Happy New Year and already off to a late start!

 

January 16, 2025 

Dear Friends, 

Can you believe it is January, and I am already behind!  Found myself a bit over committed with projects. I thought I would be done early December, then mid-December, then by New Years, you see how this is going.  And it appears I could be this irregular on posting this year, but I am trying not to be.  May I say I am grateful I do not do New Year’s resolutions!  My beginning would not bode well.    

What I do for myself, and friends is, however, not brain surgery, so some time in getting things right is not a bad thing.  I have been working diligently on an outfit for Tiny Kitty. (Robert Tonner, 10” reduction of Kitty Collier.)  She is my wonderful break from antique reproduction things.  And let me tell you it is hard to take those breaks as I love my little dolls so much.  Sometimes it is interesting to exercise contemporary sewing skills and to keep my hand in.  I have almost forgotten how to use a sewing machine.  (Not hardly likely!)

(Much of my delay is due to a lack of a sewing room, and organized sewing space. We still do not, after three months, have a roof fixed up there.   Helene did a job in the south, and we are in the que for things but not our turn yet. We are much better off than most as we have a home and live in the spaces downstairs. It seems ungrateful to complain.  I try not to get impatient, but truthfully, I want to get to the top of the list)   

I did spend a couple of weeks on crutches as I sprained my big toe, so walking was out of the question.  I am now all better and out and about and with new walking shoes.  They feel great. 

Anyway, back to Tiny Kitty.  I found an outfit on Pinterest and am not sure why, but it took all my attention.  This would be my first pattern draft for Tiny Kitty.  The first thing I learned, and should have known, is mind your measurements.  For some reason the gown was too large.  So, here we go with Papa and Mama bear routine.  Yes, it was too large.  (I had mistakenly added the seams twice.) 

The original Pattern was a Simplicity 7858, 1960s

Next it was too tight. No one likes that.  But the problem to solve here was where were the closures to go? The center back seam of this doll would have taken up the entire back panel.  So, I attempted to place the closure in the side seam, but that would stop me from slipping it either up her legs, a step in dress, or I would need an additional snap or hook at the shoulder.  That wasn’t working for me either. 

Finally, I decided to make the back side seam open, and added a hook and thread loop to hold the back seam closed.  I will be honest I am not great at getting those perfectly placed.  It really did not look well when put on a doll. 

Then, I remembered a skirt pattern I did that wanted to come open just a tad when the skirt was closed.  I decided I would put in what I call a “swing snap” and that would make the closure.  I think it was “Just Right.”

The last task was to make the cape I continued to make quite a few mistakes there, too.  Of course, I did.  I sewed the sleeves backwards, twice.  Then I sewed the front side to the back.  Naturally.  So, I put it down for a couple of days.  Then laid everything out as it should have gone and voila, I had a correctly made and fitting cape.  It’s line in China silk, too!

The backside of the cape made of a cotton twill

The inside of the cape with silk lining

Finished Cape

I hope you all are looking forward to a wonderful year of dollmaking and dressing. I am hoping as I catch up with things here, I will have made all my errors in January and the year will look great!  Wouldn’t that be wonderful?  And please don't forget, Have Fun!  Kathi

 12/4/2024

Purple Passions!

Have you ever heard the saying, I plan, God laughs?  For 2022, and 2023, I had the wonderful plan to make up the kits I have for my Ultimate Fashion Doll by Alice Leverett.  Some goals were to finish some accessories and kits I began but did not finish from workshops that were not quite completed, hats, gloves, hems, closures, etc.  The infamous UFOs.  The created beauties she has in the sets as accessories.  I was going gangbusters, but then, well other stuff happened.  Total failure to get the momentum back. 

