July Sew-A-Long for Marie-Grace and Cecile

As I was walking down the street,

Down the street, down the street,

A pretty gal I chance to meet,

Under the silvery moon!

This summer I discovered the American Girl Plaything's Sew-a-long (SAL) on the site's forum.  Each month a new challenge is issued to the sewers, and this month, we were tasked with creating a new look for Marie-Grace and Cecile.  Ah, the 1850s!!! I have been stuck in Ruthie, Emily, and Rebecca's time periods for awhile, so it was fun to time travel to a different generation.

I began browsing 1850s photos online, searching for a dress that would provide perfect inspiration.  When I found this purple dress, I fell in love with the skirt.  The bodice is nice, too, but a little more complicated than what I wanted to tackle at the moment.  For my dress's bodice, I selected Simplicity 3929 Dress B.  I loved the gathered, round neckline, and I added the lighter fabric on the end of the sleeves to give the dress a little contrast.  For the skirt, I adapted Dress F of McCalls 3627, shortening the side panels.  I considered shortening the length as well since most of Marie-Grace and Cecile's dresses are shorter, but at the last minute, I decided to leave it alone.  My favorite part of this dress has to be the bows on the skirt! All eight of them were hand sewn- another first for me! I've never made fabric bows before, but I think they really make the outfit.  

When Ruthie tried on the dress, I recognized the dreamy look in her eyes- no doubt imagining she was in middle of one of her favorite stories- the Wolves of Willoughby Chase.  To help bring the fantasy to life, she needed a new hairstyle.  Are you afraid of brushing your wavy haired American Girls as much as I am? Well, here's a hair tip you might use! Instead of a spray bottle, I filled a small cup with water and dipped the corner of a baby wash cloth in it.  Then I used the damp wash cloth to pat her hair.  Frizz disappeared instantly, and I was able to use a hair pick to work with individual curls with no fear of water getting into the doll's eyes.  I created three pin curls on each side of Ruthie's part, and the rest of her hair was tucked into a small bun at the back of her neck.  I added a few hair clips and bobby pins to hold the style together long enough to take photos.  Ruthie hasn't looked this cute since I brought her home years ago! 

Bleuette's H Dress Pattern for 18" Dolls

The girls have new dresses! This time it's another pattern resized from The Bleu Door.  What is it about those little French dresses that I love so much? Is it the pleated center or is it absence of gathering? I love the neat and tailored look- even if my ironing leaves a lot to be desired!This pattern was originally published in 1928 for an 11" Bluette doll, but I have resized it to fit 18" dolls, such as American Girl.  The year 1928 is a little late for Rebecca and a little early for Kit, but with the right styling, it could be perfect for either of them!

Download the free pattern here.