As the new year starts I want to re-state my mission as a doll maker. This helps me to stay true to what I love to do. I enjoy sewing by hand, I love the feel and look of natural fabrics, I am an avid history buff, especially our early American pioneer history. Those three things brought me to cloth doll making. The pioneer cloth doll made at home was intended to be a toy for a child. It would have been made with the best sewing skills and made for someone special, so when I make a doll I think of it in the same way as my ancestors. A doll should be played with, dressed and undressed, hugged, told secrets & be a child's friend. Every time I make a doll I sincerely hope it gets played with. Even when one of my dolls is purchased by an adult collector, I suspect their inner child "plays" with that doll! Some of my dolls have a "mildly" aged look accomplished by using PG Tips, my husbands favorite English tea, it's natural and not harmful to children. My dolls are "new" American pioneer dolls made the old fashioned way. I hope they become naturally aged by the process of play, and eventually become a treasured family heirloom.
In the new year I would like to focus on making more Butternuts. They don't represent individuals from my local history but are more reflective of the simple doll probably made by the Ozark pioneers.
I have a few ideas for Little Missouri, she's eight years old now, and will be taking on more responsibility around the homestead. She will be getting a new best friend, Leander Kathryn Butternut.
I would like to have more posts on how I make my dolls, sewing techniques, etc.
I am also giving some thought to making a couple of Father Christmas dolls.
"Make Do Dolls"
The doll of and Ozark pioneer child would have been made at home by the loving hands of a Mother, Grandmother or favored Aunt. As unique and creative as the imagination and sewing skill of the maker, these dolls were fine examples of a pioneer woman’s ability to “make do” with the few materials at hand. To my knowledge none of these early Ozark dolls survived the loving attention of their little owners nor the passage of time.............
Like the pioneers I sew my dolls by hand. All that you see on the doll and their clothing is sewn by hand with needle and thread and are my own design. I use 1800's reproduction print fabrics, linen, muslin, cotton and wool. Buttons are antique or vintage bone, shell or wood. Lace and shawls are hand crocheted or vintage finds. Hair is wool or wool yarn & sometimes they have no hair at all! They are stuffed with wool roving. All clothing is removable with hook and eye or tie string closures. Dolls that have an aged look are tea stained with PG Tips tea, natural and not harmful to children. Each doll comes with a special wooden tag and is signed and dated on the body.
Thanks to every one that has visited my new blog!!!!!
I love to hear from you.
In the new year I would like to focus on making more Butternuts. They don't represent individuals from my local history but are more reflective of the simple doll probably made by the Ozark pioneers.
I have a few ideas for Little Missouri, she's eight years old now, and will be taking on more responsibility around the homestead. She will be getting a new best friend, Leander Kathryn Butternut.
I would like to have more posts on how I make my dolls, sewing techniques, etc.
I am also giving some thought to making a couple of Father Christmas dolls.
"Make Do Dolls"
The doll of and Ozark pioneer child would have been made at home by the loving hands of a Mother, Grandmother or favored Aunt. As unique and creative as the imagination and sewing skill of the maker, these dolls were fine examples of a pioneer woman’s ability to “make do” with the few materials at hand. To my knowledge none of these early Ozark dolls survived the loving attention of their little owners nor the passage of time.............
Like the pioneers I sew my dolls by hand. All that you see on the doll and their clothing is sewn by hand with needle and thread and are my own design. I use 1800's reproduction print fabrics, linen, muslin, cotton and wool. Buttons are antique or vintage bone, shell or wood. Lace and shawls are hand crocheted or vintage finds. Hair is wool or wool yarn & sometimes they have no hair at all! They are stuffed with wool roving. All clothing is removable with hook and eye or tie string closures. Dolls that have an aged look are tea stained with PG Tips tea, natural and not harmful to children. Each doll comes with a special wooden tag and is signed and dated on the body.
Thanks to every one that has visited my new blog!!!!!
I love to hear from you.
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