Sewing for a J-Doll

I tried out a Blythe pattern, made using a modified Skipper pattern. As I've shown in a previous post, Skipper clothes seem to be somewhat compatible with J-Dolls. J-Dolls are slightly slimmer than Skipper, and are 9" tall. The dress is not going to be a keeper, so I didn't bother taking really great photos, but it was a good learning experience. Here's how it turned out:

The sleeves are just a bit long on her, but the real problem is that the dress doesn't close completely in the back. Blythe dolls seem to have less hip circumference than the J-Doll. Which means she probably wouldn't rock the A-line dress look like Blythe does anyway. That's fine; this dress was largely just a test.

The other thing about this dress was that I had problems with the collar. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong; I presume my seam allowances were slightly off. The seam allowances on this were a little frustrating, since they were not quite 1/4". If I was going to remake this dress, I'd probably change some of the seam allowances. Oh, and I also lengthened this dress by 1/2". Overall not bad for this small scale.

Brown dress for Tonner 10" Sophie

I think this dress turned out fairly well, but there are enough mistakes, which I mentioned in the last post, that I am not completely happy with how it turned out. But I have learned from it, which will help with next time. I do think the fabric choices look fabulous with Sophie's coloring.

Meh

So I did get the dress done, and... I'm not impressed with it. There were places where I made mistakes, such as not getting the sleeve cuffs lined up perfectly when I sewed the sleeves shut. But the biggest issue is the fact that the skirt is just too full. I was hoping that the extra weight of a full skirt with a double-folded piece of fabric for the hem, plus the rickrack trim, would weigh the skirt down, but it didn't. Unfortunately, I find too often when I use doll patterns that I have not created, that there is some sort of problem. In this case, I really see no reason why the skirt was made so extremely full.

In good news, the neckline looks a lot better than I thought it might. I used the thinnest white batiste fabric that I had to underline the top, but I was afraid that white was going to show too much around the neckline. Somehow when I got the top all assembled and the dress on the doll, it doesn't look so bad. On the other hand, I have an awful time getting the two collar pieces to meet up nicely in the middle. I try basting the collar pieces on before I sew the fabric and underlining, but they still end up to far apart, to my eyes. Oh well.

I will possibly post pictures of this dress tomorrow, when I've gotten over my disappointment, and the lighting is better. I'm also starting fresh with a new pattern for a different doll. I'm so over this pattern for now.

Coming Along

I've been struggling with an Ann Estelle/Sophie sized dress for a while, but I think I've gotten it to the point where I can finish it and move on to something else. At the moment, I'm sewing rickrack trim on the skirt, which is really perking up the look, and encouraging me to get this done. I've ended up having to hand sew the trim, because it's not working with my sewing machine. My only guess is that the rickrack and the serged finish of the two fabrics on the underside is too thick overall. I even tried moving up to a size 90 needle, but it still didn't work out.

Here's the skirt in progress:

Coming Back

Being in a family that perpetually has more time than money, I decided to make my niece an outfit out of my stash, and a matching outfit for her 18" Madame Alexander doll as a gift. Perhaps because I was making it for someone else, I ended up being really motivated, and enjoyed making the clothes. Below, you can see the result. Once again, I used a Jean Becker and Joan Hinds book, although I changed the patterns slightly. I also didn't like the neckline for the top. "Turn over 1/4" and hem" just doesn't work out for me on a round neckline. The neckline doesn't stay a neat 1/4" all the way around, because of the curve. If I had the time, I could have basted and then used the machine to finish, but I would just as well like making a facing, or a self-fabric neckband like I did with my niece's shirt. Of course, the doll's top is open in the back, to make it easy to get on and off, so I don't know if a neckband would lay properly.
I got a lot of use out of the doll-size ironing board that Mr. BTEG made for me last year. Getting a small iron would be useful, but for now my regular size iron works.

Looking for Patterns

I am searching for three patterns designed by Alice Leverett that were created for the 15 1/2" Josephine doll by the Franklin Mint. I have been in touch with Alice Leverett, and she no longer has those patterns available; even the computer file she had them on is gone. I have never seen them on ebay and never seen them available anywhere else. Did any of them even get sold? If you have any of these patterns, please contact me!

Ironing Things Out

I finally arrived at the point where I really needed a doll-size ironing board. Ironing miniature necklines was the point where my regular-size ironing board just wouldn't cut it anymore, although I imagine I'll find more uses for the mini one also. Mr. BTEG was kind enough to make one for me, and I used cotton batting and muslin to make a cover for it. I based mine on the example shown here. It didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted, but it's very good for my first experience ever making any size ironing board cover, without a pattern. It's definitely good enough to use. A little more progress.

