CREATION

I came out of the womb knowing how to sew.  I was sewing doll clothes on my grandmother's sewing machine when I was 4 years old. I remember my mom hovering over me (the sewing machine was in my grandmother's livingroom), and asking her mother in law, "What if she sews her fingers?!"  My grandmother answered her, "Well......It'll be the Last time she does it." 

     I didn't sew my fingers until my own children were well into their 20's---and I never did it again....

I've sewn lots of things over the past 55 years....my own clothes, my wedding dress, bridesmaid dress for Susy's wedding, The Christening Gown,  my children's clothes, dolls, stuffed animals, costumes for River City Players, Halloween costumes, clothes, curtains, dog garments, dog mats, upholstered couches, quilts, trumpet gig bags, leather purses, prom dresses, church altar cloths,  daughter's wedding gown and accompanying bridesmaid dresses, grandbaby quilts and crib bumpers, Christmas ornaments....well, you get the picture......I sew to Relax.....to satisfy my need to create.....to share pieces of my life with others......

Probably the Most Fun thing to sew, however, is what I sewed when I first sat down to a sewing machine....

Doll Clothes.....

Ever heard of  American Girl Dolls  ?  These dollies came out after my children were asking for "infant mannequins" for Christmas (ever talk in such "code" at Christmastime?.....Santa becomes "the Celestial Elf"....Christmas is "First Nativity"......older child is "primary offspring"....all encoded so that the children in our household would not understand the "secrets" we were discussing).

The dolls come with books about them, clothes, and furniture, and trunks...trunks for storing those clothes....The dolls are expensive, but certainly something that grandmothers want to buy. However,  their clothes cost way more than I would pay for my own garments.

Enter McCalls, Butterick, and Simplicity.....THEY make lovely doll clothes patterns for American Girl Dolls, and I have lots of fabric just waiting to be sewn into overthetop garments for granddaughter's Bitty Babies and Kirsten and Julie.....

I have cleared out my closet periodically and saved a few items I've scored from the thrift store dumpster....Today I made a doll sweater from a woven wool/mohair (made in Scotland) muffler that has been washed and sorta felted. 

 I've also cut out doll panties and a pinafore from some Battenburg lace curtains. A red leather skirt I dug out of the trash has become a doll coat. I cut up a pr of jeans for jeans;


a blouse made in India was transformed into a "70's" style tunic....

Doncha just Love the sleeves!

An old satin dress might have enough fabric for matching grandaughter/doll outfits....

Meet Jane Anne. 

 She's a garage sale find I purchased a few years ago. Poor, cheap imitation of the AG doll, but nonetheless the same size.  I've named her after my friend Jane Anne  who lives in New York City. Jane Anne is a "size model." She is a perfect size 10, and wears a leotard to work. She tries on clothes for designers in NY who check to see that their sizing is consistent. SOMEtimes, ya just need a real live model to ck out the curves and shaping. 

THIS Jane Anne resides on the top shelf in my sewing room. She never gets played with, until I get out my American Girl Doll patterns. She models the clothes I make, allowing me to sew buttons and hems and snaps in the correct places.

Yes, those marks on her are mine. Her measurements are very close to the American Girl Dolls, but some comparison is necessary.

She's a very patient model.....Good company, actually....But then, I've always enjoyed the company of dolls....