The Stitching Post

Clothes for Special Occasions by CSBSEWS

2012-01-29T19:35:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day is about 2 weeks away, on Tuesday, February 14th. Then in March we have St. Patrick's Day celebrations on Saturday, March 17th, followed by Easter on Sunday, April 8th.

Check out these outfits for the upcoming celebrations. You can see them all at CSBSEWS on Etsy

VALENTINE'S DAY 2012

This super cute outfit is complete with Long Socks and Red Satin Shoes.

The heart design makes this flannel pj set perfect for Valentines -

but all the green can mark St. Pat's Day.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Ready for the Parade in jean shorts and St. Patrick's Day Tee.

EASTER SUNDAY

Ready for Church and Easter Egg Hunting!!

Two more ensembles I wanted to highlight is a Regency Era Dress and the Communion Dress now available at CSBSEWS on Etsy.

See you next month, with (due to many, many request) more Steampunk, a dance costume, and a new period costume. Remember you can follow CSBSEWS on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and get immediate notification of any new item available for purchase.

Happy Holidays,

Carolyn

Welcome 2012!!

2012-01-06T11:11:00.000-06:00

I am excited about the New Year and all the possibilites ahead!!

I have already started on the new spring line for 2012. I will be creating new items for the store as quickly as possible over the next few weeks. Here are two of the new ensembles now available at CSBSEWS on Etsy:

First, a lovely special occasion Victorian dress for Samantha:

Secondly, a lovely keepsake quality First Communion Dress, complete with Accessories for your Doll.

Finally, CSBSEWS has been featured in Karen's, Mom of Three, Craft Blog. This is an amazing blog for every American Girl Doll Owner (and, blush, blush, she is featuring CSBSEWS this month.)

Carolyn

Two New Costumes for the Holidays

2011-12-05T13:37:00.000-06:00

Want to find that special gift for your American Girl Doll for the Holidays? Here are two special creations from CSBSEWS that might be exactly what you are looking for. Visit CSBSEWS on Etsy for more pictures and information.

Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball Gown & Mask

Many historians believe that the first American Mardi Gras took place on March 3, 1699, when the French explorers Iberville and Bienville landed in what is now Louisiana just south of the holiday's future epicenter, New Orleans. They held a small celebration and dubbed the spot Point du Mardi Gras. On Mardi Gras in 1827, a group of students donned colorful costumes and danced through the streets of New Orleans, emulating the revelry they'd observed while visiting Paris. Ten years later, the first recorded New Orleans Mardi Gras parade took place, a tradition that continues to this day. Your doll can participate in the festivities and masquerade balls dressed in the official Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold and green. A perfect gift for the new girls from Louisiana, Maria-Grace and Cecile.

Magic Fairies - Chrissie the Wish Fairy

This is the second Rainbow Fairy costume designed by CSBSEWS. Just in time for the Holidays! Dress your doll as the Magic Fairy Chrissie - the Wish Fairy. Each year Chrissie the Wish Fairy hides her magical objects in the human world - objects that make sure every one's Christmas wishes come true.
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and are looking forward to a happy holiday season!!

Carolyn

Steampunk - Part 2

2011-12-04T15:32:00.001-06:00

My first Steampunk outfit was a success and I had many requests to do another one. So I created a new and different Steampunk ensemble for American Girl. This will be my last Steampunk outfit for a long time, as most of you know, I like to create new and different designs each time I sew for American Girl.

You can get more information on this item at CSBSEWS Doll Clothes on Etsy. (This item has been sold).

Thanks for looking, Carolyn.

Steampunk - Fashion by CSBSEWS for American Girl Dolls

2011-11-12T18:45:00.004-06:00

I am fascinated by all things Steampunk. So of course I had to design and create a special ensemble for American Girl.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Steampunk, Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or more recently Philip Pullman and China Mieville. There is much more about the genisus and philosophy of the Steampunk movement at Wikipedia.

One of the most noticeable aspects of steampunk technology is its sheer improbability. Strange devices abound, and often they don't have any immediately discernible purpose. In a world like Second Life, it's easy to assume that whatever it is is only there to look cool. However, in a well-crafted novel or movie, one has to assume a background to such objects, assume that they do something and that someone knows what that is, that someone in fact designed this improbable conglomeration of steel and brass and steam. In Girl Genius, a steampunk webcomic, the heroine at one point builds a device composed of "the fencing clank, part of the wrecked flying machine, bits of the furnace and the mechanical orchestra, [another character's] good lathe, and a pneumatic nutcracker" - in her sleep. The fact that one has to take that sort of thing seriously is part of what makes steampunk seem so outrageous sometimes.

