A little more birthday sewing.

Abby was invited to a birthday party today, and in typical me fashion, I waited until the last minute to make a gift! (I actually had bought something yesterday when I didn't feel up to sewing and wasn't thinking I would want to today either, so that will have to be returned now.)  I find it hard to buy gifts for girls from 7-10 years, are dolls to babyish?  Nail polish and lotions to grown up?  Is handmade lame?  Abby plays with this little girl quite a bit and so I asked if she had an 18" doll, yes, she did.  So why not make a couple of outfits for the doll?  M'kay.  Abby was supposed to nonchalantly ask after her doll, if she likes to play with it as much as Abby does, but I am guessing it wasn't so smooth and it probably raised her suspicion as she had just invited Abs to her birthday.   Oh well. 

 



 

First off, I hate doll hair.  Hate it with a flipping passion.  It is gets so yucky so quickly! 

I used this pattern but quite modified the construction.  I lengthened the skirt, left off the overlay, flower and waistband as I was strapped for time (also no cool overlay fabric)- but this isn't what changed the construction.  I read through the instructions and knew there was a better way to put it together.  I pretty much put it together like the Geranium Dress (which I am long overdue making another one or five of those!), the only difference being I made the opening all the way down the back so as to be able to dress her by putting her arms in the holes, not over the head.  Clear as mud?  I have a picture later to show what I mean.  Though I am totally thinking of making it a true mini geranium, cap sleeves and u-notch, anyone?

So I heart this fabric.  I first used it waaaay back when, when the twins were only nine months (and I still had a crummy camera that sucked indoors).  I saw it a while back on clearance and bought up the rest of the bolt, like 4 yards, so it will be seen again.

So this ended up really short.  I am thinking it is because I left off the waistband, probably is... I think... because it wasn't this short in the pattern picture. 

 

M'kay, here is what I was talking about.  The geranium dress only opens a little under the bodice and I made mine open to the bottom, again, for easy doll dressing.

Also, my way (okay, Rae's way) of construction just leaves such a nice finish on the inside.  Perfect for gift giving.  (the pattern instructions weren't so nicely finished on the insides, at least the side seam for the arm holes). 

So randomness, the girl whose birthday it was is also named Georgia.  When we picked that name we looked it up on the social security website and it was like #750 something in  popularity so I didn't think I would ever meet anyone else with that name!

I have managed to misplace my hot glue gun or I would have made her some dolly headbands too, so I dipped in to my stash of purchased doll accessories and also packed a pair of shoes and a necklace/bracelet set.  Gotta love $2 Wal-Mart doll stuff.  Abby said it the gift was well received, so hopefully they will get some use!