Seasonal Mixup

Hoilday season is over and I am grateful to have had a very successful craft show season. Each year I've added a new show and have been able to continue to increase my sales. I don't know if I will add too many more fall/winter shows because that means I either have to have a larger inventory or sew a lot between shows. I like having flexibility in my retirement schedule to visit with my granddaughter and friends and not feel obligated to use all my time for sewing. I'll just have to see how I feel during the summer.

...and that brings me to the title Seasonal Mixup. When I sew for myself and family, I sew clothes for the season we're in. Well, that's not how it works when you're a crafter. I should be sewing spring/summer outfits in the winter and vice versa. I just can't seem to get "in the mood" to sew summer outfits. Sewing spring outfits when we have a blizzard outside does not make me warmer! I'd rather be sewing a wool coat or corduroy overalls. Now, that's the kind of material to keep you warm!

Lucky for me, I never seem to complete all the planned seasonal outfts before it's time to move to sewing for the upcoming seasons. And because of that, I've been sewing winter dresses and outfits since the arrival of the cold weather and snow. I know. I know. I'll have to start using those beautiful pastel fabrics before too long to be ready for spring shows but that's for another day. Perhaps for when the sun finally returns.

Two of the late winter outfits I finished are below. 

With winter still here, they would make great Valentine Day gifts. 

Maryellen stays warm working in her overalls. The overalls are made from a soft corduroy and have metal hooks just like on real overalls. The blouse is 100% cotton with working buttons for closure. The outfit sells for $25.00

Maryellen is already to attend the St. Valentine's Day ball on a wintry February evening! She is wearing a Ruby Red gown made of shiny satin with a shimmery organza skirt overlay. The neck bodice has glistening ruby and diamond rhinestones for an understated elegant look. The outfit comes with a soft fleece cape lined to match the gown and closes with a snap covered by a ruby rhinestone. The gown and cape sell for $30.00

Email me at uniquethreadsandyarns@gmail.com if you are interested or would like to special order. There's still time to place a Valentine order.

Wishing for warmer weather......

Comfy Slippers for those Cold Morning

I've added flannel pajamas and nightgowns to my fall and winter inventory. I love working with flannel because it's soft and cuddly. After sewing a few outfits, I decided they needed a pair of matching slippers.

I make sandals for the spring and summer outfits and thought slippers would be fast and easy. I looked through my patterns and discovered a McCall’s pattern and sewed it up…

Boy, was I wrong!! It was fast and easy but the fit was horrendous! The bottom was too short  and flexible. The top was so loose that they kept falling off the doll's feet.

And so began my quest for an easy yet perfect fit slipper....

For the sole pattern, I used the sandal's sole since I knew it was the right length. For the slipper top I started with a half moon shaped piece of material and pinned it to the sole piece while on the doll's foot. 

Pattern success...
                     now on to the prototype...

My vision was to cover the cardboard insoles with flannel, glue the tops around the front insoles, hot glue foam bottoms to insole bottoms, then glue braiding around edge where the insole and bottom meet. Simple, right? Not so! The foam soles just did not look right on the slipper. Changed to flannel covered cardboard for both the insole and sole and changed from hot glue to the cool glue gun to have a thinner line of glue. Last step, hot glued yarn around the soles and bows atop the slippers.

Finally, satisfied with the results.

But wait,

what do you think about flannel or velour bathrobes to complete the night time outfits?

Craft Shows for 2015 Holiday Season

I've been spending a lot of time readying for this season's craft shows. I always think I'll sew all summer long so that I don't stress out at crunch time right before the shows. Well, I did sew some this summer but not enough! So, I'm busy sewing, knitting or crocheting everyday and hoping that I have more than enough inventory for the 3 shows I'll be selling at November and December.

I will be at the following shows this season and I hope to see you at least at one of them.

Show 1:

November 14, 2015 from 9:00 - 3:00

Flanders Holiday Bazaar

27 Main Street, Flanders, NJ

This show supports the Flanders fire department and first aid squad. To learn more about this show and see some of the vendors that will be there, visit their Facebook page at 
https://www.facebook.com/events/982302325164309/

Show 2:

November 21, 2015 from 11:00 - 4:00

Holiday Shopping at Indian Lake, 

91 East Shore Road, Denville, NJ

To learn more about this show and see some of the vendors that will be there, visit their Facebook page at  https://www.facebook.com/events/868315149888814/

Show 3:

December 5, 2015

Holy Family Christmas Craft Fair

35 Orchard Road, Florham Park, NJ

Doll Dress Stand

I’m getting ready for a few fall and winter craft shows in my area. Last year, I found that dresses modeled on the 18” dolls sold better than the dresses on the clothes rack. Unfortunately, I only have three dolls of my daughters to use and one I always borrow from my granddaughter. With my current table set up, the four dolls are about all I can handle. I know there are crafters that display doll dresses flat rather than on a rack, but I thought that some sort of dress stand would work better for me.

