Category: Antique Izannah Walker Dolls

This category is for pictures of and information about antique dolls made by Izannah Walker.

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Studio News for August 1st – New Dolls, Ebay Auctions, More…

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A family photo of the dolls in my studio this week. Not all of them are fully finished and dressed, but all are currently available for sale. 9/29/11 Update - the doll in the pink bonnet, the doll in the brown and red dress and the doll with the blue body have been sold.

Here is a glimpse of the dolls that I am currently working on.  Email or call me if you would like to see more photos of a particular doll, or would like to ask questions and prices. Paula@ASweetRemembrance.com or 860-355-5709.

SOLD - Thank You!

She has SOLD, thank you for looking.

I got a little carried away when I was listing items and set up twenty five auctions.  I’m selling several antique dolls,  vintage teddy bears and some antique cooking implements.  If you’d like to look at every thing I have listed on eBay, click here.  Most of these auctions have closed, but there are a few still running for Izannah and Spun Cotton Classes.

Do you want to learn how to make reproduction Izannah Walker dolls???  The sign up deadline for my September doll making retreat is approaching fast.  If you can’t come to Connecticut, my class by mail is the next best thing.

My favorite reading this week is the August issue of Antique Doll Collector magazine.  It has a fantastic eight and a half page article about the Izannah Walker Reunion held last November by the Doll Collectors of America.  The article is full of glorious photos of the 31 antique Izannah Walker dolls that attended.  If you don’t already have a copy of this magazine, you need to get one immediately.

Another Izannah Walker article to be on the look out for is one being published in the Christmas issue of Early American Life magazine.  I’ve just finished working on my advertisement for that issue, nothing like thinking of Christmas in July!  I’m very proud to say that I will be in the 2011 Holiday Directory of Traditional Crafts that will also be in the EAL Christmas issue.  Thank you Early American Life!!! This is the 24th time that I’ve been chosen for the Directory 🙂

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Painted Cloth Doll Making · Shows · Where to Shop

Ringlets, Corkscrew Curls and Long Curls…

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Sneak Peek!!! This doll will be for sale during my upcoming Online Show June 24th - 26th.

Today I spent the whole morning painting curls.  It occurred to me while I was painting that not everyone has had as much experience with long curls as I have 🙂  I think that it is much easier to paint curls if you think of them in terms of real hair.  So here is a quick how-to hair styling lesson, with my my personal tips gleaned from a lifetime of ringlets!

As soon as my hair was long enough to brush around my mother’s finger, she started rolling my hair in what she called “long curls”.

After shampooing and brushing out all of the tangles in your hair, section off a small amount of hair and catch it between your two middle fingers, at the point where you wish the curl to begin.  Use a soft bristled brush to start brushing the hair around your first two fingers (for tighter curls brush it only around your index finger).

Continue brushing the hair around your fingers until you reach the end of the strand.  To hold the curl in place while it dries, slip a long bobby pin in one side of the curl, from the bottom up.  If you plan to sleep on the wet curls or do anything very active while your hair dries, use a hair clip that will fasten closed instead of bobby pins.

When your hair is dry, remove the pins and the curls should naturally lengthen and fall into place.

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

Pantalettes

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My Valentine’s Day post this year was about chemises.   Continuing with the undergarment theme, today I’m talking about pantalettes.  Unlike my previous post, this time around I will not be modeling any of pantalettes. 🙂

One of my reproduction Izannahs and her pantalettes.

All of my reproduction Izannahs wear pantalettes as part of their authentically recreated clothing.  I base the pantalettes that my dolls wear on a pair that are part of the original garments belonging  to one of my antique Izannah Walker dolls.You can see another photo of these pantalettes here.

The origins of pantalettes can be found in early 19th century France, and from there the fashion soon spread to England and America.  Pantalettes were worn by women and children of both sexes.

Antique pantalettes with two separate legs.
Close-up of the center leg edge.

The legs of pantalettes can either be two separate pieces that are joined only at the waist (as is the case with my doll’s version) or the legs can be sewn together with either a side or back opening.  The hemline of the legs varied from below the knee to ankle length.

