topic Re: Happy July 4th in Community Chat

Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 01:42:08 GMT

Toni says "Happy July 4th". She is ready for the July 4th parade, wearing her sailor dress from my Toni Doll Fashions

Collection. All of Toni's Fashions were designed and sewn by me. This sailor dress is a recreation of my own sailor dress that I wore in 1952.

Have a happy, fun and safe holiday weekend.

Re: Happy July 4th

Kachina624 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 01:46:52 GMT

Very festive and cute. I used to love to make doll clothes.

Re: Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 02:10:19 GMT

@Kachina624 Thank you. About 15 years ago, I was making Toni Doll clothes and selling them online for a few years to Toni

Doll collectors. I kept all my Ginny and Toni dolls from my childhood. I still have online the folders of all the dresses in the collection.

It was fun , but after working all day at my day job, I would sew at night. The first dress I made and sold was a recreation of

my white dotted Swiss First Communion dress and veil. I even included a sterling silver cross and chain with the dress. I liked to include accessories with the dresses that I sold.

What doll or dolls did you sew for? When my girls were young, I made most of their dresses and sewed Barbie Doll clothes for them.

Re: Happy July 4th

Kachina624 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 02:35:23 GMT

I had a 16" (I think) Madam Alexander doll for which I made clothes. Then Barbie came on the scene. I got one and had fun sewing for her. Barbie clothes were hard because they were so tiny. I was too old to play with them. I just liked to design and sew clothes.

Re: Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 03:16:33 GMT

@Kachina624 Here is one for you in aqua. Shades of aqua and turquoise

have always been my favorite colors. This dress is from the Pinwheel Playtime Collection.

Madame Alexander dolls are beautiful. As a child I had one 8" Wendy. Now I have the set of 8" Little Women and a few others that were my mother's. We were both doll collectors.

You are right about sewing for small dolls. It is more difficult. I made clothes for Ginny too, but not to sell.

When my oldest daughter got married, I duplicated her gown, headpiece and veil on a Barbie. I surprised her with it at

her bridal shower.

Re: Happy July 4th

Kachina624 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 03:22:04 GMT

@Enufstuff That aqua dress is gorgeous. My favorite color, of course. I would loved to have seen your bride doll. Making doll clothes is clearly your passion. Do you still make any? I don't sew much anymore. Don't have the patience or vision.

Re: Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 03:22:46 GMT

@Kachina624 I thought that you might like the aqua dress. I have photographs of the Barbie bride somewhere. If I can locate them, I'll have my son help me to post one.

I haven't sewn anything in a while. I have about ten Toni dolls

and I only have two of the dresses that I made. I have such a large collection of trims and fabrics, I want to make some for myself. I just haven't made the time to do it. My vision is okay,

but arthritis in my fingers makes things more difficult to do.

After I stopped making dolls clothes, I got involved for the next couple of years, making seaglass jewelry and selling that.

I have more than a hundred pieces to sell, but then covid happened and no craft fairs.

Now that I think of it, the last sewing I did was a few years ago when I made jingle dress regalia for my great grand daughter to wear, dancing at pow wows. Where we live, pow wows have not resumed since covid. My daughters and I miss going to them. Hopefully things will get better.

Re: Happy July 4th

lynnie61 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 04:40:20 GMT

@Enufstuff wow, how pretty, I’m sure the bridal dress was beautiful. My great aunt used to sew Barbie clothes for my sister and I. Velvet gowns with pearl features. I wish I had a few of them. She would also crochet use blankets, rugs, she even made my Francie a crocheted purse. Imagine how tiny that was!

I sewed a few outfits for myself in middle school, but that was my extent of my sewing. We had the nicest home ec teachers! I made a few jean purses, a pants suit, and a skirt.

Anyways your Toni doll clothes are cute and festive! Thanks for sharing. I had a Penny Brite doll, but don’t remember these Toni dolls. I’ll have to google it.

Re: Happy July 4th

Kachina624 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 05:01:35 GMT

@Enufstuff We did have the huge Gathering of Nations Pow Wow here in Albuquerque this year. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. Wow, if you make those costumes, you're really talented. I've never been to the pow wow but would love to go just to see the costumes...and to shop. I just can't do the walking required though. You and your daughter ought to come here next year

Re: Happy July 4th

Oznell — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 05:04:20 GMT

@Enufstuff, Toni is so cute in her patriotic-themed sailor outfit, flag at the ready! How talented you are.

Happy Independence Day to you too, and wishing a glorious Fourth for all.

Re: Happy July 4th

PamfromCT — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 09:24:12 GMT

@Enufstuff, Your doll clothes are just beautiful! I so admire your talent. I treasure anything made by hand, and your creations were made with love.

