A few Drop-Waist Dresses…

I have to get a saree blouse made for someone to wear this Sunday, so my cowgirl boots are going to have to wait… My friend wanted her blouse to be a little longer than the standard under blouse, so her tummy wouldn’t show, so I’m working on a blouse pattern I had and trying to make the changes on it. I might show you the finished product, but not necessarily the whole process of making it…I have less than a yard of green raw silk fabric from India that has a band of gold metallic trim along the edge. I think we are going to try and put that trim along the cap sleeve edge. I’m making a prototype blouse first to make sure it fits snug and in all the right places before cutting into her silk fabric. I don’t think it will be hard, but there is a deadline and there is NO room for ERROR… I can’t just run down to Joann Fabrics if I flub up on something…

Okay, let’s have some dolly talk for now…

I decided I would show you some of my favorite drop waist dresses for my dolls. Samantha and Nellie probably wore the most from me, as the early 1900’s featured lots of that look. I have a few other dolls in dresses I can share as well. I think, done the right way, a drop waist dress is very slimming and stylish. Here are a few for your “viewing eyes” to look over…

Here is 14″ Wren, by Helen Kish in one of my very favorite dresses… drop waist or not, I loved this dress…

[If you click on any picture, it will enlarge.]

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Next up is 7 1/2″ Snow White Riley in her strawberry drop waist dress…followed by Skateboard Riley in hers…

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Nyssa, by Kaye Wiggs has on her favorite school dress in a drop waist style…

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I think this was the only drop waist dress I ever made for 13″ Isabelle…

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Bitty Bethany wanted to show you her Black Watch Plaid dress… I loved this fabric…

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Nellie got a few dresses, but Samantha modeled the majority of them…

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sams blue frock full 3

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Did you have a favorite drop waist dress?

See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne

16 thoughts on “A few Drop-Waist Dresses…”

  1. Good morning, Jeanne,
    Wren’s dress is an all-time favorite of mine too. I remember that I LOVED that ensemble of yours when I saw it. Isabelle’s dress is my second favorite, and all of the others are my third favorites. LOL! I do love drop waist dresses.
    We have a huge fabric store in Evanston (Vogue Fabrics) and you will always see lots of ladies buying silk fabric for their sarees.
    Good luck with the blouse. I hope the sewing fairies are smiling on you today. 🙂

    1. HI Cindy,
      Thanks for your comments… I think Wren’s dress is my favorite drop waisted one too…

      This saree blouse is a little intimidating for me… since the fabric doesn’t “give” any, it has to fit just exactly right, or she won’t be able to move her arms in it… I’m glad I don’t have to make the long “wrap around part” of the saree…she already has that part… just needed the blouse part made…
      I’m hoping to get the prototype made today and fitted to her…
      Thanks Cindy,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. Gosh, Jeanne, it seems that you spend all day sewing with blouses for friends, dresses for nieces, cowboy boots and outfits for dolls, but I know that isn’t really the case. I know you devote a lot of time to your church, your family, and your friends (hence the blouse you’re making). I’m just amazed by all you get done and still, at the end of the day, you can write a blog for us. By that time my mind is usually pretty muddled. (from being tired, I don’t drink. lol)
    Nyssa’s dress is my favorite. I don’t know how big she is but she appears tall and slim and the dress fits her perfectly. She and the AM girls look better, I think, in dropped waists than the shorter dolls. Just my opinion. lol

    1. HI Jevne,
      I have cut way down on my “outside” sewing, but every once in a while someone asks me something and I end up doing it… I think this saree top is going to be the last thing for a while…with Christmas coming up, I need every moment of every day to sew for my girls.

      I like Nyssa’s dress too, but have no idea what pattern I used. I have gobs of cut outs that I used for Nyssa, but didn’t write down, or remember which bodice I used for her dress. It was a perfect fit and I’ve never replicated it again… :o( Nyssa is about 17 1/2″ tall I think.
      Blessings, Jeanne

    1. HI Regina,
      It’s funny, but as I look at Isabelle in that dress, she looks so young!!! It’s like she’s grown up since I started sewing for her… isn’t that strange… she just looks like a little 5 year old to me in that dress. It must have been the lighting or something…
      Thanks for your comments, Regina,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  3. I too am a fan of Wren’s dress. Love the look with the lace top. That dropped waist was also popular in the late 50’s for awhile. I can remember being very jealous of a friend’s dress, made by her mother. Pretty white background flowered print with a big sash and bow tied in the back. I believe it was sleeveless. Memories!

    1. HI Joy,
      Well, it seems Wren might take the prize this time with her drop waist dress…
      It’s funny how something you see can trigger a memory isn’t it? I made a quilt one time out of all the fabrics I had made dresses out of…it was so much fun to look at it and remember the dresses…
      Thanks Joy,
      Blessings, Jeanne

    1. Thanks Jan,
      Well, I thought Wren was going to take the prize, but it seems we might have a 3 way tie between Nyssa, Wren and Isabelle… Thanks for letting me know which one you liked best.

      I got the blouse cut out today but I have to get a bright green lining fabric for it…
      We had 2 fittings today so hopefully it will work…
      Blessings, Jeanne

  4. Oh gosh…I think I like the Snow White Riley one the best…but I guess that’s because I’m crazy about Riley! Now I’m on the hunt of the pleater…when I find one I’ll make my antique dolls some dropped waist dresses!
    Have a good week!

    1. HI Kathie,
      So you liked Snow White Riley’s Strawberry pleated dress best… she does look pretty cute in it, doesn’t she?
      I hope you find a pleater… I know you’ll just love it!
      Thanks Kathie,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  5. Well Jeanne, I thought if I waited a bit, I would certainly figure out what dress I likes best—but it didn’t work! They all are darling, but I do love that black watch plaid material on Bitty Bethany. I have always loved that plaid, and had a skirt made of it long ago. The other dresses, however, are just lovely, and I can’t decide what I like best, so you will just have to take my word for it that they are ALL lovely!

    You do so much for others, I can’t understand how in the world you do all the things you do and have the time for a blog! Could we pretty please see this saree blouse you are making? I thought it was spelled sari. What is the difference in them, or is there a difference?

    1. HI Linda,
      Yay!!! A vote for Bitty Bethany’s dress! She’s happy someone picked her… I like black watch plaids too! My hubby used to have a shirt from it and it was one of my favorites…

      I had 2 fittings on the young lady I’m making the saree for and I told her I might have to feature her saree on my blog. She sort of sounded thrilled…so I can probably show it…
      There are a couple of different spellings for it…

      This is the Wikipedia definition…
      A sari, saree , sadi or shari is a South Asian female garment that consists of a fabric varying from five to nine yards in length and two to four feet in width that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff.

      My friend didn’t want her midriff showing so I’m making her blouse longer…

      Thanks Linda,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  6. Nyssa’s dress is my favorite. Love the curve at the lower bodice. I am so enjoying your blog, and like others have said, I don’t know how you find the time for it. Do you sleep???

    1. Hi Anna,
      Well your vote, along with a few others who emailed me, puts Nyssa in the lead for favorite drop waisted dress. Thanks for your comments…
      I’m glad you are enjoying my blog… and no… sometimes I don’t sleep…it’s usually because I have too many things running around in my head…
      Blessings, Jeanne

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