SEWING ALONG

Inquiring minds want to know: did the mercury reach 114 today? My weather app says it’s 107 in Clarkston, but our digital weather station says it’s 114. It registers high because of its location -- and because it IS hot here in this gulch. Regardless of the official high, it's hot today. Nellie and I got our exer-walk in early -- the first exer-walk we've taken in weeks, but she wanted to go. And this afternoon Mike and I took both dogs to the river for a swim. Tomorrow it's supposed to be hot again and then cooler on the weekend. We'll see.

When I was staycating back in June, I purchased a newly-published book of doll clothes patterns for 18-inch dolls, My Doll My Style, written by Anna Allen, one of my favorite doll clothes bloggers. The book did not disappoint – and I should know. I am a collector of doll clothes patterns.

Then Anna provided an invitation for book owners to participate in a “sew-along.” I’m not much into that sort of thing. You know what I mean – you make your sample, post a photo of it on social media, and then all the other participants rush over to offer essentially the same words of praise – or else they don’t and then – well, your feelings are hurt. I usually protect myself from that sort of thing, but this time I decided to opt in. For one thing, sometimes I need a push to get started, and maybe if I “sewed along,” I would actually use the book and make some doll clothes. And for another, Anna’s designs call for knit fabrics, and she also offers tips. I’ve never sewn much with knits, so I decided this “sew-along” might be a good starting point.

Last week was Week One. This photo is my sample of the “Fringe Swimsuit,” The first one (on left) was okay, but I believed I could do better with a second, so I made another. I even got a little creative and trimmed with decorative elastic. You’d never put that scratchy stuff on a swimsuit for a human, but Molly says it doesn’t bother her a bit.

This is Week 2 – the “swimsuit cover-up.” My first sample, made of a lightweight knit, would be too heavy for these hot days, though a doll never complains. (Dolls are just the greatest that way – always smiling and appreciative.) Nevertheless, I decided to make another out of netting from my stash. I had to feel my way along in order to stitch the seams with reinforcement. After all, I don't know how to sew with netting either.

 

You can’t tell from the photos, but Shirley Anne (Kit) is quite a bit fatter than Molly, especially across the back. Shirley Anne is an old doll, while Molly is newer. The designs fit Molly better than Shirley Anne. KW