Are you making any homemade gifts this year for the holidays? I suspect some of you might be doing a little sewing for the holidays. 🙂 I’ve been trying to decide what projects I still have time to make in the next week or so. Eek, time is running out!
My neighbor stopped by this week to chat. She is around 70 and a delight to visit with. She mentioned that the doll clothes I make reminded her of a childhood Christmas memory. That year she was 5 years old and it was a tight Christmas for her family. Her parents were determined to make a nice Christmas for the kids. Dad made a little blue hutch from scrap wood and left over paint. An older sister sewed a set of doll clothes for her beloved doll. She described each piece of clothing in detail. It touched me that she shared this memory.
After she left I reflected on my own childhood memories of Christmas. Sweet ways my family made Christmas special. My mom always did some sewing for the holidays. There was the Christmas when I was six and got a new doll.
Christmas morning at Grandma’s house. My new doll is on the left.
My mom sewed a set of clothing for the new doll. I loved each piece and would dress my doll for play. It was a special gift I treasured over the years and I still have it today.
Christmas morning with my new doll. The doll came with a mini baby doll to rock in it’s arms. They are both wearing the summery dresses my mom sewed.
Do you have any special memories of a homemade gift? Maybe it’s a gift you received or maybe a gift you made. I would love to hear your story! Share in the comments below. And if you are doing any holiday sewing tell us what projects you are making. I’m cheering you on!
Anna
Do you have any patterns for Bitty Baby??
No I don’t offer patterns specifically fitted for Bitty Baby at this time.
My grandma was a great sewer and on the year I got my Barbie she made my Barbie clothes…so tiny a perfect! My favorite was a quilted bathrobe just like mine in a light pink!
Hi Cherry, What a sweet story! How adorable that your grandma made the barbie a matching robe just like yours! Thanks for sharing!
My Dad had a low paying job, but he was very handy making over things and building. He used to jokingly call himself Jack of all trades, as his name was in fact Jack. He built a house before I was born. (1950). Mum sewed all of he’s and mine clothes. One Christmas she made clothes for my dolls, and Dad found a pressed tin dolls pram and refurbished it, painted it and it had a vinyl hood that folded back. It was my absolute favourite Christmas present. I had about two or three dolls, some given to me by Aunts of whom I had many. I clearly remember about 5 or 6 (don’t quote me on that it’s a bit fuzzy) Mum bought me a walks talks doll from a shop. She had blond hair and a voice box in her back, that’s all I remember.
Elaine, What fun memories of your parents. It sounds like your dad truly was the Jack of all trades! It’s amazing how your mom sewed for your family. What a sweet memory of the doll clothes for Christmas and the pram. That tin pram sounds like a delight. These stories mean a lot to me. I feel like there’s little nuggets of wisdom for life in there. Thanks for sharing!
Fun! My Grandma loved to sew, but she can’t do it now because of her arthritis 🙁 I remember her sewing blankets for me when i was a baby!
Hannah, I bet that’s frustrating for your grandma to not be able to sew anymore. It’s so sweet that you have that memory of her sewing for you. Thanks for sharing!
My mom sewed for our dolls. One Christmas I recieved a chatty Baby doll and she came with a red velvet coat and bonnet and quite a few other items but I loved that coat. She sewed for all of us and also sewed beautiful dresses for friends who had little girls.
Hi Kathy, That red velvet coat sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing memories of how your mom spread joy through sewing for others. From sewing for you and your dolls to making beautiful dresses for friends there were many happy little girls. I have absolutely loved these stories! Thanks again for sharing!
When I was 10, my aunt asked if she could borrow my doll. so she could make doll clothes for her niece. Imagine my surprise when she also made clothes for my doll- a green dress, a red suit, blue PJ, and a long dress. That was 60 years ago and I still remember those clothes and the hours I spent play with them.
The year my daughter was 7 (she is now 24), I bought her an 18″ doll and made a complete wardrobe to go with it. Many hours were spent sewing clothes and buying shoes and accessories to go with them. Since she was in Brownies at the time, I decided to dress her doll in the Brownie uniform I’d made so that would be that she saw when she opened the box Christmas morning. Her reaction (“look, it’s a Brownie doll!”) and the huge grin made it worth the time spent putting it together.