I had fully intended to write “this look behind the scenes” post yesterday, but when I sat down to write I actually fell asleep sitting up! LOL It’s been such a busy week that apparently my body decided I really needed a nap. The thought that it would undoubtedly be a much more coherent post if I waited to write it until today kept me from feeling too guilty. I hope this inspires you to play with your dolls! You’re never too old to enjoy the magic of dolls…
Even Cleaning Is Much More Fun When It’s Doll Sized
Just like in real life, the first thing on the list of party preparations is cleaning! I started cleaning the doll’s house about two weeks prior to the party. I basically dusted, swept, tidied, washed dishes, and cleaned windows. The antique library steps that you see in some of the photos are what I use to reach the bedroom and the attic. ❤
I love my painting studio! It’s filled with windows and generally has wonderful light all day long. When the week prior to the party started to have weather forecasts that were filled with dark clouds and rainy days I knew that I might run into difficulties trying to photograph the doll’s celebration and all of the little details in their house. My solution was to pull the umbrella photo light stands, that I bought over 20 years ago from local artist and dollmaker Rainie Crawford, out of the top floor of my tack barn. At the time that I bought the lights my youngest son was getting ready to apply to several art schools. I knew that I was going to have to photograph his portfolio and thought they would also be great when photographing my own work. The lights were far from new when I acquired them, as Rainie had used them for years to photograph her own dolls and bears for the ads she ran offering her patterns for sale in the back pages of popular women’s magazines.
Getting the light stands out of the barn and cleaned up was a chore! The whole time I was cleaning them I was keeping my fingers crossed that in the end they would actually work. Thankfully they still work perfectly and they made such a huge difference! You can’t even tell from the photo images that it was a dark stormy day outside.
P.S. The lights were excellent for photographing portfolios too! He was accepted at both Pratt and University of the Arts, and chose to attend Pratt. He graduated with a degree in illustration which he has used throughout his very diverse career. ❤
Minature Baking Is More Fun Too!
An important part of every good party is food! This year I baked Joe Frogger cookies, which are a great favorite of both the dolls and mine. The recipe that I use comes from my very worn and tattered 1982 copy of Better Homes & Gardens Classic American Recipes. One of the things I’ve always loved about this cookbook is the little bits of history that accompanies each recipe. “Uncle Joe was an old man who made molasses cookies in Marblehead, Massachusetts. They were called Joe Froggers because they were as big and dark as the frogs in Joe’s pond. Fishermen found that they kept well at sea and traded them for rum, one of Joe’s secret ingredients.
Joe Froggers
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark molasses
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rum
Beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds, add sugar and continue to beat until fluffy. Stir in molasses, water and rum. Stir dry ingredients together separately then add to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat until well blended. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. (I don’t always do this. Sometimes I bake them immediately, especially when I am just using plain circle cutters.)
On a well floured surface roll dough to 1/4 inch. Cut with a 4 inch round cutter. Place on greased cookie sheet. (baking parchment paper or silpat mats will also work) Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool about 60 seconds before removing to a wire rack. Makes 18 – 22 cookies. I often sprinkle my cookies with plain sugar before baking for just a little bit of sparkle.
The dolls also requested ice cream for their party, which turned into a bit of a challenge. Even though it was a dark rainy day the outside temperature was a steamy 79 degrees. Inside the studio the photo lights, which create a LOT of heat, made things even warmer. In order to keep the ice cream from melting too quickly on it’s trip out to the studio I took it out of the freezer then immediately placed it in a well insulated cooler with multiple ice packs. Once the lights were in place and the entire vignette inside the dollhouse was ready to be photographed I scooped the ice cream into the little bowls using a very small scoop, like you would use to scoop batter into a mini muffin pan.
If you’d like to follow Zanna’s example and make homemade ice cream, this is the one she and I always use.
My Favorite Homemade Ice Cream
This is my favorite recipe of all the ones that my mother used for Vanilla Ice Cream. It wasn’t her favorite though, she was known to cut down on the sugar as she thought it was too sweet. I think that it is just about right the way it is listed in the recipe. Use very good quality vanilla. I like ground vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste because of their added depth of flavor.
