I found and she and I went shopping for her official Woolworth's Trick-or-Treat costume.  That I would have to make, but she doesn't know that and we won't tell.  I'm pretty sure you could call this a witch's costume, although its a far stretch.  

Upon first observations, I thought the illustration featured a child wearing a hooded cape with the silhouettes decorating the front ends.  Somethings only become apparent when you begin recreating, or bringing something to life like an illustration.  One concept leads to another as you begin the design following construction.

I began with the cape, the hardest thing, the most detailed piece (like a bodice), but for this journal, we'll begin with the dress.  As I look on it, this costume could have been derived from a shepherdess dress from a storybook, with paniers.  Simplified for a child's inexpensive costume, of course.

I used a plain white batiste for the bodice of the dress.  It was tempting to make it sleeveless, or even with long sleeves, but short sleeves won out.  Why?  Because its a costume.  Normal clothing was typically worn beneath these costumes, especially on cold October nights, so they were loose and easy to wear over sweaters and pants.

Earlier, I'd purchased this harlequin print for a party dress.  It is quilting cotton called Cozy Christmas by Lori Holt for Riley Blake.  While I could have hunted down a better match, I wanted to use what I had on hand.  And, that included solids of which I only had in silk.  Okay, so silk actually, kind of, has that look of a polyester costume if you make it up into one.   Play along with me...it really does.  Silk has the feel and the shine.  They do make polyester "silk" though.  Why am I making excuses?  The cape and hood are made with black silk taffeta, and the overskirt, or un-paniered panier is kelly green silk taffeta.  Keeping in theme, and for authenticity, Peggy Sue's Woolworth costume closes in the back with ties. 

As I mentioned earlier, I started with the cape.  I had this wonderful little pattern made up, and made a mock up of the "hooded cape" in muslin.  It wasn't until I started contemplating the black and yellow "road striping" that I noticed the collar on the cape.  Nope.  It was not a hooded cape, but a stand alone cape with a matching hood.  All of a sudden the fog cleared, and I knew I was in for a big job ahead.  And, I noticed that both were edged in red.

So you're laughing about my "road stripe" comment.  Well it does look like that!  Now if this had been made today, I'll bet the yellow would have been reflective or glow in the dark.

I started looking for a black and yellow stripe and gave up.  I'd be at this all month just waiting for fabric to arrive that wouldn't be quite right, so I made it.  I cut a length of the black silk and sewed yellow silk ribbon stripes on it on a slant.  Thirty-six of them.  Took an afternoon to do this, but got the effect I was after.  Its okay.  I've made "fabric" before.

The red is silk as well, cut on a bias, and painstakingly edged on the cape.  Sewn to the top edge, turned under, then under again and hand hemmed to the back.  I wasn't going to do that again.  I had to find a better way to do this.  I wasn't making a French Fashion costume, it was a Woolworth's costume, and I needed to keep reminding myself of that.  Then it came to me.  I simply folded the red silk strips in half and overedge machine stitched them to the area around the face.  This became a bit more challenging on the neck of the hood since I had to gather the ends to fit around her neck.  I was so proud of myself.  LOL  I mean it!  Professional designers for doll costumes do this all the time.  That's one of the reasons this blog is so important to me.  I've been teaching myself to sew for nine years now and I learn new things all the time.

For the ties on the hood and the neckline of the cape, I used red silk satin ribbon.  At first I tried to make ties, but they were too chunky.  And, the ribbon ties follow suit for a Woolworth costume as well.

Most of the work went into the decorations on the cape.

There was no way I was going to find the image on the illustration, although I looked.  I even tried to enlarge the image to see if I could simply print it out on printer fabric and use it that way, but the ad was of poor resolution and pixel'd apart.  I began looking for ephemera online, and also in a very old Jean Nordquist doll Halloween workbook package.  This is where I found the witch on the moon, and the pumpkin.  That cat came from an online search and I cut it out with a bit of edge so it would stand out.  Both images were done on printer fabric and fabric glued to the costume.  I did try to use fusible webbing on a sample of silk, but it wouldn't stick.  

