Author: paulawalton

My name is Paula Walton. I’m a working craftsperson. I’ve been self-employed since 1986, when I started selling the items that I make under the name A Sweet Remembrance. Among other things, I am a doll maker, a dressmaker that specializes in reproduction women’s and children’s clothing, maker of spun cotton ornaments and holiday figures, and a freelance designer. Upon occasion I write magazine articles and am a Craftsperson in Residence. I teach and do demonstrations quite frequently, plus I was previously the director and curator of a small museum in Connecticut.

A Special Doll for Susan

January 15, 2016 paulawalton4 Comments

I’ve just finished working on this reproduction of Isabeau for Susan. She is an 18-1/2 inch tall reproduction Izannah Walker doll. For Susan’s doll I reproduced the cracked and peeling paint surfaces on the original Isabeau that I made her mold from. The paint and layers of paste on her nose have been worn away, down to the underlying stockinette, just like on the original.
This doll has an antique pink linen second skin, like many of Izannah Walker’s earliest dolls did. Her dress is made from a wonderful thin white cotton, which has aged to a pale ecru. It has a skirt with four narrow tucks and a gathered ruffle of broderie anglaise, gathered sleeves banded with additional eyelet trim, an antique cotton tape drawstring at the neck of the dress, which is embellished with eyelet and tatting, and a wide waistband with eyelet and embroidered cotton ribbon. Her chemise is made from antique lace trimmed cotton and her pantalettes were originally part of a pair of women’s 19th century panteletts. She has two petticoats made from antique cotton and broderie anglaise. Her stockings were made from bits of antique cotton stockings and her shoes are handmade red leather.

Arms over your head! Just one last clothing change. 🙂

The original c.1860’s Isabeau one the right and my newly made c.2016 reproduction Isabeau on the left.

This little Isabeau is so looking forward to beginning her travels, as she is longing to make the acquaintance of her new family ❤

Janet’s Hannah Grace

January 3, 2016 paulawalton4 Comments

Meet Hannah Grace, the first doll made from a mold that I created directly from Hannah, my most recently acquired antique Izannah Walker doll. Hannah Grace’s new mom, Janet, picked out all of her clothing fabrics and styles ❤

The original Hannah on the right and Hannah Grace on the left.

Hannah’s Warm Winter Wool Challis Dress

I made this dress out of a worn 19th century antique paisley shawl. The dress has many hand sewn details, including a cartridge pleated skirt and herringbone stitched seam finishes.

Hannah’s Summer Party Frock

For warm weather and fancy occasions Hannah Grace has a floral paisley dress made from antique gauze weight cotton. The dress has split sleeves with two different antique trims ❤

This summer dress is a bit shorter so that the eyelet tabs on her petticoat show 🙂

Still Haven’t Seen Enough?

If you would like to see EVEN MORE photographs of Janet’s Hannah Grace she has a photo album on my A Sweet Remembrance facebook page. Click here to visit it.

Thank you for stopping by to see us! We are so glad you came.

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Celebrations · Holidays

Joyous Wishes for a Happy 2016!

January 1, 2016 paulawalton4 Comments

Wishing upon a bright and shining star that your new year will be filled with health, happiness and great joy!

On this New Year’s Day my hope for each and every one of you is that 2016 will bring you a year full of peace, happiness, and well-being! May your days be filled with simple pleasures and quiet beauty.

My new year’s reflections upon the waning 2015 are filled with gratitude. I am so thankful that I am able to spend my days creating dolls and other works that I love. It brings me great happiness and quiet contentment to bring to life the Izannah dreams of such wonderful group of collectors and fellow Izannahphlies.

As a few of you know, this year has been a bit of a challenge for me. My father died during the summer and I have had Lyme disease for about 5 or 6 months. I am overwhelmingly grateful for the amazing graciousness, tolerance and understanding of everyone who has had a custom ordered doll or restoration work scheduled during 2015. You have been unfailingly kind and supportive when I have fallen behind on the scheduled completion dates for your dolls. Thank you!!! I am currently feeling better than I have for months and am so looking forward to this new year and being able to get caught back up on my work load. I love all of the dolls that are currently in my studio and I look forward to sharing them with you in the upcoming weeks and months! Happy New Year to all!!!