I found a doll dress form on Pixie Faire and another one that was designed by Patricia Ellis Crook made from PVC pipe. Graciously, she shared the design with me. (Thanks Patricia.)

I really like the PVC stand because it would be faster to create and can be dismantled for storage. With Patricia’s height measurement, I calculated supplies needed. However, with all the PVC parts needed, it was more than I wanted to spend.




Back to the drawing board…

After much thought and trial and error, I came up with a very simple doll dress stand made from wood and foam board. Buying the wood supplies from Michael’s with coupons and using leftover foam board and paint that I had at home, I was able to keep expenses BELOW $3.00/stand! Now, that’s an expense I could afford.

Below, are my directions and pattern.





 

Supplies:
1 foam board (from Dollar store)
1 1/4” dowel cut to 12 inches (from Michael’s)
1 4” wooden circle  (from Michael’s)
1  dress form body pattern
Glue, 1/4” ribbon, scrapbook paper



Directions:

1. Cut dowel to 12” and drill 1/4” hole in center of wooden circle.
2. Paint wooden pieces.
3. Trace 2 body patterns on foam board and cut out.
4. Cut groove on wrong side of both body pieces. This is where the dowel will be glued.
5. Glue two body pieces together. Don’t forget to have the dowel centered between the pieces.
6. Glue ribbon around the body edges.
7. Insert dowel into bottom circle. The dowel can be glued to the stand. I don’t for easier storage.
8. If desired, I glue one side of the form with scrapbook paper and leave the other side plain.

Click link for PDF pattern: Dress Stand Pattern for 18" Dolls

Princess Gowns

Every girl deserves to be a princess and so do their dolls.
My granddaughter, L, has a fascination with Disney princesses. We've never fostered this but it seems to come naturally to her. She just loves sparkles and bling of any kind. Naturally, I've had to sew many a ball gown.
The gowns are all available by special orders but many are also in stock. See watermark on photo for availability.
Special orders and/or dress color requests should be emailed to: uniquethreadsandyarns@gmail.com

 

Elsa from Frozen    $35.00                                                

Dress Details: Elsa’s gown has a ice blue satin skirt with sleeves and bodice of shimmery white fabric reminiscent of fresh fallen snow. The bustier is made of the skirt fabric with an organza overlay of sheer ice blue glittered organza. The attached train is also made from the organza. Rhinestones surround the neckline and grace the sleeves for the illusion of glistening snowflakes.

Cinderella’s Ball Gown  $35.00

Special Order

Dress Details: The skirt of this enchanting ball gown is created  from blue jewel matte satin with layers of organza, the top layer having a glitter swirl design. The bottom back of the trained skirt has a rhinestone butterfly. The bodice  has a fitted Basque waistline and is self-lined with a dramatic gathered shoulder pouf adorned with pastel butterflies.

 

Belle’s  Ball Gown  $35.00

Dress Detail:  Belle’s sunshine yellow gown is made from satin with a sheer organza shoulder wrap and skirt drapes that are embellished with rhinestones. The bodice is self-lined while the skirt is lined with netting to help maintain the fullness of the skirt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ariel's Dinner Gown  $35.00

Dress Details: The dress is based on the gown that Ariel, the Little Mermaid, wears for her first formal dinner with the prince.  The bodice, bottom sleeves and underskirt skirt are made with a dark salmon satin. The upper sleeve pouf and top skirt are pink shantung silk. The neck and underskirt are edged with ecru lace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Princess Aurora  $35.00

Dress Details:  Be the princess of Sleeping Beauty! The dress is based on the Fairy Godmothers argument over the color of Aurora’s birthday dress—pink or blue.
The gown is a combination of dark and light pink satin with a white stand-up collar. The bodice, sleeves and organza overskirt are trimmed with metallic gold mini rick rack.
The dress can be made to order in shades of blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tinkerbelle   $35.00

Dress Details:  Tinkerbelle’s dress is based on one of my granddaughter’s Halloween costumes.
It is made of lime green satin layered with a netting overlay skirt. The bodice is self-lined with pin tucks down the center front and edged with thin purple ribbon. Purple rhinestones embellish the bodice and overlay skirt. The netting wings are separate and attach to the doll with elastic around the upper arms. The outfit also includes matching panties.