H. G. Wells would be proud—steampunk fashion has emerged from relative obscurity. By remixing styles from the Victorian era, classic Goth, gypsy, and industrial fetish, steampunk fashion creates a unique and beautifully disturbing look. (Thanks to Steampunk Fashion Resources and More and The Steampunk Workshop for an in depth discovery of Steampunk Fashion. Visit their sites to learn more.).
I searched the web for inspiration for my creation and below are some of the outfits that contributed to my design:

My Steampunk Ensemble for American Girl Dolls.

The design elements of this look that I believe reflect the Steampunk style are the clockfaces, the chain, the high boots, the hat and the overall Victorian feel of the dress.

I throughly enjoyed this project and am very proud of the final result. If you want to see more, there are more pictures at CSBSEWS on Etsy. (Update: This item is sold)

Carolyn

Fall/Winter Collection from CSBSEWS

2011-11-07T11:54:00.000-06:00

A picture tour of new items from CSBSEWS on Etsy from the fall and winter collection. There is more information and photos at CSBSEWS on Etsy. There is something in this collection for every doll on your list. (And more to come, stay tuned)

Antebellum Dress, Undergarments and Boots

Kirstens Autumn Ensemble

Nutcracker Ballet for American Girl Dolls

Taffeta and Velvet for the Holidays

Felicity's Holiday Gown, Cap and Slippers

Brocade Gown for Maria-Grace or Cecile

Holiday Party Dress

Holiday Dress, Apron and Shoes for American Girl Dolls

Thanks for visiting, Carolyn

CSBSEWS on Etsy

2011-08-25T15:41:00.012-05:00

I have moved CSBSEWS to Etsy. I am able to offer very competitive pricing with this venue and if you visit my store on Etsy. I still offer OOAK designer clothing and unique accessories to complete your doll's wardrobe. (Any links you have stored to CSBSEWS will still work - taking you to my Etsy Store). I hope all of you take a minute to visit the store. If you are interested in getting immediate updates of What's New at CSBSEWS, please visit my Facebook Page.

Halloween really isn't that far away and only two halloween costumes are left in the store. I try to offer my costumes as early as possible so that everyone has a chance to choose the one they want. Please remember that these are OOAK and are not duplicated. The Candy Corn witch featured in an earlier blog has sold, but here are two costumes still available that I think are adorable.

First is a complete Little Red Riding Hood Costume, including cape, dress, bloomers, shoes, and basket. A lovely outfit for any time of the year.

Next is an absolutely gorgeous princess gown made from satin, sparkling chiffon and gold-threaded brocade. This ensemble would make a beautiful Halloween costume or the perfect gift for the princess in your life. The outfit is complete, including the dress, conical hat with veil, gold shoes and petticoat.

Again, I hope all of you will take a minute and visit my new digs on Etsy. Thanks for looking.

American Girl Josefina & Celebrating Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festivals - (Part 2)

2011-08-06T12:52:00.002-05:00

In September of 2010 I published my first blog about Dia De Los Muertos - it began

Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Mexican Americans living in the United States and Canada. As a New Mexican girl growing up in 1824, Josefina would honor her mother's memory by celebrating El Día de los Muertos. Due to occurring shortly after Halloween, the Day of the Dead is sometimes thought to be a similar holiday, although the two actually have little in common. The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration, where partying is common. (For more information see my blog posted dated September 7, 2010).

This year I wanted to share more information about this holiday by listing a few of the festivals that occur every year in the United States. There are major festivals in Houston, Arizona (including Phoenix) and Los Angeles. I hope that after you read about these festivals you will explore Day of the Dead celebrations near your home.

LA Day of the Dead: The 12th annual “Dia de Los Muertos“ will be held at Hollywood Forever, Los Angeles's oldest memorial park, on October 22, 2011, from 12pm-12am. Come join us this year as we welcome, honor and celebrate the memories of the beloved souls. Rejoice and observe the mystical beauty and wonder of this ancient spiritual celebration. Partake of various sacred ceremonial tributes and memorable altar creations on the grounds of the historic Hollywood Forever cemetery.

Phoenix Area Many Valley cities host Day of the Dead celebrations each year on the first two days of November. People will sometimes don wooden skull masks and dance to honor deceased loved ones. The wooden skulls, or calacas, are also placed on altars. A relative or a friend often eats sugar skulls, bearing the name of the dead person on the forehead.

More Arizona Events - Celebrations are held each year in Mesa, Chandler, Guadalupe and at Arizona State University. Although the ritual has since been merged with Catholic theology, it still maintains the basic principles of the Aztec ritual, such as the use of skulls.

Houston Festivals - Celebrate the lives of the loved ones you've lost on Day of the Dead at these Houston area locations,

Museum of The Americas - Weatherford, Texas - Exhibits and a historical perspective on this Celebration.

Of course our American Girl Doll Josefina with again join the celebration this year. She has a new costume for the festival.

American Girl Josefina celebrates Dia de los Muertos

Visit CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes for more pictures and information about Josefina's costume.