Holidays

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2015December 25, 2015 paulawalton2 Comments

Wishing everyone a very special Christmas to remember & a bright and shiny new year!

Other Types of Doll Making · Uncategorized

My First Doll

December 22, 2015 paulawalton2 Comments

This is one of the two soft sculpture dolls that I made in 1984. This photo is from a year or two ago, when I washed it before packing it away in the attic. It’s still in very good condition, considering how much it has been drug around and played with and all the times it has gone through the washing machine!

Do you remember the first doll you ever made? My first doll was actually twins! Two identical dolls made for my oldest two son’s first and third birthdays. I made them in February and March of 1984, from a pattern that my mother gave me. She had purchased the pattern ten years or so earlier, when my little sister was small, but had never gotten around to actually making a doll from it.

Almost life size and able to wear 6 month size baby clothes.

At the time I made the dolls we had just moved 6 weeks earlier, from Nebraska to Minnesota. My husband was traveling a lot, and after I got everything unpacked I worked on the dolls during nap times and at night, after the boys were in bed. Since the dolls were the same, Blair got to open his two weeks early, on Ian’s birthday in mid-March.

See the doll in the back corner of the crib? Even early in it’s life it was having hair raising adventures!

Made from polyester knit fabric, with fake fur hair, soft sculpture details and painted eyes. My doll making skills have improved a bit in 31 years, but I hope that the dolls I make now bring their owner as much joy, delight and fun as this doll did!!!

Later that same year I made my very first teddy bear, as a Christmas gift for my then 20 month old son. I remember frantically sewing away, trying to get the bear done around midnight on Christmas Eve… Somethings never change! 🙂

This is what my first teddy bear looks like today, 31 Christmases after I made him. Still looking out at the world with his embroidered, baby safe eyes, ready to play or snuggle up close for a nap ❤

Holidays · Shows · Stray Comments

A Perfect Day or The Delight of an Unexpected Visit!

December 14, 2015December 15, 2015 paulawalton2 Comments

Yesterday my friend Joy and I decided that we could squeeze in an impromptu trip to Pamela Dalton’s Christmas Open House. So we piled into the car and ventured north to the village of Harlemville. The drive flew by as we talked and admired all of the small towns we passed through!

Our destination, Pamela Dalton's house! — Our destination, Pamela Dalton’s house!

I love this tin version of her logo!

We had a wonderful time looking at all of the amazing fine crafts that Pamela and her group of friends created. Then surprise!!! Who was there? My friend Peggy!!!

I had no idea Peggy would be at the Open House! It was such a treat to see her again and have a chance to catch up on everything she has been doing :) — I had no idea Peggy would be at the Open House! It was such a treat to see her again and have a chance to catch up on everything she has been doing 🙂

Peggy is a talented, creative doll maker, who lives in a charming old house by the sea. She has an enchanting blog that I love to read.

The afternoon came to a close with strolling carolers. It was a story book ending to a lovely Open House! Afterwards, Peggy and her dear friend Sandy invited us back to Sandy’s house for supper. It was so nice to finally meet Sandy in person! Peggy has told me so much about her and Pam had told me last month that she had a friend (Sandy) who loved dolls and that she was sure would like to meet me. Sandy is every bit as nice, creative, and charming as they both told me she is. 🙂 She is also another old house owner and the creative force behind Sandy Connors’ Honey Bee Press – old fashioned wood engraving and printing.

We gathered around a cozy fire to chat, eat and sip wine, and reveled in the company of friends both old and new... — We gathered around a cozy fire to chat, eat and sip wine, and reveled in the company of friends both old and new…

Sandy was the perfect hostess, welcoming us into her home, introducing us to her sweet pets, feeding us and showing us through her lovely c. 1830’s home.

Naturally I was quite delighted to make the acquaintance of the doll family that lives in Sandy’s home.

What an unexpected delight and a welcome interlude in the midst of a busy holiday season!!!

My little wooden girls were beside themselves when they found out they had missed a chance to meet Sandy's dolls too. I have promised them a future play date... and prehaps they will be properly dressed to entertain visitors by then! — My little wooden girls were beside themselves when they found out they had missed a chance to meet Sandy’s dolls too. I have promised them a future play date… and perhaps they will be properly dressed to entertain visitors by then!

