Grace and Dolly Land and Sea

Winter has been swept away by a very early spring this year.  It's getting harder and harder to stay indoors when the skies are blue and the weather averages between 60 and 70 degrees.  Seriously!  We had several days around 70 then the temperature dropped once again.  But no snow.  Very little rain.  I guess the year is still young and there's always a chance of change.  I just might get to go spring skiing!  Because that's what it will be.  Spring.  I am not complaining.  The lake is filling up and when it's just full enough, out comes my kayak.  Until then, I'm sewing. 

I've also been devouring books at night.  A surprise read is the latest one I'm into called The Last of the Moon Girls by Barbara Davis.  

The Flowering Plum trees are in bloom.  It just couldn't be a prettier day, but here I am typing away to share one of the most exciting things that the Virtual Doll Convention has brought 

to us in a long time.  I don't recall how long Rachel Hoffman said this was in the works, but she had Ruby Red Galleria make us some extraordinary costumes for Grace Marie Fitzpatrick, and Ellowyne Wilde.  The collection was called Land and Sea and "sea" was right up my alley.  I love anything nautical in clothing.  I treasured the sailor top my grandmother made me one Easter season.  In fact, she sewed a mother, and two daughters, matching set of outfits.  I don't know about my sister, but I loved these outfits.  And my favorite doll was Skipper.  Barbie would come later, but I loved Skipper's little red and white nautical swimsuit, and her name was surely destined to put her in line for a visit to Gilligan's Island.

So when the Land and Sea collection debuted, I sat at my computer eagerly awaiting the very minute they went on sale.

The costume shown in Diana Vining's illustration above, was designed for Ellowyne, or I might have gotten it, too.  Instead I was thrilled to get the Maritime Muse outfit that came in a beautiful, bright red.  Not thinking clearly, I purchased the must have shoes that were red and white, and later discovered that they were for Ellowyne.  Big sigh.  Oh well. My personal Ellowyne collection is vintage Tonner Wilde Imagination, and I just don't need to go down a new road with these new dolls.  

But I got the Maritime Muse which I was dying for!  Then I went back and got the white sailor dress for Grace, the coveted purse, and upon looking more closely, had to acquire the equestrian costume for Grace as well.  It is one of the most brilliant works of art Ruby Red Galleria has created.  After the ice-skating costume, of course!  Those skates!  Awesomeness. The Land and Sea collection was the kind of costuming I'd always hoped for from the Club Grace subscription.  And naturally, Dolly and maybe Remmie Lou would get to play as well.

The first costume I made was one for Dolly to go with Maritime Muse.  

Dolly's wearing a pair of white linen sailor pants with little button details on the pleated front.

Her jaunty red and white striped sailor top is attached to the trousers at the waist and the sailor collar is a separate piece.  I've done sailor collars on dresses before, but it's been eons since then and I wanted a different look for Dolly.

A red silk ribbon was used for the tie, and loops through two handmade thread loops where the collar meets in the middle.

I just had to make her a sailor hat.  Normally I love making hats, but this was quite the fidgeting of pattern pieces.  I used to make real tiny ones for my 3 1/2" Raggedy Andy dolls, but that was eons ago, too.  

Trying to figure out how the band, or brim worked on this hat took a bit of figuring out, as patterns for people generally include a lining.  So, to make a nice and neat fold-up brim, I had to sew the brim to the crown on the wrong side.  It worked.

It worked so well that I decided to give Remmie Lou a sailor hat, too.  This one was much smaller and not my finest hour, but she doesn't mind.  She's thrilled with her sailor collar that's just like Dolly's.  

One of the problems I was having is that the thin, bright red braid I used on both collars was almost gone.  There wasn't much left of it in my stash, and I know I bought it from a seller that catered to dressing miniature dolls.  It's my practice nowadays to use what I have on hand, if I can.

