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It’s April 1st which means it’s April fool’s day!
A day of practical jokes.
I’m terrible at coming up with April fool’s jokes so you won’t see any shenanigans from me.
You also won’t find a Dolly Sewing Crush this month.
Hopefully we’ll meet again in May . . .
Hey come back, did you actually believe me?
I was just kidding, The Dolly Sewing Crush will continue and it’s no joke that this Month’s designer has real skills.
I’m excited to present Salon de Monbon as April’s Dolly Sewing Crush!
Let’s continue growing our sewing skills!
Who is Salon de Monbon :
They came onto the dolly scene in 2001.
Their brand philosophy is “walking with a doll”.
They mainly make clothes for doll sizes: 22 cm, 27cm and 8 inch.
This Month’s Sewing Motto: Mistakes Are The Path Towards Success
Dolly Sewing Crush: Salon de Monbon Project #1
We will begin April’s Dolly Sewing Crush with an adorable Coat from Doll’s Closet Seasons on page 100.
Your doll can enjoy a beautiful Coat in 83 steps.
I know what you’re thinking, “OMGOSH 83 steps, you’ve gotta be kidding me!?!”
But before the beads of sweat start rolling down your forehead, let me put your mind at ease.
The steps may look overwhelming but the instructions for the Coat are very detailed.
Each step guides you through the entire process from pinning pieces, ironing seams, to clipping notches.
It’s like Salon de Monbon is holding your hand during the entire process.
The directions for the Coat are written in Japanese and includes images so you can visually see the step by step instructions.
Your Layout For Sewing Success
Here is your blueprint for making the Coat:
The Coat
- Sew front lining to front coat
- Sew back coat to front coat at shoulder seams
- Hem sleeves
- Hand sew beads to sleeves
- Sew sleeves to coat
- Attach back lining to shoulder seams of front coat
- Top stitch armhole of lining
The Bow Pockets
- Fold and glue ribbon center
- Fold and sew pockets
- Hand sew ribbon center & pockets to coat
Back to the Coat
- Sew the neckline
- Sew the sleeves and sides of front & back coat
Back to the Bow Pockets
- Create bows for pockets
Back to the Coat
- Attach the back lining to the front lining
- Sew hem of coat & lining together
- Turn coat right side out
- Hand stitch opening of coat
- Top stitch around coat
- Attach beads and closures to coat
Voilà the Coat is done!
Final Thoughts:
I want this jacket for myself, but I don’t think Momoko is willing to share.
Overall the instructions for the project were doable.
Completing the project was challenging for us because we had a difficult time marking on the dark velour fabric.
The chalk kept disappearing and it made this project much harder to complete.
We learned a good lesson; use proper marking tools.
We have some in our shopping cart now. 🙂
Dolly Insider Skill Level Rating:
Intermediate Friendly
It’s Time For A Giveaway
To boost your love for sewing tiny, we are giving 1 lucky winner: 1 Doll’s Closet Seasons book.
Giveaway runs from April 1, 2020 until April 30, 2020 11:59 P.M.
All you have to do is answer the following question:
Enter your response in the entry form below for a chance to win.
a Rafflecopter giveawayYou may earn multiple entries by completing the other entry methods to increase your chances of winning
If you don’t see the entry form try visiting the page from a desktop or a different browser such as Google Chrome. Entry form may not appear on some mobile devices.
- Last day to enter the giveaway: April 30, 2020 11:59 P.M. Central Standard Time
- Winner’s name will be shared on our site and social media platforms
- Winner will be notified via email within 48 hours after the contest has closed. If the winner does not respond to our email within 5 days, another winner will be selected
- If you’re a minor please get your parent’s or guardian’s permission before entering
Excited to sew Salon de Monbon clothes for your dolly? No need to wait, you can get a copy of the Doll’s Closet Seasons book here.
Join us next week for the 2nd project!
Kat and Tatyana
The Dolly Insider
Stay Up To Date With Mayumi Murai & Naoko Higuchi (Salon de Monbon ) :
Save The Dolly Sewing Crush: Salon de Monbon Project #1 to Your Favorite Pinterest Board!
Oh my that coat is quite fetching if I do say so myself! I think I might need to pick up this book up! I wrote my book on there but I actually don’t know the title it’s currently sitting in my eBay cart as I’m not sure if the seller can still ship it to me. It’s a book by Affetto Amoroso and the cover clothes look very modern and edgy!
Hey Mariana,
Your comment made Momoko and me smile! 🙂
Ooh cool, I think I heard of that book.
Is it this one?
If so, it’s in my wish-list but I want to get a Nendoroid before I order it lol.
When you get the book please let us know what you think about it.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment
~Kat
Kat!!!
Yes that’s the book!! I will be waiting to order it for the time being as things are not really moving out of Japan at the moment. Or at least they are taking a while. My Tyrol Doll was shipped EMS and has been sitting in Japan for almost a week now 🥺😢
Whoa, it’s that time already?
I can’t believe it was a year ago when they were announced.
I’m sure your girl can’t wait to meet you too 🙂
What a pretty, fuzzy thing! I have a super-soft spot for warm fluffy clothing. This one seems a bit too complicated for my current skill level, but I’ll take a look at the book anyway!
Hey Neon,
I understand, it seems overwhelming but if I can do it, trust me you can too. 🙂
Maybe 1 day we can do a sew along!
It’s always a pleasure chatting with you
~Kat
So stylish! Momoko looks elegant wearing her new coat~
83 steps does seem like a lot, but it makes sense if they included pinning and so on in the instructions. All those in-between steps like pinning, pressing, basting, and tacking really add up! (^_^)
Hi River,
It wasn’t until after this project, that I realized I spend most of my time pinning and ironing than actually sewing.
Thanks for leaving a comment! 🙂
~Kat
Hi Kat!
That’s so true! Pinning and ironing especially seem to take a long time, but the results are worth it! Definitely makes your projects look professional~
I enjoy the Dolly Sewing Crush series immensely. It always makes my week to see a new project. Keep up the good work! 🙂
River
I really appreciate you taking the time to share such kind words, it really means alot to us! 🙂
Thank you
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