MDMS Sew-Along Week 11: Fringe Purse

Tags

American Girl, fringe, Lea, My Doll My Style Sew-along, Nanea, purse

Lea and Nanea are modeling their new purses from Week 11 of the My Doll, My Style Sew-along:

First, I sewed Lea’s brown fringe bag, which is lined in batik fabric in the same colors as the hand-beaded trim on front & back. I then used that same trim for my purse handle.

Secondly, I made a quick-to-sew unlined gunmetal/black purse in embossed faux leather, trimming it with black/silver ribbon and a few ‘danglies’, as we’ve dubbed the various decorative items hung from our purse handles. ;’)

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MDMS Sew-Along Week 10: Flutter Sleeve Tunic

Tags

AG, Lea, MDMS Sew-along, Shorts, Top, Tunic, Week 10

Found this floral mesh with sequins and thought it would be fun for the Flutter Sleeve Tunic for our MyDollMyStyleSew-Along for Week 10.  To complete the outfit, I made another pair of Athletic Shorts. Using the same floral mesh (sans sequins from the wide selvage edge of the fabric), I cut the optional side panels omitted in my first pair of shorts to create a dressier outfit than my casual Be Mer-mazing short set.  Seeing what everyone in the sew-along posts to our Closed Facebook Group is what really inspires me week-to-week!

An adorable fringed purse is next week’s pattern, so stop back to see how it turns out!

MDMS Sew-Along Week 9: Flutter Sleeve Dress

Tags

18-inch American Girl Lea, Doll-it-up, Flutter Sleeve Dress, MDMS Sew-along, Monthly Prize Giveaway, Week 9

I kept it fairly simple with Anna’s Week 9 My Doll, My Style Sew-Along Pattern:  Flutter Sleeve Dress, using white textured knit fabric with white lace for the bodice as I think it looks great on Lea with her lovely tan.

 

Remember, you’re welcome to join the sew-along at any time for any length of time and become eligible for monthly prize give-away’s.  If you’re inclined to do so, just follow the link above. The first month’s prize was a $25 gift card to The Fabric Fairy, which is an amazing prize if you like to sew! 😉

 

18″ Doll Corps de Ballet Romantic Tutu + Info: Upcoming FREE New Pattern!

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14-inch, 16-inch, 18-inch, Auction, Corps de Ballet, free pattern, Freebie, Lab Coat, Lee & Pearl, Science, Tutu

Hoping my title will get the attention of many, as the ladies @ Lee & Pearl continue to create amazing patterns!  If you sign up for their newsletters, you’ll receive an amazing FREE pattern + BONUS, if you sign up right now, you’ll score last year’s pattern (She Blinded Me With Science Unisex Lab Coat), as well as the new-release pattern, which they’ve just “sneak-peeked” here.  AS IF that’s not enough, BOTH patterns INCLUDE 18-inch, 16-inch & 14-inch sizes . . . sooo, GO sign up here!

I recently completed Lee & Pearl’s Pattern #1072: Corps de Ballet Romantic Tutu for a dear friend who’s finished it off beautifully with a doll, crown, shoes plus ballet accessories to donate to her church auction.  Don’t let this pattern fool you, as I’ve never made anything so intricate, but their excellent details and photos make it very do-able!

Also, Lee & Pearl just began adding very simple patterns @ very reasonable prices to their shop in all 3 popular sizes with many more to follow.  Here’s their 1st: Gym Shorts, so they now have something for every sewing level. Hope you enjoy looking around @ Lee & Pearl and if you click on my Lee & Pearl tags, you’ll see other items I’ve sewn using their patterns.

 

MDMS Sew-Along Weeks 7 & 8

Tags

Applique, Grace, MDMS Sew-along, Nanea, Skirt, Top

This week Anna‘s sew-along features her ‘Heart Top’, made with a super-stretchy knit so it will fit easily over the doll’s head and allow a child to put both arms through the sleeves.  You can applique anything you wish to the top’s front, but I chose to do mine using her heart pattern.

Therm-o-web sponsored a give-away of Anna’s book, as well as several of their amazing products, including Heat’nBond EZ Print Lite iron-on adhesive for ink-jet printers.  Wow, this stuff is beyond amazing!  Using my inkjet printer, I printed the heart onto Heat’nBond, following directions on the package back.  I placed it onto the back of my pink Lycra fabric, held my iron to the paper liner for a couple seconds and let it cool for a few seconds. I cut out my heart and peeled off the paper liner. You’ll be amazed too at the amount of glue on the back of your applique!  Simply place it adhesive-side down on your top, press and hold your iron for about 6 seconds and your applique is securely bonded to your fabric. Per directions, then sew around your shape.

After finishing my Heart Top, I had to sew Week 7’s Textured Skirt for Nanea to model for my post on our Sew-Along FB group. My fabric has vertical stripes of tulle as well as some in ribbon with a rose pattern printed on them, as well as a few clear sequins that likely won’t show in my photo. 

Since I has so much fun with the EZ Print Lite, I had to try another top and skirt.  This time I used a flower for my applique cut from the glittered mesh I used for Grace’s skirt.  Having no pattern for the flower, I used Heat’n Bond Lite iron-on adhesive that came in a 17-inch x 1.25 yd-piece. So wonderful to have all of Therm-o-web’s many options to create one-of-a-kind items!

American Girls & a Journey Girl or 2 Blondes & 2 Gingers!

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AGAT, American Girl, Camille, Clementine, Kelsey, Kit, Love U Bunches, Pixie Faire, Polka-Dot Party Dress, Wellie Wishers

I  started sewing these 4 sweet matching Polka-Dot Party Dresses way back in March and was then stopped cold when my hubby had major surgery and long recovery.  Thankfully, he’s doing well, so I finally finished them all and snapped a photo to share.

