Same Day, Same Year, Happy Birthday!

Lori and Ollie, Her Ragdoll Cat

Several days ago while working on Polly's Halloween costume, I began pulling together several costumes to dress my Bleuettes in at the end of the month.  One of them I came across was the Persian costume Kathy O'Malley made, and this triggered a memory of a time back in 2008 when I made Bleuette's Spectacle de Magie, a magician's set complete with painted table and magic tricks, which included a costume.  When Kathy's costume arrived, I fell in love and simply couldn't part with it, so my birthday sister, Lori Saggs, agreed to make me another for the set.  And, this one was just a gorgeous!  Tomorrow, the 18th, she and I celebrate our birthdays once more.  We were born on the same day in the same year, and she has been a special friend for the many years we've known one another.

Spectacle de Magie with Lori's Costuming

Focused, and buried in my studio, I never got around to sending her a birthday card, so I'm taking the opportunity to make her one right now, right here.  She's a fabulous artist in her own right, wonderful at costuming, and beyond talented with the crochet hook and knitting needles.  When we think of the creative process and how things come together to make magic, Lori has always been there when I needed that one special item I could not make myself.  So I would like to share Bleuette's Spectacle de Magie with you, her outfit, my magic table and accessories. ( It also occurs to me that I only have one of the many photos of this on my website, so I need to get them all up soon with detailed descriptions.)

The Lemon Ruffle Cake Dress Lori Crocheted

The Article and Table

It was January, on a Sunday, in 2008 when I found an article in the antiques section of the newspaper.  There in the article was this incredible antique magician's table, and I knew right away that I must make a miniature for Bleuette.  Later that spring, I would visit Barbara DeVilbiss in New Jersey, and she taught me how to make a real silk top hat for the magician's hat, just like the real hats were made long ago.  This is how I learned to work with buckram and create hats.  Barbara is also a professional clown and magician, and entertained me with some tricks one evening.  She showed me some of her magician's pieces, and I sketched and made notes on what they were, and how they worked, to produce them in miniature for the set.  This indeed was a magical time, and this set now resides in Susan Quinlan's Doll and Teddy Bear Museum and Library in Santa Barbara, California.

Lori and I have shared a love of not only dolls and costuming, but of antiquarian children's books, and elephant toys.  One of the books we both hold dear in our hearts, is Clifton Bingham's The Animal's Picnic (1902), illustrated by G.H. Thompson.  I remember her giggling over the tiny elephant dolly the little elephant girl was holding in the beginning of the story.  For her birthday card, I'm telling a new story through four of the illustrations.  What is even better is that there will be a full moon on our birthday, which promises a full year of dreams coming true!

Happy birthday, Lori!  May this be a magical year for you!

Love,
Miss E. Mouse

The Back

The Fabulous Turban Hat



"Let's celebrate our birthday!", cried the little girl holding her dolly.



"Let's send off invitations!", mother said.



And, so they had a birthday picnic with all their friends!

And, they danced by the light of the moon!

Close up of painted table and magician's items.

Lori and one of Ollie and Daisy's kittens.

France Tipton Hunter's Katy Curls

Katy Curls and Squeezicks, Her Doll

Similar to The Ladies' Home Journal, magazines like Woman's Home Companion featured paper dolls for the young ones in the home.  What a thrill it was when mother opened the latest issue, and inside was a new paper doll to cut out and play with!  Its surprising that intact copies of these magazines still exist, and aren't we lucky?

Dover Publications was one of the first to publish these vintage paper doll collections.  As you can see from the copy of an original, many changes were made to the presentation including deletion of text and rearranging of the clothing and toys.  But, what a treasure the originals were!  You could read all about the clothing and learn the names of the toys.  For your enjoyment, please click on the page of the original Katy Curls to enlarge and read it. 

Not surprisingly, each outfit was a pattern that could be made for a child.  At the bottom of this page reads, "PATTERN No. 4240: Child's Russian Smock Dress and Play Apron (sizes 4, 6, or 8 years), also set of same garments for 12-inch doll.  Price 25 cents.  Address Pattern Department, care of Woman's Home Companion."



The Dover Publication

I was lucky enough last year, while perusing paper dolls on the Internet, to come across a website this woman put together with reproduction copies available of many of the vintage paper dolls going back as far as Polly Pratt.  Her mother collected these magazines over the years, and never threw them out!  Happy days!  And, her daughter then founded a small business to share them with us.  I was able, at the time, to purchase copies of Polly Pratt pages that Dover Publications never published.  She advised me there were more, but that she was having difficulty "getting her mother to let her borrow them" for reprinting. 