Candy Corn Witch for American Girl Dolls

2011-07-29T16:16:00.000-05:00

The candy corn witch has become a popular halloween costume for girls and teens. There are many variations of this costume for sale on line and in costume stores. This costume combines two popular halloween traditions, Candy Corn and Witches.

Candy corn is a confrection popular primarily around Halloween Candy corn was created in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company; the three colors of the candy mimic the appearance of kernels of corn. Each piece is approximately 3 times the size of a whole kernel from a ripe or dried ear. Candy corn pieces are traditionally cast in three colors: a broad yellow end, a tapered orange center, and a pointed white tip.

Witches ran the gamut from evil (Wicked Witch of The West, Hansel and Gretal, Hamlet ) to good and kind (Nanny McPhee, Greta the Good Witch, even Cinderalla's Fairy Godmother). And every Halloween you will have many different witches visit your house on Halloween (maybe to get Candy Corn).

I have created a OOAK Candy Corn Witch Costume for your American Girl Doll. It is complete, with costume, hat, tights and boots. If you want to know more about this costume, CSBSEWS American GIrl Doll Clothes for additional information and pictures. Combine these favorites for your Halloween Celebration this year!!

Candy Corn Witch for American Girl Dolls

Vampires - and a Costume for American Girl Dolls

2011-07-09T21:02:00.003-05:00

TV Shows about vampires have never been more popular than they are now. Is it possible that Sesame Street’s debonair Count von Count may have predisposed the current generation of TV watchers to regard most vampires as gorgeous rather than grotesque? There are vampire "vamps" in True Blood, The Vampire Diaries and Twilight.

My first memories of female vampire characters for TV were those that hosted late night TV shows. The first was a late night TV horror shows hosted by Vampira. Vampira started the trend of macabre movie hosts, at once sexy and ghoulish. Over time Vampira became quite a cult figure.

VAMPIRA, QUEEN OF THE NIGHT

Vampira was followed by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Some thought that Elvira was just a rip-off of Vampira, but actually Cassandra Peterson created an entirely new character. Elvira hosted TV horror movies with a touch of horror and a big helping of sex appeal.

ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK

And finally who can forget Morticia Addams, a vampire appearing in the TV Show the Addams Family. She definately had her own look and style. I don't know if she was the very first Vampire in a prime time TV show, but she is the one I remember.

MORTICIA ADDAMS - THE ADDAMS FAMILY

So even before today's "lovely" vampires came on the scene, there were voluptuous, attractive vampires. When it came time to decide on this season's vampire costume, I chose to design a one-of-a-kind, original, queenly costume, instead of the other thing .... you know, blood, etc. Vampires may be vampires, but in my mind the girls also have a sense of style. (and yes, homage to Vampira in the naming of this costume).

(This OOAK item has SOLD.)

Well the sun is setting so I must be going.

Magic Fairy Costume for American Girl Dolls

2011-07-03T11:13:00.004-05:00

I love to create fairy costumes for Halloween for American Girl Dolls.Fairies are so magical, and girls have always loved them, from Tinkerbell on. Every year I offer at least one fairy costume. But they have always been generic costumes.

(The fairies have evolved over the years)

CSBSEWS 2007

CSBSEWS 2008

CSBSEWS 2009

CSBSEWS 2010

This year I discovered Rainbow Brights' Magic Fairy Book Series These are wonderful stories for girls who love Fairies and because there are many different fairy series, there is a series for every girl. All the series follows the lives of Kirsty Tate and Rachel Walker and their magical adventures with their fairy friends

Rainbow Magic is a children's fiction publisher best known for the children's books. A publishing phenomenon, “Rainbow Magic” has sold 20+ million copies in 31 languages worldwide, including over 6 million books in print in the U.S. The series of books are highly collectible and regularly featured in children’s bestseller lists.

Morgan the midnight fairy is from the Twilight Fairies. "Meet Ava, Lexi, Zara, Morgan, Yasmin, Maisie and Sabrina. Rachel and Kirsty can't wait for their week at Camp Stargaze! They'll get to roast marshmallows, tell spooky stories, and sleep in cool cabins. But when the Night Fairies' magic goes missing, Rachel and Kirsty have another activity to add to their list --- helping their fairy friends!"

Morgan's Magic Fairy Book

What a wonderful costume for American Girl Dolls. And a great way to for you or your child to discover the Magic Fairy Series.

This costumes has SOLD, but soon there will be many more at CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes.


Morgan the Midnight Fairy from The Magic Fairy Series for American Girl Dolls

Western Wear for American Girl Dolls

2011-06-25T17:22:00.004-05:00

Every season I like to create an outfit with a western theme. This year, I thought alot about Temple Grandin while I was designing this outfit (although I don't think Temple would wear a skirt). If you don't know Temple, let me take this opportunity to recommend the HBO movie (available in stores) TEMPLE GRANDIN. For those who may not be familiar with Temple Grandin, she is an autistic woman who has become one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry, Temple is accurately and wonderfully played by Claire Danes in the movie.. I don't personally know Temple, but her story is an inspiration to me.

