Advance Vintage Pattern 3377 - Amazing Wiggle Dress

I have been looking for a really nice 50's style wiggle dress pattern, one that Joan Holloway would rock the halls of Sterling Cooper in, and came across Advance 3377.  This copy of the vintage pattern has been with me for years but I never made anything from it.   Why, I'm not sure, maybe because I have so many other patterns to tempt me. 

The last dress initial caught my eye but the sundress like bodice is a little to casual for an office type atmosphere.  But I pulled the instructions and pattern pieces out to see if I could kluge together bodice 4 and skirt 6.  Well, lo and behold, view 5 is NOT a 3pc suit as I had thought (maybe one should read the pattern envelope descriptions, it might be a time saver) but an amazing wiggle dress with a jacket AND.........all the bodices in this pattern have facings!!!!!  I love facings, makes it a little bit easier to do those necklines and itty bitty armholes.  Usually I draft my own (if I'm not feeling too lazy) but here they have done it for me! 

So I worked up 2 versions.

Evelyn (L) and Veronica (R) were kind enough to be my guinea pigs models.  Veronica's dress is made per the instructions with gathers on the side of the skirt.

Evelyn's was made with inverted pleats at the side of the skirt.

It's not a big difference but I do think the inverted pleat makes a cleaner line.  If I was really industrious I would put darts in at the side, but that involves extra sewing and the invert pleat is soooo easy.  

The Ladies really like this dress, it fits them very well.  They would like to have more of them,,,,,many more, maybe even that little jacket too!  They are so demanding.

Watch out Joan Holloway!

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Collection Catalog Project Has Begun

After several false starts I finished my database design and started pulling out the dolls to get them logged.  So far I have only managed to get 15 complete with pictures!!!  Ugh, who knew cataloging dolls could be such a process.  Of course I had to dress them in their original outfits (had to find them first) if I had them, brush their hair, clean them up a little.......you get the picture.

Anyway, I thought since I was doing this I may as well put them out on here to showoff  share as I go. You may have seen a few of them already on here but hey you can never get too much Barbie!

So here are the first 10:

1962 SL Bubblecut Barbie  #850

1964 SL Skipper  #950

1966 BL TNT Trade In Barbie  #1162

1965 BL Francie  #1130

1965 BL American Girl  #1070

1962  SL Ponytail  #850 #6/7

1964 SL Ponytail Swirl  #850

1964 SL Midge  #860

1964 SL Midge  #860

1965 BL Midge  #1080

****Disclaimer - I have done the best research I could, using all the books I have and trying to read the markings on the dolls, to establish who they are.  This may not be totally accurate.  I am only positive about my first 4 original dolls.

Well, gotta get back to it, these dolls aren't going to catalog themselves (they are a lazy lot, just standing on shelves or lying in boxes!).

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Collection Catalog Project

I have decided that my collection needs to be cataloged, for my curiosity of what I actually have and for insurance purposes.  I have created a database and plan to catalog every doll, outfit, case, piece of furniture and any other accessory I have.

It will take awhile as I need to research and make sure I have all the correct information of each item.  Pictures will also have to be taken and linked to the catalog number.

It should be.....fun, maybe not but I think it is necessary.  Do you have a full catalog listing of your collection?  If so, I would love to hear about it.

Naturally the first entry will be this lady:

She has been with me through thick and thin since 1962.  And at 58 she looks pretty darn good to me, a little greening at one ear, some facial paint rubs but HEY.....she's 58 and has no work done!  I would do almost anything for her as she has been a great friend.

So she gets top billing in the collection catalog along with my other 3 original dolls.  The rest of the ladies and gents in the collection will just have to fall in line behind the queen and her court.

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Proudly Pink Barbie

I got Proudly Pink Barbie before Thanksgiving and she is ....well, very, very pink!  I wanted her because of her pink hair (and I am a sucker for a ponytail!).  It has been my dream to take 3 different ponytail dolls, preferable from 3 different eras and have them rerooted in 3 various shades of pink.  Sooo, until then I am satisfying my pink hair urge with this doll.

