Category Archives: Springtime Doll Fashions

Spring Sewing for Bella

My Ruby Red Fashion Friend Bella has a new spring ensemble to show you. Even if the weather is not cooperating I am still developing spring fever. I love spring!!!

Hello to you! I hope you have had a very nice week. This past week I managed to spend quite a few mornings in my sewing room which made me very happy. I finished up a spring ensemble for Patience and made a new dress for my Boneka Rose doll. So, Patience is ‘patiently’ waiting for her photo shoot and Rose is waiting for me to embroider her cardigan and then complete the rest of the pieces for her new spring ensemble.

But, today it is all about Bella. I finished “Delicate Flower” a couple of weeks ago. Since then Bella has been modeling it in the sewing room and making all the other girls quite envious. I think she looks pretty darned cute–that sweet face…*sigh*

The rose print I chose for Bella’s dress depicts floral motifs with roses in warm pinks and lavender colored blossoms sprinkled here and there on a very pastel mint green ground. A coordinating rayon ribbon ties around the dress’s waist. The same ribbon is turned into two billowy hair ribbons which tie in place using crocheted ties. The dress’s skirt is embellished with fine cotton lace snugged underneath a tuck. The dress is completely lined with cotton lawn. All raw edges are encased within the lining and dress fabric.

Bella’s cozy cardigan is made with very soft merino wool which I hand dyed to a tonal pink. It features ribbed edgings and glass pearl beads for the buttons. I embroidered floral motifs to coordinate with the dress print.

Bella’s anklets are made with off white cotton knit. Her fresh water pearl bracelet is strung on stretchy jewelry cord with a matching pink heart dangle. The tiny wicker basket is embellished with a bow (hand sewn) made with the cardigan’s yarn. Three colors of blossoms are tucked inside. All are loose and can be rearranged in the basket or given to Bella to hold.

So, spring has begun in my sewing room and the girls are very excited. I think they chat amongst themselves wondering who will be next to receive something new to wear. So far, it is Bella, Patience, and Rose receiving new spring ensembles. Hmm, wonder who will be next…

Wishing you a wonderful weekend! ❤️ Enjoy! Oh, and Bella would love to know if you like her new spring ensemble…🌹

Sophie is My “Lavender Lovely”

7 Replies

Hello to you! I hope you are having a very nice weekend. It’s nice and hot here in northern Illinois–very summery feeling.

This month is flying by, and I don’t have much dolly-related making to show for it. Granted I have been taking a lot of time to enjoy spring and all the beautiful flowers. And, we have had a birthday and a college graduation to celebrate this month. May has been busy. There hasn’t been much time to settle down and create in my studio.

Last month I started a new ensemble for Sophie and it is now complete. Sophie is a Mary Engelbreit doll by Robert Tonner. She is the best friend to Ann Estelle. Do you remember those adorable paper dolls Mary added to her Home Companion magazine? These dolls are those paper dolls come to life. The dolls were first sold in the early 2000s and were very popular among doll collectors. At one time I had Gracie and Georgia too. Sophie is my only remaining M. E. doll. By the way, she shares the same body as the newer Patsy doll by Robert Tonner.

Sophie’s cropped cardigan is knit with lace weight merino that I hand dyed to a pink violet. I used six different shades of violet and pink for the roses. I mixed them up in different combinations, tiny rose jewels. I used Patsy’s cardigan pattern to knit this sweater for Sophie.

Oh, this fabric! I think it’s one of my favorites. It’s a Kaufman lawn, Sevenberry Petite Garden is a line of small scale florals from Japan. I originally purchased it from fabric.com. They don’t have this exact print anymore, but they have some other lovely prints to choose from.

I crocheted Sophie’s summer hat using three strands: #10 cotton, #10 bamboo, and #20 cotton. To decorate the hat I used lace that matches the dress and muted turquoise velvet ribbon. I hand tacked both separately and pulled snugly on the trims so that they hugged the hat neatly. I LOVE mother-of-pearl and happily used one of my mother-of-pearl buttons for this hat!

I think Sophie is thrilled with her new ensemble. She’s been waiting patiently for one of her own that she can keep.

I published a new YouTube video showing bits of this ensemble in progress.

Wishing you all a great ‘last week in May’ ! 🤗💜

“Pink Roses in My Garden” for Gina

9 Replies

Hello to you! I hope you’ve had a beautiful week. It’s been pretty nice here in northern Illinois. Spring is well underway.

Last Friday I paid a visit to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Springtime is so lovely at the gardens. Last year it was closed during the spring due to the pandemic. This year I, and many others, had the opportunity to see the daffodils, tulips, violas, buttercups, rhododendrons, and flowering trees of all kinds in bloom. I walked around the Landscape Garden to check on the status of my favorite–Convallaria majalis or lily of the valley. The plants were still mostly leaves with some little buds starting to emerge.

This past week I finished an ensemble for my Little Darling, Gina. Gina is enjoying her own floral wonders dressed in pink roses and a ‘light as air’ mohair embroidered cardigan.

If you’d like to see Gina’s ensemble in progress and also some scenes from my springtime visit to the Botanic Gardens you can watch my new YouTube video.

Wishing you a gorgeous weekend! What are you up to this weekend? I will be doing some sewing and creating. My Ann Estelle Sophie is next. Sending hugs! 🤗