Ingredients:
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 pint half & half
1/2 pint light cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 quart milk
Directions:
Heat Eagle Brand, eggs, and sugar in top of a double boiler stirring constantly. While continuing to stir add half & half, cream and vanilla. remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and add one quart of milk. Cool in refrigerator. Freeze in ice cream freezer.
Ice Cream Magic!
The combination of the very cold ice cream, the extremely hot photo lights, and high humidity, caused the ice cream in the bowls to start smoking like dry ice! It would have been so nice to share such a fun magical moment with you, but try as I might the effect didn’t show up in the photos.
Did you guess that the tiny ice cream spoons in the photos are antique silver salt spoons? The doll’s routinely take turns polishing them to keep them bright and shiny.
And then it was time for presents!
As I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, all of the odd occurrences and secret meetings leading up to Thursday’s party were because the dolls were busy creating presents for each other this year. ❤
The Paper Silhouette from Ismay ~ In reality this is a silhouette that I cut from parchment paper, using an x-acto knife, aged with tea in the oven, then mounted on black cardstock.
The tiny printed and stuffed kitten & hen that the sisters made for Izzybelle ~ These miniature marvels were actually made by the extremely talented Lolly Yokum of Laurel Leaf dolls. She also makes a variety of miniature cloth dolls that include amazing tiny Izannah Walker dolls https://laurelleaf.com/toys.htm
Izzybelle’s Seed Envelopes ~ The little seed envelopes were inspired by an amazing gift I received from one of my very dear friends, Sandy Conners, another very talented artist who’s original art graces her beautifully hand carved wood blocks and letterpress prints. I love these perfect little seeds packets and glassine envelopes so much that I haven’t yet been able to decide what seeds are special enough to put in them ❤ So for the time being I keep them with my favorite antique gardening implements and admire them frequently. When Izzybelle caught me daydreaming over these tiny works of art she begged me to let her have them for the seeds she’s been saving. Instead we compromised and I agreed to help her craft her own using the sweet little printed sheet of all the packet illustrations that came in Sandy’s gift. To create a template for Izzybelle’s seed envelope I carefully took apart a commercial seed envelope and reduced the outline using my office copier (I couldn’t bear to do that to one of Sandy’s). Izzybelle’s seed envelopes have red wax seals on their back flaps to hold them closed.
Charlcie and Eliza Jane’s Packets of Tea ~ The smaller one cup packets are actually tiny parchment paper envelopes that I cut with a scrapbooking die cutter. The larger packets are simply a folded rectangle of parchment paper (the actual real paper kind and not what you bake with). Both packets are sealed with red wax that I stamped with the sister’s very small antique ivory handled stamp. Inside the packets contain either dried peppermint, apple mint, or lemon balm. All three herbs were cut from the herb garden outside of my kitchen door. Normally Charlcie, Eliza Jane, and I lay the freshly washed herbs on clean dry towels in a shaded room to dry. If we are in a hurry, we lay a single layer of clean herbs on a clean paper towel and microwave them in 15 second intervals just until they begin to feel slightly dry. then place them on a counter or table to cool down. They should finish drying as they cool, if they aren’t completely dry they can go back in the microwave for 15 additional seconds. Do not microwave too long, as the herbs can burn.
Tilly Lamb & Sarah Alice’s Gift of Dried Pressed Flowers in a Gold Frame ~ This gift was really quite straight forward. It is made from flowers cut straight out of my flower beds, pressed between two sheets of white of paper, weighted down with bricks! Of course you could also use a flower press, which would undoubtedly be easier. After the flowers had completely dried I carefully used a dab of glue to attach them to yet another piece of parchment paper cut to fit the inside of a small gold painted wooden frame.
Isabeau and Zanna’s gift of a Sewing Sampler Book for all of the sisters to share and contribute to. ~ I will be writing an in-depth look at girl’s 19th century sewing sampler books in the near future as the little cloth girls begin working on theirs in earnest. We would love you to follow along, and perhaps be tempted to make one for yourself or your dolls.
