Four Little Dresses

I told you I had been hand sewing and the following two photos were taken before the dresses had their press studs sewn on. However, I wanted to see how they would fit different dolls before completing them.

The pattern I used is this one from La Boutique de Vaniline, but I lengthened the skirt and changed the neckline slightly on a couple of them. Her 32-33cm patterns are designed to fit Corolle Les Chéries, Dianna Effner Little Darlings, Sylvia Natterer Minouches, Paola Reina Las Amigas.

Here are the dresses are worn (L to R) by my Phyn & Aero Patience, Corolle Les Chéries, Tonner Betsy McCall and Paola Reina Las Amigas dolls. The dress is slightly big on Patience as her torso is thinner, but she can get away with it.

As I have quite a few different doll this size I wanted to be able to swap their clothes around when it came to dressing them, but still keep all the clothes together in one box. I have some clothes meant for this size doll that cannot be worn by them all, and that annoys me, so they will have to go.

Knitwear can also be switched, however, shoes can not. Just look at the difference in the size of the dolls feet, especially in the first photo. It's laughable! It really is such a shame doll makers don't make all dolls this size have the same size feet!

Here are the same dresses (L to R) on my Vestida de Azul Paulina, Minouche, Little Darling and IpleHouse KID Irene. If Paulina was going to wear this dress, I would need to make one just for her with only one centre set of buttons, as the front of her chest is wider. The fit on my KID is similar to Patience, so once again, she could get away with it.

Here are the completed dresses worn by the girls they were intended for. Lucy (Manica) in the white and Barbara in the dusty pink. I'm not sure about the bright pink buttons on Lucy's dress, I think I may change them to white and I'd prefer a more appropriate pink ribbon in her hair, similar to the pink braid on her dress.

And here we have Carolina and Nora in the more subtle vintage colours. I'm going to change the ribbon in Carolina's hair to a deeper and more olive ribbon and perhaps add matching green braid above the lace (if I can find some) as I have on Nora's dress . . . what do you think?

Well time has flown by and still without an end in sight to this current lockdown. I do hope those of you in the northern hemisphere are making the most of your sunshine and freedom.

FOR BARB: Here's a comparison between my Little Darling's foot and Tonner Betsy McCall's. As you can see Betsy's foot is just a fraction bigger, but I tried my LD's shoes on Betsy and they went on, but were a tight fit, so they wouldn't go on over socks or stockings.

Decisions, Decisions!

I have been searching the internet for a Petitcollin Minouche BOY and apart from Eloi, the one I already have, I haven't been able to find one for sale anywhere! It's very frustrating and I think this is because Petitcollin don't make many boys and those who have, are keeping them.

So I thought perhaps I could turn another female doll into a little boy, but the only "odd" dolls I have are my Corolle Les Cheries, a Paola Reina Las Amigas (which I purchased by mistake - when she arrived I found I already had one) and my Vestida de Azul Paulina.

Looking at them side by side, I think Paulina's head is a little too large, so I discounted her. 

Petitcollin (Sylvia Natterer) Minouche Full vinyl and 5 joints

Height: 34cm Chest: 18.5cm Waist: 19cm Hips: 20cm

Sleeve: 15.5cm Trouser length: 16cm Shoulders: 7cm

Feet: 4.5cm x 2cm

Corolle Les Cheries Full vinyl and 4 joints, head turns

Height: 33cm Chest: 15cm Waist: 13.3 cm Hips: 18.4cm

Sleeve: ?cm Trouser length: ?cm Shoulders: ?6cm

Feet: 5cm x 2.25cm

Paola Reina Las Amigas Full vinyl and 4 joints, head turns

Height: 32cm Chest: 15cm Waist: 14 cm Hips: 19cm

Sleeve: 13cm Trouser length: 18cm Shoulders: 6cm

Feet: 5cm x 2.25cm

Vestida de Azul Paulina Full vinyl and 4 joints, head turns

Height: 33cm Chest: 18.5cm Waist: 16.5cm Hips: 20cm

Sleeve: 11cm Trouser length: 16cm Shoulders: 6cm

Feet: 5cm x 2.5cm

Then I thought about Chad from Maru & Friends, his size (listed below) would be compatable, but I'm not sure about the vinyl. If it's similar in colour to the Dianna Effner Little Darlings (which as you can see from my photo, are not skin coloured at all) I don't think I would be at all happy.

