St. Lucia Dress from Samantha's Nightgown
- wingedmermaid
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Last year, after it was pretty clear that American Girl was not going to re-release Kirsten's St. Lucia Outfit on its own, I decided to take a stab at making my own. I'm still pretty happy with how the tray came out (I think my saffron buns are much nicer than the official American Girl ones), but the headpiece could've been a little better, and I'm not really satisfied with the dress I sewed -- particularly the neckline. It's very boatneck, but not in a nice looking way. The overall shape of the dress just isn't that great. I'm proud of myself that I was able to cobble together a bunch of different patterns and make something that worked (especially without much time to spare), but I wanted something better for this year.
This past summer, I lucked out and won an auction for Kirsten's St. Lucia crown. It was easily my most nerve-wracking purchase on eBay. The very end of the auction was a bit of a battle and I think I managed to sneak in one final bid just as the final seconds were ticking down. It was the first and only time I've ever successfully won a heated auction like that! My heart was absolutely racing!
While I'd managed to get the crown for a lot less than it typically goes for (especially in brand new condition), it still cost enough that I decided to wait on getting the nightgown for the outfit. ...And then life happened, and other things caught my attention, and I essentially waited too long and all of the secondhand nightgowns rose in price beyond what I was willing to pay for one.
Time for a new plan! I looked at other American Girl nightgowns past and present, trying to see if any others would work well for a St. Lucia outfit. Tradition just calls for a white nightgown, red sash (to symbolize St. Lucia/Lucy's martyrdom), and the crown. My first thought was Addy's nightgown, but many I saw had really pilly flannel. I ultimately settled on Samantha's nightgown. It was much easier to come by, much cheaper, and it didn't look like it'd be too difficult to customize.
There was just one problem...
Once again, I'd fallen into the trap of falling in love with something I bought to customize! (See also Elizabeth Cole). I hadn't expected the secondhand nightgown to clean up so easily or look so nice afterward, and Samantha's nightgown just so happened to be one of the outfits I'd always wanted as a kid (that '90's-does-victorian goodness ♥). SO... needless to say, I went on the hunt again for a second nightgown to continue my plans.
This time, I stumbled across a listing for a PC version that came with her robe and slippers! At first, I was going to compare the two nightgowns once both were clean and decide which should be kept as is and which would be customized, but the choice ended up being fairly easy to make. The PC version had a small dot that needed stain remover and a few extra steps to clean, very yellowed velcro, and a few fabric pills here and there. The AG version has slightly nicer fabric, white velcro, and even the ribbon detail on the yoke seems to be a little more centered. So, I pushed down any feelings of discomfort at altering a PC-era piece and snipped away at the pink ribbons.
My original plan had been to swap the pink ribbons for another color -- white, red, or iridescent white. I struggled to get the 1/8 ribbon I'd bought through the lace (it turns out I should've used 1/16 ribbon), and then I realized I liked the look of just the lace better. It didn't take attention away from the red sash, but still gave the nightgown a more elegant look than Kirsten's.
Honestly, I like this look better than Kirsten's actual gown. As someone who grew up in the '80's/'90's, this nightgown shape is so nostalgic, and the two types of lace add just the right amount of detail. What's really surprising is even though I have Lizzie and Delaney wearing Samantha's nightgown side by side, the gowns look completely different with one tied at the waist and the other with the yoke ribbons intact.
I still feel a little bad for cutting up a PC-era piece -- especially when there is a pattern for Samantha's nightgown -- but this year has been pretty hectic and I haven't had as much time (or drive) to sew. And while I'll probably repurpose the fabric of the first St. Lucia dress I made, I don't see myself ever letting go of this one. I really like how it looks.
And now I'm ready for St. Lucia Day on December 13th! Well... almost ready. I think I need some cinnamon rolls for the occasion. ♥