No sooner did I finish this set, then I started the equestrian costume set for Dolly which took a couple of weeks to make. I rarely do something like this.  Rather I switch between dolls, so I don't get tired of sewing for one.  Dolly is a very difficult doll to dress.  Short chubby legs.  Tubby belly.  And those infernal crooked arms!  But she needed the equestrian outfit Diana Vining drew her in.

It's so rare that Diana draws for Dolly any longer, and Remmie Lou gets a nod once or twice a year.  Sewing for these two VDC mascots is what has made the Club Grace subscription a joy for me.  But things are changing.  We see less of them, and while I used to enjoy making Diana's illustrations come to life, I find myself in the creative trenches designing for them myself.

However, even if it wasn't a darling black and white houndstooth costume, the hobby horse had to get made.

I'm exhausted.  This entire costume was one of the most difficult I've ever made.  Primarily because I was dressing Dolly and her funny little body!  The challenge to make her outfits look wonderful on her is something I work hard at.

It's funny, but recently there was a slight nudge from Rachel towards getting doll collectors to learn the technology of YouTubing and photoshopping.  I like watching TV but I

don't wish to become a film maker.  I'm far too self-conscious (I won't even Zoom), and I haven't a clue as to what software to purchase, much less how to make it work, to put dolls in natural photo settings.  I work hard enough at what I do that I haven't the energy, time, or desire to expand.  It's all about the costuming to me and always has been.  I'm tempted to ask a clever photoshop expert to put my dolls in settings for me.  Of course, then I'd have to compensate them or pay them.  Well, I'll stick to what I know.  This is what "they" always tell you.  Find the one thing you're good at and do it great.  For me it's bringing 2D to 3D with illustrations and my dolls.  And I'll forever be trying to do it better. 

Dolly's equestrian outfit has the long slope-tailed jacket and pants that pouf out at the sides for ease of riding. The formal name for these pants is breeches.  I managed to figure out how to get the suede knee patches in the inseam, too.  They're no bigger than a one-inch oval, cut in half and sewn to the edge of the breeches 

where the seam goes.  Studying the construction of Grace's breeches helped tremendously in this effort.  

Here's as close a close-up of the suede patches in Dolly's breeches.

Two little buttons close the jacket in front over her tubby tummy.

Dolly wears a tall pair of black riding boots.

I made her little hat out of wool felt.  By this time, I was ready to be done and making a standard, lined riding hat for this costume, and in this size felt insurmountable.  If I ever feel bored and need something to do, I may make it again and fiddle with professional hat making in miniature.  It would take two days to do this.  Sometimes I have to remember that she's just a doll!

And I couldn't wait to get to Dolly's hobby horse!  How adorable and brilliant was Diana's vision and her illustration!  The hobby horse was the very thing that inspired me to create the costume set for Dolly in the first place.

While working on the equestrian costume, I had plenty of time to think about how I was going to do this.  A couple of years ago, I made a reindeer toy for a doll costume set at Christmas.  Having had that experience behind me gave me the confidence I could do this.  

It occurred to me that the hobby horse head could have been needle felted, but the mane of the horse head would have been tricky to do with needle felting.  That is, to resemble Diana's illustration.  I considered using lambskin to make it as well.  In the end I chose wool felt to make him.  I love working with wool felt on doll toys.  It's so forgiving, so nice to work with.  It took a few pattern tries to get his shape and sizing correct, but once that was done, the rest went fairly smoothly.  There is also embroidery work that goes into toys like the hobby horse.  The reins and nose bit are made of aqua lambskin.  His little neck skirt is red silk.

Remmie is much happier running alongside a trotting horse without a lot of frou-frous on her.  So, she is just her sweet little self for the equestrian set.

March turns out to be another tri-celebration month with St. Patrick's Day on the 17th, the First Day of Spring on the 19th, and Easter is early this year, landing on March 31rst.  I've been promising Cissy a green St. Patrick's Day dress, but I just learned that Grace will receive something called Shimmering Shamrock that debuts on March 11th.