The Original From Woman's Home Companion

The Little Busybodies was a new series of paper dolls that Frances Tipton Hunter began illustrating in 1922, and the first issue was Katy Curls in November.  Other characters like Puggy Pam and Jolly Jane would follow - and many more.  With my love of autumn and red haired dollies, how could I not make a Katy Curls?  Artist, Candy Anderson, would help me do this.  She was creating dolls from the Dianna Effner molds and using Bleuette bodies for them.  I asked her to try one on a Rosette body (Rosette is Bleuette's older sister), so that I could have taller doll with a slimmer body.  Katy Curls is the Smiling Jenny mold, and she is 14" tall.

From the Original

In an earlier post I mentioned that I would be creating this as a trunk collection for sale on my website sometime this fall - perhaps November.  But, once I finally found the perfect little wig for her, I fell in love.  This wig is an Angelica in Carrot.  Candy did a beautiful job on her and is a wonderful artist to work with. 

The first thing Katy needed was patterns and fabrics.  I spent many months searching for just the right fabrics, and most of July was spent drafting all of her clothing patterns so that I could just make the outfits up one after another without stopping to draft this one or that.  Wouldn't it have been fun to find the original Woman's Home Companion patterns?!

Katy in the Studio

Once this was done, I began searching for a doll to represent Squeezicks.  What I found in one my drawers, was a tiny German doll I'd made while learning how to make porcelain dolls.  She was probably good-as-it-gets since finding one this size with a composition body is next to impossible.  Squeezicks was the first item I made.  I wigged her with mohair weft, and spent a full week designing her little onsie.  While made with all the details and finishings, it was finally sewn on her at the shoulders since I do not believe she'll need to take a bath anytime soon.

Katy, Squeezicks and Puff

Next I made Katy's under garments.  These consist of a chemise and knickers that are supposed to button together at the waist, sides and front.  I say "supposed to" because I ended up sewing the buttons on for decoration and using snaps under them.  Why?  Because the fabric was so thin and delicate.   Also, while knowing that an iron-on Pellon interfacing would  have helped, these under garments were extremely difficult to design and make.  Most of the two pieces are completely hand sewn, save for French seams at the sides of the chemise, and front/back of the knickers.  After working three days on the knickers, I didn't want to go back and make them again with interfacing just to make sturdy buttonholes.  (Fran Quinn has just mailed me her little brown Oxfords and black Mary Janes.   Fran creates the most beautiful doll shoes imaginable!)

I also spent some of August with the two aprons, but I'll save this creative process for when they've been finished.

A lot of Hand Sewing

Lastly, the fabulous Patty Kascsak made Puff, Katy's cat.  So darling!  Patty can do anything with needle felting.  I have complete confidence in her work, and always get a giggle when I first see her photos.  I enjoy working with her so much.  If you're interested in her work, please write to her at kascsaks1@yahoo.com

Before I conclude this posting, I'd like to share some wonderful "finds".  While taking a workshop with Alice Leverette this summer, she shared with the class the kind of scissors she uses, as well as the needles she hand sews with.  Needles?  John James, crewel embroidery size 10.  Sharp and tiny points.  The scissors?  Kai.  OMG!  I purchased the small embroidery scissors  and found them to be so sharp, and they come to the tiniest points for snipping into seams.  So I tried the Kai sheers.  Life with fabric will never be the same!  You can purchase them on Amazon.com  Also, I would like to share one of the sites where I purchase my beautiful heirloom laces.  EmmaRob Laces.  Donna is fabulous to work with, and the laces are gorgeous.  If there's something you don't see, call her up and ask.  She has a store full of laces not listed on her website.  Just sharing some good sources with you!

Oh, and yes.  Squeezicks will get her little wardrobe, too.  At this stage, I'm still vacillating on the perfect fabric choices for the red sweater and plaid skirt.  I've purchased several options, but you never know what you might come across here or there.

Love,
Miss E. Mouse

Notations For Patty

Batting the Dangling Yarn

 

 

EmmaRob Laces, The bottom one was used on her knickers.

Kai Scissors

The Harvest Pageant



Lettie's Grape Harvest Pageant Costume

All Dressed Up

At the turn of the 20th century, half the population in the U.S.  was still agrarian - living and sustaining life off agriculture.  As family life depended on farming, the harvest season was an exciting and serious time. 

Children who lived on farms left studies behind to help with the harvest, and in some cases, schools would simply close for the season.  The hard work and long hours would then be celebrated through the harvest festival.  Entire towns would have a fair, a celebration, and often schools would hold pageants for the children.  Even though through the years, better farm equipment would tip the scales towards life in the city, harvest pageants were still quite popular and a fun way for children to share and learn about agriculture.  No better example of this is remembered in present day, than young Scout dressing up as a ham in the beloved novel To Kill a Mockingbird.  Still long ago, young girls like Lettie would cross the stage in a fabulous costume and give a short speech on the product she represented.