For the cat, I cut about a 2mm border edge around him, and colored it yellow with one of the alcohol markers.  I was still troubling over what to do with the pumpkin, and then I remembered my old Trick-or-Treat bag!  So I made smaller and smaller pumpkins ascending toward the night sky.  I made a complete mess of my work table cutting out scraps and trying this and that before I got a design I was happy with. 

I was about to take photos of Peggy Sue in her costume when I realized something was missing.  A Trick-or-Treat bag.  So back to Pinterest and Bing images looking for something suitable for a vintage bag.  Nothing.  Nothing felt quite right.  So I tackled Ebay looking for actual vintage bags, and this is when I found the promotional bag, that I still believe was the one I had that year as a child.  I've never seen anything like it again, but I could be wrong.  The one I had may have been different, but I've romanticized the notion into believing it was "better", magical in some way.  It was.  To me.  Back then.  And, still is!

But, I also found these vintage treat bags for parties.  Its hard to tell when a seller posts something as vintage, as to whether is truly is, or a contemporary appeal, a reproduction, to people who love the vintage look.  I went back and forth with the seller trying to get her to change her auction to add Priority Mail as an option, and she couldn't do it.  After a good night's sleep and a hike with my dogs, it occurred to me that I could simply buy two sets of 10 and she could use the money for the shipping, sending me only one set.  As I was about to pose this to her, she'd written telling me she was going to ship them Priority just for me.  Whoa!  Bonus!  How kind and thoughtful.  I was and am, truly appreciative.

But, I was having "a day".  In truth, I had not had a good night's sleep and the day was feeling wasted.  Around 4pm I decided to give the bag a try by cropping and doing a fine rotate on the image.  I printed it on a light card stock, which is all that will go through my printer, and mapped out a bag around the image.  After cutting this out, I trimmed the top portion with a mini scallop pair of sheers.  The handles are delicate cotton grosgrain ribbon.  When the shipped bags arrive, I may try it again and hope the color saturation will be better. 

I added a pair of black classic Mary Janes that just came in from Debs Adorables, and the costume was complete.  I might add that the silly pumpkin in the photos was one sent to me from Rachel Hoffman, bless her heart, for some goody bag items I made for her to give out this holiday season.

I've been going nuts for the 1950's illustrations for days now, and some of the most charming were those by illustrators for Jack and Jill, a child's magazine from this era.  In an age when everything you could possibly dream of is online or for sale on Etsy or Ebay, its a glorious time to be a collector.  I hope you'll enjoy some of the images I saved off, below.

I dedicate this post to my dearest friend, Jean Nordquist, who inspires me endlessly, and encourages my joy in vintage ephemera.  Besides.  She loves Peggy Sue and Halloween, too!

Happy Halloween!

Love,

Melissa

 

Grace Marie Attends the VDC Halloween Party

So soon?  Well, yes.  When the inspiration hits, I run with it.  And, I have been enjoying this Grace Marie doll.  Whatever doll I'm sewing for at the time becomes my favorite.  I live and breathe her form and features, and find a personality blossoming as I create something new for her.  And, yes, I'll get back to Peggy Sue next.  No darts.  No big rubber bottom to fit outfits over.

Here I had just finished up with Grace Marie's Summer Fling Fashions, and was contemplating an ooak, made up entirely from my imagination, when Rachel posts this fabulous Happy Halloween imagery on Facebook.  I had been hoping she'd have more of the Dolly Dingle as a witch, in black and orange, stickers made up.  They were awfully cute and I wanted one to put on my VDC binder.  Then suddenly this bright and joyful little image of Grace and Dolly Dingle pops up in a post from the VDC, and my eyes did the cartoon "boing!"  This was so adorable.  And, that's the genius of Diana Vining.  This woman can draw.  I can't imagine having such a talent to draw anything my heart desires, but I can bring it from 2D to 3D. 

