Ian's Photo session with Colette

Ad-Free Blog

I just haven't spent much time in the doll room this Spring, so these are actually from February. I made a post and then lost it twice and got disgusted. I'm not always patient, LOL.

Here, Ian is doing a shoot for publicity photos or an album cover for Colette/Callie, a Joliet girl who spent many years in France being a vocal sensation, but came home after $$$ and boyfriend problems. Ian only knows this from gossip in the neighborhood.d  And from when he took the stills for the PBS special in March.

If you are interested in her story thus far, just search Colette or Jazz Baby and you can see lots of posts on her.

Ian: Callie, how about you just sit here on the chair, face me and think about your favorite place. 

Callie: (Smiles slightly) Well, I spent a great deal of time in Paris.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian: Just tilt you head a bit to the left. There that's good. Nice smile, lips closed and you are dreaming about Paris.

Callie: Hmmmm, humming a French tune under her breath.

Ian moves around the room, snapping away.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian: Hold still...the shadows are working now!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Callie continues to hum-m-m-m, staring out into space. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian: Just relax, lean forward....PERFECT! Where are you now?

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Callie:( She snaps up) I need to stretch.(leans foward)

Ian: Fine, stretch everything and take a break. (He walks around and adjusts the lights.)

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian: There that's good. Now, tell me about Paris. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian backs away for full body shots.

Colette: Oh, Paris est magnifique. La ville a un pouls qu'on ne peut pas décrire. Pardon, Paris is like no other, Magnificent. The city has a pulse one can't describe.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian: You loved it then? Or were you in love, there?

Colette: Yes, oui, oui, Oui. Very much. (She smiles.)

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian: Do you want to go back? 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Callie/Colette: If it hadn't been for Covid, I would have returned long ago. But, now maybe someday. My career seems to be here now.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian changes the colors on the lights: Let's try this!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Ian: The shadow play here is very interesting...let's take a few more. Just think of your most fabulous night in Paris performing!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Colette: I sang in this little 'club de musique'. A restaurant during the day and early evening, but only for live music performances at night. 

Gerard had a little threesome band and we always had a full audience. Soon, we were the toast of Paris nightlife.

Ian: Hold that pose. Sounds wonderful. Gerard, why do I know that name? 

Colette: Well, he's Gerry my producer. He produced the Billie Holliday PBS Special we did in March when you did the stills. You know he is difficult, but very good at what he does. 

Ian: At everything?  Hold that!

Callie: (biting her lip, fingers tensing and then opening)

CLICK

Ian: I'm loving this shot...hold a bit longer! Click, click, click. That's a wrap.

I think I have all I need, except I think I need to go to Paris now.

Colette: Perhaps we may all go when I do my next  album of Paris songs. You could be my Apprêter, and make my life more arranged and document the whole trip. Perhaps make me more suitable for the public.

Ian: Suitable? Such an interesting word.

Colette: (shrugs) I really don't fit in anywhere it seems. (standing up). Joliet and Paris both seem a long distance away from here, from me now.

Ian: Well, Joliet was named after a French man. 

Callie: True, perhaps that's the mystique. Thank you, Ian. Let me know when you think you have something for the album cover and CD covers. We want to release this soon.

Ian: I sure will, I'll do some editing and send something over tonight or tomorrow. I might have to add something of Paris to it maybe on the right...but then I think it is already there in your eyes.

Colette: Merci à toi mon ami. (She smiles) And, thank you for an afternoon trip back to Paris. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Alone in the studio Ian worked on the photos...and played with the contrasts bringing up the shadows in the background. It's clear to him, Colette is two very interesting people.

Ian: And me, an Apprêter, that's one way of saying it. (he continues working and playing with the images...if he uses her closeups, he loses her shadows.) 

Ian: I guess I will leave the choice up to Colette. Maybe she will see, what I see.

(More to come)

Simple Background Set

Chair: Mattel from lunch set, covered in black contact paper:

Colette/Callie: Mattel Jazz Baby- jewelry hers.

Sweater: unknown seller China

Leggings: Mattel Model Muse

Floor: Contact paper

Background: Bent silver poster board

Lighting: Two small LED spot lights. One diffused with a piece of white foam core, one from the side.

Edits from Mac photo program, enhancing/reducing light, contrasts, colors, black and white, sepia, and color balance changes. Flaws and sharp lines are intentional in the composition.

Story: Total figments of my imagination and my doll world.

Thanks for looking, any comments or questions, I'll be happy to answer.

If you enjoyed this post(s), please join me by email- at 

FOLLOW IT---upper right hand corner.

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or products shown, or from where I shop. 

I'm joining these fine Parties:

 Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Sewing for a Mattel Jazz Baby-Pt 1

AD-Free Blog

Hi, All. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Armed with my measurement chart, I prepared for battle with some vintage patterns. I had purchased downloads for vintage fashion doll patterns from all the way back into the early 1960's-1980's. Earlier patterns were designed for Barbie, Toni, Sindy, and a few others that were floating around. So, since Colette is very tall and thin(not busty) I chose to work with older patterns as they, with added length, were closer in size than say TNT patterns in the shoulders and hips. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

My first project was a little romper from McCall's 6697 from 1974. I thought the longer leg would look great on the Jazz Baby body. And, I knew I could easily add height to the waist piece. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

So, far so good, the shorts fit very well. I did fold  a little excess at the back seams and pressed the edges under. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Instead of gathering I made a deep pleat for the bust, thinking that would lie flatter on the Jazz Baby trimmer figure, trying on all the while.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

The added an additional 3/8" height to the waistband was perfect. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I used a zig-zag stitch hems to blend in with the pattern.  All the seams are the recommended 1/4". 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

And of course Colette is happy since her signature necklace looks great with the diving neckline. 

