Girls of Summer

So...it's August, and I realized it was time to take down the red, white and blue/Independence Day decorations from the mantel. Here's what I replaced them with: peachy-pink-haired girls, all wearing summery white dresses. Just for fun, they are each wearing one of the little crown hairclips I found at a toy store last month.

When I first started collecting Blythe dolls, I planned to make one of these white dresses for each girl, with her name embroidered on it. So far, only about ten of the girls have gotten their dresses...and I have about fourty Blythes! Candy (third from left) is the only one actually wearing a dress with her own name on it, everyone else has borrowed a dress from one of her sisters!

Just in case you are wondering which releases these Blythe dolls are, here you go: from left to right they are Prima Dolly Peach, Coco Collette, My Little Candy, Stella Savannah, Mademoiselle Rosebud, and Spright Beauty.

Pretty White Dresses

I've decided to take a break from the Blythe a Day photos!

I love doing the themed photos, but I want to focus on sewing, knitting, and crafting for a while. I expect to return to the Blythe a Day Flickr group in October (but you never know...)

I will post the things I'm working on, so there will be something new here every couple of days.

This week I updated the listing in my Etsy store for the white dresses with an embroidered name on them. The only change is the choice of lace at the hem of the dress (because I was unable to find more yardage of the laces I had been using). Here are the new lace choices:

When I first got into Blythe, I planned to make one of these dresses for each of my girls...but the dolls have accumulated more quickly than I've been able to produce the dresses! Below you can see the girls who DO have their special, personalized dresses. The other 30 (or so) girls are still waiting!! I love how they look all together.

Custom White Dresses

I had a large custom order from an Etsy customer this week: nine white dresses with hand-embroidered names.

I used several different white-on-white cottons for the dresses, as well as several different lace trims for the hems, to give them some subtle variety.

I was surprised to discover that I had a favorite among these dresses--it's this one, "Olivia". The light blue paired with the white really speaks to me, and I think the embroidery came out especially well.

Work in Progress

I'm working on a special-order dress today, for a doll named Birdie. I'm guessing that she has orange hair? Sometimes I know my customers from Facebook or Flick'r, and I know what their dolls look like. This is someone I know only from the orders she has placed with me on Etsy, so I haven't seen her doll.

White dresses with a hand-embroidered name are available on a made-to-order basis in my Etsy shop, Blythe Happy .

White Dresses for Charity

Earlier this week I posted pictures of my knit dresses for charity (click on that link, or scroll to the previous post).  Today I have another dress I am also offering for a $15 donation ($18 outside the US) to one of two charities (details below). This is a white-on-white cotton print, with the name of one of your dolls hand-embroidered on the skirt. The skirt is sewn closed in the back, and the top of the dress closes with two snaps.

I started making these for my dolls so they would all have a nice non-staining garment to wear any time they would be going unchanged for a while. I would love to make one (or more) for you! Just send me an e-mail and tell me the name to embroider, and what color thread and ribbon to use. Then make a $15 donation to one of the two charities below, and forward the paypal receipt to me. I will make your dress and send it within a week.

Make your donation to one of these charities:


The Giving Heart --click on the name to go to the website.  This organization helps the poor and homeless in nearby Richmond, Virginia.  At the bottom of their page, click on the "donate" button to go to PayPal.

Heritage Humane Society--click on the name to go to the website. This organization in my town provides shelter to lost or abandoned cats, dogs, and other animals while they await adoption. Their "donate" tab is at the top of their page and will take you to PayPal.

I did a "test" donation to both of these charities, so I know PayPal will immediately send you an e-mail with your donation details (Heritage Humane Society will also send you a thank-you note by snail mail!) Just forward the e-mail to me (leslieandersen4@gmail.com).  You may wish to mention "referred by Leslie Andersen" in the message box when you make your donation.

Thanks for taking the time to read about this project, and I hope you will join me in helping less fortunate people and animals!