Many of you who read this blog know that I’m an ‘equal-opportunity’ pattern shopper, having amassed hundreds over the years from many sources – far more than I’ll ever live long enough to sew, honestly! I keep finding new pattern makers all the time, so sewing is truly an enjoyable hobby, as is pattern collecting.  Hee!

Pattern-maker, Love U Bunches, has never been featured here, but this Polka-Dot Party Dress is a fabulous little A-Line pattern with the added fun of a gathered skirt in the back and available in all sizes (pictured L-R):  16-inch AGAT’s Clementine; 18-inch AG’s Kit; 14 1/2-inch Wellie Wisher Camille and Slim 18-inch Journey Girl Kelsey, as well as a couple more sizes.  Check out Love U Bunches @ the link above to see all her great pattern creations!

Back view of this adorable dress!

MDMS Sew-Along Weeks 5 & 6

Tags

American Girl, Athletic Top, Freezer Paper Uses!, Ironing Directly Onto Fabric, Kit, My Doll, My Doll MyStyle Sew-Along, Shorts

Since I’d finished my Athletic Top for Week 5 and finished the Athletic Shorts for Week 6 and had Kit all dressed to walk the dog, I thought I’d just post the shorts a bit early. Anxious to try ALL Anna‘s patterns from My Doll, My Style, I’ve been working a bit ahead on some patterns.

Love this easy/breezy outfit for any athletic pursuit, especially walking alone or with your favorite pet alongside you.  I’m trying to use fabrics from my stash, so used stretch denim for these shorts.

Instead of using a freezer paper stencil as advised in Anna’s book for her top, I ironed my up-cycled t-shirt fabric to the freezer paper’s shiny side & printed directly onto my fabric. FYI:  I print ALL patterns on freezer paper’s dull side & iron onto my fabric to cut, rather than using pins. Pattern pieces may be re-used many times over, saved in sheet protectors, organized in 3-ring notebooks. Also, once printed I note that on my pattern file so I don’t re-print accidentally.  Freezer paper is economical, can be purchased in the US @ Wal-Mart and comes in huge rolls, 18-inches x 33 1/3 yards for around $5. If you cut off 11 inches, then cut that sheet in half, you’ll have two 8 1/2-inch sheets, w/only 1″ wasted, so you get tons of pages to print from 1 roll. You do need a nice straight leading edge to go into your printer, but not that difficult to do with a paper cutter or ruler/rotary cutter – best part, no pins needed!

Here’s the fun site where I originally found the Mermaid graphic: http://brandyshappyhome.com/my-doll-my-style-sewing-book-review-2/. Go check out Brandy’s awesome website, her review of Anna’s book and lots of doll-related crafting!

MDMS Sew-along Week 4: Beach Bag

Tags

American Girl, Beach Bag, Lea, My Doll My Style Sew-along, Patterns, Therm-o-web

Lea’s modeling for us today, ready to enjoy the beach with her roomy new Beach Bag.  This sweet Beach Bag pattern is featured this week for Anna Allen’s sew-along.  Again, all patterns downloadable through her fabulous book, My Doll, My Style, available at most book sellers in store and online.

Using an old pair of jeans from my stash, I cut the front to take advantage of the side seam for accent, as Anna suggested in her book.  I then used matching jeans thread to sew my straps.  To tie all my pieces together, I added beaded trim to the bag, using Therm-o-Web‘s Fabric Fuse adhesive, as well as using a couple beaded pieces to make matching earrings.

Remember, you’re welcome to join in the sew-along at any time and to make as few or as many patterns as you wish.  Plus, Anna’s offering a monthly prize drawing for anyone who uploads their photo(s) to Instagram!  Hope to see some new faces in the sew-along soon, along with a follower of my blog who’s joining us. 🙂

MDMS Sew-Along Week 3: Sarongs + More Cover-ups

Tags

Doll-it-up, MDMS Sew-along, Nanea, Sarong, swimsuit, Tenney

My first sarong for the My Doll, My Style Sew-along was made with a tropical print that blends well with my turquoise/white fringed swimsuit. Then I found beaded ribbon trim I’d had in my stash forever to use as my edging, so it’s now my FAV sarong.  I’ve used more beaded trim for an up-coming item or 2, so you will see it again! 😉

 

 

 

Next, I had to find fabric to make a sarong for my gold/black rose-trimmed swimsuit & cover-up in my last post. Luckily, the gold/black fabric was just large enough to work for a sarong. I left it untrimmed and simply hemmed it, which I think looks fine also. The third sarong is obviously the same fabric, but with pompom trim – having a lot of fun with this simple-to-sew pattern from Anna’s book!

 

 

 

I’ve been so busy planning my next pieces for this fun sew-along that I realized I’d never posted Week 2’s Cover-ups, other than the black/gold one in my previous post here. SOOO, here are my others, both adorned with pompom trim:

MDMS Sew-Along Swimsuit #2 & Cover-up

Tags

Cover-up, My Doll My Style Sew-along, Patterns, swimsuit, Tenney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted to play some more with the fringed swimsuit pattern (which I LOVE) and going for a more ‘glam’ look, I used gold metallic swim Lycra, along with a black/gold-flecked mesh rose fabric from my stash, modeled by Tenney.  I like the outcome, especially the fun cover-up for Week 2, which I’m a bit obsessed with sewing at the moment! 😉

The fun part of having Anna Allen’s book, My Doll, My Style – you can sew any item at any time and enter her sew-along as little or as often as you wish. Her book is available @ favorite booksellers and her sew-along lasts through November, including all 20 patterns for sewing a modern 18-inch doll wardrobe downloadable online from her book. Following her cover-up is an adorable sarong!