Neela

Over the last few months I found many of DD's classmates have an American girl doll or a form of 18" inch doll to be their friend. This is when I realized what a brilliant idea for this poor child, she will have someone else to feed the afternoon tea ? DD still loves her baby alive dolls, but they are babies and So I ordered a "my life as"doll from Walmart website (store didn't have the hair and skin tone we wanted) , we waited, we discussed the dolly's names in the night couldn't decide on one. 

The only doll which had the hair texture & color and skin tone was a spa vacationer doll, so I  promised her the dolly would get some dresses. The dolly arrived, E (DD) and I sat down by the fabric stash deciding the fabric. E goes "My dolly likes flowers, pink color, little bit of purple and she also loves polka dots". I picked a pink daisy fabric which E approved by jumping up and down. I also ended up making 2 more dresses out of fabric from scrap pile - Sparrows and Cherries. The sparrows  have been in UFO pile as E's night gown cut for a while. Now she has a nightgown and her dolly to match her. 

Pattern used was McCalls M6137. The commercial patterns doesn't always come with ruffles or much embellishment ideas, I enjoy adding my touch in there.  I added a yoyo flower with some ribbons to the the pink flowers dress, an applique to the cherries dress and center gathering strip to the sparrow top. Sew Tip - Bias Tape becomes cumbersome in the small sleeve opening, skip the bias and use a lining.

 

Given how long it takes to sew kids clothing, I was pleasantly surprised how quick the doll dresses were to make from start to finish. While I was half way sewing, E came to my side and whispered in my ears "I want to name her Neela - a character from Shimmer & Shine". I went with it. In my head Neela means blue (for our love of water and beaches), it also uses the double E as DD's name, it also shares name meaning with her, couldn't be any more perfect.