Esme needs a new spring costume, and as violets are so often seen in illustrations for Easter, I've considered making her a violet petal costume.  I love violets.  They do not grow wild in California, but the fragrance and beauty of them have always been a favorite of mine.  Given all of this, and anything else that tugs my heartstrings to create, March will be just as busy a time as February was.  Perhaps I'll need to pick and choose.  If I get busy tomorrow, I just may finish a dress for Cissy in a week's time.

The Land and Sea collection was extraordinary.  I seldom get this excited about doll costuming, but these outfits were works of art.  Each one of them an effort in love and inspiration.

Let's keep playing dolls!  Melissa

 

Emily Attends the Mardi Gras

February is speeding along, and it's been sunny here the last few days. And what am I doing?  Sitting inside sewing!  There'll be plenty of sunny days as we turn the corner to spring, so I'm not worried about missing a few very cold, sunny ones.  My table is clean once again, awaiting the next project. 

I feel like I've been in the sewing trenches for the last few weeks, but when I'm on a roll, its best to keep creating.  Trust me.  I feel so much better when I'm creating and working on a tedious little project.  With this latest, I feel, very much, a sense of accomplishment.  Trying to figure out how to do every aspect of this costume was a practice in self-discipline and focus.

The more I sew for the 1470 (or 1469), the more I love it.  Although she has "Bleuette Syndrome".  Legs that go everywhere but where you want them to.   

Emily has become my little muse, and that just means that Kitty Hudson will benefit from this down the line.  I'm still amazed that Doug James was able to create a reproduction of the Cuno and Otto 1469 with such exacting precision.  What do you bet a little AI was used in this process?  No matter!  I love her.  And I love making costumes!  Normal everyday clothing is nice, and I've been purchasing as many of Doug's creations for Emily as possible.  They're not cheap.  But when it comes to special costuming like ones for Halloween and Mardi Gras, I'll step up happily and start working.

Last year, soothing my broken heart over my sister giving my beloved aunt's New Orleans charm bracelet to her best friend, even though she knew I wanted it, I made three Mardi Gras costumes in honor of New Orleans and my Aunt Yvonne, and my cousin who now sews the costumes you see people wearing on the floats.  My cousin, Paula, learned this trade from her own grandmother, who sewed the costumes for years.

When I was just 10-years-old, my Aunt JoAnn took me to meet Granny Gorbach and see her little home and the costumes she was working on.  It takes all year to create these works of art.  At least when you're sewing for a doll, it takes a lot less time.  And I knew I'd have to make a Mardi Gras costume for Emily this year.  

So right after I finished Lily's Year of the Dragon, I got to work.  I'd already found this 1920's pattern image on Pinterest, and it was just too obvious which one would make the cut.  Yellow, green and purple are the official colors of the Mardi Gras, and this "Persian Ballet" costume had to get created for Emily.  There wasn't even a second thought to this!

The "Persian" pants and the Deco fan headdress were the main features that attracted me to this project.  I had the silks, but I did not have the chiffon for the pants and draping sleeves.  I purchased a French silk ombre chiffon that was green to raspberry in transition and used just the green end.  The raspberry would be helpful for the mock up since I like to use the same kind of fabrics for the test piece to make sure it looks right and drapes 

correctly.

I don't like chiffon.  This is silk crinkle chiffon.  It's the nastiest stuff I've ever worked with.  Thin, slippery, almost impossible to pin together and gorgeous when it gets there.  But you know what?  I've had plenty of practice working with it, and think, now, that if I ever need to work with it again...I won't...well, maybe.  Because its sheer, it's a must to learn to sew on.

I began with the pants.  There are a pair of green silk "shorts" beneath the Persian pants for modesty's sake.  The chiffon pants are sewn to the waistband of the shorts making them easier to dress the doll in, and sturdier in construction.

