It seems that summer just started, but the calendar is telling me that August is upon us! Because life has been so busy around here we decided to combine the months into a summer newsletter. In between all sorts of family happenings, I have managed to squeeze in some work and am excited to share with you some new and upcoming patterns and events. I hope you are all enjoying your summer as well… or your winter for those friends living down under!
Our Prairie Pattern Series is Just About Complete!
Earlier this year, I embarked on a mission to design a series of four Laura Ingalls Wilder inspired dress patterns. We are putting the finishing touches on the final pattern which should be available later this week.
Charlotte Cloth Doll Pattern
The first pattern in the series was our Charlotte Cloth Doll that I designed specifically for my beginning sewing class. The pattern not only includes an 18-inch version of Laura Ingalls rag doll, Charlotte, but also a beginner 9-patch tote bag and dress. As an extra special bonus, the doll, dress, and bag come in mini versions that are just the right size for your doll!
Charlotte, Thimbles and Acorns Pattern #1870-04
Prairie Rose
Prairie Rose, named after Laura Ingalls Wilder’s daughter, was released in May and has three exciting new features. First, it comes in both a Past and Present variation so you can make an authentic prairie dress, complete with a traditional bonnet and apron and you can also make a fashionable prairie inspired modern version. Second, the bodice, sleeves, and skirt pieces are all interchangeable with the Town Girl and Country Girl patterns, greatly increasing your personal design options! Currently, it is only available in the 18-inch size, however the 16-inch A Girl for All Time size is in the process of being tested and should be available in the next week or so.
Third, the full-size version of the bonnet pattern that I created for my beginning sewing class is now available. It comes in both child and adult sizes so you can now make a matching bonnet for both you and your doll!
Prairie Rose Bonnet, Thimbles and Acorns Pattern #1870-05
Town Girl
This pattern was a lot of fun to create not only because the design was so unique, but also because we added color to our illustrations. A special thanks to everyone who offered their input about our decision to add color. We are thrilled with the look and plan to continue using color illustration in all our future patterns… and will probably go back and add color to our existing patterns as time allows. For those of you that like to print out your instructions, we are being very careful with the colors and tones we use so that they can still be printed in black and white. Like the Prairie Rose pattern, Town Girl features a Past and Present version and the separate jacket would make a great addition to almost any modern styled outfit. The bodice, sleeve, collar, and skirt pieces are all interchangeable with the Prairie Rose and Country Girl dress patterns so you will have many design possibilities with this series!
Town Girl, Thimbles and Acorns pattern #1870-06
Country Girl
Country Girl was just released this week! This pattern is the quintessential 
prairie outfit in that it features all the the details that make it a practical for life on a homestead – an ankle length skirt, faced hem, growth tucks, long sleeves, a flat collar, a roomy bodice, side seam pockets, a slatted bonnet, and a full apron with drawstring pockets. Like the Prairie Rose and Town Girl patterns, Country Girl also features a Past and Present version and interchangeable pieces giving you many design options!
Although the design work for the Prairie series is just about complete, we aren’t quite finished with this project! Prairie Rose, Town Girl, and Country Girl will all be sized to fit A Girl for All Time AND Wellie Wishers, and we will also be making a full-size version of the slatted bonnet! We’ll keep you posted!
Freebie Friday
We thought it would be fun to celebrate the completion of our Prairie Dress series with another Freebie Friday! On August 19th, Pixie Faire will be giving away our “Mary and Laura”, so if you haven’t tried this pattern out yet, here is a good opportunity for you to get it for FREE!
Would You Like to Purchase One of Our Cover Dresses AND Support a Great Ministry?!
All of the cover dresses from our Prairie series are being donated to Sew Powerful, and Liberty Jane will be auctioning one of the sets during the week of our Freebie Friday! Please be sure to check this auction out to help support this wonderful ministry. All proceeds will go to Sew Powerful. Click Here to learn more about Sew Powerful and how they are working to combat poverty in Zambia!
The Auction will be going up on Thursday and run for 10 days, click here to view it!
New Pixie Packs Coming Soon!
Like the look of the cover dresses on our series of Prairie dresses? Some of them have been made into Pixies Packs. Our goal is to have them ready for our Freebie Friday on August 19th. I just happen to have one Pixie Pack
Prairie Rose, by Thimbles and Acorns
made up with the last remnants from the Yellow Prairie Rose dress and bonnet. Leave a comment below to be entered in in a Random drawing to win it!
Thimbles and Acorns on Etsy…
In case you haven’t noticed, we have been winding down the inventory in our Etsy shop. After much contemplation, Tom and I decided that we were spreading ourselves too thin in the business and something needed to give. I won’t leave you hanging though, Pixie Faire has agreed to start carrying our most popular supplies! Could you let us know which supplies you would be most interested in seeing on Pixie Faire? Leave a comment with you wish list and you will be entered in a drawing to win one of five cameo button packs… three blue and three coral.
