Off to Michigan

Phoebe is excited to finally be off to meet her new family in Michigan. 

Would you like to sew for Phoebe?

Here is a sneak peek at the Phoebe and Egg Learn to Sew sewing kits. Each kit will come with almost everything you need to sew a simple (but cute) wrap dress for Phoebe. The kit will be designed for beginning sewists, adult or a child 7 and over. The kits will include almost everything you need except the sewing machine, scissors and iron. 

The dress, despite being very easy to sew, is very cute and can be embellished in so many ways. The first version is with a fabric yo-yo and button (which of course will be included in your kit) along with pattern pieces printed on freezer paper that can be ironed directly onto your fabric (no pinning).

Check in later, I'll post a few photos of the dress. Also the last photo below gives you some idea what goes into creating a pattern for a simple dress. Not so simple.

What goes into creating a simple dress is not so simple.

NYC finds and fun

My Egg, now 12, my husband and I went to NYC for a long weekend to visit my older two children (aka Phoebe and Ging), who now live, work and play there.

I wandered again into the garment district. A bit overwhelming-- rooms and rooms, floors and floors, and blots and bolts of fabric, AND trims and threads and sewing tools to the ceiling everywhere. I loved it and it made me want to flee. Next time I go, I'll have some specific idea of what I want.

Anyone else making this trip, Mood Fabrics is a must see.

Now we are home just in time for the next snow storm and some cozy sewing.

In the end, I left with a very small loot (DMC floss), but I really didn't need anything anyway.

The Doll Book

I learned to sew at age eight and started right away making people clothes. I made a dress for my little sister. She was not as appreciative as I hoped she would be and so I moved on to sewing my own clothes. But I spotted this book somewhere, somehow (without an internet) and begged for it. It is called "The Doll Book" and it really was the THE doll book, since I knew of no others. I loved it and made many of the dolls and the clothes. I still have it and I still think it is cool .

It gives you the patterns for a family of dolls--parents, older siblings, younger siblings and a baby. I made them all. The patterns are Barbie sized and I love the way old Barbies are inter-mingled in the photos. It also gives you hundreds of period clothing patterns. You could historically dress your little dolls in outfits from the early 1800s on through to the early 1900s. 

The book would be fun for any child who wants to try doll-making. The dolls are simple and flat and the instructions for the clothing are amazing.

Used copies are still available on Amazon. Starting at about a dollar.

Quietly working

I haven't been posting much this week to the blog. I've been thinking about it, but have not had time. I've been working on a couple of things. All good. 

So here's what's happening:

1. A few custom dolls and a few custom clothing sets.
2. A pattern for a dress that is simple, but can be customized. I will be selling the pattern and maybe kits on Etsy.
3. Some Phoebe play clothes, simpler and a bit more fun than the current line of Phoebe clothing.
4. And a few new dolls

All fun and all good (I hope).

Now on Facebook

Phoebe&Egg are now on Facebook. Click the Facebook icon below to find their page.

Off to New Jersey

Phoebe is off to New Jersey, hopefully ahead of tomorrow's predicted snowstorm.

Things I love: flower buttons

There's not too much I can say about flower buttons, except I love them, and they are hard to come by. At least nice ones are. Here is my entire collection, all from various sources in China (found through eBay over the years). The last shot is how I like to use flower buttons. What else can I say? They are the perfect final touch.

and the winner is...

Have not heard from Peabeec. If I don't hear by Thursday, I will select a new winner.

The winner of the Knitted Babes kit is Peabeec. I have written under your comment how to contact me, so I can send this out. Congratulations and thanks everyone for participating.

2014 is just coming together

I know, 2014 started over four weeks ago, and most people have already made and broken their resolutions. Although I've done some of that too, for the past four weeks I've been thinking about the direction of this blog. I have been thinking about what I want to write about and what you want to see and read. And after a fun blogging class over at Skillshare and the surveys filled out by some of you, I have a few ideas. And by the way, the surveys have been very helpful. Thank you, I really enjoyed reading your responses.

And what I want and I think you want is for this blog to bring people together. Not just anybody, but people who are interested in handmade dolls. There is a whole community out there who is interested in handmade dolls. And this interest translates into wanting to read about the craft of making dolls and doll clothes, tutorials on sewing dolls and doll clothing, interviews with other doll makers and a bit about more about Phoebe and Egg.

I'm not one for planning too far in advance, life has shown me that it's best to see where it takes you. So here is what to look forward to on Phoebe&Egg in the near future:

1. Short posts and lots of visuals. I get that and I like that, that's my style anyway. 
2. Contests for dolls, discounts on the dolls, doll clothing or patterns. I like input and hopefully you like Phoebe and Egg.
3. Tutorials: mostly on sewing doll clothes. There are so many tricks to sewing mini and I am happy to share. Small clothes are fun because they require less time and fabric and they are so cute, but some things come together differently for small clothes.
4. Interviews with other doll-makers. I  am going to assume this as interesting to you as it is to me. 
5. And lastly, Phoebe and Egg are going to start living a little. I want them to make a house. I was inspired by this doll house. Barbie's not very handmade and Phoebe and Egg's house won't look like hers, but you have to admit both the Barbie house and the story are inspiring. It made me realize Phoebe and Egg need a life!

So thank you and I look forward to coming together this year. I always love to hear from you.