Sewing Vloggers

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Joan Hinds

My dolly patterns have arrived and I am thrilled. This group of patterns is from Joan Hinds who designs for Vogue as well as for herself. She has a website called Fancywork and Fashion with all sorts of things for dolls, particularly AG dolls. This pattern has 8 different classic children's dresses all with smocking. The pattern offers different size options saying it will fit both the Bitty Baby dolls, AG dolls, and other 18 inch dolls. Like most heirloom children's clothing, these styles require near zero fit so there is not much worry there. I can't wait to get started on a few of these for Sophie and her AG and Bitty dolls. I think it is a nice outlet for some heirloom work particularly when reality does not allow me to make frothy little dresses for my granddaughters to wear on a daily basis.

Sophie is a very mature five and a half year old. She will be in second grade next year, having skipped kindergarten easily. And yes, she made that adjustment beautifully and is still in the top of her class. The apple didn't fall far from the tree in this case with both parents being extremely bright. It helps that she is so mature for her age too. My point is that she takes very good care of her AG doll and its clothing and could spend hours, and does, just playing with her dolly, changing outfits, discussing wardrobe options with grandma. It is such fun. This is how I started my own sewing lifestyle and I can see Sophie jumping right on that bandwagon. I hope to steal her away for some alone time up in the country with grandma Bunbun this summer and get her started.

I have read much discussion recently about when to get this doll for a little girl as they are expensive and there is concern about how  a small child would take care of such an investment. In Sophie's case, beautifully which thrills her sewing grandma.

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Now that the Blogger is back on line I see that my comments on the tapestry bag are missing other than those posted after the shutdown. Just know that I did see them, appreciate your positive expressions and thank you a lot for putting in your two cents. I read and value every comment that is written here, just wanted you all to know.

I wish Blogger had a way to maintain the follower list so that the most recent followers were at the top of the follower list. This way I could greet and thank all of you individually for joining in the fun here. It appears they are always jumbled up differently with each post so that prevents that, as far as I know. If anyone knows otherwise please tell me. Just know that I thank you for following and appreciate your visiting and your comments very much.
This is a scag tree near our home where a pileated woodpecker has recently been carving out a nest  or digging for bugs. At the bottom of the tree was a pile of fresh sawdust that looked like a chainsaw left there. Pileated woodpeckers are one of my favorite birds. They make a loud resonating sound through the forest with every headbang of their huge heads. In our last home we had one make a nest in a tree like this and have babies. It was fascinating to watch.....Bunny

14 comments:

  1. I expect to see some couture doll clothes from you! Have fun with that. I have an 18" doll and have made some things for her. I have lots of patterns and books for doll clothes, too. We have Woodpeckers in MI, too, one who loves to peck right outside our bedroom window!

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  2. That is a very cute book. I love the illustrations. I have enjoyed looking through your blog.

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  3. Our local sewing guild has a very strong group of smockers/heirloom sewers. They love the Joan Hinds books! I have one but have not tried it yet. Apparently, they are not fussy to sew up but yield lovely results. Have fun with it!

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  4. This looks like fun! I can't wait for my three year old granddaughter to get her first AG doll.

    We also have a woodpecker but I can never seem to see it.

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  5. I have the Joan Hinds book for 18" dolls and love it. Now that my daughter's baby girl is due any day, I'm thrilled that I will soon be able to make these pieces again!

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  6. We have a dead palm tree and the woodpeckers and the mockingbirds have a condo!!! You can see many holes in the dead trunk, it is lovely!

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  7. Wow! I bet you'll make doll clothes that are nicer than what most real children have! Your smocking is very impressive. This May's issue of Burda has a dress/tunic for women that requires hand smocking around the neckline. I thought of you straight away and wondered how you would go about it.

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  8. I will definitely have to check that out, Karin. Thanks for the heads up. Nicole Mallalieu has been showing some free style shirring (looks a lot like smocking) on her blog lately. I am always on the lookout for adult applications of smocking. Thanks.

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  9. So who has more fun - you making the doll clothes or your grand daughter playing with them?
    My grand mother made beautiful clothes for my Chatty Cathy when I was young. I still have them. And yes that it how I began sewing. I made doll clothes for my daughters and they have no interest in sewing. I don't know if I will have grand children but if I do, I hope to interest them in sewing.

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  10. This looks like a very cute book! Woodpeckers are amazing birds! I can't imagine how they manage to stay conscious, bashing their heads against trees like that, it must be a unique behaviour to these birds, I think? Incredible!
    Thank you for your lovely comment on my Mum's jacket. She was thrilled to get so many compliments!

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  11. I love pileated woodpeckers! We kept a 10' dead tree just for them!

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  12. That looks like a darling book! I will have to check it out - thanks too for the link to Joan's website - will check that out too!

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  13. Que suerte, si su nieta le gusta la costura,seguro que enseguida aprende de la mano de su abuela.
    Leí a un gran sastre decir que la mejor edad para empezar era los 7 años, ya que a esa edad la mano es cuando empieza a tener capacidad para manejar las tijeras....
    En cualquier caso espero que sea muy feliz en compañía de su nieta.

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