DOLL DREAMS IRELAND, INDIANA

HELLO  

I have been sewing since I was about 9 years old. (Almost 48 years!)  My mother was my initial sewing teacher, and she taught me perfection in my sewing,  If things weren't perfectly sewn, I would rip.   I loved being in the 4-H program in my small town, and I learned more about sewing;  and did more ripping.  In college I majored in Home Economics, a field I have loved to this day.  My areas of study were child development, nutrition, and sewing.   After college, I taught school for a while.  Then my babies were born, and I was determined to be a stay-at-home mom.   

I sewed Barbie designs for many years; then eventually went on to making clothes for many sizes of dolls.   The "most fun" part for me is the actual design work and seeing a creation evolve that I know will make little girls excited. 

I have sold under my DOLL DREAMS label, mostly through doll and toy stores throughout the US.  I also do a few local art fairs.  It has been a very exciting business for me.  I am still a stay-at-home mom, but now my children are all grown and married (and everyone has a job!).   I will soon have a first grandchild: a granddaughter (so there will be endless teaparties and a new generation to teach to sew). 

I may be crazy, but there are times that I wake up in the morning with a design already in my head.  However, the design always takes it's own direction, sometimes ending up not as expected, but FUN.  I have learned that little girls usually 'understand" a design, before their moms.  That has been an interesting observation.

I do have a couple of ladies who help me with the cutting and sewing; they are very skilled seamstresses.  And we all enjoy working in our homes.

Some summers, I am able to teach sewing classes for kids, which have been popular; and I get to pass on my skills and knowledge.  This is a blessing to me, thanks to MOM.

DEBRA at DOLL DREAMS