Hard Won Victories
It started with love at first sight . . . (doesn't it always?) The green dress in the above fashion plate caught my eye and next thing I knew, I was dreaming...
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There’s No Substitute for Basic Accuracy
Once upon a time, I attended a sewing class where we were encouraged to check the fit of the doll's dress as we worked, since - and I quote - "everyone's quarter...
Magic in Unlikely Places
How much must I hate myself? Let me count the ways . . . It would be funny, really, if not for the angst it causes. I'm speaking of that subconscious place...
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty . . .
If there were cones of shame for sewing, I'd definitely deserve one right now. Because I cheated - on purpose. And it's not the first time. The trouble is, I value historic...
Maddie’s Modes de Paris
It's never good for the morale of the doll room to focus entirely on one project. It probably goes without saying that dolls, by nature, become petulant when new dresses stop appearing....
A Brief History of Hooks and Eyes
In all my years of sewing doll clothes, I've believed the common notion that hooks and thread eyes are the only "proper" way of closing up a dress. Well. I'm thrilled to...
Lavinia’s (First) Wool Dress
I might well have titled this post "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, because this project was a bit of everything. First the bad. Many dresses of the mid-1800's were made...
Lavinia’s Wool Morning Dress
The best laid plans . . . do often go astray. Lavinia's first dress was meant to be ready for fall (thus the short sleeves) but "life" got in the way. So...
Her Crowning Glory!
For many a woman (and many a doll) her hair is her crowning glory - unless time, overzealous styling, or genetically poor luck has rendered things otherwise. If your doll isn't blessed...
Squishing and Squashing and Eating Crow
As I attacked the next layer of Lavinia's underpinnings, I was forced to admit my strong opinions might not always be right. But before I confess my ignorance, let me show you...