Hi! I'm still swamped in sewing for our cottages  but check this out!

Win a free nightgown set and some underwear from Emma's Doll Shop for your 18 inch doll!

 Free entry at megswlifeisgood.blogspot.com/2013/06/handmade-doll-clothing-review-and.html


Enjoy!!

Sue

I'm still here!

Hi All, Sorry I haven't posted much but we've been real busy setting up our rental cottages in NH (www.crystalacresnh.com) and will be for the next 2-3 weeks. It's a never ending job. Meanwhile I haven't done much sewing but I haven't turned my machine into a planter either! Yet!

Of course, my serger is on the fritz and my Viking is being uncooperative. It just came back from 2 months in the shop and it's still giving me grief! Don't you love it? You wait 2 months for an expensive part to come from Sweden and it doesn't do the trick! Thank heavens I still have my little Janome! If that starts acting up, I'm in deep ka-ka. I just need to find time to take the other 2 to the shop.


So! These are a couple of things I've made recently.

The ballet outfit was from a Liberty Jane pattern (http://www.libertyjanepatterns.com). I had made one for my granddaughter but didn't like the elastic showing around the waist sooooo... I used a wide ribbon pressed it in half, stitched it over the gathered netting and simply secured it in the back with some ultra light velcro. More than one way to skin a cat!


 This tee shirt (also a Liberty Jane pattern) and leggings outfit is a combo I just love!  I had bought the green material on sale through DenverFabrics.com thinking it was something else (love when that happens and it works out OK) and have had lots of fun with it. It has one way stretch which I hadn't counted on but.... It's become a keeper for lots of things.


 Let me know what you think of these outfits and give me ideas for others!! Please???


So...back to the cottage rental agreements! See you again soon.

Emma's Doll Shop  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/emmasdollshop

Fun week of ups and downs

There's nothing like selling to inspire me to sew! Partly I want to replace what was sold but I also learn more about what people want so get motivated to improve on things and pump out more.

I sold this dress on the left, and since the buyer wanted a hat to go with it, I made 2. One for her and one for me. I also replaced the dress, of course (on the right). But see how the hat is sort of squared off at the corners? It cute, for sure, but I decided to alter the pattern to smooth off those corners. I also put the bow on the left side but I'm not sure I like it there. What do you thing?




The same customer also bought this dress and hat set. The hat was a little snug and since I had perfected this hat pattern now, I made her another one that fits better and has the "new" look with a rounder brim. Then she decided she wanted 2 pair of white tights so I sold her the 2 I had and now have to remake those and have some improvements I may do.


So the story is that I learned how to improve the hat, maybe the dress and probably the tights. Guess I'll make a few more sundresses too.

This week I'm working on ballet costumes. Stay tuned....

Love to hear from you... What projects are you working on? Share your ups and downs.

Sue

Warm weather clothes!

Hi, I've been rather negligent lately, huh? Life outside of sewing has been busy with odds and ends of things. You know how that goes!!! Constant distractions.

Anyway, I have been sewing, just not as much as I would have liked. I posted this cute dress on the left in my shop and made a bunch of white tee shirts just to have them in stock since they seem to be good sellers. I made some with ruffles like this one on the right. Anyone remember Health Tex Clothes? Their styles were full of clothes like this. My oldest daughter won $100 dollars worth of Health Tex clothes in an Art contest when she was 3. It was amazing what $100 could buy in those days. We had enough stuff to outfit her for all 4 seasons. Then her younger sister wore them too.

But, I digress...

Anyway, I made some tank tops too. A must for every closet...adult, child or doll.

I've now decided it's time to make some more trendy clothes. So next time...

See you then! Let me know what's new with you?

Emma's Doll Shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/emmasdollshop

Goin' to a Sock Hop?

Ok, all you Gramma's. Who remembers going to a Sock Hop back in the 50's? We called them Record Hops and I went every Friday night. It was held at the YMCA and that's where I met my husband's brother who was 12 and I was 13. He was a really funny kid, great dancer and at some point he introduced me to his older brother who I started dating at 15.


Anyway, back to the Sock Hop. This American Girl™Doll dress comes from a Liberty Jane pattern and I sure don't remember wearing anything like this at that age but they call it the American Girl™Doll 50's Sock Hop Dress. Cute regardless!



In other news....

My husband built me some shelves last week for all my doll goodies. I finally got them set up. I love 'em!!! You can't see the 2 bottom shelves but you can use your imagination.

Oh, and the doll dress without a head (or arms and legs?) The body was made from a pattern also by Liberty Jane and the stand? $.99 candle stick from Goodwill! Yep, honest!




So visit Emma's Doll Shop night or day. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (Ya gotta love the internet!) Right now it's all clothes for American Girl™Dolls but I hope to expand to other doll clothes soon.
                           

 'Till next time,

Sue
Leave me a comment. What's new with you?

Emma's Doll Shop

Time for the Grands!

My latest passion? Making doll clothes because.....well....let's start this way...

Isn't having grandkids the best thing ever? Or "Grands" as a friend of mine calls them. Such unconditional love. And sewing for them is also so much fun! After the baby-toddler stage (which is wonderful sewing territory!) and my grand daughters became interested in various dolls including Barbie's, I started making Barbie clothes for them. They loved the clothes and I had fun making them so I just kept going. That year, for Christmas, Art, my wonderful hubby, made them a doll "wardrobe" and I made clothes of every size, shape and color!

Meanwhile I couldn't wait for them to be old enough to be interested in American Girl Dolls. At the ages of 6 and 7 they were there and Santa was bringing them each an AG doll for Christmas.

I started sewing like mad using fabric left over from my costuming days as well as other projects. I made "fancy" dresses, play clothes, party dresses etc. They were very
excited and I found I just couldn't stop. I found Etsy, set up a shop, and haven't looked back. I've given up my alterations and tailoring business and Art is building me some shelves for my sewing room for storing all my AG stuff. Doll things are so little but manage to fill up the room! Plus I want to spread out to other size dolls as well.

So the journey begins. I'm hoping some of you love making doll clothes too and we can toss around problems and ideas. Yes?

Leave me a comment... 

                                  Until next time,

                                  Sue

Emma's Doll Shop

Lion, Iguanas and Elephants! Oh my!

So! In June of 2002 my husband retired from 35 years of teaching math (ugh? me too!)  We built a house on property that had been in my family since 1898 called Crystal Acres. We lived in a cottage on the property while the house was being built and stained woodwork and painted to help move things along. We finally moved in March of 2003. It's our dream house. Small, easy to take care of and perfect for us. Of course I planned all along to use one downstairs bedroom for my sewing room which I did. I hung out my shingle and started taking in alterations work. 


Then I thought it sounded like fun to take a job doing costumes for a local summer theater.

Check out my hysterical Iguana! Never seen an Iguana with glasses and a beard? Well you have now! And then there's the elephant....well...what can I say?

And this guy? Well, there was a big Halloween party in the works and his wife was going as Dorothy and their dog was going to be Toto so guess who he was! Duh! Of course I was home cleaning up yarn scraps that had drifted throughout the house but it was worth it. I had lots of fun making this costume and others that Halloween.

Ever made a costume? Tell me about it!




New spring and summer clothes for your AG doll in my shop this week! 
Emma's Doll Shop