The Devil is NOT in the Details
You often hear the phrase, "the devil is in the details", which means imagining something wonderful is easier than actually making it happen. But - however benign this reference to satan may...
Maddie’s Wardrobe
By the Skin of My Teeth
I need to get better at predicting how much fabric one of these enfantine dresses is going to take. Especially when ruffles are involved. Because what you see above is all that's...
Life at a Snail’s Pace
Yesterday I spent seven hours cutting out one piece of Maddie's next dress. Clearly, my expectations that it would be finished by Monday were way off base. C'est la Vie. Sometimes, drafting...
Maddie’s Cotton Play Dress
While I diligently stitched tucks into Felicity's drawers, Maddie harumphed around the sewing room grumbling about priorities. It's summer. She wants to run and play, and up until a week ago she...
Maddie’s First Dress Completed
The moment of truth has arrived, and the news is not good. The dress gets about a C+, which isn't the most auspicious beginning to a costuming blog but there you have...
The Joy of Old Things
There's something very gratifying about finally using your stash. But there's more to the satisfaction I'm feeling than that. Old things aren't just old, they're different than their contemporary counterparts. They were...
Hemingway, Cats, and Me
The first dress for any doll is always a learning dress, because a new doll means fashions I haven’t sewn before and techniques I’m not familiar with. I never use my favorite...
The Headache of Sleeves
Even after fifty odd years of sewing, drafting a sleeve pattern is still a challenge. It starts, the night before, with trepidation. "Stop worrying," I tell myself as I toss around in...
Another Small Step
Some days I need to remind myself that it’s okay to just keep plugging along - even if it's at a snail’s pace. I think we all do. Maddie’s dress is coming...
Maddie’s Cage Crinoline
During the hours and hours of hand sewing involved in narrow hemming bias cut dimity, I remembered that Maddie still needed a crinoline. Yes! A break from ruffle making was just what...