Nine Patch Doll Quilt

I love the look of reproduction purple fabrics so decided to try my hand at making a little quilt with them. I did have to step out of my "comfort" zone to do it (muted browns and old blues and pinks are still my favorites) but sometimes, it just feels good to stir things up a bit! This little quilt measures about 11 inches by 16 inches and each block is three inches square. It is hand pieced and hand quilted and set on point with contrasting blocks of brownish red.

My sweet Burlap Owl doll loves her new quilt because she thinks it matches her dress pretty well...guess I'd have to agree!!!

Happy stitching!
Sandy

My Thrift Store Doll

If you treasure old cloth dolls like I do then you're going to love what I found at the thrift store last week! Can you believe I purchased this wonderfully worn yet obviously cherished old doll for a mere $20.00! Be still my heart!!! She smells of an old cedar chest so I believe she has been passed down from generation to generation until finally, no one was left to care for her anymore. I guess that's where I come in because I plan to keep her for many, many years to come!

Her eyes are made from two old pins and her original cotton head is now covered with a newer stockinette type fabric. I'd love to see what her original face looks like but will just have to imagine it because I'm not going to change this sweet girl in any way.

What little hair she has is braided from something like straw, at least that's what it feels like to me. A pretty white ribbon keeps every strand in place just perfectly.

Judging from her dress fabric, I'm guessing she was made sometime in the mid 19th century. I decided that such a special girl should have her very own pinkeep, so I made one from a pattern by primitivebettys. It's obvious to me that some little girl treasured this wonderful doll many, many years ago. My how I wish she could talk!

Sandy

Happy Halloween!

Here's wishing you all a fun, safe and spooky Halloween! I adapted my pumpkin doll from a pattern by Sunnyknoll and thought she was perfect to share with you today.

Happy trick or treating everyone :)
Sandy

Great Aunt Rosa's Dolls

My Great Aunt Rosa was born in 1899 and sadly passed away when I was only ten. She was a first generation German American and my own grandfather's sister. I never met her but cherish her memory because of the cloth doll she made for me when I was very young. I always remember having the doll so can't tell you exactly when she was made but 1953/54 is probably about right.

I had many dolls as a child but Aunt Rosa's is one of the few that survived my mother's many doll purges (long story but you probably get the idea). I played with her a lot as a child and always remember the story of how Aunt Rosa made dolls like mine for all of the girls in the family. She was made with two dresses to play with, has brown wool hair and a wonderful hand embroidered face. I never named her when I was little but think she should now be called Clara since that was Aunt Rosa's middle name.


Like I mentioned before, Aunt Rosa made dolls for every girl in the family but I never saw any besides mine until my daughter was born. It was then that my cousin presented me with a doll she had in her family as a special gift for my new baby girl. This doll was obviously in much better condition than my Clara so I think she wasn't played with much. In fact, I think she most likely belonged to my Great Aunt Anna, who was Aunt Rosa's sister. She has a pretty dotted swiss dress and lovely hand sewn shoes plus that same endearing face as my Clara. Her dress is sewn on so I think she was mostly meant for display and not actual play. Her name is Anna.

I am so happy that I still have these dolls today and that a part of my Aunt Rosa may still live on thru me and my doll making. I hope she would be proud.

Sandy

Gail Wilson Doll Number Two....Finished!!!

I am happy to say that I just completed my second Gail Wilson doll for this year and am really enjoying the experience of working on these wonderful patterns. This newest girl is Pattern 101 called "Dolls To Make With Vintage Fabrics...With Authentic Looking Aging Techniques". While I didn't use any antique fabrics on my doll, I did try to follow Gail's advice for aging new fabrics and am really pleased with the results.

Once again, I stitched every single stitch by hand (I know...I'm a little nuts!) including all of her clothing. I really do love the rhythm of hand work so will probably keep sewing my dolls this way until it starts to not be fun anymore. And then its back to the sewing machine for me!

Her little friend is a tiny Steiff "Molly" dog that I purchased at a local folk art show a few years back. Molly's sweet face pleadingly said "Take me home" so....I did!

I hope everyone is having pretty weather by now. Our "baby" peach tree is showing pink so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will have blossoms for Easter.

Happy stitching!
Sandy

Gail Wilson Historical Doll...Finished!!!

I recently finished this sweet doll made from a Gail Wilson pattern and am very pleased with how she turned out. Gail's patterns are extremely detailed and a joy to follow...I will definitely be making more!

This particular little girl is called "An Historical Folk Doll Series-Kit Two: 15" Doll with Woven Wool Fabric Hair" and "is representative of many dolls from the period 1800-1875." I challenged myself to sew her completely by hand (body included!) and really love the results. I am a hand stitcher by choice...always...but it does take way longer to sew this way so I won't be getting rid of my sewing machine any time soon! It's just nice to have options :)

Her little doggie friend is made by Chad Valley and is part of my collection of small antique dogs. He's definitely been well loved but how could I resist that face! Not only that, but when it comes to picking lavender, he is quite the helper!

Happy stitching, everyone :)
Sandy

Calico Tucker Doll

Welcome to my new blog! I just finished making this wonderful pattern by Catherine Douglas Mahone of The Primitive Heart and had a lot of fun in the process. My daughter added a pencil face to her which wasn't in the pattern but I think it gives her a special little something. At nine inches tall, she is the size of doll I love making most, not too big, not too small but just right :)

Sandy