June 24, 2020 Correction.  FFDSG (French Fashion Doll Sewing Group) is incorrect.  It is FFDSC or French Fashion Doll Sewing CLUB.  My apologies.  I feel like I am relearning things.  I am sure this will not be the last mistake I make.  But the address to join is correct! 

Kathi

Have Fun

June 24, 2020

I belong to a couple of forums that I find interesting and have some time to participate, though not as much time as I would like.  One is the Mini Doll List on IO and the other is the French Fashion Doll Sewing Group, also on IO.   (https://groups.io/g/minidollLIST and https://groups.io/g/FrenchFashionDollSewingClub )  You can submit to belong to each of these groups.  Sometimes the conversation is strong and sometimes weak, however, most always interesting. 

Short story

I have a friend who sent me a doll to dress.  Special porcelain made for her so she could have a Geisha doll in miniature.  It has taken me about 7 years to dress that figure for her.  She had been so patient that I wanted to repay her in kind and do something special. How could I keep it a surprise and give her something special?  Together, we planned Japan month on the Mini Doll List.  (This forum is owned by Dana Burton, Debbie Jones of Kitz Miniatures, and me.)  Together and with additional help, we organized a month where anyone who wanted to participate could purchase some kits, or not, purchase some accessory kits, or not, and all in all produce items for a vignette, room box, dollhouse or some such display to encompass something from Japan.  The point was to participate as much or as little as one liked. 

Several tutorials were completed and the participation from the group was amazing.  All the tutorials we did were free.  From teachers who worked for the Dept. of Defense Schools who had taught there, to those who had parents who worked there in civilian and military positions there was so much sharing.  A month that I thought would be long and boring turned out to be fun, interesting, and informative.    

Together we completed various ways to display the items of interest.  Since we had completed most of the things together, it was hard to keep the box a surprise.  For my friend, I completed an entire box as a representation of a tearoom. But the last thing in the box she did not know about was the kimono on display.  She is a Pisces, you see, and I was able to make the display kimono of the “Pisces” carp.  Her finished gift is shown here. 

Tea Room from Front

Tea Room from Side

I had a lot of help to make this a success.  When we meet again, I will share additional participation and some of the Geisha that were created by our members of the Mini Doll Forum.  You will be amazed. 

Have Fun! 

Kathi

Trying Again.

June 14, 2020

Dear All, 

It was Four years ago this date that I wrote an article about having such a long wait between posts.  I apologized not not writing for so long.  A lot had happened.  My mother had passed away, I made an interstate move, downsized by half, or so I thought.  Now, my reason for not writing is pretty similar.  Mother-in-Law passed away, I got ill, made, yet another move and have been now two years remodeling this "new to us" house.  

I can say a few things.  ALL GOOD!  I am completely well, and if nothing changes in the dates, by July 10, I will be able to say, the bottom floor of this house is completely finished!  YES!  

And we will be doing a refresh on the upstairs, which will become my sewing space, supplies, and a guest room.  I am looking forward to that.  It will be a lot less work, and then the hard part will be unboxing my supplies and ordering them, but the unboxing and sorting and displaying my pretties will begin.  Looking forward to it. 

I have been working again on sewing, and miniatures, and will have a bit to share.  I have a lot on my To-Do list as I am sure you do as well.  One of the top items is to give this blog another go, and I promise not to inundate you with posts.  Once a week should do it.  

My temporary workstation will be not so temporary later in the year.  For your viewing, the part we did so far is the supply room.  Perhaps another change here, but the floor is in and the Alex cabinets from IKEA fit.  The dark space for a drawer has been repaired and the drawer inserted.  The bookcases, I believe, are going to have another use.  

Have a great week.  And here we go!  Have Fun! Kathi

Back after a llooong absence!

Back after a llooong absence!

I checked, the last submission was October 30^th, and I had intentions of being back real soon.  Two weeks after that I got very sick.  For three months I did next to nothing and certainly did not work on Tiny Kitty or the blog.    Turns out all those things I thought were allergies, were not.  After testing, it seems I am allergic to anything, and I have asthma.  So, after some aggressive treatment to get my bronchitis all better, am now on a daily regimen that has be all happy and working again.   Once well, and I am well, and a 100%, I began to get back on track. I have completed a few projects and intend to share in the days and months to come as I am really proud of the work I did on the dolls.  And I am really glad to be working to see if I can finish this Edwardian day dress for Tiny Kitty.  Little by little I catch up to where I feel comfortable and not pressured to deliver things on a deadline. 

Let’s talk about Tiny Kitty

A little recap, please.  Tiny Kitty is a Tonner, Inc. doll, and is 10”.  My Kitty came to me via the convention souvenir of the UFDC convention in Washington, D.C. in 2013.  The theme was “A Capitol Affair”.  This doll came packaged beautifully in her flip top box with a peignoir on the left and a fan and she was dressed as Mrs.  Helen Taft in her inaugural gown of 1909.  The gown was exquisitely presented with gloves and heels and jewels.  She is a pretty doll of 10”.  She is jointed, I would not say fully ball jointed, but she has some positioning ability. 

The inspiration illustration of the dress shows a drawing of a dress over a chemisette which appeared to be either a delicate print or an eyelet.  Researching the period I found a chemisette of the period and used that as an example.  I have a beautiful 100% cotton eyelet fabric from Urban Gardens Fabrics, that has a small scale embroidery.  I chose to use it for the chemisette.  Also, I didn’t want to use anything that appeared too contemporary in a print. 

Now that the chemisette is complete, I can continue with the dress.  I have added a sneak peak of her fitting for her dress.  I hope you enjoy. 

Have Fun!

Kathi

Tiny Kitty Returns!

As promised I am back again working on Tiny Kitty and her new cotton dress.  Thought I would share the inspiration dress with you so here it is. 

1910

While figuring out the pattern, I had been diligently looking for my blue striped fabric. THE perfect fabric you know you have but for some reason you are unable to locate it?  Yesterday I finally found and sadly, there is not enough to create the dress.  And if there was, there is certainly insufficient fabric for mistakes.  Curses!!!  (Because you know I will make a mistake.) 

Blue solid and striped fabrics

Since my Tiny Kitty has these blue ribbons as accents on her slip, I wanted to keep everything for this figure in blue, but it is not to be.  Serendipity, however, is still alive and kicking in my favor.  I have a found another wonderful fabric in my stash. The fabric is a pretty pink, white and blue striped oxford shirt fabric.  It is nice and soft, but still has the sizing that oxford cloth sometimes has.  I am hoping that will work in my favor. The solid pink fabric is handkerchief linen, very soft.    White Swiss batiste has been selected for the lining or base garment. 

Pink solid and striped fabrics

I have been working on the pattern and stitched it together.  Though it appears to work, I think there is something wrong with it.   I am not sure what it is, but I am thinking I have a small error.  I am sure I will figure it out as I go.  (At least there is a lot of fabric here…just in case!)  And I have no idea at this writing how I am going to recreate the closures.  It also appears I need to create a chemisette for this dress so she will have the pretty eyelet collar.  I purchased some new eyelet form Urban Gardens Fabrics and I think it will be perfect.  If not, well, I’ll surprise you with something.  Or will try. 

Okay, need to get busy making.  Will update you with the progress.  Until then,

drafted pattern pieces

Have Fun! 

Kathi