Antique womens pantalettes with back opening waistband.
Close-up of pantalettes back opening.
Close-up of pantalettes front.
To see more illustrations from Godey's Lady's Book check out my previous post c. 1860's Girl's Clothing Styles

To view c. 1860’s Girl’s Clothing Styles post, click here.

To enlarge any of the smaller photos, simply click on them.

Friends.
Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Doll Clothing · Doll for Sale · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll

“Say Cheese!” and “Smile for the Camera” – SOLD

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This doll has been sold.  If you love her and would like to order a similar doll, I would be happy to make one especially for you.

Let’s try this again!  My photography skills dramatically improve in the daylight hours.

To read more about this doll check out my previous posts about her,

Just Finished and Available For Sale &

Today’s Doll .

If you would like to purchase this doll, please visit my website A Sweet Remembrance, or simply call (860-355-5708) or email (paula@asweetremembrance.com) me.

Here she is in her pantalettes and chemise.
Her petticoat is an antique that I cleaned and altered to fit her.
She is wearing a simple white dress with a tucked skirt and sleeves.
Over her dress she wears a lace trimmed apron
In good company with her much older sisters (my original antique Izannah Walker dolls).

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

Chemises

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I’m sure that you can all call to mind an image of a classic Izannah Walker doll, wearing a charming print dress with a neckline that gently hugs her shoulders.  Layered under her dress will be a chemise, petticoats and pantalettes.

When you are dressing your Izannah Walker doll it is important for her undergarments to have the proper fit.  If your doll will be wearing a low cut dress then her chemise must be cut to match.

It has been speculated that Izannah Walker was making dolls as early as the mid 1840’s.  Low shoulder baring gowns were fashionable for young children beginning in the late 18th century through the mid 1860’s.  After the Civil War necklines on children’s dresses and chemises rose.  The doll shown on the left, in the photo above, wears her original chemise that shows all of her shoulders, right up to the top of her arms.  The hem line of this chemise falls below her knees.  The doll on the right also wears her original chemise, but it’s neckline and hemline are both higher, with the bottom of the garment ending just below her hips (click here for another view).  Both chemises are made of cotton sheeting.

The fit of the doll’s chemises are very true to life and match the fit of corresponding real chemises of the period.

c. 1860 calf length, machine stitched, cotton sheeting chemise with Turkey red embroidered eyelet and a single inital.

A chemise is the garment that was worn closest to the body.  Stays/corsets were worn over the top of the chemise, followed by petticoats.   Pantalettes, once they were introduced in the early 19th century, were worn under the chemise to cover the legs.  If a chemise fits properly, even though the neckline is off the shoulder, it will easily stay in place without falling off.

Machine stitched cotton sheeting chemise with fantastic hand embroidered yoke and sleeve trim.
Close up view of embroidered detail.
Machine stitched linen chemise with tatted lace trim and red embroidered initals and number. Chemises, men's shirts and sheets were often embroidered with initals and numbered, to make sure that they were rotated evenly.
Sleeve and gusset detail.
Machine stitched cotton sheeting chemise with hand embroidered yoke and crochet lace.

If you would like a closer look at any of the small photos, you can enlarge them by clicking on the image.

Directions for making the Izannah era heart shaped pin cushion and emery that the dolls are holding are on my 18th Century Home Journal.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Happy New Year

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May you have a wonderful doll filled 2011!

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Izannah Reproduction Doll Class · Izannah Walker History · Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll · Where to Shop

Happy Birthday Izannah Walker

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Today is the 193rd anniversary of Izannah Walker’s birth, September 25, 1817 – February 15, 1888.  Happy Birthday Izannah!!!

You made exceptional dolls and I think about you whenever I look at my own dolls that you made.  Even after all this time and all the loving hands they have passed through, they still have the power to enchant everyone who encounters them.

The girls and I decided that we needed to have a celebration today in honor of Izannah.  I baked a Birth-day Pudding and plan to spend the day making a new batch of molded heads.