Measuring where the gathers would go was an engineering nightmare.  I did not use pins, or marks on the silk, but rather measured up from the hem on the pattern, put it on my machine and used masking tape on the machine as my guide.  Three times 

for the three sets of gathers.  The last and fourth, would be the hem.  I was so happy to have them done and be done with the chiffon, then realized that I had to make the sleeves.  So instead of getting frustrated, I began the ballet dress.  Darts!

I had to do it at some point.  Learn how to make darts.  I'm still not sure I'm doing it correctly, but I plan on asking a friend of mine at convention this year, to show me the trick.  I know there's a trick.  Simply pinching and pinning isn't enough if you really need to make a pattern.  Just another reason I like to dress child dolls.  These dolls have not been a problem to sew for before because of the loose, paper bag dress style of the 1920's.  So I plodded on with figuring out darts.  I've studied other patterns and tried to adapt them, but this doll has a small bust and a unique body, so it was best just to dig in and learn it myself.  I do look for the "easy way out" first!

There is an inset of gold silk in the bodice and it appeared to have sequins sewn into it.  This is a very glittery costume!  I'll get to that

in a minute.  

The next was getting the skirt pattern made.  I use a medium sized dessert plate for my circles.  Then I cut them down or lengthen areas as needed.  This skirt was made in two halves, sewn together at the back since it is open in the front.  While making this costume, I kept thinking how much it reminded me of a circus costume for an acrobat.  Perhaps Emily will join the circus for a one-night appearance sometime, and I'll make her another costume - without chiffon.

The skirt is periwinkle, lined in yellow silk for the drape back fronts.  Another reason I made the pants first, was that the dress would have to go over the pants at the waist, and the fit needed to be right.  I might have benefited from the back of the bodice being a little wider, but hooks and thread loops for closures solved the issue of being a little too tight.

Still holding off on working with the chiffon again, I approached the turban.  It's funny, but as I went along creating this costume, the features in the illustration became clearer.  I kept wondering how the Deco fans were going to be affixed to the turban.  Then on closer examination of the illustration, I could see that the fans were on a headband, and the headband sat on the turban.  Mystery solved.

I was all ready to apply glue and glitter to the fans when upon opening the jar of "Marid Gras" glitter, I realized that I'd purchased the wrong stuff.  It was that gluey glitter which is the most awful stuff in the world.  So, I drove down to Michaels and purchased a glitter set and made my own.  I'm happy with the way the turban headdress turned out and look forward to making more 1920s style turbans in the future.

Finally, it was chiffon time again.  Honestly, I do not know how to edge finish chiffon, and I've never been successful with the 

sewing machine foot that rolls and hems, so after some fiddling around, I simply lined the sleeve by cutting out two of the sleeve pattern and sewed them together.  That provided all the "finish" I needed.  I used more gold leather for the arm bands, then added pearls to the edges.

The next fiddly thing were the white straps or necklace or whatever it was on the costume.  I honestly thought it was a necklace until I started making it, then realized that this was the straps that hooked around the neck, to the costume.  I used off-white cotton velveteen for them, although there was a question as to whether or not fur would be better.  In the illustration, the straps look soft and puffy.  I think the velveteen was a good solution.

I used an oval piece of leather for the center emblem and glittered it as I did the Deco fans, but with a little less.  Maybe it's supposed to look like a huge opal!  I have to laugh, because there are elements of this costume that just make no sense in our modern world.

Detail of the back of the costume.

The next thing I had to teach myself was sewing on sequins.  Good grief.  More hand sewing labor.  As if beading Lily's costume wasn't enough!  Why do I torture myself? 

So, I went online and found the right YouTube video of this process.  However, the sequins I used are itty bitty ones, not the standard ones you normally work with.  I'd bought them for sewing more lehenga costumes, so it was nice to have them on hand.  Like anything else of this nature, once you get a rhythm going, it goes fairly quickly.  There are three bands of sequins on the neckline of the bodice, and a row of them on the skirt fronts.

