Laurel is so excited about her doll’s new nightgowns that she is making Molly dress for bed and take afternoon naps.  This model was part of the wardrobe for another Sewing for Dolls school that Mildred Turner and I organized.
If I recall correctly, it was the school on Cape Cod. After class, our dear friend Barbara took us on wild rides in her incorrigible van whose tape player spontaneously broke out in sea shanties.  It didn’t bother Barbara who thought the random music added a little excitement to her life. Meanwhile, our hostess Debbieanne, a Cape Cod tour guide, was guiding us through the history of the area as Cape Cod Girls blasted away.  Barbara’s volume control was also broken.  So were our ears.
How well I remember this ditty, a favorite of the phantom cassette player manager. If you would like to ride vicariously with Barbara, close your eyes, stand on one leg and turn the volume up to its loudest setting while you listen to a sample clip. Click on the link below:
Cape Cod GirlsÂ
Haul away, haul away
They brush their hair with codfish bones
And we’re bound away for Australia
So heave away, me bully, bully boys
Haul away, haul away
Heave her up and don’t you make a noise
And we’re bound away for Australia
Cape Cod kids ain’t got no sleds
They slide down the hills on codfish heads
Cape Cod girls ain’t got no frills
They tie their hair with codfish gills
Cape Cod cats ain’t got no tails
They lost them all in the northeast gales
It wasn’t long after that that Mildred and I were indeed, “bound away for Australia.” But, once again, I digress.
The smocked nightdress is cotton batiste. Before being sewn into the body of the bishop gown, the angel wing sleeves were embellished with peach feather stitching and a dainty ivory edging that was pinstitched in place.
After the gown was pleated with extra long threads, all the pleats were flattened out so the gown lay flat, as it was before pleating.  Peach lace tape was joined to a tiny ivory edge and stitched just below where the smocking would end. The last unused pleating thread was used as a placement guide for this attachment.   The smocking draws up the little ruffle giving the effect of a collar.
A fancyband is created with two rows of feather stitch above and below the pinstitched lace tape. Can you tell I love pinstitching?
Yesterday, I gave Laurel a Goetz doll from Martha Pullen. Since it was purchased several years ago, I’m not sure just which one it was, though with the red hair, I would guess that it is the Martha doll. Laurel was thrilled to have a little sister for Molly.
Now, I see another whole set of clothes and patterns on the horizon. And I was just getting comfortable with Molly’s measurements. More doll clothes for my darling doll of a granddaughter. Sometimes it’s tough being a Nana, but rarely–and surely not now.
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