Mood:  a-ok

Not a lot going on today - kind of a boring Tuesday. Had some housework to do, and an ink cartridge mess to clean (don't even try to refill those %$#@ things), so I never got to sew or even play. That Japanese pattern I did yesterday is mocking me ! 

Hope your day had some excitement - just not too much !  

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CST

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Mood:  silly

I'm gonna write this here, so hopefully I won't forget it for a while. NO Coffee after 1pm !! Couldn't sleep for jack last night, and I'd had coffee all day. Now I know. Sodas I can handle all day and still sleep. Coffee is something entirely different !

Now then. On to doll stuff ! 

Please meet 'Joy', my hybrid Ballerina Barbie. I had one the first year they came out, I think it was 1976. My parents were already saying I was getting old for dolls (boy, were they in for a surprise !), but I wanted this gorgeous doll sooo much.

So I did what a kid does. Made her the One Wish. Basically, I asked for her and only her that holiday. I was devious as a kid, and self-serving. Not much has changed since. :)

I, and half the neighborhood, got this doll that year. We staged elaborate ballet performances, admiring the way her arms went out, not like Malibu's, whose just went up and down. Her arms and fingers were graceful, her long legs and beautiful stand seemed born for the stage. I loved her unusual face - although I realize it was a well-used Mattel mold, I was more accustomed to Malibu and Leia.

But all good things end, and she, along with every doll but Leia, went into the attic for a few years. They all later ended up with my best friend's Barbie-less sisters. At least I got to play with them again when I visited !

I found this lovely lady at a thrift store. Her body was beyond salvage. The elastic band that allowed such elegant posing in her arms was deteriorated, the kicking leg mechanism had frozen, but even with gentle pressure, they only went from stiff to barely-hanging-on swingy. But her head was in pretty good shape. Her hair, although sparse in the back, hadn't gone wooly, and her face paint was great.

So she came home, along with a Belly Button body Barbie. A swift head-swap later, and a headless better body was improved, I had a Ballerina with nice hands that went out, and the discolored original body got tossed. There was nothing I could do with it. The BB body is thinner and less robust in the bust, but I think that suits a ballerina !

She's dressed in one of the two dresses I got recently. This is a My First Barbie outfit, #4868, My First Party Dress. I think it came out in 1981, but I'm not sure. My next purchase will be reference books ! It's not a perfect fit - her head lolls a bit - but I think the skin tone's a good match, and I can always squeeze her head down if I need to. I named her Joy, because that's how I felt when I first saw her - and I still do. 

In other news, I tried to print up a pattern from the Barbie In Japan book. but our ink cartridge is DOA. Tried to refill it, which was an utter failure. It leaks like a sieve, and my hands look like I got fingerprinted for crimes against humanity. When I went to the fabric store, I just knew the clerks were cringing, hoping I wouldn't touch anything. Nope. I did, but I knew the ink is there 'til it wears off, and the material was in no danger. It'd been several hours since the attempt.

Didn't buy anything, but there's a great sale on the 17th. Half off thread's a good buy, but I never know what I need until I go to sew something. And I already have a few dozen spools I doubt I'll ever use. Anyway, I finally traced it, and it's ready to use when I get the time. The directions are all in Japanese, but the illustrations require none of my nonexistant translation skills.

So I may get to sew tomorrow. For now, though, I'm dirt tired from not sleeping last night, and it's nearly bedtime. Hope your Monday went well - and you didn't try to refil ink carts ! 

Posted by dorriebelle at 8:13 PM CST

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 9:54 AM CDT

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Mood:  chillin'

Finally updated the Home page ! With something more than just changing the month on it, too ! Basically, it's the same image I posted here yesterday, but with the second version I sewed last night added. The second one went much better. I've learned that just about anything that needs to be sewn can be arranged into a straight line that's easier to keep on track. Even a curved neckline. I can top-stitch fairly well, but it's harder to keep on track with a curve.

Unfortunately, I've been resting on my laurels today. Not that I give a fig for the SuperBowl, or the commercials - since I graduated with a B.A. in Mass Comm, the commercials would be the only thing I'd watch anyway. But our TV isn't even tuned in to get commercial broadcasts, and it's all gonna be on YouTube tomorrow, anyway.

I haven't even done laundry or dishes. I really am being lazy today !  Just watchin' Dearest Son's pick of Disney movies, reading doll boards, hangin' out. Finally slept well last night, maybe I've kicked the insomnia away for a bit. Put off returning the even-darker other spool of thread I bought yesterday - I'll be in the area tomorrow, picking up Son from school, so it can wait.