I made the same promise to myself the following year.  Still did not do it all.  More problems.  I told you it was a rough couple of years. One I completed I showed you; it was a beauty.  It was written about here: https://creativedoll.blogspot.com/2021

Last year my goal was to work one of the Carmel Doll Shoppe kit each month for Lavinia and Tom Thumb.  I am making headway there this year, but it is still slow.  So many dolls, all screaming for wardrobes, I must keep them in drawers to mute the sounds. I'll share more soon.  She's so sweet.  But I haven't gotten to Toms clothing yet.   

I digress.  I did want to show this purple plaid beauty.  I finally finished it.  I love it.  Plaids all match and everything.  I do want to explain that in the category of being lame, I am not the best photographer.  I have one eye that sees far and one that sees close.  (Secretly hoping they can fix that with cataract surgery.  When the time comes.)

I did not get to attend this class, but I did buy the kit. I am so proud of it and thought I would share the pictures. 

 

Kathi

Have Fun!

Costume Fun in Miniature, Mignonette Style

 

October 31, 2024

                                                    

About two years ago a couple of mu internet dolly friends and I decided we would like to copy (sort 0f) a mignonette box we had seen at Carmel Doll Museum.  Since there were three of us, we thought each of us could use the Mignonette Book as our inspiration.  We each had the book and could make selections from it. 

Mignonette: Her History, Wardrobe & Miniature World, 1878-1917

By Mathilde and Samy Odin Heritier

https://www.amazon.com/Mignonnette-History-Wardrobe-Miniature-1878-1917/dp/2913684068

 

Every third month we picked an outfit to make.  Once picked we would each do that pattern to fit our mignonettes, all about 5.5 inches, with our own fabrics and interpretations.  I had every intention of using up some small pieces of fabric. 

About August, I began to think about my October decision and decided I would use the picture from “When Dreams Come True” as I had seen on Pinterest and saved to my Board. 

The original Doll is 14.5 inches tall.  A Bebe from Delcroix from the description.  https://www.trocadero.com/stores/whendreamscometrue/items/1339844

                                                            

I knew I would have to redesign as close as possible for my 5.5” mignonette. Mine is a Jumeau reproduction made for me by Sophie Pearson.

Using the picture noted above, I began working out the scale and changes or items needed to recreate this costume.  A very sweet party outfit described on a male doll.  However, my doll was a little girl.  I didn’t care.  My doll, my choice.  

I started with the skirt, which was the easiest thing to do.   All there is to do is a length of gathered fabric into a waistband and a closure.  The edging was serendipity and the black pom poms can be found at hobby stores. 

                                                        

The jacket took a bit more fitting and ingenuity.  Sometimes components are hard to get, make, or imagine how to complete.  I was lucky enough to have a small stash of ¼” velvet ribbon.  Sometimes you just make it work.  But I feel I was as close as I was going to get to the real thing. 

                                                            

Soon, I created and sent off the directions to my friends.  We have collected quite a wardrobe for out little ladies.  If you are a member of the Mignonettes group on IO, the directions are in the files there if you want to give this a go. Finished side and back photos.  

                    

                

In the meantime,

Have Fun, Kathi

 

 

 

 

A Little Explanation for delays.

 

10/19/24

 

In the past year and a half, I had a second surgery, (doing well, no worries), hired an organizer, Amy, (she’s great, I call her my task master), worked on the issues with the blog, helped my wonderful husband with his projects and doctor visits, and nagged him to be my obedient servant.  Didn’t work.  Try as I might to be boss, he’s not buying it.   (Yes, that is a joke.  The rule in this house, is we decide who’s boss before the project.  This works very well as we both have our strengths.). We are both boss types as well. 

 

This might come as shock, but this time away has made me realize I am aging.  It kind of sneaks when you least expect it.  I went through a process of deciding, with Amy pushing me on, what I really wanted to do.  I see my avocation as a designer, artist, miniaturist, seamstress, writer, teacher, and vocationally as a wife and homemaker.   (I have also done that a lot longer!) There was a lot of retrospection and conversation that went into the process.  Many decisions were made.  I am loving my new focus and lifestyle.  We’ll chat more about that coming up in new posts. 

