Alice in Wonderland

October is a month of fun and dressing up as your favorite characters. Our dolls love to dress up for Halloween, too. McKenna looks stunning as Alice in Wonderland.

McKenna's dress is two pieces. The dress is a simple blue dress with a white collar and it's topped by a white pinafore.

I added a black hair bow to McKenna's hair to complete the look.  The blue color of the Alice dress looks exquisite with Alice's eyes.

Here's a back view of the dress. The entire outfit was pretty easy to make. The dress is a basic Simplicity pattern. It Velcros in back. I added a white color to match Alice's outfit. The apron was made from the Kirsten pattern; I simply made the front of it triangular on the bottom and it closes in back with Velcro.  I attached a "bow" to the back of the apron so it is always tied and I won't have to retie for the apron over and over.

McKenna's look is complete with a pair of white tights and plain black shoes (both from the Springfield dolls collection.) I expect the White Rabbit to show up any moment!

“Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about her other little children, and make their eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days.”  - Lewis Carroll

Recycled Summer Fun

Daphne enjoys a hot summer day in this super easy summer dress. This dress was made from an old pair of leggings that my girls outgrew. The dress is just two easy pieces and took less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish.

I love recycling old clothes into something new, and Daphne enjoys it, too!

Summer "twin" fun

One of my favorite things to do after my girls outgrow a favorite outfit is turn it into an outfit for our dolls. My girls inherited a fun Hawaiian dress from their cousin and once they outgrew it I turned it into two outfits for their dolls. I originally planned to make them two matching outfits, but the girls had different views on what they wanted so I made them each a different outfit.

Ava wanted a two piece outfit for Julie so she could wear it as either a skirt and top or mix and match it with some other American Girl clothes.

I didn't have a pattern for this outfit; I just designed it on my own. The skirt was an easy gathered waistband and the top Velcros in the back.

Adeline wanted a dressier look for her doll, so I made her a one piece dress for her doll. She looks ready for some major fun in the sun with her white sunglasses.

This dress has a gathered waist and a layer of gathered layer at the bottom of her skirt.

 

This dress also closes in the back with Velcro.

Both girls have an outfit to from this fun dress. I'm not sure which one is my favorite; I really like how differently they both turned out!

Easy Pieces Part II

In order to give McKenna a bit more variety I put together a simple grey vest. I wanted to add a lace closure up the front, but my daughter wanted it open so she could add it to a school outfit, perhaps if I have time I'll sew up another on that closes in front as it would look a bit more like the styles I see at Renaissance festival.

 

 

Now since McKenna has a grey vest and plaid skirt, I thought I should reverse that and so I also made a grey skirt and plaid vest (of course she can wear plaid with plaid and grey with grey.)

Here's the grey vest and white peasant blouse with the plaid shawl.

I also decided that McKenna might want to feel a bit fancier, so I put together a more formal look; McKenna still has on the floor length grey skirt, and I added a raspberry "dress" to the look. This piece did take a bit loner to make, but I love the Renaissance look of the outfit.

Here's the same piece with the plaid skirt underneath.

As you can see, McKenna has limitless possibilities when she mixes and matches the pieces.

Easy Pieces Part I

After sewing a few Highland dance outfits, I had some pink plaid left over and decided that I wanted to use it all,  but I couldn't decide what I wanted to make, so I came up with a way to make the best possible use of the material by creating several separates that could all be mixed and matched to from several different outfits. I tried to theme my outfits for a Scottish festival / medieval peasant.

I started by constructing a basic white peasant blouse that could go with several pieces. Next I added a floor length skirt that's gathered at the waistband. I added an easy hairband that ties behind.

I love this simple easy look.

McKenna can add a simple shawl to cover up with. The shawl is basically a large triangle piece of fabric. I stitched a simple hem around the entire piece. McKenna wears it as a shawl here, but I can also tie it around her in a verity of ways.

2001 - 2002 Lindsey

The first girl of the year was Lindsey Bergman, the first Jewish doll released from American Girl. (Rebbecca Rubin was the first historical Jewish doll to become a part of the American Girl collection.)  Lindsey was first available in June of 2001 and was available until December 2002. She was available from the Pleasant Company for $84.  Lindsey has dark brown shoulder length curly hair and bright blue eyes. She has adorable freckles (at the time, Kit was the only other doll with freckles). 

