I started cutting doll clothes from random fabrics--most of them were pieces of cloth that I didn't have much left, and some were things I was inspired to use while rummaging around for the pieces to use up.
There ended up being...several things made.
The dresses in the first photo may end up going to a friend, who had asked if I might make some random dresses to choose from, in a set color scheme and style. Well, as established, I am much more comfortable with random than specific, so these are what I made (posting here before showing the friend, so no idea what the reaction will be. It's fine if they're all rejected, because they were fun to make)
In the same style, but a slightly larger size, I used up the last of this quail print. The resulting dress is ridiculous, and that's fine.
Since I had pale (but not white/natural) thread in the bobbin still, I decided to finally start sewing the Dolly*Dolly vol 24 kimono I had cut out...then lost the inclination to work on. This is only my forth Dolly*Dolly kimono, but I feel like I'm getting the hang of their construction now. I even remembered to put the fake obijime knot in the actual center of the obi this time, compensating for the back closure overlap
I was very much trying to play off of the Early 1990sness of this particular Barbie head, and her odd mix of super pastel eye make up and dark red lips
The not-white bobbin thread ran out during the kimono, so I switched to white, which led to sewing things that seemed suitable for white thread (a note: I sewed the dresses in the first image throughout the time it took to sew all of the clothes in this post, trying to sew as much as possible with a single thread color before changing it)
This dress used up the last of the purple print, and the scrap of the green print that was all I ever had of it. I chose to piece the ruffle so I could use up as much of those prints as possible.
The Fresh Dolls body is a little larger than a Barbie body, so the dress ended up being a bit short on this doll--emergency bloomers were also made.
The anchor print was another scrap that had been in the stash for a very long time. Its size demanded a Blythe-size bodice instead of Barbie size. Duo Ding Mei Mei ended up modeling it.
Another scrap of fabric and the white thread went together to make this simple extended shoulder shirt, with lace at the waist to make up a little length. I made the skirt years ago. (The doll is Prettie Girls Kimani.)
I partly filled a bobbin with brown thread for this one, using a sturdy interior decorating silk in neutral stripes so large they don't even read as stripes on a doll garment. The peplum shape came entirely from trying to figure out how to work around a circle cut from this fabric for another project (it was a hat lining.) The fabric lining the peplum (and lining the skirt, and facing the top) may also be silk--it didn't show any inclination of melting when I pressed it on high so I could get nice edges without top stitching.
I also made the necklace really fast, to get a pop of red elsewhere in the outfit. (I made the brushed yarn wig when I first put this doll together--Hamilton Design Système Candi Girl head, Barbie body, Integrity Toys hands--and also fairly fast, although...only as fast as the glue dried.)
I wanted to make something specifically for this Sunshine Family mom head, repainted in the style of Tutti, on an Ever After High body, and I wanted it to be something special, since I'm still so ticked by just how well the combination of Tutti paint on Sunshine Family head looks. (Both Sunshine Family mom and Tutti were sculpted by the same person--Martha Armstrong Hand--so it makes sense that they're so similar once the original Sunshine Family eye gimmick is literally painted over.) I had a small stash of small embroidered appliqué patches that I'd been saving for doll use for ages, and decided that making decorated jeans for this doll would be a worthy way to finally use them.
My first attempt at those jeans failed terribly--I thought that "Monster High size, but a little larger" would work for this body, but it did not. I got out some jeans I had made for Momoko size and tried those on; the waist was, as expected, much too large, but everything from the hips down was just right. When I dug out the pattern for Momoko-size jeans, I was surprised to see that they were my regular Barbie-size jeans, with a note about making them Momoko-size by using large seam allowances. I did that, and took about a quarter inch wedge out at the center back seam, and these jeans do fit this body. "Use a Barbie pattern for EAH" is not something I ever thought would be practical advice, but here we are.
And then I cut the shirt freehand, using the same shape for front, back, and sleeves. (I did trace the shape before sewing, just in case it worked.) I had thought of making the shirt from lace, but didn't have any wide lace that seemed suitable. When the lace idea didn't work out, I figured a white peasant shirt would be versatile enough for future use.
Finally, I saw this dress in Doll Coordinate Recipe (by Dolly*Dolly) volume 03, and wanted to make a version for Curvy Barbie size
Since the pattern was in the magazine, I was able to see that it was a yoked smock, and then improvised off one of my Curvy shirt patterns (the Hi-lo Trapeze Top here) to roughly duplicate the idea
And then I made quick tights to go with the dress. I know I should sit down and make a proper pattern for every size of doll tights I regularly make, but I have a pretty good system of using the doll's actual legs to cut the legs for the tights, and it works more often than it doesn't, so I continue the risky behavior of using no pattern for something that is vital to be fitted.
And that's the doll sewing so far this month! I think I may be ready to sew some human-size stuff again, especially after the trip to the craft thrift store nearly two weeks ago. I might take a break before getting back to whatever it is I sew next. Maybe.
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