Congratulations!
To Janet S. for winning the PDF copy of our “Town Girl” pattern and to Marcy M. for winning the Thimbles and Acorns prototype dress from Keepers Dolly Duds “Side Tie Collar” dress pattern! Be sure to read this months newsletter carefully so you can get in on this month’s giveaways.
I like the cameos, the Soutache braid, and the buckles!
I love your button sets – especially the cameo buttons! I make a lot of historical dresses, and they are so hard to find elsewhere!
Love the interchangeability of these patterns! As for the supplies, I like the different laces–I have a hard time finding the right sizes locally unless I buy polyester, and that’s yucky on an historical dress.
I love your newsletters! I like the cameo buttons a lot! Thanks!
Oh my gosh! Sam looks so cute in the modern version of Country Girl. I’m so glad you are doing these patterns in both the 18″ and 16″ versions.
As always, all the patterns for this series are fantastic! Looking forward to seeing the patterns re-sized to fit AGFAT. Thank you for all of your hard and for sharing with us.
My wish list:
1/2″ cotton clunky lace
1/4″ sew able boning
I’ve enjoyed making the Prairie Pattern series. It brings back wonderful memories of reading the Little House on the Prairie books and the watching the television show as well. Many thanks for your hard work and creativity.
Diane
Congratulations on this beautiful Prairie series! I love the desings, of course, but also all the historic details you give about your desings. It really adds to those already stunning designs! I’ll make sure I print all those details and put them in the same boxes my finished dresses are stored. And I am really looking forward to Friday Freebie! This is so nice of you! With the bustle dress, the Carrie dress, and now that one, I really need an 1880 doll to showcase all those lovely designs!
I’m sorry that you are closing your Etsy store because I loved that I could find there the specific supplies needed to complete your designs. The straw hats, the cameo buttons and the very narrow lace (for the Civil War era dresses) in various colors are probably the supplies I would look more into. Oh, and the tiny bukles for the shoes and belts. Those are so hard to find!
Yes, please, I’d love to win the pixie pack! And as for the wish list, the buttons and trims are my favorites-and they’re so hard to find in the small scales.
Very happy to hear that many of your supplies will be on Pixie Faire. I do love you Pixie Packs for your Historical Patterns. I have bought many of them. Some of the supplies I would like to see on Pixie Faire are: Wide Brimmed Straw Hats, Buckles many styles, and Middy Braid. Of course there are many more. Thank you for designing your wonderful Historical Patterns and for giving us a History of Fashion.
Oh Shari I just love your patterns and look forward to the Prairie Patterns series. I am so happy you will be selling your notions on Pixie Faire. I would love for you to continue carrying the boning as well as the soutache trim. Of course I would also love to see the buckles/sliders and cameos. I look forward to making the Mary and Laura dresses. Thanks for your beautiful patterns!!
The boning would have to be a must. It is hard to find something like that for the doll pattern corsets. Otherwise, I really like the small eyelets (I used them on my Felicity’s school outfit https://sewbeading.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/ready-for-school-felicitys-school-outfit-from-pleasant-company/). The cluny lace was great too. I would definitely put that in my wish list with the eyelets and boning.
Thanks for another great newsletter! I always enjoy your articles about the history of fashion, and I don’t think I realized trousers were so old.
The whole prairie series is great; I don’t think I could pick a favorite. I’ve been making myself hold off purchasing until the 18″/16″ bundles are eventually available.
It totally makes sense about not wanting to spread yourself too thin with the Etsy store anymore. My favorite supplies so far have been the buckle sliders and especially the stray hats since they are hard to find elsewhere in bulk.
I am very excited with the Laura Ingles Wilder series of patterns made by Thimbles and Acorns. I must get all of the patterns in order to experience the history and creativity included with making the outfits. Please keep up designing patterns with history.
I will miss the laces/braids. They are sometimes hard to find. Sorry you’re leaving Esty.
Have been enjoying the Prairie series and very much appreciate the mix and match between all the patterns.
Love the buckles and also the lace and the boning. Has been great to have the small notions on your site for the patterns you create but I can understand your reasoning behind closing.
I’m new to these patterns, but I do like the history that you give with them. Keep up the good work!
Hmmm, know I left a comment on the 18th, but it doesn’t show here, so I’ll leave another in hopes you don’t receive 2. I’d love to see braids, trims, laces, buttons, buckles — any of those impossible to find @ Joann’s tiny detail pieces we so badly need for 16″/18″ doll creations. Thank you for the lovely free pattern!
I enjoy seeing the new patterns you have come out with!