 

 

 

Jasmine     $35.00

Dress Details: The pictured outfit was designed to match my niece’s Halloween costume many years ago! She wanted to fly like Jasmine in Aladdin.
The hat, bodice and harem pants top are made from pink satin. The sleeves, head scarf and pants legs are made of blue sheer organza. The outfit is trimmed with metallic gold mini rick rack.
When ordering, you can specify to have it made in different colors. The final outfit may vary slightly.

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Ice   $30.00

Dress Details:  This is the perfect gown for young girls: it is made so that little hands can dress their doll independently.
The gown was designed to be reminiscent of Elsa’s Frozen dress. It is made of ice blue satin with an iridescent organza overlay. It comes with a snow white shawl lined to match the dress. The dress and shawl are adorned with rhinestone snowflakes.
The gown can be ordered in other colors.

 

Merida from Brave

Dress Details: Although this doll costume is not available, it shows what could be special ordered. Both my granddaughter, L, and her “Me” doll are modeling Merida’s Disney costume.
She selects her Halloween costume and I create it for her American Girl doll every year!
For the full story on this dress, jump over to my January 2015 blog, Merida Brave’s AG Girl Saga.

  

 

Anna's Coronation Gown    $35.00

 

Allow 3-4 weeks due to special order material

Special Order

Dress Details: The gown's design is based on Anna's Coronation gown in Disney's Frozen. The gown is fully lined with the skirt made from special ordered satin. The sweetheart bodice has a hand painted folk art flower design. The colors are truest in the close up bodice picture.

 

 

 

Princess Tiana       $45.00

Allow 10-12 days

Special Order

 Dress Details:
This is an exquisite lily-inspired Bayou wedding gown for Tiana from Disney's The Princess and the Frog.  The top layer of lime green leaves are attached to a belt that snaps in front and  is embellished with a lily flower. The dress is made from off-white and lime green polyester satin with a sheer skirt overlay. The gown is fully lined and closes in the back with soft, non-snag velcro.

Check back frequently for new gowns.

Coming soon…

• Merida’s gown based on Disney’s Brave movie

Diversifying my business: Keepsake Memory Bears

From this......

...to this!

A friend of my daughter's posted a picture of a Teddy Bear made from an infant's sleeper. I read the accompanying comments and found out that many, many people were interested. The high interest in these types of bears gave me the idea to expand my sewing business. I've been spending the last few weeks finding a pattern and then shrinking the pattern pieces so that the keepsake bear could be make from baby clothes.

I can make a 9" bear (height measured with bear seated) from a 0-3 month footed infant sleeper. If the outfit is preemie or newborn size, I have to have two outfits to make a keepsake bear. I could make larger bears with larger sized clothes.

To make the outfits, I first carefully deconstruct the outfit and then press all the pieces. Only then do I pin and cut out the pattern pieces. After that, it's off to the sewing machine to sew it together!
To thank my daughter's friend, I'll be making Keepsake Memory Bears for her two children. Just waiting for the outfits to arrive. I'll add pictures as I go along.

I will be at a craft show at Jefferson High School, Jefferson Township, NJ on April 18, 2015 and I will be displaying my Keepsake Memory Bear prototype and taking orders. Here's hoping it takes off!

Spring Designs

I've spent the last few weeks working on dresses for a May craft show. I'm going through my material selection and have been gravitating to white paired with blues and pinks. The pink material was selected by my granddaughter, L, when were we shopping at Quilts by the Sea on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. It was an absolutely fantastic quilt shop with such a wide selection of good quality 100% cotton fabric; the best for sewing American Girl doll clothes. Unfortunately, the owner closed her shop last December. I will definitely be missing it on my summer vacations in Chincoteague.

I've been vacationing on Chincoteague Island for about twenty years. I find it so restful; like going back in time. Your blood pressure decreases as you drive across the causeway into town. L loves it for the Chincoteague wild ponies and the ocean. I've already reserved  Misty's Neighbor townhouse for a week of relaxation with L in June. L and I can't wait to be there!

Back to my spring line of AG dresses...

Valentine Dress - Simplicity Pattern 1245

The pink and white dress will be L's Valentine's gift for her American Girl doll Lanie using the pink material she chose. I already have a second one cut out and ready to sew for the craft show. The dress, a 1940's style, is Simplicity pattern 1245.
 

Valentine Dress - note tab details

Same dress in blue

Other dresses in the spring collection....

An Unique Threads and Yarns original

I think I'll add a larger flower to the dress on the left but I'm happy with the school dress.

Based on Simplicity Pattern 1443

I'm also learning how to make sandals to purchase separately or include with dresses. One of  my first pairs.....

My First Pair of Sandals