The T & K Country Treasure’s Blog

Well this year sure flew by.  Hard to believe it is almost 2008.  All in all it was a really good year.  My husband got back safely from Iraq after 11 months building the American Embassy, and my 2 oldest sons moved out. My daughter also got engaged this fall. Lot of changes this year.  I haven’t had a whole lot of time to sew, but that is ok, since really I’m building this business up for when I retire from my other job.  Nice way to build a business when you love it as a hobby.

My sons new girlfriend bought me my Cabbage Patch Newborn doll I was hoping for at Christmas. The kids thought I was nuts for asking for it, but I told them I’d like it for a model to start making clothes for.

My husband bought me my serger that I have been wanting so it will be fun to start using that.

This fall I bought a Cabbage Patch lil Sprouts doll and made a bunch of outfits for ebay.  I just listed a bunch more in my ebay store. http://stores.ebay.com/T-K-Country-Treasures_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm.

Thank you to everyone who visits my websites and ebay store.  May you all have a very blessed and Happy New Year. Keep checking back, I’m hoping to add things during this year.

Hard to believe how much time website updating takes.  I’m helping my mom move her website over to Yahoo Web Hosting.  I like their Site Builder tool for building a website and it has the paypal button option.  Her site is Puppetsbymargie.com and she has been making and selling puppets for years.  I’m hoping I can make the site look good then she will take over making updates.  It’s been a lot of fun.

I got a few orders on the T&K Country Treasures site.  One customer was even nice enough to tell me my product numbers were all the same on my My Scene doll clothes page.  That’s what happens when you copy and paste and forget to change the information……  Live and learn, I guess I shouldn’t be in such a hurry to get things done.

Well, haven’t been sewing too much this month again.  But I am hoping once the websites are updated I’ll get back to it.  I would like to get a few more outfits on ebay soon.

I can’t believe so much time has past since my last post.  I was so excited to see someone outside my family left a comment.  Sometimes I wonder if any one actually sees what I am writing.  Either way it’s a nice little journal to look back and see what I have been working on.

 I bought the Linda McCall doll by Robert Tonner.  She is a really cute doll, I think she is the same size as Ann Estelle.  I am going to make a dress and see if it fits both the same.  I have been smocking quite a few pieces of fabric but have not gotten around to sewing them into dresses yet.

 I would like to smock a dress for each of the dolls I have purchased and take a picture of all of them together.  I think that would be a cute picture for my website.

Along with the smocking I have been looking up many websites for heirloom sewing.  I found a place that has classes but it is in another state.  I went to a local fabric store and was so surprised to see that they were offering heirloom sewing classes.  It is at Fabric Fair in Bay City, MI. http://www.thefabricfair.com/    I hope I can fit the classes into my schedule.  My job has been very hectic lately and I haven’t really had time to sew much.  I hope I’ll find a way to fit in those classes though.  Looks like relaxing work.

Well, back to work. Happy sewing………

Well I’ve added quite a few new dolls to my collection.  I have purchased an Ann Estelle doll, Riley and Ellery by Helen Kish and a 14″ Betsy McCall to go with the little 8″ one I purchased last year.  I was so excited about these dolls and the possibilities of outfits that I went out and bought a new smocking Pleater so I could make smocked dresses.  My son laughed at me because I have 5 pieces of fabric pleated and no dresses finished.  But that’s okay.  The first one I’m going to finish is a little purple one for Riley.  It is smocked with yellow and purple embroidery floss.

I also joined a Yahoo Group for Riley Kish dolls. I’ve enjoyed reading the posts but have not left any yet.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rileykish/

Well, back to work, happy sewing.

