Yes, I have a shoe addiction...

Current Notes: It's just different than what most other women have. 

Shoe 1 (white), Shoe 2 (yellow)

Busy day today. Dearest Son’s lampshade broke, and he’s been ‘fixing’ it with masking tape… which falls down every time the heat from the bulb melts the adhesive. So I held it together with clothespins while I hand-stitched the fabric and plastic part back on to its metal ‘spider’ part – that’s the part of the shade that’s at the top, gives it a lot of its shape, and connects to the lamp harp, usually by a finial. Should last us long enough to find a new shade on sale. Or a new lamp second-hand.

Then, shortly after a slightly late square egg breakfast, Beloved Hubby called. He’d left a very necessary drill at home – could I drive it to him ? No problem, but I got lost and frustrated when he had to meet me at a nearby bank. But he did hand me a couple bucks to snag us a snack, so it all worked out.

Sewed last night – at first, it was just cheap-serging the edges of some fat quarters I’d forgotten to wash, but then I got ambitious instead of sleepy and reached for the DP&M shoe pattern I drafted last week. It sewed together OK, but was waaay too big for the dolls. Too wide, too long, uppers too wide, too. I looked at the pattern and realized I’d originally drawn it with far too much ‘give’ at the sole, then added a bit too wide seam allowance. Since the sole determines the uppers, the whole draft was completely off. Ironically, it probably would have fit an American Girl doll. I tucked and took in the unfortunate result until it mostly fit, then grabbed a good pencil and a ruler. Redrew everything and let it go for the night. I know me. By leaving it halfway undone, with no good pattern yet, I’m darn near certain to go back to it the next day. And, even if I’m just gonna throw it out, I still want it to fit, hence all the fiddling with a mock-up shoe I know is trashcan fodder.

Wish I could take one of their ‘authentic’ shoes apart for a pattern. But they’re made of thin, scratchy nylon satin – if I got the slipper apart, there’s a good chance it’d fray too much to be sewn back together. Plus, the least expensive of the DP&M outfits is Tiana’s ballet costume, which I already have. Paid $7. for it, delivered. Cheapest I can find now is $13., and it seems silly to buy two of ‘em – but the tutus for other princesses are even more expensive. Plus, and I’m just gonna say it, Jakks Pacific gave DP&M dolls some of the lousiest shoes I’ve ever seen. My worst effort is better made than the ones that came with the tutu and Elsa’s Frozen dress. Cheap material fitted so poorly that only a thin elastic strip at the heels keeps the shoes on the dolls’ feet. Even with all the tucks and darts and fraying fabric, the one I made last night is the best shoe I’ve ever seen for these dolls. Nope, if I want fairly good doll shoes for them, I pretty much have to make ‘em or find ‘em – and at least making them won’t cost much in money (time is probably about equal, though !).  

Shoe 3, Shoe 2

True to me, I woke up burning to sew shoes. It only intensified while I was tool-running. I was barely in the door before I was cutting out the next shoe trial. Second one was still too wide and too big. Third one, the upper was too long for the sole. Fourth is about right, but I won’t know until I duplicate it, and right now, my eyes are strained and need a rest. It’s not every day I make two pair of doll shoes in less than 14 hours ! I’m pretty pleased with Attempt #4, though, and I’m already looking forward to trying it again. It’s certainly used up a lot of my smallest scraps ! I don’t even have enough of the pink rose print fabric to make a whole shoe.

Made the long-delayed cake with Dearest Son to rest my eyes from tiny details. And forgot to turn on the oven. (sigh) I’ve found that it works best to make two single layers, frost them, and hand one to M & FIL. They can eat theirs at their own pace, and Dearest isn’t worried that his cake is gonna vanish in the night.

Kinda funny, though, that I was so desperate for elastic Thursday – and it’s still in my purse. Haven’t touched it since I bought it. Well, that’ll change once I get a good pair of shoes made. I’ll want to give m’self a break from making shoes !