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Does anyone have any authentic American Girl

Posted: Aug 11, 2016

I have a little girl in my life whose friends have American Girl dolls and clothes and she would like to start a collection. Unfortunately I cannot afford to buy these on my MT wages so I was hoping to buy some second-hand. Please let me know if you would be willing to sell me any American Girl things you have.

;

I can think of a couple of good reasons why you haven't gotten any answers to this. sm - Heloise

[ In Reply To ..]
1. Most people visiting here are also MTs with budgets that don't stretch to American Girl dolls.
2. Most people who let themselves get talked into shelling out hundreds of dollars for a doll feel compelled to put it away and keep it after their daughter outgrows it just because it was so expensive.

The first time I ran into an American Girl doll, I thought it was a mildly interesting idea until the mother told me what the darn thing cost--no way, no how, what a ripoff!

However, if your daughter's heart is simply set on having one of the things, you might possibly work it this way:

You can find naked buy-it-now American Girl dolls or ones with just the one outfit they're wearing on eBay for $70 to $80 if you can swing that with some penny pinching. They also sell patterns for dresses that fit the things. (If you can't afford even $70, just get a cheap generic doll of something the same size and appearance.)

Pick a classic children's book/series set in the past (Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Little Women, yada, yada, and get the book) or have your friendly neighborhood librarian suggest something that you can find to buy cheap.

Find a doll on eBay with looks/coloring that suit the character. Buy a paper American Girl doll pattern from McCall, Butterick,etc.(around $7 or so) or download some of the free ones online these days.

Buy needles and some thread and look around for worn out old clothes with useable pieces, old sheets, and other suitable fabric scraps or remnants. Use your basic pattern and adjust it for period. Teach your daughter to sew (by hand if she's too young for a sewing machine and/or you don't have one--that's how I started. Even 18" doll dresses are relatively small and can be hand sewn without too much time and effort.) If you have a bodice pattern that fits the doll, you can free-form the rest into period clothes. Check old Sears catalogues and old fashion plates online or at that neighborhood library again.

You can make hoop skirts and pantalettes from hardware-store wire and old hankerchiefs/worn out sheeting, and bustles just need cotton-ball stuffing (ask me how I know). :) Tiny beads make buttons if the doll isn't big enough for those made for baby clothes. If your little girl is like me and my best friend, she will find amazing ways to fashion and trim her gowns to match a picture if you just turn her creative juices on and get out of the way. :)

If you have never sewn and are too intimidated to try sewing doll clothes, then there are people selling outfits they've made on eBay and likely Etsy as well. They are, of course, more expensive (and a lot less fun) than homemade, but much cheaper than the branded stuff.

Put together doll, story, and period clothes. Take the kid to the library to research "her" American Girl's period further. Encourage her to add to the story with a little "fan fic."

I probably played with dolls longer than most girls because I and my bestie were busy inventing our own stories and sewing our own costumes to go with them. (But then, we had also built our own doll mansion with cardboard cartons and free last-season wallpaper and carpet sample books.) It ended up with battery-powered electric lights and running water in the kitchen sink by the time we were done.

I had a numbber of dolls as a kid, but the only one I still have is the one from our stories whose clothes I made myself. Some of the sewing ain't so hot looked at with adult eyes (I was definitely a much better seamstress by the time I was 12 than I was when I was 7), but the memories still are.

Heloise, you reminded me of my mom...SM - Old Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I was into the original Barbie doll. My mom would sew outfits for Barbie; but since there were no actual Barbie patterns at that time, she would get fashion doll patterns (the ones that had normal figures) and had to adapt them for Barbie's shape. One of the most memorable ensembles she sewed was a dark brown and black silk print dress with the matching dark brown velvet coat lined with the silk print plus a picture hat of brown velvet also lined with the silk print. It was absolutely stunning. No other little girl had such a well-dressed Barbie. She made many stunning outfits for her. She also knit angora sweaters for Barbie which really showed off Barbie's assets and also knit hats. Mom also sewed and knit with the same creativity for herself and for me. It was a lot of fun to visit the fabric mills to pick out patterns and the fabrics of my choosing. Sadly, my mom passed when I was 14, so she never really was able to teach me to sew, but I taught myself during my early 20s, but never did reach her expertise. Thanks for the memories.

Thank you--you've just returned the favor. - Heloise

[ In Reply To ..]
My grandmother's first cousin, who grew up with her and was like a sister to her, was the only female in my family who knit and crocheted, but she was fantastic at it--made up her own designs. She lived too far from us to ever get a chance to really teach me, but she had no children of her own and doted on me. She made some beautiful little sweaters, hats, mittens, etc. for my dolls as well as absolutely amazing tiny lace for dress trim made from sewing thread. She died when I was about 11, but I still have her little gifts of love packed away with that special doll.

Wonderful ideas above, one more suggestion - Retired MT who loves to sew

[ In Reply To ..]
You can buy an inexpensive beginner's sewing machine for under $50 at K-Mart, Walmart, etc. They are REAL machines, not toys, and they do all the basics.

They are made of plastic so they will not last forever, but if you and your daughter find that you are really enjoying your new hobby, you can upgrade your machine quite inexpensively. The one thing I would recommend, however, is purchasing a good pair of sewing scissors and keeping them just for cutting fabric. This will make your hobby much more enjoyable then struggling with bad scissors.

Also, you can find videos on Youtube that will demonstrate how to use a sewing machine.

Oops, I guess that is 3 suggestions, or is it 4?

PS: If you lived nearby, I would get real kick out of making AG clothes for your daughter's doll.

Look on eBay. Also, there are sewing patterns - available so you can make them.

[ In Reply To ..]
I also saw one seller in China offering a lot of 10 different outfits for around $36, with free shipping. That's a lotta bang for the buck!

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