Temple Grandin

For the outfit, I found a wonderful faux leather fabric with a western flower pattern usually seen on hand tooled western items. And I was also able to get a wonderful western straw hat that really fits American Girl, and looks great on her. The hat did come with a pink "suede" hat band/tie. I replaced that with real leather. It was a challenge to find a bead that would accomodate the leather straps..but obviously I finally did.

Cowgirl Outfit from CSBSEWS

I had a lot of fun embellishing the skirt and vest. In addition to the suede trim, I added star conchos strung with real leather strips. I lined the vest and jacket in black satin. This is the first western shirt I have offered that has real western cuffs with brown pearl button snap closures to match the snaps down the front. The shirt also has maroon piping at the yokes and cuffs. The boots are soft leather with an embroidered design and they have a zipper on the side, making it easy to put the boots on or take them off.

If you want more information about this outfit, or to see additional pictures, visit CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes (This item has SOLD).

Beautiful Historical Gown for American Girl Dolls

2011-06-22T20:14:00.001-05:00

The latest from CSBSEWS is a wonderful period gown.   The period is the late Victorian era.   Skirts are more flat in the front and hooped petticoats are disappearing.   This is a transition period to the more "wearer" friendly clothes of the Regency and Edwardian Eras.

This is an interpretation of a Victorian Day Dress or Walking Dress.   Ladies wore these dresses on important social calls or a visit to a fine retail establishment followed by lunch at an exclusive tearoom.   Hats were required, of course, but the large feathered early Victorian styles are slowly being replaced by smaller hats, or as some call them today - "facinators".   Button boots were the footwear of choice when ladies would be out of the house in the daytime.

This is a piece for the serious American Girl Doll Collector, and, while it could be worn by any of the American Girl Dolls, I believe it is best suited to Samantha, Nellie, or perhaps Rebecca.   For additional information and more pictures visit CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes.

Soon the first Halloween costumes will be available at CSBSEWS. Stay tuned.

Carolyn

Recap of Spring/Summer and a Fall Preview from CSBSEWS

2011-06-05T16:09:00.000-05:00

The spring and summer line is complete now and I wanted to highlight items still available for the season at CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes.

Now is the time I designing and sewing for fall and Halloween. I love creating the Halloween costumes, and they are always a big hit. This year I will definitely have another unique witch (a perennial favorite), a new gypsy costume, a truly wonderful cowgirl ensemble, a surprise from the '50's and more surprises from the movies. This year I will also have historical Halloween costumes for the dolls.

I will also be creating complete new ensembles for the historical dolls. In September, two new doll books -- Meet Cecile and Meet Marie-Grace -- about New Orleans in the 1850's. It will be joy to design for these girls!!

Items Available from the 2011

Spring/Summer Line:

For American Girl Molly:

Molly's Swing Dress with Shoes and Socks. I love this look back at the late 40's

An authentic 1940's style sundress for Molly. This was designed based on a Butterick sewing pattern from that era. Reminiscent of the famous Joan Crawford style.

For American Girl Kit:

Springtime for Kit, complete with shoes. The dress has embroidered ladybugs and butterflys. This is a signature look from CSBSEWS.

A 1930's style cutwork lace dress for Kit, with shoes and sock. This ensemble reflects the transition in fashion from the 20's to the 30's.

A wonderful, authentically styled box-pleated dress for Kit with shoes and socks. This dress has the added bonus of being in summer's favorite colors of red, white and blue.

Spring and Summer for

the Modern American Girl Doll

All these fun summer outfits include shoes..

And for the 4th of July Celebration of America, a complete costume for American Girl!!

New shoes are coming to CSBSEWS - here is a preview.

(These items and more should be available by June 10th).

Enjoy your summer!! Hope you have time to read a really great book!! - Carolyn

Historical Fashion Era Clothing Design Resources

2011-01-08T12:01:00.010-06:00

Do you love clothing for your dolls from the great historical fashion eras as much as I do? Victorian? Edwardian? Regency? Belle Epoch? These clothes are what I love to design and sew for the dolls. In my research I have come across many resources for these great fashion items.

If you are interested in beautiful historical clothing, and fashion eras through the years, check out the following sites. They are wonderfully information and have a lot of great pictures, etc.

Fashion Era - One of the Definitive Sites on Historical Fashion

The Ladies Treasury of Costumes and Fashion

Victoriana - All Things Victorian

I also love the Tom Tierney Paper Doll Books (Tom Tierney Paper Dolls). Mr. Tierney recreates fashion from many eras, and if you look closely at some of the upcoming historical fashions that will be offered for American Girl Dolls at CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes you will see fashions inspired by his books. (His books are available at his Ebay Store - there is a link to the store from his website and the books are also available at Amazon.com). Here is a sampling of the books:

And Finally, I did it!!! Added accessories to CSBSEWS American Girl Dolls Clothes. There are accessories for the modern doll as well a few great historical doll shoes. In addition to offering shoes and purses for the dolls, I will also be able to offer more complete clothing ensembles. This poster shows a sampling of some the items now available.