Today I had the fun of reliving yesterdays adventure, when I unpacked the treasures that I purchased at the Open House.

tinprinter@verizon.net

hmmmm.... "How does it look here?" — hmmmm…. “How does it look here?”

"or maybe here instead?" — “or maybe here instead?”

This is the paper cutting that we choose for a friend who authorized us to shop on her behalf :) — This is the paper cutting that we choose for a friend who authorized us to shop on her behalf 🙂

and this is the one I bought for myself... — and this is the one I bought for myself…

to add to the others I purchased from Pamela Dalton when we saw her in Ridgefield last month.

http://peggyflavin.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

This tiny Father Christmas in his salmon coat is the perfect decoration for my dining room!

Look at the intricate detail that Peggy embroidered on his coat. I believe that there may have been a handful of these charming fellows left at the end of the show... If he makes your heart go pitter-pat you could contact Peggy and ask http://peggyflavin.blogspot.com/p/contact.html — Look at the intricate detail that Peggy embroidered on his coat. I believe that there may have been a handful of these charming fellows left at the end of the show… If he makes your heart go pitter-pat you could contact Peggy and ask http://peggyflavin.blogspot.com/p/contact.html

http://peggyflavin.blogspot.com/p/contact.html

See Me in Print · Uncategorized

My Interview with Antique Doll Collector Magazine

December 13, 2015 paulawaltonLeave a comment

Antique Doll Collector magazine interviewed me for their blog last week. You can read the interview by clicking here. 🙂

Custom Made Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Restoration and Conservation

Susie’s Lily Too!

November 29, 2015November 30, 2015 paulawalton4 Comments

It is my very great pleasure to introduce you to “Lily Two”. She is a special commission doll, that is the very first doll made from a mold of the original Lily. This little reproduction Lily is going to be living with her older sister, the real Lily, and will no doubt acquire a new name of her very own when she goes home. 🙂

Lily 2 has a second skin made from an amazing piece of dark red glazed cotton. The red fabric once graced the back of an intricate silk crazy quilt. The front side of the quilt has deteriorated over time, and most of the silk has shattered and crumbled. The never washed backing is as bright, crisp and vibrant as when it was new, Because the dark red fabric was originally sewn with a brighter red thread I have chosen to recreate that pairing in Lily’s 2nd skin.

The fabric for Lily’s undergarments all came from a pair of antique split pantalettes. The antique Lily is going to have waved braid (rick rack) trimmed unmentionables, and so will have a strong zig zag theme. Lily Two’s white underpinnings all have a circular theme, on both the embroidered petticoat ruffle and the tatted chemise and pantalette trim. I liked echoing the geometric design, with the substitution of circles for triangular points. 🙂

Lily’s dress is made from a fabulous piece antique wool challis. Lily is a small 17 inch tall doll, and this challis has a fairly large size print. This is something you will find in many extant dresses belonging to antique Izannah Walker dolls. I absolutely adore larger scale prints on Izzys ❤ The look is so perfectly evocative of the clothing worn by many antique Izannah Walker dolls. People often feel that they need a small scale print for doll clothing and fail to take into account the reality of the way antique dolls were actually dressed.

I cut the waistband and neck band of Lily’s dress from a matching border print challis. Notice that the green flower is centered in the middle of her waistband. I cartridge pleated the skirt of the dress onto the bodice using a brown thread. My thread color choices stay true the the original stitching on this piece of fabric, which was also the back of a silk crazy quilt. The seams of the backing were sewn with off white thread, but all of the quilting stitches (which I had to remove one by one) were sewn with a medium brown thread. I have a vast collection of antique and vintage thread that I use to make all of my dolls and their clothing.

Lily and Lily Two. Now that I have had a chance to do a “practice run” on Lily Two I can move forward with Lily’s restoration. I am in the midst of removing a very ill considered layer of fabric that someone decided to glue on to her shoulders at some point in her life…

The Lilys! Sisters, best friends and bosom companions through thick and thin ❤ You can see how the red in Lily 2’s second skin and dress print compliments the red in Lily’s antique dress.

Thank you so much for dropping by to meet Lily. We enjoyed having you come visit! Please come back to see us soon ❤

❤ ❤ ❤ I have been searching for months for thin antique black velvet ribbon to use on the original Lily’s dress. If anyone should happen to have any that they are selling or know where some can be found, will you please send me a note at paula@asweetremembrance.com ? Thank you!!!