Yesterday, I started on a new sewing project for the American Girl doll. The stash of Lycra fabric that I have accumulated over the years needed to be used, and I found the perfect pattern for it. This panties and cami pattern by Love U Bunches uses a stretch fabric such as tee shirt knit or the Lycra that I will be using. It also uses fold-over elastic (FOE) to enclose the edges of each piece of the outfit in order to yield the perfect fit and ease of putting on and taking off the doll. The little iron on embroidery embellishments that I have been needing to find a use for added an extra little touch to the panties.

I finished only one outfit today because I spent much time setting up my serger for a cover stitch. Now that this is done, I will be able to finish the brown outfit in no time. Here are some pictures of this project.

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My daughter, Rachel, found this realistic-looking paperclip holder during one of her shopping expeditions.  She thought it would be a great addition to my American Girl doll house.  I agree and here are some pictures of my "new piece of furniture."  What so great is -- it's ceramic and not plastic!!!

New Missy Crissy Doll Clothes

My Missy Crissy Business

Last year around Thanksgiving I began getting orders for custom made cheerleader and cheer competition outfits for American Girl dolls.  This is a blessing that I had been waiting for; and in God's timing it came.  Little did I imagine, though, that I would get so many orders that I had to turn some down and put a hold on taking orders until May, 2012.  Wow!  I am so excited about being able to use my talent that God blessed me with--designing, pattern-making, and sewing little American Girl doll clothes.  It is so much fun that I spend most of the day every day sewing in my Missy Crissy shop. The greatest blessing, however, is that God can use the money that I make to help two families that I sponsor in the Philippines. Just recently one family lost everything due to a typhoon; the sewing orders that I received timed perfectly with this tragic event. Here is a gallery of some of the outfits that I have made since November, 2011.

Christmas is right around the corner and I bet your little girl's American Girl doll will love one of these outfits.

Check them out in my Missy Crissy shop on Etsy.  Click on each picture to view details.

A sweater named Perseverance

YEA! I succeeded. It took me five times, but I finally completed the little doll sweater. I almost gave up today, but the Lord answered my prayer and I finished it. It probably is not the best job in town, but it's my best, and that's all that matters. Now for any of you who need to purchase a new outfit for someones American Girl doll, you can do so by clicking into my Etsy shop--http://www.etsy.com/listing/82154121/hand-knitted-pink-sweater-and-corduroy. This outfit is named Perseverance; so you will be purchasing something that represents "true grit."

Perseverance--sweater progress report

For those of you who are following my "do or die" effort to make a doll sweater on my Ultimate Sweater Machine here is a progress report. Referring to the picture, you can see that my progress is a negative 4 at this point! Those little wads of knitting are my attempts to complete the knitting project. I am now on my fifth sweater. Remember what I said about perseverance? Well, I am certainly being put to the test, and I can assure you that it has become very personal!! At first I had planned on two attempts not five or six. I am discovering some things about myself, though; and that gives me a personal sense of satisfaction. I have decided to commit this project to prayer today, and claim the verse, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13) So for those of you who are thinking about giving up on some project, some person, or some situation--don't. Commit it to prayer and then relax; because you, like I, will feel so GOOD when it's complete and successful.

I will not be defeated

Back from Bulldog land, I am more determined than ever to complete a project that I have been messing around with for a week. I started knitting a doll sweater on my Ultimate Sweater Machine (I can't handknit) and have had a heck of a time getting it right. I finally got the back and front knitted, but threw it in a drawer when I couldn't get the two pieces seamed at the shoulders. Today, I woke up at 5 a.m. thinking about how I should not give up so soon --if ever. So today I will start completely over with knitting it. For those of you who like to give up, I want to share this story that has inspired me to persevere when I feel like giving up.

One day on a beautiful Saturday morning Jim and I were at his mom and dad's home in Maben, Mississippi. Jim's precious mom, Matty Vell White, had been putting the finishing touches on a gorgeous strawberry shortcake. Before I continue let me say that she was a wonderful cook. I have never seen a more photo perfect, ready for the cooking magazine cake. The strawberries were brilliant red, the cake layers had been carefully slit into thin little layers, and homemade frosting oozed out between the layers, and sweet strawberry juice trickling down the sides. Oh, my! I could not wait until lunch to eat some of that.

Well, things suddenly changed. All of a sudden, Ms. Matty Vell dipped her finger in the bowl of strawberries, tasted the juice, and with only a slight sigh, picked up that beautiful cake, and walked outside with it. Now, since I had taken a very personal interest in the cake, I had to see where she was going with it. I got up and looked out the kitchen window, and lo and behold, she threw the cake over the fence. I was reluctant to say anything when she returned, so merely chose to watch her next move. This is where I was awed with her composure and perseverance. She got out a mixing bowl and started making another cake--WITHOUT SAYING A WORD--Now, you may be wondering, like I was, what happened. So, I got up enough nerve to ask and she said simply, "I put salt in the strawberries instead of sugar."

Ever since I observed this event I have used her tenacity to begin again rather than give up on something that I know that I can get right if I just give it another try. She was an awesome woman, and I might add that her son, my husband, has inherited her gene in this regard.

Tune in later for my second try on the little doll sweater!