It’s a quiet rainy Sunday here. A sleepy day full of billowing white fog and the sound of raindrops bouncing along the roof. I’ve been sorting through my piles of antique fabrics and lace, pulling out lovely pieces of sheer woven white on whites, embroidered whites and wonderful soft laces. It may be that I’ve been influenced by the fog, or maybe I’m longing for forgotten summer days and the look of sheer white flounces on little girls dressed their Sunday best. What ever the reason, I feel inspired to sew layers and layers of ruffled and tucked white clothing.
A shy looking, sweet-faced Izannah with wavy curls is going to be the recipient of my indulgence in all white dress making. She is sitting patiently by my side as I sew, being good as gold while I measure again and again. Holding quite still as I drape first one fabric, then another around her.
I tell myself that I’m being quite virtuous by working all day, which is my justification for ignoring all of the cleaning and laundry that I should be doing. But in my heart of hearts I know that I am really taking a day to spend playing with my dolls. 🙂
I thought you might all like to see what I’m working on this week. I’m just finishing up a wonderful custom order Izannah. I only have a few more details to complete and then she will be ready to travel to her new home.
Yesterday she graciously agreed to pose for my April ad in Antique Doll Collector magazine. So she’s been a very busy young lady. Today she has her final dress fitting and is acquiring laces for her boots. Tomorrow she will be packing for her trip. I hope all of the attention doesn’t go to her head!
I made this doll to order as a special commission from her owner. I would be happy to do the same for you. Please call me at 860-355-5709 or email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com to discuss custom made dolls.
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.
Black Izannah Walker Reproduction Doll in Cheddar Print Dress
This doll is dressed in a gown made from a reproduction cotton print fabric. It is a scaled down copy of a child’s dress in my collection. Her chemise is made of antique linen and trimmed in antique eyelet. Her pantalettes were made from a worn out vintage sheet, antique lace and antique button. She is wearing an antique petticoat that I cleaned and restored. I fashioned an apron out of scraps of an antique “cheddar” print fabric. I also made her a necklace of coral colored beads.
$925.00 with free shipping to US addresses.
Black Reproduction Izannah Walker Doll in Pink Dress
This doll is wearing a reproduction of one of the original dresses worn by my antique Izannah Walker dolls. It is made from a wonderful antique pink and white homespun check fabric. Under her dress she is wearing a chemise, pantalettes and an antique petticoat.
I made her sunbonnet of antique double pink calico. The bonnet is a doll sized version of an antique bonnet in my collection. The brim is stiffened with individually cut strips of cardboard.
Here are photos of the doll that I just finished. She is already spoken for, but if you are smitten with her, you may order a doll just like her. The fabrics that I used for her clothing are all antique, so they are one of a kind, with the exception of the striped linen in her petticoat, which I do have more of. I also have some similar double pink fabric, both antique and new, which would both make up wonderfully into dresses like this one.
If you would like to order a doll, please email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com or call 860-355-5709.
Today I added the finishing touches to these two dolls.
I made a sunbonnet of antique double pink calico for the doll in the pink dress (the pink and white check is also an antique fabric). The bonnet is a doll sized version of an antique bonnet in my collection. The brim is stiffened with individually cut strips of cardboard.
For her sister I fashioned an apron out of scraps of an antique “cheddar” print fabric. I also made her a necklace of coral colored beads. Both girls have chemises, pantalets, antique petticoats, and wigs made from lambskin just like Izannah’s black dolls had. They are each holding handmade Valentine’s. Please call for additional details or to order. 860-355-5709 Paula@asweetremembrance.com.
I have three finished dolls available at the moment. If you would like to know more about them, or to see additional photographs, please call me at 860-355-5709 or email Paula@asweetremembrance.com.
I have several new dolls that are almost finished and ready to journey to new homes in time to ring out the old year and ring in the new. I’ll be posting photos soon, but if you just can’t wait to make their acquaintance, email me at paula@asweetremembrance.com.
A shy looking, sweet-faced Izannah with wavy curls is going to be the recipient of my indulgence in all white dress making. She is sitting patiently by my side as I sew, being good as gold while I measure again and again. Holding quite still as I drape first one fabric, then another around her.
Izannah Walker Journal 