Dollieh Sanctuary

Finally I have something to show! After MANY MANY drafts (so many it was insane for me to have shown them all) I sized the pattern to fit Josephine



As you can see I focused on the princess seams and didn't bother putting a ruffle on the muslin since that's the easy part (so to speak). This isn't actually closed in the back, but I had it pinned earlier and it definitely fits! I did, however, run into a snag. I hadn't counted on the pattern pieces being so narrow - too narrow to use the wonderful cookie fabric I'd planned on. So I dug through my stash and found a Christmas pattern of little holly leaves and berries on white - so Josephine will have a Christmas dress rather than an everyday one. I'm about halfway done sewing it and Kawaii doesn't begin to describe it!

That looks lovely Greyhaunt, and it certainly does fit her very nicely! A print of holly leaves and berries will be totally seasonal.

she looks cute in this.

Is the collar/neck area squarish or roundish? I tend to have trouble with cutting round and went with square since I don't use a patttern...

Thank you both It was quite a challenge fitting as I've never done a princess seam dress before!

The neckline is squared off, but I may end up rounding it - I'm not sure yet. Definitely, though, it's going to be a lower neckline that this version. Josephine likes to show a bit more cleavage LOL. The length will probably be shorter too, she likes to show leg I should (crossing fingers) have the finished dress by Black Friday if I don't go into a turkey coma on thursday

That style does look lovely on her!

It'd look good with a sweetheart style neckline too - which would let her show off her cleavage!

I'm not sure how well a sweetheart neckline would work with the pinafore style. I'd probably have to remove the shoulder portions from the front sides and so some sort of bias binding or facing on the remaining shoulder piece where the ruffle attaches....maybe the next one I do - she'll have to have a non-holiday version

Beautiful work, Greyhaunt! She looks very cute!

I'm abandoning trying to make the 4th 'fall' outfit and am now switching over to getting my newest girls some Christmas frocks. I think I need 1 Ellowyne-sized for my girls and one for my sister's new doll and then a tiny dress for my new Tonner Trixie. Since I have the next 8 days off work, I intend to haul out the sewing machine and let it help me do some of the work.

At last, Josephine's dress is done! Just as a refresher, this is the pattern I was working from:


And here is Josephine wearing her holiday dress!


And laying back in some greenery:


I ended up closing the back to about butt level and then using snaps rather than a zipper like I'd originally planned. There are a few things I'll do different next time - a bit longer ruffle so I can gather it more, a bit shorter in length, but overall I'm pleased And so is Josephine which is what really counts!

Very nice work! I like the red frill with that print! She looks lovely and festive!

She looks gift wrapped for Christmas.

If anything this gives me ideas on how to fake sleeves for my ladies.
Sleeves are evil and I have not unlock this sleeve skill.