It was kind of funny to go to Hancock Fabrics and not buy anything but thread. They didn't have anything I wanted ! I have a good choice of their inventory for the last four years here already, plus more besides. Even the markdown stuff still seemed high-priced. Of course, this is coming from a woman who gets five or six yards in small pieces inside a $2.  grab-bag at a thrift store.

I'm thinking of taking some pictures of the FriendShip Barbie airplane. I got a special one just like the one I had as a kid, but I've never photographed it before. It'd be cute to use some of that gold and black fabric as a flight attendant uniform ! A nice vest and a skirt, over a white blouse...hmmm. I think I know what I'm making next. And I already have thread ! :) 

Posted by dorriebelle at 4:36 PM CST

Updated: Sunday, 4 February 2007 4:37 PM CST

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Mood:  a-ok

Here's the dress I made yesterday. It's the 'Basic Dress' from Mari Dewitt's Vintage Clothing for the Fashion Doll. I've made it before, but not in years. The one on your left I made yesterday, using the same Flavia fabric I made Elphie a peasant blouse from, pictured on that page on the main site. As you can see, I didn't have well-matching thread, and it really stands out. It looks worse in person, I can tell you. Every bobble, every off-center stitch screams, 'See where she screwed up !'. Or maybe I'm the only one who can hear thread, I wouldn't discount the possibility...

Today, after stupidly leaving the house without the doll or fabric sample, I had to guess at which color thread to get. There must have been twenty-seven shades of purple, from lilac to eggplant. After a while, my eyes didn't work, and the store I went to didn't carry this fabric. So I was on my own. I guessed. And I redid the neckline and hem in the new color today, it's on your right. This is actually a bit too dark, but in my eyes, it looks 200% better.  

So, as you can see, thread makes a difference. Now, if I can get the whole dress right later today, I'll be happy - for a while ! :)  At this rate, my little contest will have to wait another week.

And folks wonder why I don't sell my stuff. Only I know how bad that zipper in the back looks !  

PS - Our lovely model today is 'Barbie as Maria in The Sound of Music', a 1995 'Hollywood Legends Collection' doll.  I found mine at a flea market, complete save for her hat, shoes, and guitar, for $2. in 2000.

Posted by dorriebelle at 3:51 PM CST

Updated: Monday, 2 May 2011 9:56 AM CDT

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Mood:  energetic

Maybe it was the caffeine. I've been enjoying my morning coffee - which often becomes my afternoon coffee - these last two weeks, but maybe I need to scale it back. I could barely sleep last night, but I felt better this morning. Or maybe the multivitamin helped, who knows ? But anyway, I really felt like sewing.

There's a friend on the Disney Dolls group who wants me to sew something for him, and I just haven't gotten to it yet. That may have been part of the block. Aside from a swap here and there - which made me anxious enough to not repeat lately - I've never really sewn for anyone else. I know I can do it, but I was completely lethargic about even trying. 

And much as I'd like to say that's what I sewed, it isn't. I wanted to make two somethings for another group, one as a give-away in a contest, and the other for a dear member who made me something. After having a nice afternoon with Dearest Son and Beloved Hubby, it was time.

The finished item is shot full of errors. I hate it when I have to hand-sew in a zipper when the dress is finished. I always end up with it off-center. Amazingly, I can do it right when I use the machine, but I always boot it by hand. I didn't have thread to match the fabric very well, and it shows, horribly. I also didn't see the 'place on fold' when I cut the skirt part out, so it's not as poofy as it should be.

On the whole, it's not my favorite dress. But it's OK. And I see my mistakes, and can improve on the next ones. For one, the back will have snaps !  And the skirt will be the right width. Third, I am getting better matching thread !

I've tried several times to take a photo, but they didn't come out well at all. So I hope to get a decent one tomorrow. Then, I'll get some darn thread !

It actually felt rather good to sew for Barbie again. I was nervous - the pattern showed a 1/8" seam allowance, but it hung like a bag that way. With a standard 1/4" seam allow, it fit great. (sigh) I get so tired of that kind of bonehead mistake in doll patterns...

Well, it's late, and I'm falling asleep typing. 'Til the morrow !  

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CST

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Mood:  not sure

...but the darn van wouldn't start ! So we called in sick and stayed indoors. Nearly drove Son nuts, it started to snow and he was too sick to get out in it.