Lindsey came dressed in a super cute outfit which consist of a green dog t-shirt, a khaki skirt, striped tights, red boots, and a blue sweatshirt jacket. She came complete with a Lindsey book.

Lindsey only had a few items available in her collection. Lindsey's accessories were a blue laptop that doubled as a planner/address book for girls, Cd's for her computer, a messenger bag, notebook and pencil. This set retailed for $32.

Also available for Lindsey was her scooter. Her scooter set came with a metal scooter, helmet and wrist guards which helped Lindsey hold on to her scooter. Her scooter set sold for $34 and her entire collection sold for $135. The Lindsey doll was an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award winner.

Add a purple vest

Yesterday I shared a pink kilt outfit with you. I wanted to show you the same kilt with a vest.
This vest is a super easy pattern (it's actually all one piece and only two rows of stitches!) I added silver braid to it, and one I can find some little buttons (they have to be of a certain shape) I will add those to the front of the vest as well.

 I love the look of the vest with a kilt. The white puffy sleeves of the shirt stick out and you can see the ruffles of lace on the blouse. Notice how different the kilt looks with this brighter, purplish shade.

A Valentine's Kilt

Valentine's Day is a perfect day to celebrate in Highland dance fashion. Here's a look at a pink kilt I made for our dolls.

 

 



 

 

 

The outfit mirrors what Highland dancers wear for competition.

 



All dancers either wear a blouse or a dickie underneath their outfits. Dancers wear a blouse under a vest and a dickie under a jacket. I made the blouse with rows of lace across the top. I made this one to look just like the one my daughter wears.

You can see the layers of lace a bit more closely in this photo. I love the puffy white sleeves on this blouse.

Here's the front of the kilt. Notice how the apron lays flat in front. To the right-hand side is a row of fringe

In the back you can see the pleats. I added some additional pleats at the top of the waist to create a better fit for Daphne.

Notice how the white lace peaks out from underneath the jacket. I'm still looking for the perfect buttons to add to the jacket.

 

 

Daphne models white knee socks with her outfit. Pre-premier dancers can wear white knee socks, but premier level dancers must wear argyle socks to match their kilts.

 

 

 

Daphne is all ready to dance at her show!



Marie - Grace

Here's our Marie-Grace doll. Marie-Grace is from 1853 from New Orleans. I love her pink taffeta dress and her long brown hair. She comes with white pantaloons and stockings plus black and white boots.

Marie - Grace's hair is braided on the sides and pulled to the back. Her long brown hair had curls at the bottom and she has ringlets on the side of her head.

 

Her accessories include a gold locket.

She also has a white hat and fan.

She's a perfect gal from 1853.

I love her face mold. She has such a pleasant smile.

"For auld lang syne"

Celebrate Robert Burns night in high fashion! Daphne loves to dance for all of the Scottish folks at the Robert Burns dinner. Robert Burns was a famous Scottish poet born on January 25, 1759.

Tonight Daphne will be dancing the Flora McDonald Fancy and the Blue Bonnets. She's wearing her favorite pink national outfit.

Daphne's vest closes up the front with a silver lace tie and her plaid is securely held to her shoulder with a pretty broach.

From behind you can see her plaid that drapes over her shoulder.

Although most Scottish girls wear their aboyne skirts with a separate blouse, Daphne's blouse is actually sewn to her skirt for ease of dressing. She also sports white knee socks and ghillies.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne. " - Robert Burns

Burns Night Dancer

Celebrate Robert Burns night in high fashion! Daphne loves to dance for all of the Scottish folks at the Robert Burns dinner. Robert Burns was a famous Scottish poet born on January 25, 1759.

Tonight Daphne will be danicng the Flora McDonald Fancy and the Blue Bonnets. She's wearing her favorite pink national outift.

Daphne's vest closes up the front with a silver lace tie and her plaid is securly held to her shoulder with a pretty broach.

From behind you can see her plaid that drapes over her shoulder.

Although most Scottish girls wear their aboyne skirts with a separate blouse, Daphne's blouse is actually swen to her skirt for ease of dressing. She also sports white knee socks and ghillies.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne. " - Robert Burns