I cut my linings for all three dresses from an off-white gauzy cotton I purchased many years ago in an Indian sari shop. It was inexpensive so I purchased several yards and may never run out. Since my fabrics and linings all tend to fray, I painted all the edges with my Gail Wilson Fray Preventer. Then I spread them out on waxed paper to dry. The first dress I … Continue reading
Category Archives: All-Bisque Dolls
I’ve shown pictures of this doll several times, but she has not been formally introduced to you. She is a 6″ (15.5 cm) all-bisque mignonette made by the German firm of Simon & Halbig (S&H). They produced many premium quality dolls and this surely is one of them. She is unmarked, but unmistakably S&H. With her sweet face and shy smile, she charmed me. Her brows are delicately feathered and her face painting … Continue reading
Share this:
Today is Supergirl’s last full day of school. Tomorrow, I pick her up at noon and summer vacation begins. Yesterday afternoon we started a list of things to do this summer. I had a hard time convincing her that I will still have work to do and sometimes she will have to entertain herself. A few weeks ago she came to my house with her dad (my son) to work … Continue reading
Share this:
Today, I just can’t get myself going. I stayed up late last night finishing the new Stephen King novel. It is a beautiful hot summer day in my back yard, but last week the mosquitos arrived for their summer stay. They love me. I don’t love them. So, I’ll just tell you about my weekend. I left the doll show last Saturday feeling rather sad. There were loads of empty spaces for … Continue reading
Share this:
Today, I’ll show you how I decorated my doll’s dress, then share some ideas for how to finish yours. I am going to use lace and metallic trim. When I added the lace to the slip I found the right side of the lace. Well, if your lace has a directional pattern like mine, you don’t have to analyze it again each time you use it. Just compare the pattern … Continue reading
Share this:
Well, we’re almost done. Today, I’ll provide you with a basic pattern for a “french-style” dress and show you how to make it. Next week, in the final lesson, I’ll give you different ideas on how to embellish the dress and suggest closures. I have added a Tutorials menu heading to the top of my blog and created a rudimentary directory with links to all the Beginning Sewing Lessons. Soon, I’ll add … Continue reading
Share this:
Since many of the things we learned while sewing the slip are the same for the undies, today I’m going to add a few new techniques. As always, read through the directions before you start sewing. At the end of today’s post, I’ve added two more tips for more efficient hand sewing. First, stitch the entire front seam of the undies about 1/8″ from the front edge. The front is … Continue reading
Share this:
Since my flip doll is currently for sale on eBay, it’s time to start another. I keep a box of potential flip dolls I’ve collected in my sewing room. This time, I’m going to do a triple flip. I’ve done this before and it’s not as daunting as it sounds. All three dolls stand between 3 3/4″ and 4″ tall and have similar bodies, so the same patterns will work for all … Continue reading
Share this:
Now it’s time to gather the top edge of the slip, attach a waistband, sew lace to the bottom edge (optional) and add a drawstring. To gather the top edge, I thread my needle with a length of thread that is longer than twice the circumference of my slip. I will be sewing two lines of gathering threads all the way around the top edge. Begin sewing just beyond the … Continue reading
Share this:
My flip doll is complete and is for sale on eBay. It is always nerve wracking to watch my stuff on eBay. Who knows if I’ll make a profit? I usually list my items at a low starting price to attract more bidders, but that means my doll may sell for far less than she’s worth. I’ve mostly been lucky, but it’s a crap shoot. Here she is before and after. … Continue reading
