Sewing for the Dolls

I have to be honest--I think I'm in my second childhood.  I guess that's partly what grandchildren are for--right?  Well, since they don't know this blog exists I can spill the beans.  Dolls will be coming for Christmas, and Santa Grandma has been commissioned to help make clothes to go with them. 

The first two finished are for Miss V since she will be with me at Grandma Camp next week.  I'm going green, too, since both of these outfits are made completely from scraps from things I've made this year.  The pajamas on the right are the remnants of a shell I made for myself this summer and the outfit on the left is actually made from scraps from an outfit Miss V got to start school in.  The doll's outfit isn't exactly like V's, but she'll recognize the fabrics, smile, and say something about her doll being dressed like her.  Check out the red buttons with white polka dots on the top.  The picture doesn't do them justice, but they just make the top!

Christmas is Coming!

I really love this time of year.  As a child, it was a really magical time and we looked forward to the entire holiday season.  One of the things I remember was our stocking tradition.  We had one each year, and you could be sure there would be an orange, an apple, candy canes and lifesavers along with other assorted goodies. 

It's one tradition I wanted to bring to my home when we married, and we did have stockings those first years, but nothing fancy. I did get a pair of pearl earrings that first year that I still wear.  When our first daughter was born just a couple of weeks before our fifth  Christmas, there wasn't time to make anything special, but for her second Christmas I found a Vogue stocking pattern that I loved, and have used in the 35+ years since to make stockings for our family. 

When the granddaughters came along, their first stockings were sewn like long johns with the back flap being the opening.  We're retiring the last two of those this year and Kathryn and Elizabeth will get their big girl stockings.  The third one I made recently is special.  My Mom now spends winters with us, and last year I noticed we didn't have a stocking to hang for her.  This year she'll get her very own stocking!  Holiday traditions are indeed wonderful!