The Doll Thread (As promised!)

[Lady Rosalind]

In the interests of not derailing the "In Progress Projects" thread, I am copying what I've posted so far. I am currently working on the doll for my youngest niece, Maddie, and am still trying to figure out if I want to make her dress Italian middle-class, or more medieval. Maybe I'll have to do one of each!  Anyway, here's what I have posted so far:

For my nieces, I have been making dolls using Lynn McMasters' 26-in doll pattern. I drafted my own patterns for the clothes, and have been working like mad to finish these dolls by tomorrow. My 5yo niece, Grace, thinks that I'm "magic" because I can make things like play clothes, tutus, and dolls from just fabric.


Doll parts!


Doll without hair, but mostly put together. I still need to make clothes for this one!

Here are some in-progress photos of the test doll:


A test bodice, in linen, for the doll I'm hoping to use in our fashion show this year. BTW, silk thread really is the way to go for hand sewing. I also discovered a new love of linen during this project!


Close-up of the hair, which is made from cotton embroidery thread. BTW, don't do this unless you can find a great deal on the thread, as it ended up taking way more than I thought it would. It's worth it for this doll, which is meant to be a model, but for the little girls, I used fine yarn instead.


Hand-bound eyelets for the tiny bodice. Again, the silk thread worked wonderfully! I am so glad I bought an actual sewing awl this summer, as it made making the holes very painless.


Close-up of the process of sewing the holes.



Knife-pleating! How I love knife pleating at this scale! Full-sized, not so much, although it looks gorgeous when finished.


My doll, mostly finished. I messed up on the sleeve cuffs of the smock, and am still trying to figure that out.


Spiral lacing! The back of the doll dresses for my nieces will be closed with snaps. Much easier for little ones to handle (they are 5, 3, and 1.5 yo)

I can't wait until they open the boxes to find their adorable, historically correct-ish dolls!

Update:

I think the dolls were a success:


Gracie, and her doll Arial. Yes, she slept with the doll that night.


Gracie was carrying around both dolls. She watched very intently while I was making the blue dress for her sister Sophia's doll. she had all kinds of questions, and decided that she wants a sewing machine. She also decided that when she grows up, she's going to be my mother (LOL, she was very serious about this!).




The blue dress was really simple, but I had only about 45 minutes to design it, and put it together before leaving my parents' house tonight. I just took a length of fabric twice as long as the length of the doll from shoulder to foot, and as wide as the doll from wrist to wrist. I cut out a hole for the head (which ended up too big), and just folded satin ribbon lengthwise to encase raw edges on the neck opening, the wrists, and the hem. I tacked the back of the neckline in a couple of places to tighten it up (the neckline ended up about 2 inches too big!), and made a sash out of the same blue ribbon. Sophie loved the doll, but she was a little shy, so that's why Gracie posed with both dolls.

And now my 23 yo sister wants one... LOL!

And a doll challenge here would be wonderful! I love the Italian styles, but since our court is Elizabethan, I never get to make and wear them. A doll challenge would be a great way for everyone to hone their skills, especially hand sewing!

[Kate XXXXXX]

This has inspired me.  If I get time I think I'll make a bride dolly for my cherry red bride this summer!  Think of it...  1950's style, with raised front hemline to show off fab shoes, in cherry silk dupion!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Lynn McMasters's Soft Doll patterns make wonderful Dolls. One of these days, I am planning to make a  Henry VIII, some of the wives, along with a young Princess Elizabeth to compete. The Clothing patterns can also be used as a idea to draft other period patterns to dress the dolls.

These dolls also make great models for other periods such as 18th Century, Victorian, Goth, etc.

[Kate XXXXXX]

I shall fritter some of my Christmas money in this way.   

[LadyShadow]

I'm gonna have to try this out.  I think my girls would love it.

[ladylissame]

I may try to take up sewing again for this!
How much is the pattern?

[Manwariel]

Those dolls are lovely, and Gracie is SO cute!

[Lady Rosalind]

Thanks for the compliments, folks! I have the cutest nieces imaginable!

The doll pattern is actually only $5, believe it or not! And if you buy three or more patterns on Lynn McMasters' site, you actually get a discount (I have never had a problem finding 3 I want at at time!).

[shadowcat546]

oh, my, gosh!!! 
I totally think people  would love to buy these, at my "selling" events in the summer!! *whistle*, if you were in southeast Michigan, I'd set you up in a corner of my booth and watch them sell, just to see peoples' reactions.
So glad you're spoiling the girls.       ______Shannon;  The Colonial Peddler

[GirlChris]

I have a cloth fashion doll with a similar body. I've always intended to make up tiny versions of my own garb for her to wear, because I think it would be cute to carry around at faire.

However, she's got a HUGE head (think Bratz dolls. Ew) with a screen printed face. It just wouldn't look right. Maybe I'll give this a try!

[Keno]

Wow.. I been trying to make dolls but can't find a pattern I liked. 

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Just go over to http://lynnmcmasters.com/ and click Patterns. Scroll down until you see the pattern. I also suggest ordering the Clothes pattern to go with it. Those can be used as ideas for other redrafted  patterns to fit the doll body.

[NicoleBridget]

I have lusted after Lynn's Queen Elizabeth doll for quite some time.  Since my OTHER hobby is collecting Barbie dolls I've always wanted to do costuming for them, but since I can't ever seem to find the time to sew garb for ME....Barbie will just have to wait.

I bought a really cool cloth doll from a vendor at my home faire, Sterling Renaissance Festival, 2 seasons ago, but I can't remember her name.  I'm going to write myself a note so maybe I'll remember to take a pic of my doll tonight to post here.  She's wearing a lovely red dress, a sort of upper-middle class girl I suppose.  Expensive, but I didn't mind since I felt I was "supporting" the festival a bit.

Lady Rosalind....your dolls seem far superior in quality than what I have.  You could get a little business going for yourself.  They're beautiful!

[Lady Rosalind]

I've just about finished the dress for Maddie's doll, but I still need to add the snaps to the back, and make a smock.




A close up of the embroidery on the bodice. I wanted to add a pop of color here, since I used the blue for the hair ribbon, and the skirt trim.


A view of the back of the doll.


A side view of the doll.

And a picture of Maddie, just because!


She's the one in the lavender shirt. I think the doll might be taller than she is...  She'll be two in March.

(okay, back to see if my frozen fingers can sew some snaps on... okay, maybe it's time to stop sewing for the night and settle down with some hot chocolate.)

[Kate XXXXXX]

Must haz dolly...  I think I might make one to match the little girl's kirtle and smock I made back in the summer.