I pulled out another pair of Doug James shoes from my stash and painted them the same color as the dress.  I cut down a very wide silk ribbon to make the crossed ties.  I simply did not have time to look for and purchase silk ribbon that would match.  Mardi Gras is this Tuesday, February 13th!  It's also nice to be able to use what I have on hand, and this worked.

Here is a detail photo of the sequins and the shoes.

This lovely photo of Emily in her costume shows the little pearl earrings I made for her.  These dolls come with wire loops fired into their earlobes. So, all you have to do is make earrings with a hook and hook them into the loops.  I used very thin jewelry wire for threading the pearls and I can do this for other outfits that I may want earrings for.  The 1470's earring loops are something the 1469 does not have.  

And now Emily can attend the Mardi Gras in a fabulous costume of her own. Of all the costume illustrations I considered, this one is so emblematic of the 1920s style.  I'll enjoy seeing her displayed in it for the rest of the month.

Below are a few photos of 1920s Mardi Gras costumes.  There are even a couple of photos of girls wearing the Persian pants! I hope you'll enjoy the selections.  The girls always look like they're having so much fun in these old photos.  For now, I'll wish you a Happy Valentine's Day and a pleasant transition of seasons as the days stay lighter and become warmer.

 

Lily's Year of the Dragon

Happy New Year!  We're now solidly into February and I've missed journaling on my blog.  January did not turn out as I'd hoped it would, but things have turned a corner on this new year and I'm back in my studio creating once again and nourishing my soul.

February is a special month this year with so many reasons to be creative.  We have my favorite Chinese Lunar New Year on the 10th.  Mardi Gras follows on the 13th, and Valentine's Day pops up the day after on the 14th.  Add to this, it's a leap year, with an extra day to enjoy.

Since January buried me four feet under, I worked on clawing my way back to the surface with very little time left to begin a Chinese New Year celebration costume.  But nothing cheers my soul more than a project like this, and designing in brilliant red.

The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, marks the transition from one animal sign to another in the Chinese Zodiac.  On February 10th, the rabbit retires and we enter the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes bravery, creativity, and innovation.  The Dragon is linked to the Earth element in the Chinese Five Elements Theory, making gold, yellow and green lucky colors for 2024.

This is the year of the Wood Dragon. The fixed element is Earth, which represents stability, honesty and loyalty.  The Wood Dragon is the most creative and visionary of the dragons.  They are optimistic, ambitious and adventurous.  They like to challenge themselves.  They are generous, compassionate and loyal to their friends.  2024 is predicted to be a great year to start new projects, explore new

opportunities and create value for yourself and others.  

This year appears to be a lucky one for Roosters! (see chart at the bottom of blog)  The write up for Roosters indicates that Roosters will enjoy harmony in their family life during 2024.  They will easily pick up new ideas and it will be a perfect time for studies.  The Dragon's influence will improve their communication and negotiation style.  A good time to meet people with whom they can establish important partnerships. Success in achieving goals with family and real estate, investments.  

Well, some of that has little to do with me, but I like most of it and on the eve of the animal change, I can already feel the influence of these predictions.

The first project I launched this year was one to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, and I chose my Ruby Red Fashion Friends doll, who I've named, Lily, to represent me virtually at the festivities.  I adore the beautiful costumes the Chinese girls wear to these celebrations and chose the most elaborate one I could find to create for Lily.  By accident, of course.  I never set out to challenge myself to this degree, but this costume was too beautiful to pass up.

I used a bright red silk dupioni to create this, and gold metallic Venice lace for the embellishments.  I probably could have used a lower nap teddy bear fur, but this is what I had on hand, and I need to use what I have in my stash.

The costume is a long-sleeved dress with an enchanting short cape that sways with an elaborate bead fringe.  Three gold tassels drape in the front sewn into the waist, and fur trims the cuffs and edges of the cape.  

