Nadine is wearing the 1909 Robe de Toile, or “Linen Dress” along with the 1905 Chapeau de Pâques or “Easter Hat”. The dress has a “large cape collar” that is embroidered in a flower motif design. The color combination used by Agnes Sura on her Bleuette dress featured on the cover of the Summer/Fall 2002 issue of Doll Costumer’s Guild inspired me to use a similar color combination on my own.

New Irish linen was used for the dress and chapeau and plaid silk for the bias trim. The chapeau has ruched vintage ribbon around the outer edge. The cocarde is from silk with hand dyed ostrich and emu feathers.

Bleuette ~ 1909 Robe de Toile

La Semaine de Suzette ~ 1909 Robe de Toile

1909 Robe de Toile ~ Upper Detail

1909 Robe de Toile ~ Collar Embroidery Detail

1909 Robe de Toile ~ Belt

Bleuette ~ 1905 Chapeau de Pâques

La Semaine de Suzette ~ 1905 Chapeau de Pâques

This “sleeveless dress”  is “composed of two parts, the straight dress and the blouse that goes with it.” The pattern suggests making several blouses of different fabrics and colors in order to vary the look of the outfit, giving the effect that Bleuette has many different outfits.

I made the sleeveless dress for my Bleuette, Violetta, from vintage linen. The running stitch that trims the dress was done with embroidery floss.

The pattern says that “very fashionable today are blouses of light fabrics decorated with flowers or embroidered dots.” While the dots on the vintage voile fabric used for the blouse are not embroidered, it is similar to fabric the pattern describes (mine are actually squares).  I added vintage lace at the neck and sleeves.

The necklace that Violetta is wearing around her neck is made from one of my childhood necklaces. And since she wanted to look just like the girl in the illustration, I made her a jump rope!

(More images will be added to this post as time permits.)

Bleuette ~ 1920 Robe Sans Manches

La Semaine de Suzette ~ 1920 Robe Sans Manches

My Bleuette, Geneve, wears my version of Robe Paletot or Coat Dress. The pattern illustration shows the wrap dress with a fur collar and fur pompoms at each end the end of the sash, but the pattern pieces gave an option for straight-stitch embroidery in “bright wool” on the collar and cuffs. I chose the embroidery option to go with the fabric I wanted to use. Instead of “bright wool” I used some beautiful vintage (probably rayon type) floss in a gorgeous shade of purple. I chose another lavender/purple shade of DMC cotton floss as a complimentary color. So there are two shades used in the embroidery design on the batiste collar and cuffs to bring out the luscious colors in the fabric.

Instead of pompoms, I chose to put tassels on the sash, made with both flosses combined together for a variegated look, not only in color, but in texture.

Bleuette ~ 1918 Robe Paletot

La Semaine de Suzette ~ 1918 Robe Paletot

1918 Robe Paletot ~ Back Detail ~ Embroidery

1918 Robe Paletot ~ Tassels

Bleuette ~ 1908 Costume de Mariée

My premiere Bleuette, Nadine, wears the Costume de Mariée. I actually finished it at the end of 2005, but had never done the jupon or slip that went with it, nor had I ever gotten the right pair of shoes to go with the dress. Now, 2½ years later, it is finally a complete ensemble. I worked on the embroidery off and on over an 18-month period. I think my eyesight got worse during that time! LOL

The wedding dress is made from silk shantung embroidered with silk floss that is a shade or two lighter than the fabric. The silk floss was a joy to work with and it has a beautiful sheen to it!

The guimpe is made from some lace that someone gave to me so I’m not totally sure if its vintage, but if not, it sure does pass for it! The little piece used for the collar is vintage.

The jupon that I just completed is made from the same tissue-thin silk that I lined the wedding dress with. I used a piece of a favorite vintage lace that I have been saving for some time. It is rather wide for Bleuette, but worked just right for the slip since it can be wider there, and I didn’t want to cut it up. Perfect!

A disintegrating antique headpiece and a piece of vintage tulle found new life as Nadine’s headpiece and bouquet. As always, the entire ensemble was sewn by hand.

1908 Costume de Mariée ~ La Semaine de Suzette

1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Upper Detail

1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Bouquet from antique headpiece

1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Embroidery Detail

1908 Costume de Mariée ~ Jupon

1974 Illustration

Here is a 1974 illustration that shows an appliqué or embroidered heart on the jeans.

Raggedy Ann face embroidered on blue jeans

During the 70′s, fashion was very much about “expressing yourself.” A new pair of jeans, jean jacket or blue chambray shirt was an empty canvas for doing just that.

In this illustration, you will also notice a girl holding a Raggedy Ann doll. Raggedy Ann has been a favorite American icon for years. That must be why I chose to embroider her on a pair of my jeans in the early 70′s! Her face was down near the hem of the pants. When it came time to throw out the old jeans, I cut Raggedy Ann’s face out and tucked her away.

If your Julie or Ivy dolls have a pair of jeans in their wardrobe, you might want to do a little embroidery on them!

Addy 1004A

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Kit • Ruthie 7020B

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Kirsten 4908C

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