MORE Ruth Gibbs Dolls!

About a year ago, I discovered

Ruth Gibbs Dolls.

Ruth Gibbs was a doll designer who
wanted to create a china head doll
that little girls could play with without
them breaking so easily.

She recognized that these smaller china head 

dolls, like my grandmother's here, did

not break as easily as the larger dolls.

Ruth Gibbs designed these 

Godey Little Lady dolls

in the 1940s.

My first Ruth Gibbs Doll

I decided I should get a couple more

just for fun.

I found this redhead and...

This little blonde doll.

While I was waiting for the dolls to arrive

I started working on some new dresses

for them.

I started this pink dress first, but

I forgot to take photos of my progress.

(sorry)

This is the pattern I used for
my Ruth Gibbs dolls.
The skirt measurement is under the title.
Click on the image and save as a jpeg
photo on your computer. Print out
on 8.5 x 11 inch paper.  The one inch
square is to assure it is the proper size.

I have a confession.  I have a habit of mixing and 

matching pattern pieces. When you read my sleeve 

tutorial you will see that the sleeve is not an exact

 match to the bodice.  I just finagle it so it works.

SORRY

I decided this hanky would become the apron 

for this pink dress.

I decided to try the felt bonnet pattern.

I stitched 2 rows of 1/2" lace. Then fold it

in half with the lace outside and stitch closed.

Flip it right side out so lace 

lines the inside of the bonnet.

Then I stitched a small ribbon across 

the bottom in back.

Pretty simple.  I may add some

little flowers later on.

Very cute.

The first doll to arrive was the redhead.

While waiting for the blonde doll to arrive, 

I began working on a yellow dress.

The collar lace is being stitched to the wrong

side of the bodice so that it can

get flipped over onto the front.

The collar lace gets flipped back over the front

and stitched down. This is an easy way to 

finish small doll dress collars.

Hard to see, but stitching the sleeve 

into the arm opening.

I decided I needed to make a sleeve tutorial

for those who (like me) had never

been taught how.

Sewing very small doll dresses can be

very finicky.  I found that I had to think

differently when sewing on a small scale.

SLEEVE TUTORIAL

First thing I do when sewing tiny doll 

dresses is to set my sewing

machine speed very slow.

I have gathered the sleeve and

tied off the threads so they don't pull out.

Oops I forgot the lace for the sleeve!

I've added lace at the bottom of the sleeve.

Sew on the right side then fold over.

Later I hand gather the sleeve with

needle and thread. Small dolls do not

necessarily need elastic as their hands 

and arms are slender.

I start by centering the gathers at the 

shoulder seam right sides together. While pinned 

in place I rotate the sleeve to find the point 

to start sewing to the sleeve opening.

NOTE: This pattern is not exact.  If you start

at the side seam your sleeve will be off center.

The bodice is slightly oversized so it can 

be adjusted to the doll it is made for.

I don't usually pin these tiny sleeves.

The pins just get in my way as I try to sew.

I just manually adjust the two pieces as I go.

I've found my starting point.

I rotate the sleeve to the place

where I will begin stitching so that the

gathers end up on the center

 of the shoulder.

As I am stitching I rotate the top sleeve 

into place along the shoulder.

I am adjusting the sleeve as I stitch very slowly.

I keep slowly rotating the sleeve as I sew.

I use a large straight pin to adjust the

gathers as I go along.

Slowly rotating sleeve into

position as I sew.

All sewn into place.

Turn right sides together. Sew from bodice 

side seam and turn at the joint

of sleeve and bodice then sew the sleeve.

Trim off excess fabric and zig zag side seam.

Finished side seam and sleeve.

Pantalette Tutorial

I am showing this for those who struggle with 

pants.  It took me awhile to figure out how

they go together.

The lace is sewn on the wrong side, 

on the bottom of the leg pieces,

then flipped and stitched down flat.

Right sides together stitch one of the small 

angled sides together.

Fold and press 1/4 inch along the top

for adding the elastic.

With a zigzag stitch set to match the elastic 

width, stretch elastic and sew

along pressed fold.

Elastic added onto waist.

With right sides together, close waist 

by sewing remaining short

angled side.

With right sides together, fold along 

leg length and sew the inseam.

Turn right side out and done!

The blonde doll has arrived!!

Here she is!

The yellow dress is nearly done.

I used lace bias to finish the back

of the dresses.

The lace finished the edge nicely.

I use a tiny safety pin to close, or

just the apron tied around the waist.

HERE

ARE

THE

DOLLS

IN



THEIR



NEW



DRESSES!!

Blonde doll in pink dress.

Her pink pantalettes.

AND...

The redhead doll in the yellow dress.

With yellow pantalettes.

Before and After

Before and After

All three of my Ruth Gibbs together.

Look how different their faces are!!

Betsy and Daisy love their new dolls.