Here it is, with Tonner's 10" Sophie doll modeling with it.

Custom Color Guard Outfit

I can't seem to get off the ground with doll sewing besides putzing around with patterns. I'm too much of a perfectionist, although a struggle with allergies for about a month or so did not help. However, I did take the time last week to make an outfit for a friend of my daughter's. It was for her American Girl doll, and it is based on an outfit for the Color Guard at the local high school. This girl wants to join the group when she gets to high school, and she already practices. When this girl opened her gift, her older sister quipped, "Your doll got into Color Guard before you did!" The girl liked the outfit, and since I used scraps, it was essentially no cost to make except for the dowel and the ball on top for the flag. Once again I used the Jean Becker and Joan Hinds book, adapting the patterns slightly to fit my needs.

Success!

I have achieved a pattern that I can work with and made a trial dress. Now to get creative and see what kind of things I can do with the pattern.

The light is not very good for this picture. It's very gray and rainy here today.

Progress of a Sort

I have discovered that the armscye of a dress for an 8" doll is not really suited to being finished by a conventional serger. I have experienced the same problem sewing for the smaller dolls before, but I'm stubborn and like everything finished by serger. However, I took a good look inside all the dresses by Tonner for his Kripplebush Kids that I own, and only one is serged on the armscye. The rest are finished by a double row of stitching. I will probably use a zig-zag stitch. Hoping to finish a dress this week! Sunday is usually a day of rest, after church.

Still Sewing, Different Doll

Well. This past year has been a ride. Health issues, unemployment, a move forced upon us. I was suffering from so much depression that I didn't get much sewing done in the old place, and we moved to the new place right before Thanksgiving and the long parade of holidays (and in my house, birthdays.) It took a while to even get a functional sewing area set up here, but I am thankful that I am still able to have one!

Once I got back to sewing for dolls, I had a different inspiration, to sew for Robert Tonner's 8" Kripplebush Kids. I have spent many hours tweaking a pattern and I think I have finally come up with something that suits. I have had no formal pattern drafting training, for either little people or big people, so I have had some difficulties and setbacks. However, I find that I prefer my own doll patterns rather than other people's. Too many of the patterns I have tried do not fit the doll for which I am sewing properly. Others online who sew for dolls have said that a pattern must be slightly fixed for every doll. Well, if I have to do that, I'd just as soon work on my own pattern, however long it might take me. Besides, like many stay-at-home moms, I have more time than money. :)

This is not meant to disparage any particular pattern or pattern maker. If you design patterns, please do not assume I mean you and get angry at me. Everyone has a different experience, your mileage may vary, etc.

Now that I have a working pattern, I am hoping to get a new dollie creation up here very soon!

New Year, New Hopes

It's taken me a long while to even think about getting back to sewing. Part of it was the move, and the unpacking (and even finding) all the things I need to sew. Part of it is feeling strange about getting into sewing again. I haven't done it for months, and I almost dread trying it again for some reason, like I won't be any good at it anymore. However, I still have the desire to create, so I have to make myself proverbially get back on the horse.

Another issue is pattern drafting. I would like to use my own patterns to sew as much as possible. I hate having to make a muslin trial for a purchased doll pattern! I'm not always happy with how the pattern turns out. I also want to sew different types of dresses than the patterns I generally see. I have no experience in pattern drafting, but I imagined that at least for a little girl type doll, making a pattern would not be terribly difficult. They do not need the shaping required for a full-figured doll, and of course with a doll, "ease" is not so much of an issue! But I have not created slopers yet that my perfectionist self is entirely pleased with. I think I'm getting close, though! And I am trying to learn more about pattern drafting, particularly for dolls.

Watch This Space

After a lot of the usual trial and error, I think I have created workable patterns for Robert Tonner's Alice in Wonderland. Now I need to create clothes for her that are not muslin test pieces. Pictures will be forthcoming as this happens. I'm looking forward to the fun part of doll costuming now that the pattern design appears to over.

Welcome to Barb's Doll Designs!

Here is where I will be posting pictures and updates about the doll fashions I'm hoping to make. The project I'm currently working is clothes for Robert Tonner's Alice in Wonderland, and I hope to get pictures up soon. In the meantime, here's a picture of my daughter holding her American Girl doll who is wearing the Fourth of July dress I made using a pattern by Joan Hinds and Jean Becker. I can't seem to find the book online, but here is the picture of my daughter and her doll.