The Repurposed School Book Turned Scrap Book that Cloe and I gave my Izannah Sisters ~ This was a fortunate antique find. I love the idea of someone reusing this little book to hold their treasured clippings and colorful paper scraps!
If you fondly remember seeing or making any of Rainy Crawford’s great doll patterns, you may want to look back at some of these posts: https://izannahwalker.com/2013/06/13/a-very-busy-week/ , https://izannahwalker.com/2013/06/14/flag-day-june-14th/ , https://izannahwalker.com/2014/04/16/at-long-last-an-18th-century-doll-for-my-18th-century-home/
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Izannah Walker Journal 
Step 2. Cutting out the bodice, sleeves, neck, sleeve and waist bands.
Measure the distance between the point on your doll where you want the top of the waistband to be and the point where you would like the neckline. I find that the measurement is usually about 3 inches. Add two 1/4 inch seam allowances, one for the top edge and another for the bottom edge (if you feel more comfortable sewing with a 1/2 inch seam allowance you may increase the bottom allowance to 1/2 inch – the top seam allowance has to be 1/4 inch). To determine how wide, from side to side,your bodice needs to be, measure around the widest point of your doll’s shoulders and multiply that measurement by 2. This will be the minimum width, you may add on a bit more if you like particularly full bodices.
To cut out the sleeves, measure from the neckline, down the arm to the length you would like the sleeves. The width of each sleeve is calculated by measuring from the neckline, down under the arm and back up to the neckline, then adding on enough to bring the fabric up over the shoulder and add in extra fullness for the gathers. The strip of fabric that I cut for the sleeves of the sample dress, above, was greater from top to bottom than the strip for the bodice.
Neck and sleeve bands are 1 inch by the total shoulder measurement of the doll (at the widest point), plus the circumference of the doll’s upper arm x 2, plus at least 2 inches for seam allowances and finishing.
The waistband is 1-1/4 inch for 1/4 waist seam allowances or 1 – 3/4 inches for 1/2 inch waist seam allowances by twice the doll’s waist measurement, plus an extra 1 – 1/2 inch for seam allowances and finishing.
Double check your measurements and addition, then cut out your fabric.
Step 3. Constructing the skirt.
Sew the center back seam of the skirt, leaving 3-4 inches open at the top edge. Turn the raw edges of the center back skirt opening under a scant 1/4 twice and sew down. Sew a double row of gathering threads around the top edge. Press the back seam to one side: turn up the raw bottom edge 1/4 inch and press. Decide on the placement of your growth tuck or tucks (if you are incorporating them in your dress). Measure for the first tuck, fold the skirt at that point and pin in place. Stitch around the skirt either 1/2 inch or 3/4 of an inch away from the folded edge (remember that you had to choose between 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch tucks when you cut out your skirt). Press the tuck down. Make the second tuck in the same manner. Turn up the hem and stitch in place, being careful not to catch the tucks in the hem.
Step 4. Making the bodice.
Take the strip of fabric that you cut for the bodice, fold it in half at the center front, then fold it in half a second time to determine where the arm holes will be. Cut “U” shaped armholes on the second fold, through all thicknesses, starting at the neckline edge and going about half way down to the waist edge.
You can check exactly how far you need to go by measuring the fabric strip up against the shoulder of your doll. The arm hole should be deep enough to allow the sewn on arm to move freely.
Turn under the center back edges of the bodice a scant 1/4 inch to the wrong side of the fabric. Press in place. Turn under again 1/2 inch towards the back side. Stitch in place to hem.
Next take the strip of fabric that you cut for the sleeves. If you haven’t already done so, cut it in half, so that you have two equal parts – one for each sleeve. Sew the short ends of the sleeve together to form a tube. Repeat for the second sleeve.
Sew two rows of gathering threads around the bottom edge of each sleeve.
Sew one sleeve to the bodice, matching the sleeve seam to the center of the bottom rounded part of the “U”. Repeat with the the second sleeve. The top of the sleeve goes up past the neckline edge of the bodice. Not all of the sleeve is sewn to the armhole!!!