From Betty Bonnet's Halloween Party

Lettie's Grape Harvest Pageant costume has been a year in the making.  Well, there certainly was a long gap between October and August, but I'd fully intended to make this costume last fall.  I'd had the little owls needlefelted by Patty Kascsak, and had purchased the foliage to make the grape clusters and a yard each of two colors of microsuede.  So when it came to making the costume for the harvest season, I had just about everything I needed to get started.

The pattern for the dress was a relatively simple one: A-line, short sleeves.  The question was how to attach the leaves.  At first I thought I might make this an empire dress with the longer leaves sewn in between the bodice and skirt.  Yet, after cutting a few leaves and holding them up to the mock up dress, I realized the best approach was to make this as a costume should be, and sewed the leaf ends into a waistband creating a skirt to be worn over the dress.  Another question was in the color of the underdress.  I began by using a caramel cotton, the same color as the leaves, but the leaves faded into the dress, and even resembled Daisy's indian costume!  So I chose a soft cocoa brown linen as the background for the leaf "painting".  

Chalking Out the Patterns



Patty Kascsack's Needlefelt Owl

The leaves, as I mentioned, are made from microsuede.  After drawing the six patterns I would use as leaf stencils, I decided to try chalk as a way to outline the edges for cutting.  One might think I'd have used dressmaker's chalk, but I used what I had handy, and that was chalkboard chalk.  It does remove with a cloth rubbing.  Each leaf was then machine stitched down the center to create a faux stem.  Using a thread of the same color, it blends, but gives the leaf distinction.  The bodice leaves were sewn into the neckline, then two epaulet leaves were sewn to the shoulder top to drape down the sleeve.

The grapes were painted a bright, autumn blue to best represent Sheila's illustration.  I used foliage berries for the grapes.  It was quite a task to cut the berry groupings to resemble little grape clusters, and this costume you see had the best of them.  The second costume I made for my own doll - well, the grape clusters are not quite as "delicate".  The clusters are strung from heavy silk embroidery cording.

 

Jester Booties and Brown Stockings

And, then we have the hat, or what I am calling a crown.  This is a buckram base crown of two half moons sewn together.  It is covered with the soft cocoa linen.  The leaves and clusters then sewn on, and lined with a gold crinkle tissue silk to finish it off, and protect Lettie's pretty mohair wig.

Then under this all, last but not least, are the jester booties.  Just when I thought I had this all done and put together, I noticed the jester boots in the illustration!  What to do, what to do?!  I began with trying them as a gaitor  that she could wear over her shoes, but the mock up in the darker bark colored microsuede didn't quite please me.  It wasn't a bad choice, but it wasn't the best I could do.  So I decided to try them as a real pull-on bootie.

The pattern is a side view pattern with the front and back edges sewn.  Then I made a foot bed or sole, and pinned this to the column of the bootie.  I actually machine stitched these two pieces together, then turned them inside out.  I mean, what's the point in sewing unless your going to learn something new each time you do it?!  Six single booties later, I had it down and made two pair.  Dark brown stockings finish the costume.  I've a feeling some other little doll in the future is going to benefit from the jester boot pattern, but these will be made from fabric, not dense microsuede, and I'll be able to hand sew the sole to the top.

 

I've also been working on Katy Curls.  She is simply adorable.  I will blog on her progress in a day or two.  What?  I know I said I wouldn't, but once I began playing with her, I fell in love and have now decided to keep her.

 

And, next will be Polly's new Halloween costume.  I'm having so much fun right now with autumn and Halloween.  I do know that summer is still officially with us until the 21rst, but there is no time like the present to prepare costumes for our girls when its time for parties.  Please enjoy the few vintage photos I found.

 

Bless you all for your loving support.  I am deeply touched.

 

Love,

Miss E. Mouse

 

On Stage

A Hula of Leaves

A Side View



Could have been Lettie!




Coquette



Purely Victorian

Happy Autumn From Lettie!

Illustrated in Black and White

Lettie Lane's Golf Outfit

 

How very long ago it seems that I began this small journey in the realm of designing and costuming dolls.  And, yet, it has truly only been two years almost to the date.  Designing for Lettie and Polly (and a few other little ladies), has brought me great joy.  Being able to bring beautiful images to life has been an ultimate reward that continues to inspire me.

When I learned that I was going to attend this year's UFDC convention, I knew I wanted to share something with the attendees, but what?  My intent was to display a blonde, blue-eyed Polly Pratt dressed in something from Lettie Lane Comes Home for Christmas.  However, when I began to work on the last in the series of sports costumes, the golf outfit from Betty Bonnet's College Sister struck me as something so unique and joyful, that I decided to bring this along instead.  The unique construction of the skirt was something I had not seen before, and perhaps this alone was the base piece that motivated me.



