Paula Walton’s doll-making notes
I’ve just finished the special order doll that I’ve been working on for some time. She’s on her way to her new home in Michigan, but before she left I snapped lots of photos to share with you!
If you look closely you’ll notice that she has bare feet and striped socks. Once she arrives in Michigan, her new owner’s husband will be crafting red leather shoes for her. Isn’t that fantastic?
SOLD, and soon she’ll be off to her new home in London.
This is my newest Izannah, that I just finished this week. She is currently up for auction on eBay. The bidding ends on September 14th. Please feel free to email me at Paula@asweetremembrance.com or call me at 860-355-5709, if you would like to ask any questions about her before you bid.
Recently, Margie Herrera, one of the students in my Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll Making Class, finished her first Izannah. Margie is an extremely talented doll maker and her doll is beautiful. I feel just like a proud mother. So in the tradition of Moms everywhere, I am posting photos of Margie’s doll here for you all to admire.
Margie currently has this doll up for sale on eBay. Her auction ends on September 11th.
One of my very favorite things about teaching is “meeting” all of the wonderful people who take my classes. Being able to chat with each other online via my Ning site exclusively for students is the next best thing to having everyone all together in one big classroom.
Margie, just like all of my students, has been a joy. She keeps assuring me that she had a lot of fun working her way through the class – even on the day she re-made her shoulders three times 🙂 ! Now you can see why I love the people who take my classes!
I thought I would share some of Margie’s kind words about her experiences with the class.
“I can only say that even though I have been sculpting and making dolls, I didn’t have the information about Izannah Walker doll design that your class has offered, as well as your other sewing information, and ongoing online assistance with the challenging areas of sculpting and mold making too. It’s a lesson as well as the real up close information, like patterns, body design and history. Those of us who never saw a real Izannah doll can get a closer look from this class. Much enjoyed! Thank you Paula.”
– Margie
If you want to see more of Margie’s work, add her to your list of favorite sellers on eBay.
In the mid-nineteenth century dressmakers applied many intricate trims to the garments they fashioned. One of my favorites is a very economical and ingenious trim, made by cutting apart striped fabric, turning under the edges and sewing it onto contrasting dress material.
I made this dress using the Izannah Walker Doll Clothes pattern that I sell, which is also included in my Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll Making Class. Instead of using brown polished cotton to face the hem, I used a red floral print. The trim was cut from alternating rows of striped fabric and applied around the skirt, cuffs and shaped waistband. I also used it for the band around the neckline.
Other alterations to the pattern include a shorter skirt length and additional fullness in the skirt, which I was able to add by making cartridge pleats rather than gathers.
I always enjoy making this type of trim, mainly because I think it’s such a neat idea. It doesn’t cost much money to do, which would have been an important consideration at the time. All you need is striped fabric, new or recycled, scissors, an iron and some time. I find that spray starch is also helpful, but it’s not a necessity.
Here are two more examples of the same type of trim. Both are reproduction children’s dresses that I have made. The photos show both the original dresses and the reproductions.
c. 1830’s to Mid-1840’s Dress for a Very Young Boy
please visit my website for details and price.
Late 1840’s to Late 1850’s Young Child’s Dress
please visit asweetremembrance.com for details and price.
Want to know more about mid-1800’s dress trims? Click here to read my post on waved braid.
Have you been dreaming of owning an Izannah Walker doll for years? If so, you probably have an idea of what your favorite hair style, clothing, feet and other features are. You may even have decided on just the right spot in your home to display an Izannah, should you ever own one.
If you have a dream doll that you would like to have me bring to life, you may commission a custom Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll.
With a custom doll, you may specify:
– which mold you would like used to create the doll’s pressed cloth head – either one of two molds made directly from my antique Izannah Walker dolls or molds that I have made from heads I sculpted
– if you would like your doll to look well loved and worn, newly made, or somewhere in between
– skin tone
– girl or boy
– hair style
– bare feet or painted boots
– clothing style and particulars; reproduction or antique fabric, one petticoat or two – in either cotton or wool, lace or eyelet trim, whether you would like an apron or not
– if you would like multiple dresses or additional garments such as outerwear
The doll that I am currently making is a custom order. She is going to be very special. Her new owner went through her reference file of Izannahs that she loves and asked me to incorporate all of her favorite features into one doll. She has chosen fabric in her favorite colors and has asked me to do very elaborate trim work on the dress and underclothing.
I would be happy to do the same for you. You may email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com or call me at 860-355-5709 to discuss your ideas for a doll.
If you’ve been thinking about taking my Izannah Reproduction Doll Making Class, this would be a good time to buy. My Mid-Summer Sale ends at midnight on 7/28. If you order the class before the end of the sale you can save $37.50, and as always, I ship within the US for free.
One of my favorite things about summer is that my best friends and I usually manage to work in at least a day or two to get together and work on something “crafty”. This summer it looks like we’ll be spending a day rug hooking and maybe another day experimenting with pink Rockford red heel socks, making “girly” sock monkeys. I’d also like to find time for us to get together to make plant markers out of vintage silverware and concrete “fairy houses” for our gardens.
So I thought that I’d run a mid-summer sale on my Spun Cotton Ornament Class by Mail and my Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll Class by Mail to make your summer crafting more affordable. Take advantage of this 15% off sale to learn something new, either with a group of friends or on your own. Visit http://www.asweetremembrance.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=40 to order my Spun Cotton Class and http://www.asweetremembrance.com/store/WsDefault.asp?One=273 to order my Izannah Class on sale through July 28.
If you would like to be notified of future sales and other news, please sign up for my mailing list, the form is located at the bottom of my website home page.
This is the reproduction Izannah that I’m currently working on. I thought you might enjoy seeing a sneak peak . As you can see she still needs ears, hair, arms and legs. Not to mention clothing.
Even though she’s not complete, she is now sold. I do have five more dolls started. I’ll be posting more photos as I get them finished, so please check back! 🙂 Or email me for details on available dolls – paula@asweetremembrance.com.
I have one new, historically accurate, 18-1/2 inch tall Izannah Reproduction Doll available.
This is an all cloth doll. Her head is made from layers of pressed stockinette and cotton. She has bare feet with individually stitched toes, applied thumbs, and is painted with artist oils. This doll and her clothes are based on one of the original antique Izannah Walker dolls that I own.
She is wearing a chemise, pantalettes, and dress made from antique fabrics. Her petticoat is an antique, and does have some imperfections, but is still a beautiful garment. Her second skin is made from antique glazed linen. If you would prefer, you may choose the brown dress made from a reproduction print fabric instead.
Her photo album is below. Please feel free to call (860-355-5709) or email (paula@asweetremembrance.com) me if you are interested in purchasing this doll and have any questions that you’d like answered, or would like to see any additional photos. I’d also be happy to chat with you about other available dolls.
Here is a quick peek at a dress that I’ve been working on this week. I made this dress using the clothing pattern that I drafted from the original brown print dress that belongs to one of my antique Izannahs. The fabric is an antique 30 inch wide homespun check, which looks a lot different from modern gingham in person, but not in the photo. I did have to make shorter cuffs than on the original brown dress, due to a lack of fabric. Pretty amazing what a difference that a change of color makes! 🙂
This dress actually belongs to one of my new reproduction Izannahs, but while the paint on the new doll is drying, her much older sister stepped in to try on the dress.
Izannah Walker Journal 