So even though I needed to clean my poor, neglected house, and maybe even start decorating it for Halloween, I just had to try and make this costume for Grace.

So what are we looking at?  That's always my first question when I begin to bring an image to life.  Earlier there were collectors who had bought the red haired "wigged" doll.  One of them thought she looked like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, and photographed her coming from the sea, or even on a half shell.  I could be mixing it up, and there may have been two collectors doing this, but I think Diana caught onto this idea and followed suit.  However, I see Grace in white gown.  And, from this image I formed in my head came the idea that it was a Venus costume - half shell and all, only shells covering her bosom on the gown.  Who says "bosom"?  Bustline.  Better.  So I fixed this image in my head and began.

First I made her a VDC Halloween convention bag, or VDC Trick-or-Treat bag.  At VDC parties, you get gobs of loot and candy, too.  By the way, for those of you who have forgotten the name of Ariel's little friend, its Flounder.  Yes, I loved the Disney animated musical, too.  I kind of wish there was a real Dolly Dingle doll like this to be Grace's friend.  A small Googlie doll head with forward looking eyes on a body the size of the little French doll I dressed a couple of months ago, would be fun to have.  I digress.

Anyway, so I made another little convention bag the same way I did the Summer Fling one.  Only I did not have orange quilting cotton for the handles, so I used silk.  I have tons of silk in solids, but only since sewing for Peggy Sue have I begun to collect, yes collect!, lovely cottons, but seldom solids.

I loaded the bag with goodies that came from Rachel when you make a purchase.  They're perfect for Trick-or-Treats.

I dug into my jersey sack for a shiny white costume jersey.  I have so, so much on hand of all kinds of fabrics, that the first place I go now is to the fabric stash piles.  I don't recall what I first used this shiny costume jersey for, but I had plenty to work with.

I worked off the pattern I'd made for the Rio De Janeiro Blue bathing costume with the lace cover-up.  I lengthened it and cut a bathing suit back and sleeveless bodice at the top.  Its less fitted than a tube dress so it has drape at the hem.  I learned that you cannot iron this jersey without melting it.  Hah!  I guess a little steam is all you need.  Live and learn.  So this really only took two tries to get it the way I wanted.

The work is always in the bodice detail and for this I used the soft sculpture technique for the shells.  My husband doesn't understand why I don't get bored in my studio.  How can I when each thing I do is completely different, and takes all my creative brain power to figure out?

The shells were done in one piece and the edges were randomly sewed in a scallop design.  Fitting I would say!  These would be markers as well for the top stitching, although a bit more was done.  The piece was then turned inside out and lightly stuffed with batting, the bottom hand stitched, then the top stitching done for the shells' ribbing. To make the coloration, I used a watercolor pen from Arteza, then took a small paint brush with water and "washed" the line.  I tried this on scraps of the jersey first, and the effect was perfect.  I also did this for the smaller shell that is her hair piece.

In a moment of clarity, I ran to Michael's and looked for lumpy yarn that would work as seaweed, and sort of pinched and sewed loops of it for the bodice draping seaweed.  The hair piece's greenery is cut from hat flower leaves.  Then I strung pearls in three different sized loops, sewing them directly to the hair piece.  Straps were added to the dress after the soft shell bustier was sewn on.

The back is closed with five hooks and thread loops.  A lot of the designers for Tonner dolls use zippers, but I'm not comfortable with them.  I guess it would depend on what I was sewing, too.

This costume was an awful lot of fun to make.  Thanking Diana Vining once again for the inspiration!  This will be the only costume I make this year.  If I have time, the Three L's will get dressed up in last year's creations.  They are still in their Twelve Days of Christmas costumes by Gennedy Spirin.  Where did this year go?!  Happy Halloween!

Love,

Melissa