Sew two rows of gathering threads along the neckline edge, including the tops of the sleeves.
Sew two rows of gathering threads along the waist edge of the bodice.
Step 5. The waistband.
Cut the strip for the waistband in half, so that you have two pieces of equal length. Mark the center of the bodice waist edge and the center of one of your waistbands.
Draw up the gathering threads on the waist edge of the bodice to the exact measurement of your dolls waist and tie off. Adjust the gathers so that you have more fullness in the center front, less under the arms and more in the back. Leave an area of less full gathers 1/2 inch or so to either side of the center back opening.
Pin the center front of the bodice to the center front of the waistband. The waistband should extend 3/8th of an inch beyond the bodice on either side. Stitch the waistband to the bodice.
Mark the center front of the skirt waist edge. Draw up the gathering threads on the skirt to the exact waist measurement of the doll’s waist and tie off. Adjust gathers evenly. Pin the center front of the waistband to the center front of the skirt. Sew waistband/bodice to skirt (remembering that the center back edges of the waistband will extend beyond the skirt 3/8ths of an inch).
Turn the ends of the waistband to the inside, so that they are even with the hemmed center back edges of the bodice and skirt. Take your waistband lining and press the short ends under 3/8ths of an inch to the wrong side of the fabric and press under 1/4 inch along each long edge. Pin in place on the inside of the waistband of the dress, making sure the lining coves all of the raw edges and seams. Hand-stitch in place, leaving the center back edges open. Make a row of stitching 1/4 inch away from the seam lines along each long edge of the waistband (this is like topstitching). Run lengths of 1/8th inch wide cotton tape through the casings formed by this stitching. The tape should be long enough to tie into bows.
Step 6. Neck and sleeve bands.
Try the dress on your doll over her chemise.
Mark the center front of the bodice neck edge. Draw up the gathering threads at the neckline, so that the back of the dress meets and overlaps a scant 1/8th of an inch. Tie off the threads. Adjust gathers.
Draw up the gathering threads on each sleeve until they fit snugly, but not too tight around the doll’s arms. Tie off the gathering threads. Adjust the gathers.
Measure and cut a length of neckband the length of the gathered neckline plus 3/4 of an inch (3/8ths of an inch for finishing each side). Press under a scant 1/4 inch one long edge of the neckband. Mark the center of the neckband. Pin the center of the unturned edge of the neckband to the center front of the bodice neckline. Sew neckband to bodice, the neckband will extend 3/8th of an inch beyond the bodice on each side of the center back of the bodice. Turn the 3/8th inch finishing allowance in and finger press in place. Turn the pressed under edge of the neck band to the back side of the dress. Hand stitch in place, leaving the ends of the neckband open. Run a piece of 1/8th inch cotton tape through the casing formed by the neck band. The cotton tape should be long enough to tie into a bow.
Measure and cut two armbands the length of the bottom gathered edge of the sleeves plus 1/2 inch for seam allowances (1/4 inch seams). Turn under one long edge of each sleeve band a scant 1/4 inch towards the back side of the fabric. Stitch the narrow edges of the sleeve bands together. Hand-stitch each sleeve band, along the unpressed edge, to the the gathered lower edge of the sleeves. Turn the pressed under edge up to the back side of the sleeve so that it covers the gathered edge and hand-stitch in place to form 1/4 inch finished sleeve bands.
Hints.
-I like to wash and hang dry my finished dresses, so that the gathers fall into place and dry.
-If you wish to fasten the back of your dress with buttons, rather than ties, make sure that you add on enough of an allowance for the neck band and waistband to overlap at least 1/2 an inch.
-You can make several other sleeve styles for this dress to vary it’s appearance.
-To see a selection of appropriate fabrics check out these two blog posts.
My Current Stock of Antique Fabrics
Selecting Appropriate Fabric for Your Doll’s Dress
Don’t let the length of these instructions put you off! This is actually a simple dress 🙂 When I make this style of dress I don’t even jot down measurements or calculations. I just measure and cut as I go. After you make a few you will find them easy to do!