Dolls! Bratz Makeover Number Four

Bratz number four - before

Knotty ponytail

Here she is after her makeover with a new pair of Bratz brand pants and her washed and conditioned hair.

Back view showing green streak in hair

There are only two of the Op-Shop Five Bratz to have their makeovers and then I will show a group photo. I am keen to try this pattern to make some less trashy gear for the Bratz.  It also goes as number 0382; not sure why it has two pattern numbers.

 I am making a summer shirt for myself at the moment. It seems like it is taking forever!

Happy sewing everyone.

Dolls! Tonner 16 inch Fashion Doll & Bratz Dolls Makeover Plan

There is often a lot of talk and planning going on at Lizzie's Arty Crafty, or a lot of "gunna do" (say that last phrase with an Australian accent) but not always action. I got this Tonner doll a couple of years back and got a pattern to make an outfit for her, but never progressed any further except to tie the spangled tulle around her hips.  She came in the pink halter neck swim suit which is quite nice but I am sure she would like a change.

Audra and I have been comparing Tonner dolls, and after she blogged about her amazing thrift store find, I said I would blog about my doll (which was just an ebay purchase) so she could see what my one looks like. I checked the Tonner website as advised by Audra, but could not really say for sure she was a Tyler Wentworth. I looked on ebay and saw a Tyler Wentworth Signature Style doll who had much the same face, but I would prefer to get the information from the Tonner site as then I could be 100 percent sure. Then after all those exhausting searches, I remembered that she came in the pink outfit, so maybe it was tagged - and it was! TW in very swirly letters was printed on the tag.  Audra gave me the contact details for Tonner, so I think I will send a photo of my doll in and get her identified 'officially'.

 I said to Audra that I didn't think she had a nice expression on her face as her doll does, but looking at the photos she isn't that bad.  Maybe she is cross sometimes because she has been wearing that gaudy pink swimsuit for so long!

Here she is dreaming about the new outfit that I am meant to be making her.  It is style 92 for 16 inch fashion dolls designed by Marsha Olson.  One day...

Here are some front and back shots. She has a twist waist and can also twist mid torso!

Action pose.

Now for the Bratz dolls part of this "gunna do" post.  I was op-shopping today (yes, yes, I said that I was cutting down), but something made me get this bag-o-Bratz dollies.

I don't particularly like Bratz dolls, but the thought of a dolly makeover challenge made me decide to get them. I couldn't really see what exactly was in the bag but when I got home and opened it I was pleasantly surprised. Bratz dolls are actually quite well made. Their hair is abundant and rooted and their face paint isn't too bad. I will try washing and conditioning their hair, and if that is no good, I will get some of the Twin Pines hair products for dolls.



I don't really take much notice of Bratz dolls, but I do know they come in these edgy urban styles. Some of the dolls that I got have all or some of their outfits but I am thinking of how I can give them a different not so trashy look, perhaps using Simplicity 0382.

They are all missing the lower part of their legs, so that is where ebay will come to the rescue! 

I also got this little carry case that hasn't got a scratch on it. It has a clear window which I don't think has photographed very well.  I couldn't stop the flash from reflecting off the back of the tin.



Back of the carry case



Dolls! Simplicity 2775 Bride Dress for my 1950's Virga 8 Inch Doll

Here comes the bride!  I have finally finished the bridal outfit for my 1950's 8 inch Virga doll using Simplicity pattern 2775 which is a re-issue of the original 1950's pattern.  I really dragged my feet with project for a variety of reasons; I got bored, too interested in the next project I was going to do, it was very fiddly (the bodice and skirt is lined) and I was also studying for my course.  Anyway, I am quite pleased with the finished project.

Those vintage flowers are fairly hard to come by and the ones that are in her hair to match her pretty party dress are delicate and hard to get out so I used some of the lace left over from her sleeves to make the head piece for her veil.

Her flower girl and page boy.

The bridal procession. Dad has shrunk a bit with age and is looking a little bleary eyed after a late night out with the bucks party. I hope the groom arrives!