I don’t sew, but I love working with my hands. I tend to concentrate on Early American arts and crafts.

Your family is some privileged to have your talents. I am almost 78, but still have a sweet dolly dress one of my great-

aunts made for me. The same one who made me lovely hand-smocked dresses as a little girl.

Re: Happy July 4th

meallen616 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 09:34:25 GMT

@Enufstuff,

The doll clothes are beautiful!

Re: Happy July 4th

phoenixbrd — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 12:51:44 GMT

@Enufstuff Love your patriotic Toni....you have a gift. How wonderful that you were able to create the wedding Barbie for your daughter and the pow wow regalia for your great granddaughter....treasured memories.

Re: Happy July 4th

SloopJohnB — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 13:07:18 GMT

@Enufstuff So, so pretty & you are so talented! Happy 4th to all !!!

Re: Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 17:47:16 GMT

@Kachina624 The Gathering of Nations Pow Wow must be amazing to see. I've only seen videos of it and I have a Gathering of Nations CD with the chanting and drumming.

We only go to local Northeast pow wows in Massachusetts,

New Hampshire and Maine. Two years ago I injured my knee and with arthritis in it, the doctor said I need knee replacement.

I'm trying to avoid that, if possible. I can't do much walking either.

When we go to pow wows, we bring folding chairs. I mostly sit and watch. I can do a little walking and then rest. Not that I need more Native American jewelry, but I can't resist looking. I usually buy some things for my girls. If I lived in New Mexico, I would definitely go to see

The Gathering of Nations. Is it possible for you to bring a chair

and sit to enjoy the festivities? Can you walk a little, to check out a few vendors?

As lovely as it sounds, traveling to New Mexico to see the pow wow and I'm sure I would love the gem show, it's probably a little too ambitious for me. The last plane trip we took was to Europe, just before covid. I think that just getting through the airport would be a challenge now.

My three daughters and I go to the pow wows and sometimes the two grandaughters and three great grand daughters go. One daughter won't fly and the other two have

work and family obligations. The four of us did go to a pow wow in Maine just before covid.

I never thought of sewing as a great talent, just a skill that we learned in Junior High. When my girls were young, I made most of their dresses. I also sewed for myself and made all my costumes when I performed Middle Eastern dance.

I found the pictures of the Barbie bride. My son will help me to post it.

Re: Happy July 4th

Kachina624 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 18:04:46 GMT

@Enufstuff We seem to have a lot in common. I've had one knee replacement and badly need a second but am also trying to avoid it. It is, however, an old back injury that bothers me walking or standing. I don't go to any big venue because I can't get from the parking lot to the building. I do have two mobility scooters but the smaller one has something wrong with it and the other is too big and heavy to disassemble and lift into the car.

Re: Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 18:07:35 GMT

@lynnie61 How wonderful that your great aunt sewed for your Barbies. The velvet gowns with pearls must have been beautiful.

The little crocheted purse must have been so cute.

Barbies came out when I was a teen, so I did'nt have those.

My daughters had the barbie dolls. Toni dolls were made in the 1940's and 50's. I got two of them in 1953. Then came the most popular doll at that time, Ginny. That was just before Barbies.

I found the pictures of Barbie in my daughter's gown. My son will help me post it.

Re: Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 18:21:50 GMT

@Kachina624 You are right, sometimes it is a bit of a walk from the parking areas to an event. Maybe a mechanic who does repairs on mopeds or motor bikes or lawn mowers could take a look at your scooter. If parts are available, my son can fix just about anything. If

you lived nearby, I'd have him take a look at it for you. He is my

mechanic and IT person. He built a computer for me and has kept many of my appliances going for years. I am lucky that he still lives here.

When we were young , we took so much for granted. Getting older is not for sissies. I am a wimp when it comes to surgeries. You are braver than I am, having had one knee done already.

Re: Happy July 4th

Enufstuff — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:05:33 GMT

@PamfromCT Thank you for the compliment. Ever since I was very young, I've loved creating and making things.I've always loved trying new arts and crafts. Now, I just don't seem to have the drive to create things so much. I don't know if it is my age (74) or the fact that I have been rather stressed out and depressed

since covid. I've only recently started trying to leave the house more.

How lovely that you still have a doll dress that your great aunt made for you. Your smocked dresses must have been beautiful.

What kind of arts and crafts are your favorites? Do you still do them? My middle daughter loves Early American and primitive decor. She likes crafting things too. She bought everything to stencil her kitchen floor, but has not started it yet.

Re: Happy July 4th

desertrat8 — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:36:53 GMT

@Enufstuff I am amazed at your fabulous talent! Such intricate work. I was doing good to knit a sweater for my son when he was a baby. To say I'm impressed hardly expresses how I feel.