Carolyn

New Year at CSBSEWS.

2010-12-31T05:42:00.002-06:00

2010 has been an amazing year for me and my store, CSBSEWS. I had a hard time keeping up with demand and that, combined with the holidays, has kept me very busy. (I'm not complaining, I'll take this kind of busy any time.) Anyway, since I've been MIA from The Stitching Post (again), I'll recap everything that has been happening at CSBSEWS in 2010. And give you a little sneak preview of changes for 2011.

One of the changes I'm most excited about in 2010 is my new partnership with Libery Jane Patterns. I've been able to add more clothes for the hip, modern American Girl Doll, with the fabrics and flair excepted from CSBSEWS, to the collection. Most of these one-of-a-kind items have sold, but you can see them in the Gallery section of this blog, or in the Gallery at CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes. This is one of the items made using inspiration and patterns from LJP (sorry, it's sold).

But, as I assued my fans on Facebook, I will still continue to offer the one-of-kind historical clothing and costumes which are many of my customers favorites.

My Facebook Page, CSBSEWS on Facebook, continues to grow (over 900 fans and counting). I've added a "Reviews" tab for Facebook Fans who have purchased items from CSBSEWS and the first reviews have been wonderful.

My plans include creating new one-of-a-kind ensembles and outfits to offer in the store, including more items in the Film and Dance category. I will be offering more complete outfits that include shoes. And I hope to have a separate category of Shoes for those who want to add these items to their dolls wardrobe.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Holiday Season and am sending you my best for a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Carolyn

Sewing for American Girl Dolls

2010-09-19T08:49:00.002-05:00

I am often asked why I haven't written a "how to" sew blog for American Girl doll clothing.   There are a couple of reasons: The first is that the internet is full of "how to sew" instructions, including videos.   So if you want to know how to gather, pleat, insert a sleeve, hem a garment, etc., the info is all there.   Secondly, I'm sure that most people sewing for dolls have basic sewing skills, and that is all that is necessary to create the garments.

But there are some tips and tidbits of information that I can share.   First of all is the matter of patterns and fit I have an article at Squidoo( Patterns for American Girl Dolls ) that lists all types of sources for patterns, including books and free patterns.   So it is easy to find patterns for the dolls.   But fitting your doll is a different matter.   It has been my experience that the patterns from Pleasant Company for the 4 historical dolls (Addy, Kirsten, Josefina and Felicity) are the best fitting patterns available. These patterns are free on many sites, including my store ( Free Patterns at CSBSEWS ).   But, you say, I want to sew an "modern" outfit for my doll. That's okay, here's my first tip:   Find a pattern you like from the many resources available and then compare the parts to the classic patterns or to a pattern you have used that fit the doll. I have found that this is particularly helpful when fitting the bodice.   Most commercial patterns have no shape to the bodice, so if you use the classic pattern to tailor the pattern your fit will be much better.   The same goes for skirt lengths, sleeves, etc.   Don't be afraid to mix and match pattern pieces.   It is not difficult, and you can create some wonderful clothing using this technique and a little imagination.

And that brings us to fitting an 18 inch soft-bodied doll.   The key words here are "soft bodied" doll. As the dolls are played with they get smaller.   If your doll is just on display, then the size probably won't change over time. But when a doll is played with the "stuffing" compacts and the doll gets a little smaller over time. So, my advice for fitting is just that...fit, fit, fit.   Check out everything as you sew.   Baste if want to, but if you want a proper fit for you doll, don't skip the fittings.

Another area to consider when sewing for the dolls is fabric.   It is best to stay away from synthetics (of course if you are sewing costumes or other fancy clothing, you will have to use the synthetic fabric).   But for everyday clothing you will have the most success with natural fabrics, i.e., cotton, denim, etc.   When sewing knits be sure to allow for the stretch, and I have found it helpful to sew knits with a ball point needle.

Also, consider the fabric print when creating doll clothes. This may seem obvious, but I have seen otherwise adorable clothing made with overlarge prints that ruined the entire look.   Finding the proper size print on fabric takes a little extra work, (but not much) and the results are so much more pleasing.

My last tip concerns lining your clothes.   It is better to line your bodice, instead of using facing. The clothes are small and facings don't work as well. Just cut extra fronts and backs, assemble two bodices.   You can add a collar to the "outside" of the fabric of the first bodice and then sew the two bodices together at the neck, right sides facing each other.   Turn right side out and sew the lining to the bodice at the sides and sleeve openings and proceed as normal.   You can also use this technique for sleeves or even skirts, depending on how much time you want to spend on the piece and how finished you want the outfit to be on the inside.

