How my doll dresses come to life…

Not always, but many times I use this method to figure out how to make my doll dresses. Sometimes I know exactly how I want the outfit to turn out and can just go with it, but most times it’s a “figure-it-out-as-I-go” process.
I pick out the doll I want to use and start with the fabric. Dolls are like people – they have “tones” to their skin and certain colors look better on them than others. Lian, is a “winter” and she looks wonderful in jewel-tone colors; pinks, blues, reds, greens -vibrant colors.

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Once I’ve found a fabric that I like and made sure it’s the right scale for the dolls size, I start collecting anything that I think I might use on the dress: trims, ribbons, laces, buttons, slip fabrics, appliques, felt flowers, coordinating accent fabrics for things like collars or cuffs or piping.

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I generally find a toy or accessory that goes with it too. I’ll even check to see if I have wool felt in a color that will coordinate with the dress just in case I want to make a hat. I’ll lay all these pieces of the puzzle on top of my doll, just to be sure it all coordinates together.

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I cut out the doll dress and get the basic pieces ready to go. I’ll get the skirt gathered up, get the bodice made, have the sleeves ready to be set in. Then I start embellishing the dress; adding my piping, lace, ribbons, felt flowers, hand embroidery, buttons, etc.
The last thing I do is “let my doll pick out the toy or accessory” she wants…REALLY, I do!

Tomorrow I’ll share the BIG REVEAL!

This is just a glimpse of what works for me… how do you do it?

See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne

6 thoughts on “How my doll dresses come to life…”

  1. Jeanne, even your layouts re a work of art! Well, I don’t really do doll clothes, but did sew when I was younger, and I see some of the trimmings I have used, in your pictures. That tiny blue gingham ribbon you have displayed is what Molly is wearing right now with her “Dorothy” outfit from Over the Rainbow!
    What I would like to know, is do you have a pattern in mind before arranging all the various materials, or do you also make that up?

    1. Linda,
      Thanks for complimenting me on my layout! That was certainly something I didn’t expect! You asked about whether I have a pattern in mind before I arrange all the things I use. Most of the time, I do have something in mind… if the fabric is really soft, I can do sleeves and know they will turn out right. If it’s just a bit heavier, I will make it sleeveless. The blue dress for Lian is made from a very soft fabric, but it just looked like it needed to be sleeveless to me. So yes, I generally know the style of what I’m wanting, just not how it will be embellished.
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. Hiya Jeanne…Reading some of your older posts. I love the comment here on Lian being a Winter. I do that also, and it makes the picking of colors fun…
    This is a beautiful dress on Lian!

  3. The talent you have is not only gathering all the right items but knowing which to use and which not to use …I’d be ok gathering the right color but I’d have too many accessories and it would look like a mess. Yours come out just right?
    Good luck settling your Mom. She is sure spunky…and that can be a good thing sometimes too.
    Hugs to you and your family!

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