Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · See Me in Print

Autumn 2012 Prims and October 2012 Early American Life

I’d like to say “thank you” to both Prims and Early American Life.  My spun cotton figures of Thumbelina and Horrible Mother Toad are pictured on page 106 of the Autumn issue of Prims magazine, on sale September 1st.  Not only am I honored to have my work pictured but I’m thrilled to pieces that Martha Bishop, one of my Izannah Walker doll making students, has her Jack and Jill featured in the same article.

Early American Life Calendar Listing

Early American Life was kind enough to list my Izannah Walker Doll Making Retreat in their October 2012 issue.  If you are here at my blog because you saw the classes shown in EAL, click here to read all about the retreat.

Prims Ad

Doll Accessories · Doll Clothing · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · See Me in Print · Where to Shop

SOLD -True Blue and Her Wardrobe are Available for Sale

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING BY TO MEET TRUE BLUE.  SHE HAS BEEN SOLD AND WILL BE GOING TO A WONDERFUL NEW HOME 🙂                                              True Blue, who is pictured in the August issue of Early American Life magazine, is now available for sale.  You can read all about how she came into being and her journey to and from the Early American Life photo shoot in this post.

I have always loved antique dolls that have acquired a myriad collection of possessions throughout their long lives.   I have endeavored to give True Blue  a good start on a hope chest of her own, one that can be added to for generations to come.  She is true blue through and through with a blue second skin made from antique glazed cotton.

Her undergarments consist of a long lace trimmed chemise, pantalettes, and two petticoats trimmed in blue crocheted lace and tatting.  In her antique trunk she has four hand made dresses, a tiny antique tintype photograph, a chatelaine to keep all of her sewing essentials close by, a vintage silk flag to wave at the 4th of July parade and a miniature feather tree to help her celebrate Christmas. She also owns two necklaces to wear on Sundays and to parties, as well as two aprons to keep her clean while doing everyday chores. Rounding out her possessions are a signed copy of August 2012 Early American Life and an Early American Life Craftsman Directory recognition tag. Her adoption fee is $2900.

All of her dresses are made from antique fabrics.  The first is a wonderful indigo print cotton, with a banded neckline and sleeves and two growth tucks in the skirt.  The second is a lively red and blue paisley print, with short straight sleeves, a deep hem and two growth tucks.

Her third dress is a very early Prussian blue and brown cotton paisley that almost, but one quite as sheer as gauze.  It has tucked and gathered sleeves and a banded neckline.   The fourth dress is True Blue’s wardrobe is a very sheer woven cotton fabric, that is reminiscent of cheese cloth in its open weave, with woven white and blue “dots”.  It has a very full bodice, skirt and sleeves, with bands of cotton tape at the sleeves, neckline and waistband.

All of True’s possessions fit neatly into to her fabric covered trunk.  The trunk itself is not perfect.  It shows signs of having been lovingly played with over the years.  I think that it fits very well with the amount of “aging” that True exhibits.  I came across this trunk in Brimfield in May.  At the time I bought it, the trunk was lined with a modern “country” print wallpaper.  I have swapped out the lining for some much older vintage wallpaper that I just happened to have in my stash.

If you’d like to add more items, such as additional underwear, dresses, bonnets, etc.  I would be happy to make them for her.  Just inquire at paula@asweetremembrance.com for prices.

To purchase True Blue, please visit my website where you can check out through the secure automatic shopping basket.  Or if you prefer, you may call 860-355-5709 or email me paula@asweetremembrance.com.  I accept Paypal, checks, money orders and offer lay away.

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Doll Clothing · Izannah Reproduction Doll Class

A New Red Dress!

My Izannahs have a “new” red dress to share.  The 19th century print fabric of the dress is still vibrant and beautiful, and is the main thing that drew me to the dress upon first sight.  This dress has had some ill treatment in it’s life time, before finally ending up on eBay and making it’s way here to me.  I can tell that it was originally made to fit a doll exactly the same size as my antique 18-19 inch tall Izannah Walker dolls.  At some point, someone decided that they wanted to put it on a larger doll – and they were in a hurry to do so – because rather than altering the dress properly they just hacked away at it with a pair of scissors!  The bottom of the sleeves were snipped, with a pair of pinking sheers, up through the ruffle, wrist band and gathering, to  allow a larger hand and arm to fit through the sleeve.  Then the original neckline and upper part of the dress was cut away to the bretelle ruffle, to accommodate a doll with a larger neck circumference.

Recently purchased on eBay, this dress from the last quarter of the 19th century, is a perfect fit for my original antique Izannah Walker doll.

Even though this dress is far from perfect the girls and I love it.  The color is a wonderful Turkey red that I am very partial too and the trim is ingeniously embroidered cotton tape, which is a very thrifty way to add a charming accent to the dress.

I can happily say that when you are a doll collector and doll maker, buying a new dress for one of your dolls is every bit as exciting now as it was during childhood.  I am equally as thrilled with this dress as my 11 year old niece was, with her carefully chosen purchases, during a recent trip to The American Girl’s Place in New York.  The love of dolls runs in our family!

My niece, Keira, at The American Girl’s place on 5th Avenue.

I’m adding this dress to my pile of dresses from which I will (hopefully) be drafting and selling patterns.  The pile is getting rather sizable, so don’t hold your breath 🙂  The good news is that it’s much faster for me to make a pattern that is only for my own use, so if you love this dress I can certainly make you one when you  order a custom made doll or just an extra dress for one of my Izannahs that you already own.

Everyone attending the second session of my Izannah Walker Doll Making Retreat October 1-3, will have a chance to examine this dress, and the others in my collection, in detail.