Tag Archives: basket

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…🌹

“Pink Roses in My Garden” for Gina

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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! 🤗

“Fall-ing for this Sweety”

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Hi all! Are you enjoying August? Honestly, it feels like September to me. My daughter is all moved in at college and ready to begin her second year. Temperature-wise, it is another rather chilly morning. I’ve heard others say how back-to-school feels more like a new beginning than January first does. I feel this way, do you?

I feel like planning gobs of new ensembles and patterns, and painting my studio, which will then need to get straightened and pared down. Yikes! One step-at-a-time!

Today I decided to get Gracie’s new ensemble ready to show you. I’ve been writing the pattern for her cardigan as I’ve been creating the ensemble, so it’s taken a little longer to complete. However, she is now all ready!

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Gracie’s cardigan is knit with fingering weight merino wool. It is wonderfully soft and hand dyed to a cool tonal pink. This color picks up the cool rosiness of the roses on the dress print. Bullion stitched shaded roses and rosebuds in three different shades (plum, mauve, and raspberry) are sprinkled on the front panels of her elbow length cardigan.

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The cardigan can be worn unbuttoned or buttoned with off white glass pearls.

Her dress is made with a Japanese cotton print which features tiny rosy colored roses/rosebuds on a cool plum ground. The bodice is shaped with waistline darts. Her full skirt is embellished with very fine scalloped English cotton Cluny lace snugged underneath a tuck. A raspberry colored silk ribbon ties twice around her waist and ties into a bow in the front.

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Gracie wears a delicate necklace and bracelet made with amethyst colored AB Czech glass crystals, golden Delica beads, heart charms and a gold-toned bow charm. Her headband is hand made with velvet ribbon, and has an elastic loop at the back for slipping on over her hair. She wears off white cotton Lycra® tights.

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Gracie holds a Victorian styled crocheted basket with a beaded handle and tassel. Inside the basket are a few lilac blossoms she’s picked just for you.

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