::American Girl 18" Doll Dress::

I've been wanting to make some doll dresses for my daughter's American Girl dolls.  I think we have about nine dolls and very few clothes.  It's hard for me to spend money on the pricey clothes so I've decided to make our own.  

I started with the easiest thing I could make~ a pillowcase dress~ just like I make for the older girls.  An applique and rick rack was added, of course!  I played around with the width of the fabric and really there's no perfect measurement, it's personal preference. This dress below was made with a rectangle that was 11" x 24 " and fits like a shift dress.  Super cute and not overly fancy.

This one has a bit more 'swing' to it.  The rectangle was cut 11"x 27" and is just as cute.  I'm definitely going to stick with the 11" length but I'll play around some more with the width staying between 24" and 27" inches.

I wanted to venture out beyond the pillowcase dress and bought a pattern at Joann's.  Bleh.  I don't know how to read a pattern and it seems like it would be easy to read, but it took my friend and I two days to figure it out.  We wanted to make it without the lining but that made the directions hard to follow.  The next day, my friend Suzanne, had an epiphany as to how to do it and we ran to my sewing room to get it made.  (Things have changed since high school! LOL.) Turns out, you have to use a lining or else it doesn't work.   Good thing Sue was in town for two days, otherwise I don't know how I'd figure it out.  Good thing I have a friend, "in real life" to sew with.

I love the fabric and I added the trim along the bottom.  The pattern called for just turning the hem under and sewing it but the dress needed a little something extra.  Honestly, the dress reminds me of a hospital gown.  I like it, but it's not my favorite.  The pattern is the A dress from Simplicity 0293 and you can get it here, on Etsy.

I do love the fabric though.

I'm looking around for easy doll patterns~ if you have one to suggest~ leave it in the comments!

 

Strapless Dress using Pre-smocked Fabric

Happy Memorial Day everybody!  We're starting the weekend out right prepping for picnic down by the lake.  Smoked sausage, grilled veggies, watermelon, and......a new dress!

I needed a super simple project just to get my toes wet.  Something that would take less than 30 minutes, that would be amenable to a messy and unorganized sewing room AND that wouldn't require too much thought.  This was the PERFECT project.

I picked up some of that pre-smocked fabric at Jo-Ann's.  I didn't check the price ($19/yard??) but I did look at the flyer after I left and it's on sale this weekend (grrr).  Whatever, time is money, right?  

I knew the girls would love this pink flamingo fabric and I loved the preppy navy & pink combo.

All I did was hem the bottom (double fold 1/2" hem) then fold it in half, right sides together and sew it closed.

I had every intention of using extra fabric from the bottom to create straps but Eleanor liked the length AND wanted it strapless.  But you can see she is holding it up, yes?  

She measured 21" across the bust.  I cut it 19" wide thinking that would be snug enough given a roughly 1/4-1/2" seam when I closed it.  It was still loose.  So, cut your fabric a good solid 3ish inches less than the bust measurement and that should be snug enough to stay up sans straps.

It's cute, right?  Perfect for running around our tiny city yard!

Happy Memorial Day.  Go hug a veteran or a soldier, would you?

I'll be hugging my vet.....T.I.G.H.T.

New In The Studio: SPRING!

I don't know about you guys, but the Three Sisterz are really looking forward to SPRING! Call it what you want - Snowmageddon, Snowpocalypse, Snownami, Snowtastic, we are ready for it to be OVER!

Here are some of the spring goodies that we've been working on...

We love love love doing custom orders for number and letter tees & onesies, so contact us and we can talk!

**P.S. Have you entered our most recent giveaway by The Stationery Sisters!?! 

Amy Butler, anyone?

So, my local textile store, Osgood's, got in a big batch of Amy Butler.  Probably 20 bolts of her top selling fabrics.  I went over there yesterday not sure what to expect.  I walked away totally overwhelmed.  I could have purchased every single bolt....but....well.....that would of been a large credit card bill.  So I settled three yards each of six or seven of my favorites.    Oh, and the Jack and Jill stuff is not Amy Butler.  I just bought it to make some baby stuff for Baby Hammond.

Anyone want a dress?  Let me know.

How cute am I?

How sweet are these precious children?





A friend of mine takes the most amazing pictures of her family and friends.


It helps to have children as cute as these.



Notice the girls' outfits? I whipped up 2 pillowcase dresses for these sisters right in time for Valentine's Day. I'm in love with this fabric.



I've only found it in one store and not even online.



I made sure to stock up because it's the most gorgeous heart fabric.

























Seriously, I'm in love with this baby.