Maru & Friends Mini Pal Full vinyl and 5 joints

Height: 33cm Chest: 18.5cm Waist: 18cm Hips: 18.5cm

Sleeve: 15.5cm Trouser length: 16.5cm Shoulders: 8cm

Feet: 5.5cm x 2.75cm

Does anyone have one of these dolls? If you do I'd love to know what his vinyl looks like in real life, as it will help me make a decision.

Of course this wouldn't be a permanant fix, I will replace him if and when I find a real Minouche boy, but he/she will do for now.

Australia Post Sucks!

My little blonde Ava (Petitcollin Minouche) arrived on 3rd May and she has been sitting in her underwear ever since. Janette's Studio posted her new clothes on the 30th April, so I had been expecting them to arrive around the same time.

Well, after waiting for over a week for her little blue set to be delivered from just two suburbs away, it finally arrived today. Twice the parcel was sent from South East sorting to Narre Warren (completely in the opposite direction) and redirected back again! It wasn't until Janette's Studio contacted Australia Post on Thursday, that the parcel was eventually sorted to the correct delivery centre. Australia Post tried to blame it on the parcel not being addressed correctly and this was NOT the case, it had been clearly addressed to me.

Ava: Ah what's this I spy?

Ava: A family of butterflies!

Ava: Come to me pretty butterflies, you match the colour of my dress.

Now all I need is another little boy and this set will be complete. Hopefully Petitcollin will release a new boy soon.

All Dressed

I had a visit the other day from Vicky, one of the team from Janette's Doll Studio. She lives nearby and dropped my order off as she was passing by. She also brought an outfit which I wanted to purchase for Eloi. 

As you can see, everything fits my Minouche dolls beautifully.

I also received those long awaited shoes from Russia and paid for them again! 

Now my RRFF girls can model their completed outfit No.1 ... Sara has had a hat change and Maya a different wig.

Sara

Maya

Stella

I'm still working on outfit No.2, most is done but I had to wait until I could find some white 4ply wool locally, which I did yesterday. So after I've checked your latest posts, it's back to the knitting needles for me.

Hope you are all well and enjoying some dolly time of your own!

What a Waste

Of a week! I had full intentions of taking some fabulous photos of my latest arrivals, but unfortunately when they arrived I was feeling so ill I simply couldn't be bothered. I didn't even unwrap them until yesterday, yes, fancy me allowing three days to pass before doing so! Although I am feeling so much better, I still haven't gotten round to taking photos, but I am going to chat to you about them anyway.

Anais is just as I expected, and with such a beautiful head of hair, it's so voluptuous one could quite easily become lost amongst all those soft rolls of curls. Elois' hair is a little coarse, but in a nicely cut boy style. Both faces are typically Minouche, tender and innocent. They both have blue eyes with the distinctive qualities that only Sylvia Natterer dolls have.

Shoes are nice quality, but the rest of the clothes are somewhat ho-hum, though I did like Anais' undergarment bodysuit. I was thinking I would make new clothes for them both, but Elois' cargo pants not having Velcro, were quite acceptable, so I am keeping them and am going to knit him a nice jumper and hat.

Then while browsing Janette's Doll Studio last night I found this darling little outfit ~

And then again this morning ~ (both modelled by Paola Reina dolls, but they should also fit Minouche dolls quite well).

Now why would I bother to make something right now, when Janette has the perfect solution for both Anais and Suzanne (my older Minouche) with a push or two on my keyboard?? Needless to say, they both ended up in my cart.

So the week I initially thought was a waste, finishes on a more positive note. How was yours?