A Nightdress

I spent yesterday making nightdresses for the 11.5 inch dolls.  I wanted something that wasn't too complicated and would be quick to make.  My two pattern books - A Closetful of Doll Clothes and The Dolls Dressmaker - didn't have anything suitable.  So, making it up as I went along, I came up with this...

The first one I made was a bit wide for this Gotz doll but it does fit the little old doll. 

My next project is to make nightdresses for the Corolle Les Cheries doll and the Smoby Mademoiselle doll.  I might try a different style for these two dolls as they are more modern in their clothes style.

I also had a go at making shoes...

A bit more practise is needed on these.  I don't think I allowed enough of a seam on the sole of the closed in shoe, it makes them too baggy on the top of the foot and I had to clip and glue them to make them fit better.  They also cover too much of the foot.  Still, not bad for a first go.

Smoby Doll

The second hand doll was fed up with standing around in just her underwear.  This is what I came up with for her...

There is minimal sewing in this outfit.  I used the fabric that I cut out of one of those cardigans with a sort of vest top attached to the front.  I'd liked the cardigan but not the vest top as it was too low at the front for me.  So, I cut the fabric and utilised the seam of one part for the top of the little suntop you see here.  The skirt is from the lower half of the vest.  Altogether it turned out nice and she looks happy wearing it.

A Coat

I wanted to make a fitted coat for this doll but the pattern I used, even though it was supposed to be for a 14 inch doll, was too small.  This coat that she is wearing is an adapted version of a different pattern...

It just fits, if it was any bigger it would probably look too big.  I like this coat pattern (by Rosemarie Ionker) because it is so easy and the lining makes for a neat finish.

Lucky Find

I was away at the weekend visiting my brother and sister-in-law.  My sister-in-law likes to look around charity shops as much as I do so of course we visited a few.  We were surprised at how many porcelaine dolls were for sale.  Now I don't want porcelaine dolls, I want the vinyl play dolls.  This is what we found in one charity shop...

I just do not like this type of clothing on a doll but the doll itself was just the sort of thing I was looking for.  After taking her clothes off this is what she looked like....

She's very much like the Corolle Les Cheries dolls.  On the back of her head it said Simba STHK-171.  After a bit of searching I found that she is made in France by Smoby and is one of the Mademoiselle 4 Saisons dolls.  What a lucky find.  She did cost £9.99 but does look as though she is new.  The hat she was wearing was stuck to her hair with double-sided sticky tape, that took a bit of getting off and her hair is still a bit sticky at the back but I should be able to get it all out.  Also, the shoes she is wearing are not her original ones, they are probably 'borrowed' from a porcelaine doll.  I think that the lady who served me in the shop had made the clothing so I'm glad I didn't criticise it in front of her!  She also asked me if the doll was going to a good home and I said it was for me to make clothes for and she was happy about that.  There was another doll with similar clothing but it was not a very good quality doll (made in China) and was priced at £9.99 too.  I thought this was too expensive but, if the lady in the shop had made the clothes, it was probably priced at that because of the way it was dressed.  As I only want dolls to dress myself I didn't buy it.

Chloe's Clothes

Here's the first thing I've made for Les Cheries Chloe...

I'm getting quite quick at making this design.  It's a variation on most of the dresses I've made so far.  The top part is lined and can be an A line dress or, if I cut it at the waist, I can make a gathered skirt for it.  A bit of adjustment and it fits three sizes of doll, an 18 inch, a slim 11.5 inch, a chubby 11.5 inch and a slim 13 inch.  Really that's four sizes of doll isn't it.

I've been knitting again, nothing to show just yet but I bought some 3 ply yarn and very thin needles.  This makes the scale of the knitting look more in keeping for doll sized clothes.