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Halloween Crafts: From Plain to Pretty Lace Fantasy Costume Dress

It took way too long, but I finally finished the first project on my craft list.  A Halloween costume. Does anyone remember this dress ?...

Friday, September 26, 2025

Looking Back at Old Posts: My Crafting Space

While editing a recent post, I noticed the thumbnail of a much older post that really caught my eye.


This photo says so much.

Looking Back at Old Posts: My Crafting Space. Here's my craft and sewing space from over 13 years ago in a complete state of messy chaos.
It's a photo of my old craft and sewing space at it's absolute worse. Such chaos, but I absolutely love it.

Looking through it all, I can remember so much. For almost every item in this picture, I can remember exactly why it is there and what project it was for if any.

Examples:


Looking back at Old Posts: My Crafting Space. Here's a doll dress I made ages ago.
The scraps of black and white striped knit fabric were leftover from the t-shirt to dress I made for my nephew's Cabbage Patch Kid doll when he was little (see T-Shirt Redo for a Doll, a Tutorial).

Looking back at Old Posts: My Crafting Space. Here's a cute porcelain doll wearing a blue dress with a matching lace headband.
The porcelain doll in the up right corner wearing a blue dress was a doll I found at a thrift store. I gave it a makeover before this (see Prettied Up).

Looking back at Old Posts: My Crafting Space. Here's a Bratz I made over. It has a pretty pink dress with lace, and it's hair is done up in a curly updo. There's even lace earrings.
Next to the doll is a Bratz doll that also received a makeover (see Pretty in Pink).

On the desk is a purple pencil box I bought at a back to school sale from Office Max. I was using it for sewing supplies, I later switch to using if for actual pencils and erasers, and now I use it for small electronic items. That's right, I still have it over 13 years later. Those things are built to last.

The chair was given to me by a friend from church. She gave me a ride home and just happen to have it in the trunk of her car intending to drop it off at a thrift store, but offered it to me instead. The desk came from a neighbor, similar store.

Above the small white drawers, you can see a cat face. That's from cute paper book cover I got in high school for my textbooks. I kept it for years before using it to cover an aluminum can to make a pencil holder. 

Looking back at Old Posts: My Crafting Space. Here's a basket I decorated with ruffled lace around the edge a lace wrapped around the handle. It's full of spools of lace and ribbon.
Above the chair, you can see a basket covered with lace. It's a basket I save from being tossed. I decorated it with lace and used to store my lace and other trims (see Decorating and Launching).

And that's just a handful of memories.

Makes me want to go through all my old photos and posts, maybe there's a few more memories to share later.

Look forward to it.


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Saturday, September 20, 2025

Sewing for Dolls: Simple T-shirt and Shorts Outfit for a Bjd

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!


My latest sewing project is doll clothes.

Yes, more doll clothes. The perfect tiny project for sewing on the go, as long as you don't mind random parents and grandparents asking you questions about who you are making them for, many assume I'm sewing for a kid.

Anyway, I made a simple but cute outfit for one of my ball jointed dolls (or bjds).

Sewing for Dolls: Simple T-shirt and Shorts Outfit for a Bjd
I made a little t-shirt, a pair of knit shorts, and a pair of socks.

Of course, I did make patterns and a tutorial as well. You can find it here on my doll blog. They should fit a 8-10 inch doll.

Sewing for Dolls: Simple T-shirt and Shorts Outfit for a Bjd. Here's is the doll wearing his cute new outfit. There is a link to the tutorial too!
Here they are worn by my lucky little ball jointed doll. His name is Makoto. He is a yosd sized or 1/6 scale doll, about 10 inches tall.

I got him several years ago, but had never gotten around to making clothes for him. Now he isn't running around in his underwear.

Sewing for Dolls: Simple T-shirt and Shorts Outfit for a Bjd
I love how the t-shirt came out. Those tiny buttons look so cute. I found them ages ago at SAS Fabrics in a little bag of tiny embellishments. I finally found a use for them.

The shorts gave me some trouble. I accidently made them a too big for this little guy. I adjusted them and the pattern accordingly, so all is well.

The socks were super easy. It's not the first time I've made socks this size, or tights (see Sewing for Dolls: Socks and Lingerie? Plus Tutorial Links).

The shirt closes in the back with Velcro to make changing easier. Some ball jointed doll owners like to take their heads off to change their clothes, that's not for me.

Sewing for Dolls: Simple T-shirt and Shorts Outfit for a Bjd. The doll is wearing his new outfit while covering his head with his hands.
Now all that's needed is a few little accessories. I was thinking maybe a tiny hat and maybe a little backpack. But, that's a project for another day. 

Plus, I still have some other items to finish up, more doll clothes.

I will share them soon. Look forward to it.



Give it a Try:
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Sunday, September 7, 2025

Scrap Rosette Brooch Tutorial

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Today, I am sharing a tutorial for a quick and easy use for fabric scraps, making brooches.

So, dig up your cutest scrap fabrics and let's get started.


Scrap Rosette Brooch Tutorial, sewing pretty accessories with fabric leftovers.

Scrap Rosette Brooches


Materials needed:


Cut the fabric scraps with pinking shears.

First, using your pinking shears, cut the fabrics into long strips. Roughly about 1-2 inches wide and 5-6 inches long.

Strips of fabric cut using pinking shears.

It's good to cut several strips of varying widths, it makes the next steps more interesting.


Rosettes or flower shapes made by sewing and gathering fabric strips.

Here is my video tutorial for lace rosettes. You will need to follow the same steps to turn your fabric scrap strips into fabric scrap rosettes.

While you're at it, make a few lace rosettes too to pair with your scrappy ones.

Supplies gathered to make fabric brooches.

When you're ready, gather all your rosettes and buttons and start assembling.

Sewing the button to the center of the brooch.

Stack together at least 2 rosettes in colors that work to your taste to create a cute brooch.


Sew a button in the center, sew through all layers of your brooch. Feel free to add any other embellishments that you wish.

Sewing the back of the brooch.

Cute a circle of felt and sew to the back of the brooch. This is demonstrated in my lace applique brooch video tutorial. Attach a pinback to finish up your brooch.

Now go make some more, they make great little gifts.

Two finished brooches made from fabric scraps, ribbon, and buttons.

I made several varieties. These black and blue brooches are my favorite, I love the cute heart buttons.

Four brooches made from fabric scraps, lace, and buttons.

I also love how well the lace works with the pattern of the fabric on the green brooches. The purple and blue fabrics are an interesting combination too.

I hope you enjoyed this post, my next one should be up soon. Look forward to it.

Give it a try:


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