Now, I love the pink color of her hair......her clothes not so much!  First off there is just too much pink and I am not a fan of the garish shade that it is. (Her little quilted purse is adorable and a nice shade of pink which matches her hair but not her outfit (in my opinion).  

I haven't released her from her box yet, so I am not sure of the quality of the clothing.  It is usually pretty good on the Silkstones.  But she is a very pretty doll and I have plans to make a new outfit for her.

I am thinking a gown from this pattern McCalls 9115, view C, the blue "hi-low" dress.  My plan right now is black satin with the skirt lined in a pale pink satin so it peeks out.  I also have some pink tulle but don't like things too fru-fruy, so maybe just use it to make a gathered sash around the waist, not sure yet.

As this is a pattern from 1997 I will need to make a muslin for fit before I cut into the good stuff and play with it a little.  I like view E (the gold gown) also but prefer the strapless top, so may play with that one a little too.

Anyway, this is Proudly Pink Barbie and my proud plans for her!

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Belated Happy New Year 2020

Lisa and Yvonne are late in wishing all their friends a Happy New Year.  The ladies were too busy posing in their cute New Years outfits.......

They found these festive little Sparkle Girl outfits at their local Walmart.  They love Sparkle Girl outfits.  They are cute and cheap, so they can keep up with the latest fashions.

Lisa's dress is made of tiny little thin colorful hanging plastic tags (just on the front).  It really is cute!

Yvonne's gold lame' skirt has a little ruffle on the front simulating a wrap skirt.  Her teal sequined midriff top also sports a ruffle along the hem. Super cute!

Lisa and Yvonne (and me, too!) wish you all a safe, healthy and happy

New Year!

Skipper 'Sunny Pastels' #1910 1965-1966

This is the last of the Christmas gift outfits. Skooter is wearing Skipper's 'Sunny Pastels' which matches Barbie's outfit 'Fun n' Games'.  A pretty candy striped shift dress with a pink and sequin leaves, matching tote bag, pink flat shoes and white socks.  A perfect dress for a summer day out with your big sister!

I have the matching dress (only) for Barbie but it needs some repairs.  Now that I have Skipper's dress I will be more motivated to repair it so they can wear them together.

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Francie 'It's a Date' #1251 1966

I was 10 years old in 1966 and loved my Francie doll.  She was so cute and modern and had the perfect flip hairdo!

This is my AA reproduction Francie modeling 'It's a Date'.

This is a cute dress mixing dots and stripes in turquoise and lime green with crisp white collar and cuffs.  I would have loved to have this dress in real life!  It comes with very pale blue textured hose but they are very hard to get on the dolls with the rubbery bendable legs and being over 50 years old I didn't want to take a chance and tear them.  Blue soft low heels complete her look.

The hose are perfect!

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Skipper 'School Days' # 1907 1964-1965

I am not sure why they called this outfit 'School Days' as Skipper had an outfit called 'School Girl' and this is a matching outfit to Barbie's 'Knitting Pretty' outfit.

Anyway, this is such a cute outfit with pink pleated flannel skirt, crisp white short sleeved blouse and matching pink cardigan with tiny gold bead buttons.  The socks here are white, but also came in pink, with black flat shoes.  A wooden bowl of yarn (again what does this have to do with school days?).

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Francie 'Side Kick' #1273 1967-1968

This Francie was the last doll I received as a kid from my parents.  I didn't have a lot of outfits for her so I am trying to make up for it now.  This is 1 of 2 outfits I received this Christmas.

Side Kick, #1273,  is a cute navy/white gingham dress with lace accents and red buttons and bow, and matching hat.  The shoes here are replacement square toed chunky low heeled pumps, not the soft red low heels.  It was available in 1967 through 1968.

I had this plastic red bow headband from a current Hello Kitty fashion pak and it goes great with dress.  It matches the plastic red bow on the dress almost perfectly.  This is really an adorable outfit and Francie looks so cute in it!

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