As it is winter in China, just like it is here, fur lined or trimmed pieces are created for the girls and women to wear to these festivals.

Here's a side view that shows how the bead fringe drapes in the back.

Beneath the decorative cape is a beautiful gown with lace at the waist of the bodice.  Lily might wear the dress as such while indoors, but the cape helps provide warmth going from one celebration site to the next.

Here's a close up of the cape.  Sixty-one individually knotted strands of beads were sewn onto the edge of this cape.  The beading is gold with one amber hued crystal bead five beads from the bottom.

I was able to use one of the Chinese clasps I purchase last year to close the cape.  This one is of butterflies.

Her hair jewelry is of red and blue flowers with gold beads in the centers.  These are affixed to a miniature hair clip to fasten in Lily's hair.  Do remember that Lunar New Year is also considered the Spring Festival, so flowers and butterflies are quite appropriate for embellishments.

Detail of the back of the cape.

A full length view.  I would love to see a young girl walk in this costume!  I can imagine the beads swaying and tinkling as she moves about the room!

I made a pair of Chinese slippers to match the gown.

And, of course, Lily needed a dragon toy. This was actually the first and initial part of the project.  If I couldn't create the tiny dragon, the project would be meaningless, or just another pretty outfit.

I looked long and hard at the easiest dragon to replicate into needle felting and he turned out to be quite a challenge.  The details of such a creature would be better represented on a much larger scaled critter, so I had to do what made most sense to represent him.  I learned a lot about dragons making him.

The dragon was made on a pipe cleaner skeleton.

He has his individual little clawed footsies and horns, and whatever those wiggly things are that come from his muzzle.  How's that for a description!  Just trying to figure out how to make those and where exactly to sew them caused me some serious consideration.

I don't needle felt except when its necessary to create something as a doll accessory, but I think he came out rather well.  

Some of the greater challenges were in the ridge of points along his back down to the tail and the lumps along his underside.  Our little dragon even has a tiny, forked tongue.  I did my best to represent teeth on this little guy, but I don't think he's going to be frightening away any other miniature critters any time soon.

Lily is a 14" child doll by Ruby Red Toys for Ruby Red Galleria.  This doll's face mold, eye coloring and shape were the reason I chose her to be my Chinese girl.  Ruby Red Toys has made some incredible dolls called Girls of the Orient, but they have their own beautiful costuming.

How Lily will be displayed on my shelf.

I think this project took me roughly, three weeks to create from start to finish.  The beaded fringe took me a solid six to eight hours to do over the course of two days.  The slippers and hair jewelry were the last pieces to make.  

I have my next project ready to go on table already, which I must complete before the 13th.  I sorely missed being able to make something for Dolly and Remmie for the Grace Marie Fitzpatrick New Year subscription box.  I hope to be able to do something this month for my girls as they are still in ice skating costumes.  It's a priority after the 13th!

I hope the beginning of 2024 has been a wonderful time for you.  Rachel Hoffman hosted a month-long Virtual Doll Convention that helped carry many of us along through the snowy days and ended with a wonderful Land and Sea collection sale.  The girl is just plain brilliant!  I have great admiration for Rachel Hoffman.

And this year gives us much to look forward to, especially with a UFDC convention in Kansas City in July.

Spring is on its way, but winter's snow and rain are essential to the glory of the leafing season.  I was only able to go cross-country skiing once this season and look forward to the snow that will surely give me more opportunities. 

I hope you'll enjoy the illustrations of some of my favorite Chinese Dragons.  I've included a pattern for a little dragon for those who like intricate little projects, and a simply hat pattern for your dolls.  Just size it appropriately for your doll.  I'm also resharing a few past Chinese New Year projects.  Gracie might need her own little dragon as she already has a Tiger and a Rabbit, but he will be a very simple needle felted one.  I'd best get busy!

Kung Hei Fat Choy! 

Melissa