Again, if you need to check out a special sewing technique, query the web.   You will find demo videos that will be very helpful.

Finally, making doll clothes with your child is a wonderful way to introduce them to sewing and I've love seeing girls with their dolls bragging "I made this outfit myself".

Happy Sewing...

Carolyn

The Changing Face of American Girl Dolls

2010-09-10T16:40:00.016-05:00

When I was a little girl, the doll of my dreams was made by Madame Alexander.   They were beautiful and very sought after and her dolls from the 40's and 50's have become collector's items. Madame Alexander doll possesses a timeless charm that only grows stronger as time passes. I was lucky enough to own 2 of these dolls from the 1950's.

However, following her 90th birthday in 1985, Madame began to take on an advisory role in the company, officially retiring in 1988. Madame Beatrice Alexander Berhman passed away at the age of 95.   Then, the Kaizen Breakthrough Partnership LP, a private capital fund managed by Gefinor, an international banking group, acquired The Alexander Doll Company in 1995.   They say that Madame Alexander's original vision is upheld today in the Alexander Doll Company's full line of collectible dolls, baby dolls and play dolls that incorporate her standards of quality with contemporary characters and modern materials. But I wonder if these dolls will ever match the quality, style, design and desirability of MA dolls made before 1990.   And they certainly are not the most desired doll by girls today.

There is an obvious parallel here to the evolution of the American Girl Doll.   A quick review of the history of American Girl Dolls illustrates the similarities: In 1986, Pleasant T. Rowland, a former educator and publisher of educational materials, founded Pleasant Company which is headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin. Pleasant Company produced and marketed three 18-inch dolls dolls each of which was from a different period in American History. Each of them had an elaborate background story which were told in several professionally-written books. The three girls, Samantha, Kirsten and Molly had a number of historically accurate outfits and accessory sets which tied into and were depicted in the various stories. The American Girl Collection was originally exclusively available only through mail-order catalogs. Over the next several years, five more historical dolls and their stories were added for a total of eight girls spanning periods in U.S. history from 1764 to 1944. All of the accessory items were imaginative, well designed and of the highest quality. The first American Girl dolls were actually manufactured in Germany by the Goetz doll manufactures.
In the Fall of 1997, an online store was launched. In 1998, Pleasant Company was acquired by Mattel, Inc., the world's leading toy company. Pleasant Rowland took a seat on the Mattel Board as an acting VP for two years. Then Ms. Rowland retired from Pleasant Company in 2000. American Girl became the main trademark name for the company. The Pleasant Company logo pretty much vanished, and heavy retirements begin from the historical doll line. . (For a detailed year-by-year history of the American Girl Dolls visit American Girl Playthings).

Many, many changes have been made to American Girl over the last 10 years. Although two new historical dolls (Julie and Rebecca) were added to the line, the loss of the dolls representing earlier historical times indicated a more disturbing trend for the American Girl Doll franchise.

I first noticed the change in the direction of the company as the catalogs evolved. Earlier catelogs feature the historical dolls, with new outfits and accessories for new events in their lives.   But the later catalogs have more pages devoted to the dolls of Today and Just Like me.

The next big change was the retirement of the Victorian era dolls, Samantha and Nellie. (These were my peronsal favorites).   And then Kirsten, a doll representing the prairie life, was retired. Now comes the news that the colonial doll Felicity (and her friend Elizabeth) are being retired after this holiday season.

Today there is more and more emphasis on dolls representing current style, the stores and the services sold in the stores. I'm sure these trends will contine because based on the American Girl Doll owners that are my friends and fans on Facebook, the new dolls, their clothes and style and the stores are a big success.   (Hopefully they will keep the soft-bodied dolls, and we won't see dolls developing the need for training bras, a la Barbie).

Why does this matter to me?   It gets back to the love of dolls and their place in a girl's development.   Every little girl loves to dress her doll and play with her. Almost any doll can serve this need. Barbie was so successful because finally girls that had played with paper dolls could have a three dimensional doll with all the clothes a girl wanted for her doll.   Bratz became successful because these dolls offered clothes reflecting the most current styles and fads.   But when girls reached a certain age, these dolls were by and large forgotten and probably tossed away.

I have always considered the American Girl Dolls to be very unique and special. The original idea for the dolls, to offer a doll that more than a toy that is played with then forgotten and discarded over time, was groundbreaking.

Today, the historical American Girl Dolls are unmatched by any other dolls currently offered at this time. While no one begrudges Mattel the expansion of the American Girl Doll line to include the stores, clothes and accessories for the dolls of today, slowly eliminating the historical dolls from this collection turns the American Girl Doll into a much more ordinary doll.   And that doll is not that different from Goetz, Springfield, Life of Faith, or even Madame Alexander's 18 inch soft-bodied doll.

Hope that doesn't happen.