Other than that, not much going on. I reorganized the doll jewelry findings box - big fun, that. I want to sew, but it's weird. I just can't sit there and do it. When I have time, I sit around on the computer or do housework. It's like I'm afraid or something.

It's been a while since I sewed Barbie-size clothes, true enough, but I was still sewing Leia's new stuff just weeks ago. I don't know what the problem is. There's miles (if not parsecs by now) of fabric, decades of patterns, lots of fun dolls to dress. But I just haven't been able to make the leap to actually sew something.

Maybe I'm just in a slump. I'm gonna get to bed early tonight - my insomnia's come roaring back - and see if lowered caffeine and raised sleep help. I feel so...out of sorts lately.  

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CST

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Mood:  a-ok

...so it's another short entry. No time to sew or play, about all I got done was cleaning the kitchen and doing some laundry. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. He's still coughing really hard though. And it's snowing. I will probably have company at home tomorrow.

But this weekend, I am getting some ^%$# doll time !  

Posted by dorriebelle at 12:01 AM CST

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Mood:  lazy

...making the rounds at Dearest Son's school. He wasn't feeling well this afternoon, and stayed with me during my volunteer hours. It was fun, but I was glad to come home. All of us napped the early evening hours away.

Those two dresses I wanted came in ! I'll have to snap some quick pix tomorrow, I'm still tired and a bit worn...and there's an odds-on chance Son is home all day tomorrow.

Got a pair of glittery green socks at Dollar Tree today - hoping to also find time to make Elphie yet another sweater. I just love making those things !

But that's about all that's gone on. Sorry the entries haven't been very interesting lately. We're expecting snow again soon, so they'll probably pick up ! :) 

Posted by dorriebelle at 8:25 PM CST

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Mood:  don't ask

Sorry. Not feeling well at all, and all I wanna do is lie down. Didn't do anything doll-related today, either, and tomorrow I've got volunteer work. So I'm gonna go hit the hay. Hopefully I just picked up a tummy bug or something.  

Posted by dorriebelle at 10:37 PM CST

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Mood:  loud

Found a razor-blade box cutter of Beloved Hubby's, used it to cut the keychain brackets off the miniature lunchboxes we bought yesterday. I had just thought, 'Oh, this isn't a good position (for the knife to be in)' when it slipped and dug a small chunk out of my thumb. Ow. This is gonna make volunteering at the school's book fair Tuesday interesting... washing my hair tomorrow morning will probaby be quite memorable !

Oh, well. Stupid sometimes hurts, and I was being stupid. Now I just gotta finish payin' for it. Hope it scabs up sometime soon. It's been about twelve hours since...

No way was I gonna be able to sew, not that I could have with intact digits, my 'studio' was absolutely trashed. So I spent two hours cleaning it up this afternoon. Finally got all the new acquisitions put away. The scrap fabric bag I got yesterday had so much netting that I had to find a box for it all, but it allowed me to dig the netting out of the 'tulle/net' bag and store both better. While that was going on, I stored the elastic from the last few bra pick-aparts, got pattern pieces in a single pile that I'll sort out later, put stuff I bought three weeks ago away, finally.  

I actually ironed the lace I got yesterday, too. That should tell you two things - that lace was really wadded up, and I really like what I got ! I would rather do dishes with my face than iron. It's taken me the longest time to iron even doll clothes during sewing 'em - even though I know it adds to the finished item and even makes sewing easier, I'll try to avoid it at every opportunity.  

While rooting through the lace and ribbon tote, I found leftover pieces of the black webbing we used as straps for Dearest Son's 'Herbie' costume. Put the longest one aside. I've been meaning to make Son a quiver to go with his Robin Hood hat. Got the green felt here, fabric glue's over on the cutting table, the Pringles can's there. Just needed the webbing, so I know what I'm working on tomorrow. He still wears that hat.

The fabric scrap bag also had lots of satin in it, heavy, beautifully colored stuff. There was also some thin inexpensive lining fabric that's still pretty. It'll do me some good to practice with it. I also got some luscious red velvet and lots of the gold-striped black material that sold the bag to me. Most of the gold/black fabric is in small pieces, but I can do a lot with small bits !

Still, I should be using stuff up, not buying more. I just lost my resolve when I saw how pretty it was. I got a real deal ! But I need to refrain from finding any more deals anytime soon. Last week I was in Hancock's, mostly to kill a few minutes, and I didn't see a thing I wanted. Of course, 90% of their stock from the last two or three years is probably represented here...

Posted by dorriebelle at 5:23 PM CST

Updated: Sunday, 28 January 2007 5:26 PM CST

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