Who will catch the bouquet?

The lined skirt.



Dolls! Small Sewing Using Simplicity 2775 Again

Sorry about the cloudy photo, but I just wanted to show you my progress so far with the Bride's dress from Simplicity pattern 2775.  This outfit is for an 8 inch/20.5 cm doll and I am trying to be patient putting it all together. One of my sewing club friends suggested sewing these small outfits by hand. I don't know how to sew up seams by hand and I am in too much of a hurry to get to my next sewing project to learn how so it has been made on the sewing machine so far.  The only thing I did do differently was to hand baste the sleeve in before sewing it in on the machine. It worked beautifully so I will try that method when attaching the skirt.

Dolls! Trousseau Doll Boxes

I have been looking at doll boxes or trunks on some of the great doll blogs on the internet, and got inspired to try one of my own.  My Virga doll will be the first lucky recipient. Using Simplicity 2775, she will add to her trousseau with a wedding dress. I might do the petticoat, jumper and dress after that.

Here is the Virga doll's trousseau so far:

Some of the boxes I have looked at on the internet have dividers to make compartments for the doll and their outfits and accessories. They are made to look gorgeous with vintage style papers and lace or braid along the top of each compartment. Not sure I can do that with this box as it is in an old fashioned trunk style.

I could do it with this box which is for these two plastic baby dolls. What a pity I can't crotchet as they would make great subjects for outfits made this way.

Have a happy sewing and dollie week!



Dolls! Pretty Party Dress for my 1950's Virga Doll - Simplicity 2775

Here is my Virga doll in her pure silk tafetta party dress from pattern Simplicity 2775.  All the details about the dress are here.  I just love how you can style the tafetta so that is sticks out, exactly as it does in the drawing on the envelope cover.

I used vintage flowers from the 1950's, which gives the outfit added authenticity.

You might notice that the bodice is a bit low on her but I had so much trouble with the tulle straps. Even though I anchored the gathering threads, they still wanted to stretch out again. If I made this dress again, I would probably just use ribbon straps which would be just as nice.

I even made the bag which I think is so cute with it's ribbon handles.

Just for fun, here is an 'everyone in' photo of some of the dolls I have wearing pink, or close to it.

I like this pattern and I am thinking of making some of the other outfits from it and placing them and the doll in the box I have used as a background in these photos. I have seen some other people make these on the internet, and I think they look fantastic.

Happy sewing!

Dolls! Starting On My Virga Doll's Pretty Party Dress With Some Help From Nellie Bird.

Sewing has started on my Virga doll's pretty party dress. Nellie Bird, my latest acquisition from a doll auction I went to recently is such a fashionable little thing and has stepped in to help sew up the dress.

The box she came in is numbered 176 and has the following words printed on a silver label on the side 'Nellie Bird, Nellie Bird, Light the fires and feed the herd, Sweep the kitchen, bake the bread, You'll get through in time for bed'.  Sounds like she is a hard worker. And with that fashion sense, she should create a dream dress for the Virga doll.

Nellie is a Nancy Ann Story Book Doll and I think she was made in the 1940's. She is the frozen legs version.

Simplicity 2596 Green Satin Watercolour Top, All Done

I used Simplicity 2596 view C, but without the waist elastic. The gathers look off centre in this photo, but it is not like that in real life. I should have arranged it better on my dress form for the photo.

Sleeve

And here is a bit of wardrobe planning going on in the next photo. The top goes with a deep brown skirt that I already have:

Now I am up to doing my pants next, and as I said yesterday, yikes! I just bought a pair today for $8.00 at Coles supermarket, and they are a pretty good cut across the hips, but the length and width of the legs make them look like they were made for a professional stilt walker. I hope I can do a bit better with my attempt. Watch this space.

New Project : Simplicity 2596 Top

Look! I am actually making something for myself, not the dolls! This is Simplicity 2596, aka the Top for Lisa's Wedding. This time I am making it in a kind of satin fabric that has a divine watercolour pattern on it. I am a sucker for these watercolour fabrics because that is my medium when I go to paint a picture.

