it was one of those weekends.
a completely open schedule, a long to-do list, and absolutely no motivation to do any of it.
then layla asked me (like she has been doing for the last year) "mom, can we make our dolls some dresses today?" my answer to this question is typically, "not now sweety, there isn't enough time" and honestly, she usually asks when there truly is not enough time... but this day was different... we had an open weekend... a to-do list that was really not that important (and i wasn't doing any of it anyway)... so the answer was "yes."
i did make their dolls. i made charlotte for eislee in 2012 (you can read more about that process here, here, here, here, and here), and i made kelsie for layla in 2013 (you can read about that in this post). i have been promising these poor girls dresses for years now! so, it was a really big check on my to-do list as well. it was SO fun working through this process with my girls. they were so excited, and it had been months since i had touched my sewing machine. this was the first dress pattern i had ever made. i was pretty nervous, and wasn't even completely sure i could actually do it. which made it that much more gratifying and exciting when they turned out so perfect and adorable.
i did a simple yoke for the top, and a gathered skirt. instead of hemming we used a trim on the bottom and on the middle seam. a simple button closure on the back... with an elastic hair band loop. then some decorative buttons down the front. perfect. and perfectly fun.
now, i have a pattern so we can make dresses anytime... and it can be adapted to have long sleeve dresses... then nightgowns... and we need to make some felt shoes... and probably a jacket.... some underwear? oh, the list of fun goes on and on. i suppose next up though is a doll for miss ollie jane, or at least a dress for monkey.