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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Falling back in love with Sewing for Blythe (hopefully)

I sort of fell out of love for sewing for Blythe the last several months. Not quite sure if I could say why, but unfortunately, I did. I remember back in 2012, when I was first introduced to Blythe by a sweet friend I had met through commission sewing on DoA. (Sadly, I have no idea where she went to. I'v tried to find her, but she has pretty much disappeared online the last couple of years.) She had recently gotten into Blythes and wanted me to meet the doll so to speak, thinking I would really enjoy sewing for her. She sent me a doll to try out and see if I liked her. First, I had planned to buy it from her. Then she decided we should trade her for sewing, and finally she just gave her to me! It was very sweet of her, and I had a lot of fun with my Blythe. The poor doll was in some need of a re-do, and so I did an admittedly bad re-root on her. (It was meant to be temporary.) And also I repainted her face. Thus Lenore was born. I had so much fun sewing. I had that basic free skipper pattern (you know the one) and branched out from there making my own patterns, and quickly. I was on fire with inspiration! Things took a turn some months later, and I ended up giving the doll back to her.

Fast forward to 2014. I decided to try and re-connect with Blythe. I took a chance and bought this beautiful blue haired girl. At this point I didn't really grasp fakes and factories. Of course, my doll was a factory. Not that I care. I love Lotus and wouldn't change her for anything. I went through several real Blythes which I eventually sold until I scored my Merry Skier. (Her names Pancake, and she is not going anywhere.) I tried to get back into sewing for Blythe, joining several swaps, donating to BlytheCon, and putting a few things in my Etsy shop. I just wasn't feeling that same excitement I had felt in 2012. Not sure what it was.

Somehow we managed to find some of my old pictures the other night from 2012. It's kind of weird what you can find my just typing in random things. It was neat seeing my old stuff. Seeing it made me remember what fun it used to be. It made me want to recreate some of my old patterns that had gotten tossed. I would love to fall back in love with Blythe and sewing for her like I used to!

So last night I decided ti just go for it. I drafted out 2 patterns which will hopefully be either exactly like or pretty much like my old designs. I cut out one dress, and will work on the other one when this one is finished. Here is the original dress:



This dress I had named "A Victorian Dream in Cream." I definitely have made some changes that I hadn't quite intended, but I am just going with it. Here is my WIP version of it:





And that is a terrible picture. Geez, my nighttime shots are awesome. Any ways, I have omitted the lace under the sleeve puff which makes the sleeve appear more different than it actually is. The bodice looks like it could be a little loose, so I might need to take in the side seams just a bit, but I am going to wait to see how much space the skirt takes up. I am thinking about making what was the lace underskirt of the original in a cream gauze, and also making it a separate piece, more like a petticoat. The skirt I can tell is already going to be fuller than the original. I might do something different with the collar, but I am a huge fan of the high neck.

This is as far as I am going to get tonight. (I am definitely sewed out for this fine Wednesday.) I am actually feeling that old spark again! I am so excited to finish this dress, which I can hopefully get to tomorrow night. I really don't have the perfect doll to wear this dress, so maybe some Blythe shopping? (I desperately need  Nicky Lad.)