Dolls and Doll-related Items for Sale

Sunday, November 7, 2021

A Lovely Gift from Down Under

Last week I got a wonderful gift from Rachael, a package of doll dresses and accessories that she made herself. She asked me what my favorite color/historical era was (blue/about 1900-1909) and made three dresses and accessories that fit Tonner dolls with the Marley body. Fortunately for me, I have three dolls with that body, so each girl got a new dress! They're beautifully made, lined, with an underskirt, and use press snaps. No Velcro in sight!

The first dress is a blue sateen, decorated with lace and a ribbon rose, with a grosgrain ribbon sash. It's gathered at the front in the perfect 1905 way.

Next is a plaid dress made of shirting material. It has a yoke and an inverted box pleat.

It also came with a matching necklace

And a detachable collar. 

Lastly, another dress made of shirting material, with a yoke and a box pleat.


 This dress came with a stylish belt

Another detachable collar

*And* a "locket" pin with a velvet ribbon.

Please excuse Dorothy's blue ribbons. They're so perfectly factory tied still that I don't want to take them off.

And here's a group picture.

 

Antique style calls for black and white photographs, so here are some black and white versions of my pictures.




Rachael also sent me this fun notebook that came with a pen

And the pattern pieces that she used to make the dresses. I forgot to ask, though, Rachael, are seam allowances included with the pattern?

I am so thankful for the new doll clothes. It was so nice of Rachael to make them and send them to me; it's cheered up my November.

So Barb, you ask, why has it taken you so long to put up a new post? Or maybe you're not asking, but I'm going to explain anyway. About mid-October all three of the Evil Geniuses here came down with a cold (Mr. BTEG did a test for the other stuff, that came back negative.) It wasn't horrible, but it was the kind that saps your energy. You feel okay lying or sitting down, then you get up to do one thing, and your body reminds you that you're sick. After that, it was hard getting energy and enthusiasm back, plus I was frustrated by a big project I've been working on that got put on hold while we all were sick.

I'm going to wait to reveal all of the big project, but here's some of it. I told MC about a month ago that I am out of storage space, and I pretty much am, until the Dancer moves out. For the time being, though, I'm perfectly happy for her to live here, as she's saving up a lot more money not having to pay rent. Mr. BTEG, though, decided to move his dresser out of his and my bedroom, because he doesn't really use it anymore. That opened up a lot of space for new storage! I need the Dancer and Mr. BTEG to put some more furniture together, and I'm busy moving stuff around. I do have a couple of "easy" things that I could post about, so hopefully those will be up soon.

In the meantime, I couldn't wait to get up pictures of my dolls' new clothes, and how nice Rachael was. Maybe if shipping is better next year, we should organize a Secret Santa gift exchange among any doll collectors we know who wanted to participate. Or we could make sure stuff was ready to mail out in October. :)

P.S. Mr. BTEG read the comments and colored one of my pictures sepia for me. Thank you, honey!



11 comments:

  1. Hi Barb! That's such a lovely gift from Rachael. I like the detachable pieces that transform the outfit. My favorite dress is the blue and red plaid one, since I love that type of plaid pattern and blue is one of my favorite colors. Your photos turned out beautiful, specially the black and white ones.

    Too bad you got one of those colds that leave you feeling knackered. Luckily, now that you're feeling better you'll be able to arrange your new storage space. I'm currently working on some smaller projects, but I'm not getting anything finished. I better hurry up, since Christmas is around the corner and I want to get some Christmas content in time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad that you like the photos, MC. I used my photography tent, and the lighting was okay, although I think bigger lights on either side might help. I'd like to make the photos in some sort of sepia tone too, but that will take more work. I think my favorite dress is the blue sateen with the lace, but I like plaids too.

      I'm hoping to get some kind of Thanksgiving content before the Christmas stuff here, so I'd better hurry up too! I'm enjoying having a bit more room to move things around.

      Delete
  2. I’m glad it finally got to you! The underdresses can be used as petticoats OR pinafores. Just not both at once (gets too bulky to button.). I like the way the tartan dress looks with a pini on top.
    There aren’t any seam allowances also not sure which version of the sleeves are in the pattern I sent you.
    Your photos are great!
    (Definitely would be up for a Secret Santa gift exchange next year! Would probably have to start organising it insanely early though!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I'll have to check the dresses out with pinafores! I can figure out changing the sleeve pattern around; I forget right know what it looks like.

      Glad that you like the photos! I was thinking of starting the Secret Santa at the beginning of June. I'm already making plans for it!

      Delete
  3. I love your idea about an exchange! I've thought about that before too. I'm in!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great! I'll be keeping a list of people who want to participate.

      Delete
  4. I'm glad that you like the pictures! I think Rachael really did do a wonderful job. It's renewed my drive to sew some doll clothes myself, after I get a human-sized sewing project out of the way. Waiting for the Dancer and Mr. BTEG's help with my other project.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Barb,
    Hope you all are feeling better. The gift from Rachael made the dolls (especially in the last sepia photo) look like the sisters from "Little Women" :)
    Big hugs,
    X

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Xanadu! We are feeling better, thank you! Glad that you like the pictures, and big hugs back.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I might like to participate in your gift exchange, although I don't know if I could afford overseas shipping. Just to clarify, would the gifts have to be handmade? I dabble in a number of crafts, and I have made doll accessories in the past. But I don't sew specifically.
    Signed, Treesa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, the gifts wouldn't have to be handmade. They wouldn't even have to be clothes. I wouldn't mind allowing some of the Secret Santas to be US (or North America?) only, even, except that I don't know how many participants we will have.

      Delete