How is 2020 shaping up for you?

Here in the Lee & Pearl workroom, we've almost got the hang of putting "2020" on documents instead of "2019," but it's still hard to believe we're three weeks into a whole new year.

Both "Lee" and "Pearl" have been busy, busy, busy since our joint vacation ended on January 2 — right after our visit to the Tyson's Corner American Girl® store, where we met Girl of the Year™ Joss Kendrick, and lots of Lee & Pearl friends.

It's wonderful to get out of the workroom and meet the gals behind the dolls, putting real faces to the names we know so well. A big THANK YOU to everyone who came out — such as Kris M., Amy S., Melangell, Sewbig, Nina J. and AGPastime — and to everyone who followed us LIVE on Facebook!

Hey, there's doll wearing a pretty print version of our Pattern 1035: Olá Brasil Bahia Dress! That was such a nice surprise for us, thank you!

And look — Nina J. brought her custom-dyed, Addy-mold doll "Sulwe." Sulwe is even more lovely in person than in the pictures I have seen of her on Facebook. Thank you for bringing her along so we could meet her, Nina!

We hope to offer more meet-and-greets this year, and have been bouncing around ideas for in-person tours and classes as well. Maybe even a Doll Tutu Weekend Retreat?

What do you think? If there's a class, tour, retreat or other event you'd be interested in, please let us know!

So what have we been up to for the last three weeks...?

Right after getting off the plane from Virginia, Pearl had to spend serious time unpacking and finding the perfect spots for all her great new workroom presents, including BOOKS, of course.

Lee has already done some experimenting with pojagi (or bojagi) — a Korean patchwork art that takes beautiful advantage of the translucent quality of silk organza. Pearl can't wait to get started as well, using Sara Cook's wonderful book as an inspiring and detailed guide.

Want to try your hand at Bojagi, too? CLICK HERE to see all the beautiful SILK ORGANZA in the Lee & Pearl Etsy store!

For years, Pearl has had an obsession with Japanese patternmaking books, so the two new books from the Pattern Magic and Drape Drape authors pictured above were a wonderful surprise from Lee on Christmas morning.

Wouldn't it be fun to add a design element like THIS to a Lee & Pearl pattern...?

Here's another gift that Pearl can't wait to try out with some beautiful silk organza and seed beads from our jewelry-making stash — a tambour embroidery frame and tambour needle set from Lacis!

You've probably seen lots of tambour embroidery — such as the intricate-yet-floaty layers of beadwork featured on couture gowns at Fashion Week, or these swirls we spotted in last year's Dior exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art — but aren't sure exactly how it's created. To be honest, we're not sure either. But Pearl looks forward to setting up this frame and figuring it out!

But before we can do any embroidery, there's one more gift we have to show you. This one comes from our tech-savvy brother...

Yes, it's a 3D printer. The Lee & Pearl workroom is finally entering the 21st century!

This is going to be a big adventure for us. We're already compiling lists of projects to tackle with this machine. And we'd love your input as well. If there's something you've always wanted to print or purchase for your doll collection, let us know and we'll add it to our list.

Pattern maker Pearl has also been busy... making patterns.

With the new year comes the happy task of creating a new FREE pattern to share with our mailing list subscribers, and Pearl has been hard at work on that task.

Looking good there, Pearl.

We know that picture — of a VERY EARLY paper draft — is not much to go on. So here are a few more hints: Pearl has found inspiration in the giant 4,000+ vintage pattern collection we purchased last year, in a rumored new American Girl historical doll and in a certain popular streaming television show.

Stranger things have happened, no?

We can't wait to share more information about this new pattern as it comes together. And we also want to remind you that the CLOCK IS NOW TICKING on our current FREE pattern for subscribers, Pattern 1038: The Gift Bow Front Dress for 18 Inch, 16 Inch and 14 1/2 Inch Dolls.

If you would like to get your own FREE copy of Pattern 1038: The Gift Bow Front Dress for 18", 16" and 14 1/2" Dolls before it disappears, CLICK HERE to sign up for the Lee & Pearl mailing list!

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See you next time!