American Girls Addy Nightie

Here I am, so busy I can hardly find time to comb my hair.  Meanwhile, granddaughter Laurel has been waiting somewhat patiently for the smocked nightgown I’ve started for her Molly doll.  Finishing this nightie has been an urgent request of Laurel’s because,  she tells me, “Molly has to sleep in her CLOTHES, Nana!”  Outrageous, I know. If there were a DPS (Doll Protective Services) agency, Laurel would be panicked.

But yesterday I came across a stash of doll clothes I made many years ago and, whoopee!  they fit the American Girls dolls!  They were projects for doll schools that Mildred Turner and I organized and  taught around  the country some years ago.  In these schools, students sewed a wardrobe that Mildred and I had designed for 20″ porcelain dolls.   This, I think, was the nightdress for Melanie, our Gone With the Wind character doll for the Atlanta school.  What fun we had at those schools.

At any rate, the bias bound neck is a little snug and the gown touches the floor on the 18″ American Girls dolls, but Addy is not complaining.

In order to draft an American Girls bishop pattern I had borrowed Addy from my godchild, Caitlin,  for whom I bought this doll 16 years ago.  Her 2 1/2 year old daughter Alysha, has been dragging Addy around the house for more than a year now.  

I did notice what appears to be dried up peanut butter smeared on poor Addy’s teeth, evidence that Alysha’s dolls do not go hungry.  But it scraped right off with no staining.   These dolls really hold up well, as you can see.

This smocked bishop nightgown is made of pale blue 100% combed cotton batiste.  The angel sleeves feature tiny twin needle (1.6/70)  pintucks  and ecru French lace which has been pinstitched in place.  The hemline is finished with a shell scallop.

Laurel will be so pleased that Molly will sleep peacefully now that she is properly dressed.  Nightly, she is tucked in her doll bed with linens I made for her http://www.janicefergusonsews.com/blog/?p=4889.  And soon, I hope, Molly and Laurel will be tucked in bed wearing matching nighties at my house.

Ah, grandchildren……can life get any better than this?