Paula Walton’s doll-making notes
Posts pertaining to making Izannah Walker-style doll clothing.
Miss Emmaline B has a brand new home and has acquired a new wardrobe as well ❤ Now that she has patiently waited through all of her dress fittings, she is ready to begin her journey to her new family.
My perpetual hunt for antique fabrics has been overwhelmingly successful this summer! So much so that I have had fabric and quilts stacked everywhere… Much of the fabric I use to make dresses for my reproduction Izannah Walker dolls comes from the backs of damaged and worn antique quilts.
I search for and buy the quilts, take them apart, use the backing fabric that is stable enough to sew with, then save the tops to be restored if possible (sometimes this means removing the damaged blocks, then reassembling the tops into a smaller size), or at the very least I keep the tops so that even the tiniest bits of usable fabric can be re-purposed to restore other quilts and antique clothing.
So that means that I have an on going storage nightmare! The whole quilts and tops are stored in my painting studio… I know NOT paint… but my sewing studio completely ran out of space for any more fabric!!! Antique fabric, that isn’t quilts (which includes damaged antique clothing) IS kept in my cozy little sewing studio. Everyone who sews knows that you can never have enough fabric, the only question is “where do you keep it?” 🙂
Since I could barely walk into the storage closet of the painting studio, something HAD to be done. I purchased some heavy duty chrome shelves, spent a couple of afternoons putting them together, then yesterday re-folded all of my quilts and organized them on the shelves. Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not a person that spends a great deal of time cleaning… in fact cleaning is pretty low on my to do list, but… I needed my work table back, where all of the quilts have been stacked for the past couple of weeks. Now that my table is empty, I can get to work on the how-to project and accompanying magazine article that I am writing for the Christmas issue of Early American Life.
For those of you interested in conservation of antique textiles, the reason I chose the chrome shelving is because the chrome will keep the metal from rusting. Wood shelving was unsuitable because of the acid in the wood, and while you CAN paint the wood to seal in the acid, I prefer not to rely on a painted barrier. Plastic shelving is not strong enough to bear the weight of the quilts, and museum quality acid free storage boxes are impractical in this situation since I need constant, ready access to the quilts.
After I got all the quilts placed on the shelves, I covered the shelves with large dust covers to keep the quilts clean and prevent exposure to sunlight. I will periodically refold all of the quilts so that the fabric won’t wear and crumble along the fold lines.
When I need to wash quilts, I hand wash them using Orvus and cool water saved from my dehumidifier ( purchased distilled water can also be used). Then I air dry the quilts outside in a shady location, preferably flat – especially for very fragile quilts, but occasionally on the clothes line for especially sturdy ones. ❤
I’m starting something new! On the “third Thursday” of each month, with only a couple of exceptions, I’ll be posting a new doll, or two, or three for sale! Some months there will also be clothing and accessories too. ❤
Third Thursdays should be fun! The dolls will be posted at 12 noon Eastern Time here on izannahwalker.com and sold on a first come basis. If you wish to purchase a doll or other item, simply email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com. If more than one person emails about a doll, the email with the earliest time will take precedence. Once a doll has found it’s new home, I will immediately mark it SOLD. If a doll or accessory doesn’t sell on “Third Thursday” then it will be posted on my regular website www.asweetremembrance.com, where you’ll be able to buy it and use the automated secure checkout.
So mark your calendar and come back to visit on Thursday. If you have signed up for my “new dolls” mailing list you will receive an email reminder. 🙂
Happy Easter from Paula Walton’s A Sweet Remembrance ❤
Last week I received some very good news. Early American Life magazine called to tell me that my work has been juried into four different categories, Toys & Dolls, Clothing, Miniatures, and Holidays, in their 2017 Directory of Traditional American Crafts! I feel extremely honored. These four new entries will mean that I have been included in their Directory 38 times. Thank you Early American Life!!!
Here is a glimpse of my work in the Clothing catagory ❤
Some of you may remember the twins, sweet Annabelle & Annalee https://izannahwalker.com/2016/10/19/annabelle-annalee-are-homeward-bound/
I’ve just finished new dresses for both girls, to help fill their trunk and give them new outfits for Easter and warm summer days. ❤
Crisp white dresses full of marvelous details aren’t just for summer. They are equally charming in the winter, especially around the holidays!
This morning we woke to the sight of millions of tiny snow flakes filling the air, falling, falling all through the morning… Bring nature’s perfect Christmas decoration.
*Any photo may be enlarged by clicking on it. Run your cursor over the images to read captions.
The Great Pumpkin arranged for my Halloween treat to come on Sunday at the Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market 🙂 Not being a small tyke who can go door to door with glad cries of “trick or treat”, I did have to take myself to the flea market, wander down endless rows in the crisp early morning autumn air, and actually pay for my treat… but it WAS an excellent treat none the less! I discovered three early damaged quilts to add to my fabric collection! Two of the quilts were clearly made by the same hand, as they are constructed in the same design and have a few fabrics in common. One is a heavy winter weight quilt and the other is a light summer quilt. The third quilt though is the one I love ❤ , a stunning log cabin, done in reds and browns… Better than candy any day!
Everyone is here! It’s time to get the party started…
Making Costumes
Isabeau has decided that she should help all of the dolls and party guests make costumes. She got out our collection of Dennison Boogie Books for ideas, along with the crepe paper, Dresden trims and lithographed scrapes…
That was fun! It’s time to put the craft supplies away. We have so much more to do…
Halloween Greetings
The dolls all want to wish you a very Happy Halloween!
Ladies in White… are they ghostly visitors, tip-toeing among the tombstones? Or are they Count Dracula’s brides??? Eliza Jane, Memory and Ismay are having trouble deciding between themselves… but either way they want to wish you a hauntingly beautiful Halloween!
Zanna is usually the mildest most even tempered of dolls, but her devilish side is peeking out tonight as she sends warm Halloween Greetings your way!
Hanna wishes you all over flowing goodie bags and treats galore!
“BOO!” from Izzybelle to you!
Isabeau wishes you spooky, spine tickling chills and thrills this Halloween!
Haunted Halloween Fashions
I have a tiny stash of hoarded antique orange “cheddar” and black mourning fabrics just perfect for celebrating Halloween, but not so “costumey” that they can’t be worn year around. I’ve fashioned some of my favorites into dresses to fit my 18 inch dolls. I have four dresses available for sale, just in time for Halloween!
*Halloween Party – part 1 https://izannahwalker.com/2016/10/22/welcome-the-dolls-halloween-party/
**Halloween Party – part 3 https://izannahwalker.com/2016/10/22/halloween-party-part-3/
We hope you can join us tonight for a bit of Halloween fun & whimsy! 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time – don’t be late!
Izannah Walker Journal 