It's a party...

The Dreary's Party is in full swing...although again it seems like Skelly is already past standing upright!

Although we don't celebrate Halloween, three of my girls  want to wish all our friends who DO, a Happy Halloween.

The plans continue...

It seems that the Green Interloper... has been removed...or at least I am guessing that Viktor has discreetly suggested they go for a walk so the girls can discuss the party.  

Agnes (2) asks Ginger Marley if she would mind playing for them.

Agnes (1) joins them and sits down with Marley.

It seems Skeleton is still rather inebriated. 

Uh oh..it seems the Green Interloper has left something behind...

I hope it isn't a listening device, otherwise he will know all their plans!

Marley School Uniforms

I have finally finished the four Marley School Uniforms.  

I can't say it was the most pleasurable things I have made.  

I love the skirts BUT  the jackets - not overly impressed with the design which doesn't really allow for the sleeves of the skivvies.  Black is a nightmare to sew with - so very difficult to see what you are doing, and even more so on this scale.  

I'm not too happy with the fit of the white skivvies/tops either.  Just not quite the fit I would have liked, again perhaps it is a slight variation in the fabric I used to the fabric used on the pattern, or perhaps not.  

Tonner 12 inch dolls.

A new to me Marley Tonner doll has arrived - 'Violin First Chair'  she will join my other Marley doll

Well being musical how could I not?

I quite like these dolls - I like the pre adult shaped body - not young children, but not adults either and that appeals to me.  I have had my 'journey' with collecting adult dolls - Palitoy Tressy years ago now and all but a couple of that collection have now left for other homes.

I first discovered these dolls by chance when browsing Dolls 'Ending Soonest' on Evilbay - I saw the most unusual and strangely very appealing doll, who I discovered was 'Agnes Dreary' - I just had to have her.  Maybe I recognised something in her...

Well I then discovered she had a brother 'Viktor Dreary' Maestro - a musical theme?  Well of course he had to come to live here.

Somehow Agnes doesn't seem as pleased to see him as one would have imagined...

Marley was next in a wonderful Agnes Dreary outfit.

That was it for my little Tonner collection...or so I thought until I saw this wonderful Agnes in 'Minor Conundrum'

Well what a superb outfit - just had to have her!

So now I have two Agnes Dreary and two Marley dolls - plenty for me to be going on with.  Perhaps after my School Uniform commission I will make each of them a uniform as well as they are upper school age.

Making a School Uniform for Marley Wentworth

I was asked to make a set of school uniforms for Marley and finally managed to go out and get the fabric today and have made the first 'prototype' using the pattern provided to me.

I was very disappointed in the lack of choice of fabric - hoping for a good selection of plaid, tartan etc...only to find there was almost nothing so had to settle for the one below that I have used to make the skirt.

I like the skirt pattern - it fits nicely and works reasonably well with the patterning on the fabric I chose.

The skivvy seems to me not to have allowed enough facing on the back where it does up - so I will amend that.  I think I will make the sleeves narrower as well.  This probably differs depending on what knit fabric is used.  Again I had the choice of...one!

The jacket is perhaps a bit more fiddly than necessary - the sleeves are sewn in two parts, as is the back - wondering if this is really necessary for a jacket of this size - it just adds to the seam bulk.  Plus it is very difficult to put the jacket/blazer on over the long sleeve skivvy.  Marley just wouldn't hold her sleeves down and they kept bunching up!  I'm not sure enough allowance has been made in the front either for the buttons (yet to be sewn on) done up.  

I may make up another jacket/blazer with out the extra seams to see how the fit is before I commit to this pattern.