New Outfit

Sewing is more challenging for me than knitting. I like to sew for dolls, but it requires more mental preparation from me than knitting or crocheting. However, I received a new sewing machine as a Christmas gift from my friend Doina. Now, I think, I must improve my sewing skills!

I am still learning to use it properly, since it is more sensitive than the other sewing machines that I've had or used before. You have to use the right thread, right bobbins, be careful with how you put the thread on the bobbins, etc. 

 As is probably true for many doll and craft people, over time, I've collect a ton of items related to sewing, knitting and crocheting: pieces of fabric, buttons, ribbons, yarn, and everything in between. Sometimes it is very overwhelming, as one has to have a place to keep and organize it. These items also have the tendency to multiply significantly. I have been trying to organize it, but I cannot say that I've succeeded yet. Having a separate craft/doll room is a dream. :)

See some of my treasures below :)

I bought this fruit-patterned, dark blue piece of fabric a few years ago at my local thrift shop. It is a soft, heavyweight, cotton fabric that gave me the impression it would look good as a pair of overalls. It took me some time to find a pattern and muster up the courage to try making a pair! 

I chose the overalls/dungarees pattern from book The Doll Dressmaker by Venus A.Dodge. I couldn't quite wrap my head around the pattern for overalls in the Sasha Pattern book, but I am working on it.

I didn't make any changes to Dodge's pattern. It fit the Sasha dolls very well and it was fun. I think I will probably make a few more overalls in the near future in different fabric/colors.

Beautiful book. 

Ivanka is trying them on.

I didn't have anything to go with the outfit. So I decided to knit up a blouse using a cotton, DK-weight yarn that I found in my stash. 

The other girls are definitely interested in the outfit! 

I recently found the button doll below at a local thrift shop. 

She is a DanDee Int.Limited, Homespun Creation handcrafted decoration button doll.

And here's another button doll I bought earlier! Her tag says, "My name is Amme and I bring you joy but please remember I am not a toy. My trim and buttons are old and new. I'm glad I found a home with you".  

Both are very charming :) 

Cora and Rain in May

Cora and Rain

Here are some pictures of Cora wearing an American Girl Doll Rain Outfit I bought not long ago. I remember liking this outfit when I saw it at the AG store in NYC a few years ago. I spotted one on eBay recently and bought it. 

While some of my Sasha kids were thinking maybe it would be too big for them, as their American Girl cousins are bigger kids, Cora tried it on decided it was fine. She was waiting eagerly for a rainy day, to have the opportunity to go outside and splash around!

It was a perfect day in May. Rain showers were on and off. Walking was not bad, but taking pictures without my assistant was more complicated. :)

The raincoat, hat, and boots are slightly big for 16" Sasha doll but still look nice and the outfit doesn't look bad at all. I love it! 

Here's the same outfit on my American Doll, Kailey. It is a really beautifully made outfit. 

I was worried that the doll might fall, but she seems very confident in this picture.

Checking for the swan and goose families. They have babies now.

On the way home she tried jumping in the puddles. It was just the right thing to do, and it was great in her new shoes!