Happy Halloween, Dawn!

Over the years, since I was 13 years old, I've been a Dawn Doll collector.  It seems strange to me that Topper introduced her in 1970 because I was a tween then and quickly losing my interest in dolls for boys.  Maybe I was 12 that year.  I was earning my own money cleaning my neighbor's home on Saturdays and ironing her husband's work uniforms.  (When I think of "starch", I remember starching those post office uniforms, and getting out every wrinkle.) And the money was just enough to buy the little things I wanted.  

The collecting didn't last long, but I remember loving my tiny Dawn with her fabulous wardrobe of mini dresses and let's just say it, sexy clothing. 

I had the tiny pink doll case with Peter Max inspired graphics.  I had to have Bikini Beach Bunny because that outfit was in the graphics on the case.  My Dawn owned Fabulous Fake, Skinny Mini, Silver-au-Go-Go and Glimmer Glamour - that I recall, at 

least.  It was a beautiful little collection, that went the way of storage and wouldn't be unearthed until my mother died and the rafters were being cleaned out.

The Dawn Doll case was stuffed inside my large Barbie trunk and the pink from the case had left a stain on Barbie's wedding gown. I was so surprised to find the case, much less the Barbie trunk that held it, and all of the gorgeous costumes I'd collected for Barbie and Casey.  I know I brought them home, but I never played with them again.  They were a piece of my history and a little bit of magic, so I stored them away in cool, dark closet.

Then I needed money for something I wanted to buy, and Dawn was sold on Ebay.  Years later, I would go absolutely nuts for Dawn and acquired a huge collection.  In 2001, Checkerboard Toys released the commemorative Dawn Doll line.  So, when I started this huge collection, I bought brand

new dolls and NIB clothing from the 70's.  I love to play, and I like brand new because it's exciting to open the packaging and be the first to play with the item.  I collected like crazy then decided to sell the entire collection to buy something else.  I knew I could always recollect if I wanted to.  

Then a few years ago, I got Dawn Doll fever again, and this time would be the last.  What I purchased was here to stay, and once again it was all NIB and the Checkerboard dolls.  Come to think of it, I had a Glori, too, when I was 12 or 13.  

I love my tiny Dawn, and I keep the play Dawn on my nightstand.  I dress her up for the seasons. Once in a while find that NIB collectible outfit from the 70's that is on my Dawn bucket list.  I have two Peter Max cases, and they are full.

The beautiful encyclopedia by Benita Schwartz is my "wish book".  I'd love to have Dawn's car someday.  I haven't room

for anything else, but wow...I think of what I could have collected if I'd been younger and hadn't lost interest in my tweens.  And I'm truly only interested in minty, or NIB accessories.  It's getting harder to collect Dawn these days as people are asking so much more for the items than they did even seven years ago.  Just another reason this collection is home for good with me.  

But one thing has bothered me every time Halloween comes around.  Dawn never got a Halloween costume.  Even though she's been referred to as a tiny Barbie, or rival of Barbie (back then), her wardrobe was primarily mod and model wear. 

So, this year, I decided to make her a Halloween costume.  I do have a tendency to torture myself.  

I used to be really good at miniatures.  Whether it's my eyes, or my patience, I find creating tiny very frustrating.  As well as 

sewing black on black.  It takes me longer if I really have the will, and I find excuses every time I sit down not to do the tiny or black project.  But, hey.  It's something to do, and I've said it before, I love a challenge.  Tell me I can't, and I'll do just that.  

I really had no idea what I wanted to make for her, but a witch is always a winner, and I've made plenty of witch costumes.  The question was, could I find a pair of black shoes for Dawn?  No.  No and no.  They did not make them.  EVER.  The boyfriend had black shoes, but not Dawn.  She did get black boots with one of her outfits though, so I bought a pair of those from Ebay.  It was a start. Reminds me of trying to find the black shoes for Tammy/Misty dolls for my Samantha Bewitched.  Boy, that was a lucky find!

I started with the boots and sorted through her little wardrobe to see what style might be easiest to stick under a sewing machine needle.

After a valiant attempt at making a pattern, I decided that maybe I should check Etsy and see if anyone was crazy enough to have made patterns for this 6 1/2" model body doll back in the day.  Yes, they had been.  I bought the PDF file and printed it out.  "Hurray!", I thought.  But the patterns were too big.  I couldn't figure out why this one bodice wasn't fitting with the teeny darts I had to make.  So, I reduced it to 90% and got a nice fit.  

The other problem was that I didn't like any of the patterns and there certainly wasn't a witch costume, so I had to use the bodice as a mockup and created my own pattern from there.  And no, I'm not doing this again.  Dawn has a bazillion lovely outfits out there and I do not need or want to sew for her.  Just a Halloween costume, thank you very much.

I love the combination of "witches brew green" and black.  I chose a fine silk dupioni for the dress and used a fine dotted Swiss tulle for the duster.  Dusters were popular in the 70's so this fit right in with 

the look I wanted to achieve.  Dawn is a tiny model from the 70's and I wasn't about to time walk her to the present.  I finished her mini dress with crystal sparkles on the bodice and made her a tiny broom to carry to her Halloween party.

Here's a photo of 12" Samantha next to Dawn for scale.  I'm pleased.  Dawn finally has a Halloween costume and can wear it every October now.  

That makes four costumes I've made this month and believe it or not, I just thought of a fifth I'd like to make.  But for what doll?  Maybe the idea will have to go into the hopper.  That's just the way I do things.  When I'm on a roll, I don't quit until I can't lift another pair of scissors.

I scanned some images from Benita's encyclopedia for you.  The first four are costumes I collected originally and recollected twice.  The last, Rain Check, is an ultra-rare outfit and I've never seen it NIB.  I did acquire it a couple of years ago and love it.  Perfect for the rainy season.  There's a photo of my Dawn in it a few pictures up, walking her black poodle in the puddles.

I'm over the moon delighted with the VDC's special offerings for Anne and Grace of Wednesday inspired outfits.  I dressed my girls last night and took this photo of them with Dawn just because.  The day I stop playing dolls is the day I'm no longer breathing.  

If the last idea for Halloween doesn't get made, I'll once again wish you the Happiest Halloween ever!

Melissa