In case you would like to celebrate with us, here is the recipe for the pudding:

Birth-day Pudding

Butter a deep dish, and lay in slices of bread and butter, wet with milk, and upon these sliced tart apples, sweetened and spiced.   Then lay on another layer of bread and butter and apples, and continue thus till the dish is filled.  Let the top layer be bread and butter, and dip it in milk, turning the buttered side down.  Any other kind of fruit will answer as well.  Put a plate on the top, and bake two hours, then take it off and bake another hour.

This receipt (aka recipe) is from Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt-Book by Catherine E. Beecher.  Catherine Esther Beecher was born in 1800 in East Hampton, Long Island.  She founded the Hartford Female Seminary in 1823 as well as other schools for young women in Ohio, Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin.  She wrote A Treatise on Domestic Economy (1841) and Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt-Book (1846).

Notes:

After buttering my dishes I dusted them with sugar, before layering in the bread and butter.

I cut the crusts off my bread, as the pudding was for a special occasion, but you certainly don’t have to.  I saved the crusts as a treat for the wild birds in my yard.  You may also save them to make  stuffings, bread crumbs, or croutons.

I chose cinnamon, mace and nutmeg as my spices.

I baked my doll sized pudding in a custard cup, which would also be nice if you want to bake yours in individual portions.

I preheated my oven to 350 degrees and baked my puddings for 15 minutes, then I reduced the oven temperature to 250 degrees and continued baking for the remaining 2 hours and 45 minutes.  I removed my doll size pudding from the oven after 30 minutes of total baking time.  Your baking time is going to depend a lot on the size of your dishes and the thickness of your pudding, so check your oven fairly frequently.  It’s also a good idea to put a cookie sheet under your dish, because my pudding bubbled over as it was baking.

For any of you that would like to celebrate Izannah’s 193rd birthday by learning how to make dolls like Izannah made hers, I am having a special sale on my Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll Making Class by Mail. The class is on sale through tomorrow, Sunday September 26th at midnight, for $193.00. Its regular price is $250.00.

If you would rather celebrate by buying a finished doll, please contact me this weekend, September 25 & 26, to order your own custom-made reproduction Izannah Walker doll.  I will give you a discount of 30% off of my normal prices, for any doll that you order today or tomorrow.

Email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com or call me at 860-355-5709 to describe what you want your doll to be like (distressed, pristine, fully dressed, au natural, boy or girl, accessories, etc.) and I will be happy to give you an exact price quote before you place your order.  Because of all the variables that you may choose from it’s very hard for me to list prices, and I found out that people were getting confused, so call me or email me and I’ll talk you through the ordering process.  Remember lay away is an option 🙂 !

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Happy President’s Day!

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Share and Share Alike

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Sharing is a beautiful thing!  If you would like to share photos of your antique Izannah Walker dolls or your newly made Izannah inspired dolls, I would love to post them here for everyone to oooh and aaah over.  I would also just love to see photos of any doll dress (petticoat, chemise, etc.)  that you have made using my Izannah Walker Doll Clothes Pattern.  It’s always so neat to see the way different seamstresses will interpret a pattern and marvel at the way different fabrics and notions change the look of a dress.  You can send photos that you would like me to post to Paula@asweetremembrance.com.  Please include your name and your website and/or blog, if you have one that features your work.

I would also welcome your input on what you would like to see included in my upcoming Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll Class by Mail.  I’m still in the midst of writing up the instructions, so if there is something that you have always wondered about concerning Izannah Walker dolls, feel free to reply to this post and tell me what your question is.  I’ll try to cover the answer in my class instructions.

Of course, if you run into any questions at all or think of something else you’d like to know when you are in the midst of taking the class, you can always ask me then too.  Unlimited telephone and email support is included in the class.

Antique Izannah Walker Dolls · Izannah Walker History · Reference Materials

Yankee Magazine Article

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There is a very nice two-page article on Izannah Walker dolls in the current  (November/December 2009) issue of Yankee magazine, written by Catherine Riedel of Skinner’s Auctioneers.  Thank you Catherine for referring readers to this blog for additional information about Izannah Walker dolls.

If you happen to see a copy of the magazine for sale it is certainly worth purchasing.  As an added bonus the magazine contains some interesting recipes for using up your Thanksgiving leftovers