 

My old computer, which isn’t very old by the by, decided it didn’t want to work anymore.  It does still work but it is picky about it.  Like having a child.  My husband got me a new computer.  It is a tablet/PC and does the job.  I like the PC, but I am constantly noticing I cannot work as I did before.  I need something else.  My little laptop is supposed to be easier, friendlier, BUT, it does not have any of the “old” ports on it. I had to buy a HUB to plug in my current peripheral’s into so I could use them.  I am so tired of chasing technology!  What I do like is that the computer people are getting together on all these proprietary plugs, so we have a method to use chargers the same.  That is most excellent, but in the meantime, nothing is the same.  We grow, we adapt. I grumble (a lot).  So I use two computers now, the old one where I can work faster at things I know, and the new one for emails, blog posts, and learning how to do things in a new way.

I have not wasted my time being absent.  Ultimately, I got here, ready to share more on the blog with you.  I had to relearn many things and catch up with changes on the computer.  (Grumble, grumble). I am almost a minimalist.  Not quite there, but I am an “in the middlest” for sure!  My term, I made it up, I should trademark it.  

The new start date was to be on October 1, 2024.  So, you can see I am late.  The truth of the matter is a tree, (2 of them) fell on our house during Helene.  It was frightening, and messy.  The roof was pierced, the ceiling upstairs also with holes, the rain pouring in.  Glass broken; windows shattered.  What a wallop.  My house is a house that looks like a two story on the front and a 4 story in the back.  (It’s two stories) Two 80 foot trees decided they couldn’t handle it anymore and gave up.  Silver linings are that we did get power back in three days, did lose all the food, stores are getting restocked.  Our systems can be awe inspiring, and we are resilient people.  The trees got removed, there is a tarp on the roof, holes in the house plugged for now.  We are waiting for our turn to have the adjustor/contractor come to estimate the damage.  Those estimates will be forwarded to insurance company.  We will wait. The insurance company will say what they approved and write a check.  And then we wait.  The company and we decide how much we want to fix and any added items that come up.  And we will wait.  Once all the work is agreed upon, we will wait for out turn in line for the contractor to make repairs.  This is going to take a while.  In the meantime, we are safe, have power, have food, friends, and we know we are very lucky.  We count our blessings every day. 

Oh, another silver lining, our view to the lake is so much better now.   

Pray for those in need, and if you can afford to give, please do.  East TN and VA and FL need you ever so much.  

I hope to have another post soon.  It will be about projects and what has been completed.  Thank you to all of you who have enjoyed these posts.  And to those who have reached out and checked on me.  You are kind, thoughtful, and appreciated.  

Until the next post, as always,

Have Fun!  

Kathi

Yes, It has been a long time!

Before I start writing for the blog again, there are a couple of updates for you. I share this blog with Michelle Mahler of Minidolls.com. Michelle is hoping to sell The Doll Artist’s Workshop, where she sells supplies, fabrics, trims, and assorted items to create and dress miniature dolls. 

 I will be writing this blog. 

 We have worked out, or rather not yet figured out why the reading view was covered up with the red background. We tried many ways to fix this, and the result was to remove the background and voila a readable blog. For those who were unaware of the issues, I will share them with you. And because I am both an iPad and PC user, the information came to me a little late. I hadn’t noticed. Readers on Apple or iOS products (Mac, iPhone, iPad) were getting different views. Is the level of upgrade the problem, or is it Google? Is it something else? Were the programming languages colliding in some way? We do not know but are greatly appreciative of those who checked things out and reported findings. For those who had no issues, this is what was happening. This is the original format and how we wanted it to look.

This picture clearly shows that the background is now covering all content. The background for the iOS users was on top and not behind the content.

The header with Emilie Claire doll will remain the same.

The simplest answer was to remove the background. The content is now visible with the background removed.

I like this view. The content is readable, it is lovely as linen as it represents our primary content is sewing for dolls. Going forward, I have retained a professional to take care of these things for me so I can create some meaningful content. Kathi