When downloading files from pattern sellers, I have found inconsistencies in how accurate they print out. I recommend checking your measurements on ALL downloaded patterns---every page...as there will be discrepancies. There are multiple dealers  for downloaded patterns on Etsy. 

Patterns in stores are now $15-20 or so, downloads are much cheaper, but for patterns out of print or a certain number of years old.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I thought that jacket above the pink-bell bottoms had some great lines. I chose a mini-dot print, dots are always fresh and clean and lined in white, this would be classy enough for Colette's tastes. Testing the pattern against the doll, I extended the length on each piece almost 3/8".

 I also followed the angle of the sleeve edge in to the side---by .... and cut the sides in by a full 1/4". This means the entire jacket will be 1" narrower.  

Lining the jacket with white, nicely finished the sleeve edges, the collar edges, neck edges and front. Do all this before sewing up the sides and after trimming and clipping all the edges, you can turn it all out. Then sew the side seams, and hand finish the bottom edge/or blind stitch on the machine. I didn't want any stitching to show on the white inside, so I used white thread. Any white stitches showing on the black were easily touched up with a permanent marker pen.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

barbieoldnewgreenredo

For the Pants I used Simplicity 6901 from 1963. This is before TNT and fat legs...and better for the hip measurements of Jazz Baby. This is the lavender pant in the I view to the left. I added a full 3/4"+ to the length, and reduced the darts just a bit. 1974 barbie was very small in the waist.

I really like these pants have enough butt room for the dolls to sit down. I like this pattern because it sits a bit higher than bought clothing for that reason. You can taper the legs on the inside as much as you want...just make sure you can get the doll's leg through the bottom. This will be my go-to pattern for woven fabrics.

bbarbieoldnewgreenredo

I added a fabric tie (cut on the bias) and lined with the white. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

One thing about dress styles, they come and go and come in style again.---and this winged shoulder is definitely classy look, anytime.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I'm sure this would work for any doll today, with the proper fitting.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I used the top from the 6901 pattern for this fabric. I didn't add length as the pattern ran long to begin with. I did cut in to the sides a full 3/8" though. this gave a slimmer body and still leaving plenty of room.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I used two snaps to hold this together and did all edges with a straight top stitch.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I used the 6901 pants again for the stretch dark denim, again tapering the leg in from the inside leg seam, tapering from the crotch to the bottom leg edge. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Colette thinks they are nice and slim on her long legs. I hand hem the bottom edges.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

The next project is a dress from a purchased original McCall's 6232  from 2010, so post TNT body, and using Barbie's current body shape. I chose the silver purple woven fabric for a cocktail dress. I extended the length of the skirt by an 1" at mid thigh on both pieces. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

If I make this again, I will do a full length fold on the pattern to bring the back in just a bit. Other than that, everything is pretty much to pattern.

I also cut out a similar dress to compare for knits McCall's 6876 which was a downloaded pattern originally from 1994. Definitely styled for the TNT body, I kept this in mind while fitting the pattern. I extended the body 1/4" below the bust, and 1/4" below the hip as TNT's are taller than the original body type. I also cut the armholes up a full 1/4" tapering from 0" to 1/4" at the neck seam. I fitted the original neck piece to the new images.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

The beauty of working with knits as they are a bit more forgiving and ususally don't unravel. This sequin looking fabric was quite light-weight and gave my machine some issues. Eventually I found the needle would become gummed up from going through the plastic 'sequins', and had to be cleaned regularly. 

I ended up hand sewing all the edges and the neck piece.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Colette likes the cut-up leg, of course you can let it go as high as you want.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

The top could be smaller across the bust. Since I took off the extra 1/4" at the shoulder, I suppose I could tighten the bodice from the center front, if I use this again. (Which I will) this is a classic style and certainly still usable for a 'performer' that my doll is.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

The back looks great and the lines are fine. I did roll an extra bit in the turning the back slit and used one hook and eye at the top.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Colette says, magnifique'!

Tips---for adapting patterns for your dolls, measure-measure-measure, everything. I'm not going to make a recommendation for any one company with down-load patterns, as I found discrepancies with all of them. 

You may have to adjust your printers parameters and % to get an accurate pattern. But, then always measure your doll, and the pattern pieces. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I will eventually (when perfected) post the altered pattern pieces for the Jazz Baby, but I hope this helps to give you an idea how to adjust your own patterns. 

Thank you for visiting, I will try and respond to every question and comment. I will be doing further posts on tutorials for the Hotel and contents.

Please follow me at these great blog parties:

All About Home

Wonderful Wednesday

Inspire Me Monday

Over the Moon

Metamorphisis Monday

Thursday Favorite Things

Vintage Charm

 Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi