Stinky Feet Back in Business

Well Folks, it's been awhile.  I'm afraid I got too busy with my career and got off task and lost track of the things I love to do most - CREATE!  Create anything really, be productive.  Achieve.

Recently I got back into thrift shopping and rescuing 18 inch dolls, I rescued a particularly poor soul that I didn't think could be saved without re-rooting all her hair.  THAT - I don't do.  I've made a wig or two in my time, but that's not the point to this story.  I got to work, tearing into the rats nest, some would call "hair" and discovered that in the middle of all that tangle was some descent, workable hair. I got to cutting and she ended up with a cute cropped layered bob that when curled, reminded me of a fifty's hair style. So I got to work putting her hair up into a rad rockabilly up-do, all documented in my doll rescue Facebook page and thought that she really needed a dress to go with her hair style.

I hadn't been sewing in some time and didn't have any interest to starting back up, but after searching the web, I couldn't find any cute 18 inch doll dress in the Rockabilly, fifty's swing style with rock'in fabric designs.  I couldn't even find a pattern.  So I went to work creating my own (I did later locate a pattern by Simplicity with the designs I needed, but too little to late).  After several failed attempts, I finally created a workable pattern and went to work finding fabric that would celebrate the style.  As I got to looking, I started getting all kinds of ideas for trim and accessories and before I knew it, this trash doll was gorgeous in her kick'in old school ensemble and tricked out Victory Rolls.

 

 I had fun sewing the dress and putting everything together and I had more than one fabric design, there were too many to choose only one.

So I thought I'd put a few more dresses together and opened the Etsy shop back up and we'll see what happens.  Either way, my little gal has a new life and I had fun.

Etsy

Monster High custom clothes tips

I have been having a lot of fun designing and making clothes for MY (I say they are for my someday, but we'll see, LOL) Monster High dolls. After looking at the prices of these clothes, (WOW) and the awesome stuff people were doing, I thought, I sew, I can do that.  Then I tried sewing together a simple vest and soon realized that heming the arm holes, neckline and putting on sleeves, well, any one who makes clothes will probably say, "duh! Those are tiny, that's insanie!"  So I said screw it, I'm gluing those suckers.

Check out my Etsy store

Hot glue works amazingly well on fabric and hold seams together just as well, if not better, than stitching. There are some tricks though. 

1) wipe the fabric seam on the end of the glue gun to get just a tiny bit of glue and smooth it onto the seam. You don't want a bead or string of glue, the glue will harden and it won't be flexible if the glue is too thick and it will make your needle sticky, which will make your machine not work. 

  

2) squeeze/pinch the fabric together with your fingers. Yes, you will get glue on your fingers, but using such a tiny bit of glue will not burn them.  Then trim any excess glue and/fabric with scissors. 

3) stitching doesn't matter on sleeves or arm holes, but can stitch over the neckline and it's so much easier!  Also the glue keep the edges from fraying. 

4) glue on collars, buttons, belts! Lace and ribbon. So much easier and holds up great!

5) last tip, I zig zag all my edges before heming, that way I don't have to double fold and the edges won't fray. Or you could use fray stop. But that that takes a while to dry. I don't have the patience. 

6) it's important to remember, these detailed type of clothing are not for hard use or play, or for small children. 

Also, it's fun posing them for pictures!  My husband says all I do is play with dolls all day, making them clothes, furniture, cases, redisning their house, doing their hair and taking pictures... Well, yeah!  It's a great life. 

Check out my other blogs for DIY doll stuff using card board. 

Made this special for Clawdeen to go with her purple and black boots. 

Below is a custom design, requested by buyer. 

Etsy