The lighting was not too good in these photos, but it gives you an idea. All I need to do is sew up the side seams, insert the neckline facing and do the hems. I think I will just hem the sleeves rather than do the elastic finish.

Here is the version that I made for Lisa's wedding without the hems done, and then on me finished. I don't like myself in photos much, so you have copped the back view.

The weather is really starting to warm up here, so rather than make a jacket next, I think I will make a few more summer tops using mostly my tried and true patterns.

Top for Lisa's Wedding, Simplicity 2596 Pictures

Ta da! I have some pictures of the finished top. The satin fabric was much easier to sew than I thought it would be. I expected the side and neckline seams were going to cause me trouble by puckering, but it was the hems that were the problem. The sleeve casings stretched somehow, which meant I had a terrible time folding in the amount of fabric required to insert the elastic. The hem was all uneven when I first sewed it, but a good press and letting it hang for a couple of days sorted this problem out. Here are some photos of me the morning after the wedding (without makeup too!). I was in such a rush to get ready on the day of the wedding, that I forgot to take photos.

I actually wore the top tucked in, but these photos show you how I arranged the design on the fabric.

These are the earrings I wore with it. They are a bit 80's, but the colours and sparkle were perfect, so I decided to go with them on the night. If you lived through the 80's once, you don't really want to do it again!

In all, I am very pleased with the top as it is something different from what I usually wear and it will go with a brown linen jacket that is on the list of things to make for summer. I can also wear it with a basic black suit for work.

Works in Progress, Vogue Patterns Magazine

Simplicity 2596, aka the Top for Lisa's Wedding, is progressing along nicely. Once I got over my shock that I was actually sewing satin, and my sewing machine didn't seem to have anything against it, things went along quite well. I just have the elastic to put in the sleeves, and the hem to do. I think I will shorten the sleeves quite a bit.

My second work in progress is a New Look jacket pattern 6619 that I started the calico muslin for earlier this year. I have fussed and tweaked the pattern quite a bit which could be a case of extreme procrastination as I have not done a jacket for a while. I tried on the calico this weekend and realised that the extra kilo or 2 that I collected over winter has added to my fitting problems. I am so glad that I did the calico because I found that the mid back was too big.


Below is the pattern and the rough calico. The calico is looking very rough and wrinkly after all this time sitting around in my sewing area.

I am doing view F, but making the sleeves longer.

A reviewer over at Pattern Review found that the depth of the sleeves was not enough to allow for a small shoulder pad. I had to add 1 1/2 cm to the sleeve depth to account for this. I found this sleeve depth matched a couple of ready to wear jackets that I already have.

Lastly, here are some shots from my Vogue Patterns magazine that arrived today. I have a subscription to the mag through the Australian distributor of Vogue patterns, and I notice that we get the issues that match the seasons on our side of the world. The bonus is that we get the buy one, get one free offer which is quite appealing.

From a quick flick, here are a couple of my initial favourites. This shirt is made up in satin, and I am an expert in sewing this now!

 

 
If you get a chance, have a look at the technical drawings for this dress (which is 8577) on Vogue's website as it shows the cut much better. It has a lovely retro look to it and the full skirt is divine.
 
I hope to get the top finished soon, and show you what it looks like. Then I will not be able to procrastinate any longer over the New Look jacket!

Post Script to Butterick top 2596 for Lisa's Wedding

Just thought I would let anyone know that was interested in the "no-name" fabric that I bought from Spotlight that I mentioned in my earlier post that it was properly labelled after all (sorry Spotlight). It is a silky satin made from 100% non-stretch polyester called Tribal Safari. Below is a photo to remind you what it looks like. If you want to buy some, it should still be in the store as I only bought it a couple of weeks ago. One of the few fabrics to not experience a long time waiting in the stash! I hope to do a little more work on it this weekend and should have some more photos of my progress for you soon.