Winter Sweater & Mittens Project

In preparation for our mountain sledding trip, we were 

dressing all the dolls in warm clothes and ran a bit short.

I had this thrift store wool sweater that I had bought for another project that never got done.

I decided maybe a sweater dress would be cute.

This is the basic tee pattern I used.  I lengthened the sleeves 

and hem so it would be dress length.

I laid my pattern pieces on the sweater keeping

the bottom of the sweater for my dress.
This is the front of the dress cut on the fold.

I lined up the sleeves so they were cut from the same area as the shoulders.

1. Using a zigzag stitch attach the shoulders first, 

2. Zigzag the rough edge of the sleeve, then turn under once and straight stitch.

3.Then attach the sleeves in arm opening.

4.  Finally sew starting from the sleeve to the

bottom of the dress in one step.

I used a zigzag stitch to put this dress together.

I used a piece  of the bottom of the sweater as a collar.

Just cut a strip long enough to go all the way around the collar.

Remember to stitch to the right side.

I had a funny seam in front, so I used a button 

and a fold to cover up the seam.

Here is the finished dress.

I gave Julie one of our crocheted hats

which matched perfectly.

I used the buttons from the front of the sweater as a closure in back

but I am not really too happy with it. If I did this again

I would probably make an edge like on the sleeves and use velcro.

OH, and those cute boot socks?  

They are baby socks from the dollar store!

Mittens

Sketch around your dolls hand.

Make sure it is plenty BIG.

Cut out 4 mittens alternating direction.

 Zigzag all around with fabric turned right side in.

Here is one mitten sewn and the other turned 

right side out.

PS, I forgot to edge the ends, so I had to do it AFTER it would 

have been much easier to do it before I put them together!

AND here are 2 pair of finished mittens.  You can use old sweaters or heavy

t-shirt fabric.  I tried fleece but it is not stretchy enough.

LET'S GO SLEDDING!!

DIY Earmuffs Tutorial

We will be going to the mountains soon for our annual sledding day, so I thought some earmuffs would be nice to keep the girls ears warm.

 Cut open a plastic water bottle and open up one entire side.

 My bottle had these indention that made an easy spot to cut.

One bottle gave me 3 sections to use for earmuffs or a headband.

 I have one open section of the water bottle and laid it out on my flannel

I cut a strip long enough to go around the plastic and end to end.

 My fabric was 2" x 13", a little long to make sure I was covered.

 Turn wrong side out and sew a tube.

Put a safety pin in one end and turn it inside to 

Make the headband cover.

 Here is the pin inside the tube under my thumb.

Keep inching it through the tube until you can pull it out the opposite end.

 Slide the plastic bottle section into the tube.

It is possible this could all be hotglued, 

I always seem to get a gluey mess when I try too much glue.

Here is what we want to have at this point.

This is also a great way to make doll headbands!

 Use any small round object to make a circle on some thin

cardboard like from a cereal box.

Cut out the circles.

 Draw a bigger circle around the cardboard on the fluffy fabric.

Cut out 4 circles.

Sew half way around 2 circles with all the fluffy inside!

 Here is what we want.

Turn it right side out.

 Insert one small cardboard circle

and make a line of hotglue around the top edge.

 ONLY glue down one side of the fluffy fabric.

 Make a big spot of hotglue on the cardboard and glue the

headband piece inside the muff.

Run another line of hotglue over the open area 

and glue the remaining fluffly fabric to finish the muff.

 Before attaching the second muff, try it on the doll 

to make certain it is at the right position.

AND HERE ARE THE FINISHED EARMUFFS!

Well, we are ready for sledding now!

Christmas 2014

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Beth & Emma modeling our new doll costumes!

 Elsa dress

 Anna Dress

more to come!

AND!

Elle is modeling the retired Elizabeth Cole Tea dress!

AND!

 Jess is modeling the
retired Sweet Sequins Party outfit

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Grace & Nellie's Christmas Party

 Oh Molly!  The house looks so festive!

I know, Grace & Nellie really know how to make things look pretty.

The tree is beautiful!

And look at Grace's gingerbread house.
See the tutorial here

 Are you ready?  I'm ready.

 OK Grace I think all the cookies are done.

 The gingerbread men turned out lovely!

Meanwhile at Big Bear...

 I hate to leave this beautiful scene, but I promised

Nellie we'd be at the party!

 We're here, are we late!

Not at all!  I was worried about you driving in all that snow.
It was a piece of cake in the jeep.

 Wow, Nellie you and Grace did an awesome job.
The whole house smells like cookies.

 Mmmm!  Gingerbread cookies!

Not yet!  Go upstairs, Molly and Jose are there.

 So Big Bear was very snowy and we hated 

to leave but we're glad we made the party.

 We thought we heard Emma?

Yes, she already went upstairs.

 Can I have a cookie?

Not yet not everyone is here.

 Hi Emma!

Hi Julie!

 WOO, it's getting chilly out there!

Go talk to Emma and Jess they just got back from the snow in Big Bear!

 ...so we had to put the jeep in 4-wheel drive!

Come and have cookies everyone!

Some Christmas close-ups

Our tree

Gingerbread men are buttons I found at the craft store.

I just put some red glitter-glue in the button holes!

This is our cardboard gingerbread house

This tree is actually a salt shaker!

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