What a find, a vintage 1960's Barbie doll pattern.
My big girl wanted to do some sewing and rooted this out of my Vintage pattern stash pile, I did actually buy it for her but it was a bit too difficult at the time of buying but I felt she would be ready now.
The joy, or indeed curse, of these patterns is that they require all the dressmaking knowledge and skills you would need to make real clothes therefore they are by no means easy. I encouraged her to actually follow the pattern to absorb some of the sewing lingo.
She made darts and learnt to sew them from the outer edge of fabric to the tip. She learnt that you do not go forwards and back at the tip otherwise you will get a tough nipple; much 11 year old giggling ensued. Finally she learnt that you need to cut a hepburn collar on the bias so that it has stretch and can stand straight without a twisted edge.
The skirt that went with it actually had full pleats with dashed pleat lines to bring together on the pattern which was a skill too far for her today. It was a positive experience but quite intense so I happily watched her bodge together a stretch velvet skirt with no hem to go with it.
Making dolls clothes brings back happy memories for me, I used to do it when I was about 10. Any happy memories for you?
Jo xxx
She has done fantastically well! I remember making dolls clothes for my Sindy dolls. Actually it was always just a boob tube dress so not much skill required but still, it was clothing made me :)
ReplyDeleteJillx
I just picked up things from shadowing my mum - with cooking and sewing (mostly hand sewing). I generally sewed things with what I found around the house. I never had fabric brought for me and money was an issue. I did buy fabric with birthday money though and made a halter neck top (by hand) and a tiered skirt with no pattern when I was 11. I constructed a proper waistband and an opening fastened with poppers, no zips at that point. I made it by machine and was left to fathom that out by myself as my mum didn't like machines but I was allowed to use it. I remember furiously zig zagging all the seam edges.
ReplyDeleteThe skirt was worn a lot. My mum made us beautiful clothes sewed either completely by hand or a handle turned machine (the precursor to the singer I used). I used to make all sorts of things or do alterations on charity shop clothes because as they say necessity is the mother of invention. Lots of flares were tapered into skinny leg trousers. I had a lot more verve and less nerves about the whole thing then than I do now. I made dresses and skirts and a jacket. Mostly without patterns until I was an older teen. They included a sheeny sateen pink dress with a cowl back to go bopping in! The jacket (non structured but quite smart) I wore to interviews when I was 19. I often used pre-existing clothes and my imagination to make the pieces to sew together. I made them with a machine if I had one around, or hand stitched if I didn't. Before I learnt to say 'no' I ended up hand sewing a dress for a friend of a friend because they asked.
My mum always gave reasons for doing what she did, she had been to technical school when young and passed on lots of handy information. I've never forgotten the hows and whys of cooking and sewing. I had to self start my knitting and crochet as an adult as I was a bit feeble with those as a child. I did prefer crochet though.
I always loved sewing, and we did a little in primary school which I loved but others hated. Secondary school teaching was bland and pretty awful with scary teachers and I burnt all the cakes, and sat around frightened of the sewing machine yet at home made lovely things.
My mum made the dolly clothes which is what piqued my interest but I didn't make any proper dolls clothes myself. I did make them for my daughter though, including Barbie and Tiny Tears,both sewn and knitted. My daughter didn't do any of the above as she was very impatient/and or wasn't terribly interested. She now wants to learn embroidery and has turned out to be rather good at drawing.
I think all the things you do with your daughter are totally fabulous, she will never forget these skills and they are both so useful but also creative and healing balm for the soul at times. I think her Barbie looks amazing - that's a great collar and I think the skirt would have been good to do too as it will encourage her to keep moving forward.
Gosh you did some skillful sewing at a young age. Thanks for your memories. Jo x
DeleteWow, she did a great job! I loved Barbies when I was a child. I think I still played with them (mainly dressing them and doing their hair) until I was 13 or 14. I didn't want to give them up! I made clothes for them a lot, but I didn't have patterns; I just tied things on them or sewed very simple tube skirts or dresses. Nothing nearly as nice as this. I did have a few 1960's original clothing pieces that I found at a yard sale when I was about 10. I loved those, they were so well-made compared to my 80's things. I still have my Barbies, I should get them out sometime. My daughter has never been interested in them, she likes baby dolls and girl dolls more, but Barbies were definitely my thing!
ReplyDeleteShe did a wonderful job. Like Jennifer it was a matter of tying things on and hand stitching, we didn't have a sewing machine. I do remember the happy hours spent dressing those dolls both as a child and then again as a mum with my own three girls. Happy times.
ReplyDeleteMy mom sewed most of my clothes and many outfits for my dolls. My sewing efforts were feeble and few unlike your daughter's wonderful makes...even the skirt! Your building skills together encourages me to keep learning and sharing skills with others, too! Thanks! xx
ReplyDeleteHi - not sewing but my mm knitted and crocheted beautiful clothes for my Sindy and Tressie. I carried the tradition on but I have boys, their Action Men had knitted jumpers and dare I say trousers too. They did also have a Barbie doll as part of the Action Man gang, they had baby dolls too and a kitchen - I felt that was important.
ReplyDeleteWonderful ,it thrills me she is showing an interest ,I'm hoping my grand daughter will when she gets a bit older ,I made a Duffle coat for my Cindy when I was about 10 which turned out great but it was cheap basic felt and with lots of play it came apart ,I was gutted ha ha x
ReplyDeleteThat is brilliant it must be a joy to watch her. I used to make doll clothes all hand stitched, also I have to say with regards to the darts there is nothing worse than a tough nipple! :) x
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, this is so amazing. Epic, as my kids would say. Before you know it, she'll be sewing her own wardrobe and apply to the School of Arts to do a fashion/textile course! I have no patience for teeny tiny fiddly things like dolls clothes. I imagine the darts of a Barbie top and shudder!
ReplyDeleteI remember some knitting with my mum, usually when we were at our family holiday home in Italy (my dad was Italian). We used to go to the wool factory and buy yarn, then sit in the garden under a large fig tree and knit. Never anything too complicated, my mum is not a great knitter. She never taught me how to sew although she is an amazing quilter. Luckily, these skills were considered essential at school and were a firm feature in the curriculum, for a total of 9 years of foundation schooling.
Thanks so much for your lovely surprise. I am trying very hard to restrain myself and not start on the new EPP project yet.... it is even more difficult now! Will email soon, when I am not naughtily distracting myself with blogs at work xx
Wow! your daughter made a lovely dress:) I don't know about sewing lingo you are referring to. Good that she learnt while having fun. I did not sew then and don't have much skill now either. I did make few dresses for my daughter's dolls but they were simple.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother made clothes for my Barbies, they were gorgeous although I am sure I did not fully appreciate them at the time. Your darling daughter did a great job.
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