FOR THE LOVE OF DOLLS

"A SELF PORTRAIT DOLL"

I'm not even close to being an expert doll maker or clothier.  I do have fun with the craft.  I wish I'd taken pictures of the doll clothes I've made and the dolls I've dressed and the dolls I made.  Not to mention the bears and sock monkeys I've made.  You see it was the sock monkeys I blame for any other dolls I made or dressed. 

To be completely honest the obsession came when I was taught to sew at  three years old.  My mother started me with a running stitch and I made a tee shirt for my "Tiny Tears" doll.  It progressed to learning how to embroider a lazy daisy stitch and a stem stitch on the items I made.  When I was six maybe seven, I know I was in school and it was before I was in the 3rd grade I was given a real sewing machine.  It was portable and in a red leather case. I have no idea what brand it was or where it is now.  But it was real.  It had a foot pedal on the floor.  I  have to say it was my very favorite gift I ever received.  I  don't remember anytime making stuff with it but I do remember the day I broke it, somehow the needle jammed.  I know now that it knocked the timing off in the machine   That was the last time I ever used it and I have no idea what happened to it after that. 

I do know the thrill my granddaughter experienced when she was totally surprised by her machine when she was 6.  I remember the moment I was given mine.  Through the years I dressed my Ginny dolls and my Toni doll. Because I no longer had a machine I did them by hand.  When I was eleven My mother bought a portable Singer with boxes of cams.  At that time she was expecting my youngest sister and she never had time to take the lessons to use the machine.  She told me to go take them.  I felt so grown up walking into the classroom with all the adults (I even took the city bus to get to the store).  There were 10 students.  The instructor told us to pick out a pattern and make an out fit.  There would be 10 lesson/sewing sessions and  at the end of the lessons there would be a fashion show and awards given out.

Mom and I went shopping at Penny's.  Back then they had a fabric department.  This was the beginning of my fabric addiction.  I was in heaven despite the headache I had when I left.  I know now it was the formaldehyde in the fabric.

Now most of my sewing time is spent piecing quilts. 

I dug through my pictures on the puter and found two dolls I rescued from the trash and dressed.  I remember the handful of cream rinse I had to use on their hair to get it combed out and The bottle of fray check I used making their clothes. 

This Doll on the left I called "The Asian Diva".   Her Dress was made from the lining of a 1930 mens wool suit.  The dress and coat were lined with tafetta from another old dress. If you look close you will see a miniature "frog" at the waist.  I made it using a large needle.

The doll on the right I called "Valentine Blondie".  Her dress was the wade from the top of a cocktail dress from the 40's.  The over skirt was an organza type fabric from a hat of the same era.  Her necklace is from beads of that era.  Both dolls went to new homes quite a while ago.    Both dolls have underpants and a bra on.  The bride in the background I still have and will have to take a picture of her. 

I don't think I ever out grew my love of dolls.

Other blogs I write:

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets 

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

New Blog Feb 17 on label reading.

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry

4 New blogs Feb 16-19 about Seeds sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own. 

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .  Please do not copy without permission