Sewing the Seventies… A Printable Paper Doll For Jo

seventies-logo-marisoleThis is the paper doll set I abandoned last week and instead posted the doodles. I am so happy I gave it another week to be refined. Jo was one of the two winners of my drawing in January. She asked for a “groovy” late 60s early 1970s Marisole paper doll based on pattern covers from patterns she actually had sewn at the time. How cool is that?

You can see a PDF of the pattern covers Jo sent me here. I loved all of the pattern covers and I wish I had been able to draw them all, but, of course, that would be way more than a one page paper doll.

Normally, I do two pairs of shoes for each Marisole and friends set, but I wanted to focus on things the patterns had, so a simple pair of clogs did the trick. Tiny calico patterns were the “in” thing in the 70’s, so I created some to decorate these groovy outfits using a new method that I’m experimenting with involving Photoshops pattern making tools. I think they came out pretty well considering that I only sort of know what I am doing.

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{Click Here for a PDF of Sewing the Seventies in Color} {Click Here for a 150 dpi PNG of Sewing the Seventies in Color}
I drew a new Marisole paper doll face for this set, because I wanted to try to capture some of the whimsy of the pattern cover’s faces. I don’t think I did a good job of that, but I did have fun. Jo asked for bangs and brown hair, or I would have given into the temptation and tried to do Farrah hair.

(Okay, I did try. I confess. It came out… weird looking.)

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{Click Here for a PDF of Sewing the Seventies in Black and White} {Click Here for a 150 dpi PNG of Sewing the Seventies in Black and White} {Click Here for More Marisole Monday & Friends Paper Dolls}
I had so much fun dabbling in the 1970s, especially since I’m not very familiar with the clothes of this era. So, fans who remember the 1970s… how did I do?

12 thoughts on “Sewing the Seventies… A Printable Paper Doll For Jo”

  1. You did great! I was in elementary school during this time and my beloved Grandmama made many of my clothes from McCalls patterns. This really brings back memories!

    • Good. I’m glad they bring back wonderful memories. I never have thought much about 70s fashion, but the pattern covers were so fun I’m thinking of doing a sequel.

  2. I’m way too young to remember the 70s (I barely remember the 90s) but I looked through the scans before I looked at the paper doll and I was surprised that some of my personal favorites made it into paper doll form. I especially love the peasant blouse and dress-with-pinafore. I think you captured the look very well!

    • Okay… well now I feel OLD. Anyway, I’m glad you liked my choices. My favorite is the dress with the pinafore, I confess. I try not to have favorites, but um… I do. 🙂

  3. I think the clothes are so fun and fab. Thanks for all the wonderful paper dolls you do. Have you ever thought of doing a Persian paper doll? I think that would be really cool.

    • You’re welcome, Penny. I’m glad you enjoy them. I have thought of doing a Persian paper doll, but I don’t really know much about Persian dress.

    • Farrah Fawcett was an American actress who made a hairstyle very famous in the 1970s and it became known as “Farrah hair”. It’s a hard style to describe, but it involved flipped out hair and bangs. Um… Maybe googling it will help.

    • Thanks. That’s also one of my favorites and I think a surprisingly modern look. I wouldn’t have thought of it as “1970s” if it hadn’t been on the pattern cover.

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