Carolyn

American Girl Josefina Montoya Celebrates Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead)

2010-09-07T14:48:00.010-05:00

Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Mexican Americans living in the United States and Canada. As a New Mexican girl growing up in 1824, Josefina would honor her mother's memory by celebrating El Día de los Muertos.

Due to occurring shortly after Halloween, the Day of the Dead is sometimes thought to be a similar holiday, although the two actually have little in common. The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration, where partying is common.

The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 2 in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). In most regions of Mexico, November 1 honors children and infants, whereas deceased adults are honored on November 2. This is indicated by generally referring to November 1 mainly as Día de los Inocentes ("Day of the Innocents") but also as Día de los Angelitos ("Day of the Little Angels") and November 2 as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos ("Day of the Dead").

Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.

I have created a costume for Josefina Montoya for this celebration:

CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes - Josefina's Costume

Visit the Store (CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes) for more pictures and information about Josefina's costume. Thanks for stopping by.

Passion for Creating

2010-08-31T14:07:00.013-05:00

I have met so many wonderful creative people since I becamed involved in E-commerce. Running an on-line business requires a commitment to many areas, including forums.

One of my favorite forums is The Selling Lounge. I have received help, support and inspiration from the members I have met there. A short discussion I had with two of the members focused my thoughts on the difference between folks who are "making things to sell" and those who "have a passion to create".

Mary Russel (Novels by Mary Russel) writes wonderful children books and had commented on the "voices in her head" and noted that she had to get the ideas down on paper to calm the voices. Diana creates natural homemade soaps, perfumes and other organic items (Organic Gifts by Diana). and she added that when she had an idea for an item she couldn't sleep until she tried it out.

I am very thankful to them, because this is the way I feel when I design and sew my doll clothes. When I get an idea for an ensemble for American Girl, I have to go with that idea. I argue with myself about the viability of the design: that the outfit is not teen "fashion forward"; because of the materials I want to use it will be "too expensive"; no one will want that style. But,in order to still the voices and get some sleep, I have to continue with that creation.

After the short discussion with Diana and Mary I realized that anyone who has a passion for creating anything will be compelled to follow that passion where it takes them. Hopefully following that passion leads to commerical success, but as I and I'm sure Mary and Diana can attest, that is secondary to the absolute need to create.

And where has my passion led me lately?? I am inspired by the approaching holidays. Fall air is sneaking in every so often and that is influencing my design decisions.

Here are few pictures of items created in my "fall and holiday" mood:

Holiday Silk Dupioni Dress for American Girl Doll Felicity

Halloween Fairy Costume for American Girl Dolls

Victorian Tea Dress and Bonnet for American Girl Doll Samantha
Autumn in New York for American Girl Doll Rebecca

Sparkling Halloween Witch for American Girl Dolls

Back to School for American Girl Doll (Includes Boots)

Visit CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes to see all my designs.

Spring is Just Around the Corner

2010-03-13T09:03:00.001-06:00

Spring is just around the corner, so I decided it was time to offer fun spring and summer clothing for the dolls. Top on the list is a polka dotted halter dress. I love that the background on the print exactly matches the trims. For more info on this dress click here. .

I have created two other dresses for spring so far. One is a jungle print, with lion face embellishments on the shoulder and pocket. The lion faces are friendly, making this dress a lot of fun. And I created a bright spring dress for Molly trimmed with white ruffles. You can see both of these dresses in the newest listing section of the store.

Finally, with all the buzz about the Academy Awards and the red carpet, I felt that an American Girl Doll should be able to walk the red carpet, and I created a dress for the occasion.

Soon to arrive: a fun summer dress with print and rick-rack trim, a jean skirt and tie-dye T-Shirt, and Rebecca's summer eyelet dress. You can become a fan of CSBSEWS on Facebook and see pictures of the new outfits as soon as they are published.

I'll be back soon with more new clothes for the spring and summer season. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get advance notice of upcoming sales.

Sewing for American Girl Dolls in 2010

2010-01-31T12:09:00.000-06:00

With all the changes in the American Girl Doll World, deciding what to make for the dolls is getting to be more involved. If I could just sew and not worry about selling the clothes, I wouldn't have a problem at all.   But since I have not yet won the lottery, or found a long, lost rich uncle, I do not have unlimited funds to create American Girl Doll Clothes. So decisions about what to make must not only include what I like, but what American Girl Doll owners want.

Just in the last few months, Samantha, Nellie and Kirsten have all been retired.   I need to determine if the current owners will continue to shop for these doll's clothing on the internet abd if the dolls will continue to sell in the secondary markets as children outgrow them (does that happen with these dolls?), creating a demand for doll clothing for the eras that they represent?   I love the character dolls, so I will continue, for now, to create clothing for them . Hopefully interest in clothing for these dolls will continue, and I can indulge my passion for the Victorian Era.

But more and more, girls are attracted to the American Girl Dolls of Today.   This presents another conumdrum.   As those of you who have followed my blog or visited my store CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes I love to create original doll clothes designs.   But I ask myself, if I were buying jeans for my child's doll what am I looking for? An outfit from American Girl? An inexpensive pair of jeans to be played with for a while and then tossed away? or a higher end outfit?   I expect the answer is unless I am buying a very special gift for a child who is adamant about having a pair of jeans for her doll, I will opt for one of the first 2 choices. I just don't know the answer to that question and I guess it will take a months to determine the interest in clothes for American Girl Dolls of Today and Just Like Me.

In the meantime, until I resolve these questions and others to my satisfaction, I am going to continue to concentrate on the Character Dolls, the Fairy Tales and Film section (look for Cinderella, The Princess and the Frog, and Tinker Bell in the next couple of months), and holidays and special occasions.

And, speaking of holidays and special occasions (what a segue!) here are the last 2 outfits listed in my store.

Finally I am pleased to announce that CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes has a Facebook Page. Visit and become a fan.

Thanks for stopping by..

New Year for CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes

2009-12-29T13:24:00.003-06:00

CSBSEWS was very busy during the holidays. And now I am busy getting CSBSEWS ready for the new year and January 2nd, 2010 re-opening. I have made a lot of changes to the store. (Thanks to the folks at BISI for updating options on the stores). The design is new. Also, I have started a new category "Films and Fairy Tales" and am creating clothes based on stories and films. On the plus side, there are many characters to choose from. On the down side, it does take time to create the outfits. (I really don't mind). I have also introduced a new shipping option, First Class mail. A buyer can choose from first class shipping or priority mail shipping. First class requires the use of a mailer to stay within the 13 oz weight limits. Items shipped priority mail will continue to be sent in white gift boxes. Shipping costs are rising, and I felt it was necessary to give buyers a lower cost shipping option.

The blizzard has slowed down, actually halted trips to the fabric store, so I couldn't create as many new items as planned. But the thaw is coming and I will be working with the sewing fairies (me) until the store is fully stocked again.

Please visit and see the changes for yourself.

Hears wishing a Happy and Prosperous 2010 to each and everyone of you!!

Childhood Holidays..Dolls and Dreams

2009-10-24T16:35:00.005-05:00

My most treasured holiday memory involves a doll and what I thought was an impossible dream. During the 1950's many families were just starting out. Men had returned from the war and were attending school, and getting their first jobs. My family was no exception. We were living in an apartment in Houston, Texas where my father was interning at a local hospital so that within a year he could take his exams and begin practicing medicine. At that time we were surviving on a very small amount of money. In early November, my mother and I went downtown to shop. In those days there were no shopping malls as such so we visited the downtown shops and department stores. We passed a small toy store and in the window was the most beautiful doll I had ever seen. I know now it was the Madame Alexander Godey Queen Elizabeth doll. I stared and stared at the doll, and finally my mother led me away saying, "Yes, it is beautiful, but it is too expensive."

As Christmas approached I wondered if there was any way I would receive that doll for Christmas, and dreamed about her constantly. Finally, Christmas morning arrived and I was almost afraid to go out to the tree. I didn't want to show my disappointment and upset my parents. But, as you may have guessed, when I stepped into the living room, there, under the twinkling lights of the tree, was the doll. Words cannot describe how I felt that morning. It was a miracle and to this day I have no idea how they did it (there were no such things as credit cards in those days). I suspect helpful relatives.

The reason I share this experience with all of you is so I can shed some light on why I love sewing holiday dresses for the American Girl Dolls. I know that many young girls today want activewear and modern clothes for their dolls. But I have never forgotten how beautiful my doll looked under the tree and I imagine a young girl opening the box with a beautiful, sparkling dress for her doll and loving the magic of the moment.

Here are the first dresses I have sewn for the holidays. I love them all, especially the velvet dress for Samantha. Hopefully there will be more.

VICTORIANA

2009-09-27T05:43:00.006-05:00

Victorian clothes are so attractive to me. I'm not sure why I (and many, many others) share this love of women's and children's clothes from the late 1800's - early 1900's. I particularly love the "over-the-top" versions of these clothes, as expressed in French fashion magazines of the time. And made so exquistely for the dolls of that era.

I have tried to recreate two of these dress for the American Girl Doll. It was an interesting experience. It took time to find the fabrics locally, (ah, to have a Mood Fabric Store in Oklahoma!) and to create my own dress patterns. The dresses were expensive to produce as the fabrics and trim were costly and the construction was time consuming. But I had the satisfaction of completing the victorian dresses and hope to do more for the spring line of clothes. These items are available now at CSBSEWS American Girl Doll Clothes.

The rose print dress reflects an American Victorian doll dress, while the silk dress and bonnet are modeled on the French Victorian style.

For those more interested in today's looks, I have added new winter items for the modern American Girl Doll to the offerings at CSBSEWS.

Carolyn