Doll Clothes Cottage now open in Lewes
After sewing thousands of doll dresses over about 20 years, Monica Weber still finds joy in her work.
“It’s a delightful business to be in,” she said. “No one is ever in a bad mood buying doll clothes.”
It’s a business the Brookfield, Conn., native grew into gradually.
“A friend of mine adopted an older girl, and some of us chipped in to buy her an American Girl doll, which I had never even heard of,” she said. “And I thought, ‘I sew, maybe I’ll make her a couple outfits.’”
Another friend who saw the outfits asked her to sew a complete wardrobe of doll clothing as a gift. From there, Weber began sewing and selling custom outfits at local craft shows and fairs, and then operated her own doll clothing store in Connecticut for five years.
A friend recommended Lewes for a vacation, and the retired accountant and her husband found they loved the area so much, they moved to Lewes Beach in March. She opened Doll Clothes Cottage on a part-time basis Memorial Day weekend, and now runs the store six days a week.
Weber sews clothes designed to fit American Girl, Bitty Baby, Wellie Wisher and other large dolls. Each dress can take two hours to design, sew and embellish with lace trim or other decorations.
“I make up patterns by paying attention to what kids like and trends in kids’ clothing and try to match them,” she said. “My customers give me great ideas, too. Kids are very tactile and like to touch the materials, so I must have the right texture and quality. They have to be sturdy enough to last.”
Weber says Halloween clothes are best-sellers, and she offers a line of boy doll clothes as well. The store also offers doll toys such as beach chairs and tea sets, and accessories like shoes and umbrellas.
“I love when kids and their parents come in and talk about their favorite dolls,” she said. “It’s a joy to see what has brought joy to someone for so many years.”
Dolls Clothes Cottage is at 1152 B Savannah Road, across from the entrance to Henlopen Gardens in Lewes. Hours vary daily to suit customer needs. For information, email Weber at dollclothes1@sbcglobal.net.