I decided to finally purchase the dolls I have been looking at on ebay.  I bought a 14″ Betsy McCall doll and a Riley Kish doll from eBay.  Then I found a site that had the little Ellery Kish doll for sale.  So I decided to treat myself and buy all three.  Today I digitized a new collar for a miniature doll.  It is really cute and is more of an applique collar.  I used white fabric as the background and then used pink thread to make the lacy look around the collar.  Then I added 2 tiny flowers.  I then digitized matching flowers tied together with a pink bow.  I am going to use that for the dress top so the top and collar coordinate.  I think the dress will be a light pink fabric. I am still trying to decide if the embroidery will be on a pinafore or just be part of the dress.  I also decided to change the closure of the tiny dresses for collector type dolls to snaps instead of velcro.  I will continue to use velcro for all the Bratz dolls, because I think that is easier for little kids to dress the dolls with.  But I think the snaps will work out better for the 5 to 8 inch  collector doll clothes.  I purchased a tiny 8″ Betsy McCall last year but I did not make any clothes for her yet.  I am hoping to get to that soon.  I have a million ideas, just not enough time in the day.  I figure I’m building up for retirement some day.  Each doll is an investment into my retirement career of doll clothes making.  Well back to work…happy sewing.

I finally was able to digitize a lace collar for my Mini American Girl Doll dress.  I made a few dresses during the past week and listed them on ebay.  They turned out pretty cute.  I made a long dress with a square collar and a butterfly design embroidered on the collar.  I figured out I could use my regular sewing machine to put a scalloped edge on the sleeve and dress bottom so it all tied together nicely.  The second outfit was a tan dress wtih a floral pinafore.  I used bias binding on neck egde and sleeve opening so it was finished off with no raw edges. 

But today I digitized a freestanding lace collar.  So I am going to make a velvet dress and add the collar to it.  I have some lace that I purchased that should go with it nicely that I am going to add to the bottom edge of the dress.  I’m thinking short ruffley sleeves might be cute on this one.  I forgot to mention that I also was able to make the tights to match the outfits.  I went to the fabric store yesterday and they had the perfect colors in swimsuit type material.  So I think I’ll have a few listing just for sets of tights too. 

Check out my ebay auctions to see the newest creations.  http://stores.ebay.com/T-K-Country-Treasures_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm

Well my mini American Girl Dolls arrived in the mail today. I purchased Samantha and Nellie. I can’t wait to see if I can make a few outfits for them.  They are very cute.  I think I will design a few dresses.  Yesterday I played around with my new embroidery machine and software.  I designed an embroidered dress for the small Bratz Babyz doll.  It is 2 pieces and the top has a satin stitch all around it to hid the raw edges.  The skirt bottom has a scalloped edge with satin stitch and some embroidered hearts.  Well I’m off to sew.

I’m so excited.  I just purchased 2 new Mini American Girl Dolls.  They are only 6 1/2 inches tall.  I didn’t even know until last week that they made American Girl dolls in that size.  I love to make smaller doll clothes so I’ll be happy to get these.  I’m working on a stack of cut out Big Bratz Babyz clothes, so I have to hurry and get through that before my new dolls arrive.  I hope to be able to design a few outfits as soon as they get here.  I will probably put the first few up for auction on ebay.  I realize I still have about 3 or 4 new kinds of dolls I haven’t even taken out of the box yet.  I think I’m more addicted to buying dolls than to making the outfits for them.  But since I get bored easily I hate to make the same thing over and over.  A new doll is a new challenge and breaks up the monotony.  I might not make very many, but I will make a few and see if I like the way they turn out.

 Hi! My name is Kathy, and I have been sewing for over 30 years. I decided to start the web blog that will contain all thoughts and ideas for current and new doll clothes, patterns, and designs. If you are interested in clothes for a doll that I currently do not make, I may be interested in looking into designing clothes for that doll, so please feel free to leave a comment. I love new ideas and challenges!

I am currently designing for 10″ and 24″ Bratz, Big Bratz Babyz (boyz & girls), Bratz Kidz, Barbie, Krissy, and Kelly dolls.

In the future, I hope to sell patterns for make-it-yourself doll clothes for all the dolls I design for.

 I currently have two websites, www.tkcountrytreasures.com & www.akgiftgallery.com , and an eBay store where I sell the clothes I am making. please check them out and leave me a comment letting me know what you think of my sites and my doll clothes. Suggestions are always welcomed as well!