My mind is like a museum of galleries and for each piece, whether it be an accessory, a storybook trunk set, or costuming, resides a bank vault with an intricate locking mechanism that only I have the combination to.  Some galleries belong to the world and are open to the public, while others may inaudibly close with a small whoosh, and will remain closed.  Lettie's Golf Outfit is one of them. 

With proper hair styling.

While I will continue to state that mine is not a competitive spirit, when you share your innermost heart and soul with the world, no matter how naïve or innocent your intention, you take the risk of being overstepped like a rainbow puddle after the rain...and, sometimes a little door closes.  For many artists and designers, their world revolves around the acknowledgement and recognition that comes only with a ribbon. And, they seek this time and again until it loses its meaning. That brief moment in time when their work receives the laurel wreath.  I have found these moments temporary and fleeting (and often embarrassing), for they truly only mean something to the person that receives them.  I can humbly say that there are countless designers far above my qualities and talents, and there always will be.   However, what I attempt to bring to the world is innovation and inspiration combined with a sense of joy and whimsy.  If I succeed only in this, I die a happy mouse.

Betty Bonnet's College Sister

It was strange that there were people who felt the need to give unsolicited feedback into why sweet Lettie was overlooked, and this baffles me.  For every person in this category, each comment was uniquely different, but no one felt the necessity to acknowledge my achievement, or even let me know if they enjoyed what I did.  However, and there must always be one, feedback from the people who matter most to me (those seamstresses I hold in high esteem), I came away with a sense of warmth and purpose.  I had to chuckle a bit at the question of would I, should I do this again.  The answer is no.  Not for the reasons they may think, but because it isn't necessary.  That world belongs to others, not me. 

Intellectually, after compiling the various critiques and statements of "perhaps it was this", only two comments stick with me in their opposing forms.  One was that it could have been the golf clubs - and I'm giggling as I write this.  The other had to do with modern sewing techniques vs. those the Edwardian's would have used, making this outfit a "true Edwardian" outfit.  As you know, I am self taught in my costuming and know zip about French Fashion sewing or any other era.  It is the design of creating the impression of what I see to be my goal.

 

What interests me more is that I am planning on commissioning a 16" French Fashion doll.  In viewing a little outfit one of the writers of The French Fashion Review had made, her construction was modern, simple, and the jacket lined.  I asked her about this (in context), and she said that their aim was to have fun with sewing for these dolls.  Let's never forget that sewing and designing should be fun!  The advice from my mentor suggested I had no business entering Lettie's costume into competition if I wasn't willing to spend a few years learning "Edwardian sewing techniques and construction".  What I wanted to do was share the costuming, and there was no other way to do it.

Sweet Little Gloves

As mentioned earlier, Lettie's Golf Outfit is the last (I believe) in the sporting costumes.  We have done canoeing, gym, tennis and golf outfits.  While there are scouting, camping and bathing costumes, should I create these, they will hold a category all their own.

 

Lettie's black and white houndstooth suiting is made from 100% wool, and her blouse and undergarments are of cotton laces and heirloom batistes.  Her jacket, its belt and pockets are lined in a white 100% silk taffeta.  Her hat is Swiss straw, and her bow tie is double-faced silk ribbon.   Lettie's golf bag (like Polly's) was made from goatskin leather, the same hide I used to decorate Daisy's raffia suitcase with.  The little clubs were, of course, purchased. 

The skirt is a circle of, if I recall, thirty-four inches, with hip length kick pleats.  Her blouse has a high neckband with the collar attached to this.  Figuring this out earlier would have been most helpful with the Halloween costume I made for Daisy last year.  Her little golf gloves are made from 100% t-shirt cotton, and to me are the sweetest part of the entire costume.

Finally, in the last stages of dressing Lettie for her travels to D.C., I kept feeling one important thing was missing.  One look I was still trying to achieve.  And so I did her hair up in an Edwardian style roll. 

 

So what comes next?  I'll begin working in a new direction over the next few months creating the adorable wardrobe and accessories for Katy Curls, a paper doll by Frances Tipton Hunter.  The doll was a collaboration with Candy Anderson, with a modern, porcelain head sculpt on a composition Rosette body making her 14" tall.  Since this trunk collection will eventually be for sale on my website, I will not be journaling the process on it.  However, as written in an earlier post, there is a darling Halloween costume planned for Polly.

Please enjoy the photos of Lettie getting dressed to play golf with Polly!

Love,

Miss E. Mouse

  

Chemise, Knickers, Stockings

Delicate Details

The stand up collar blouse

Hip length kick-pleats

The back

Golf anyone? Ball in hand.

The girls together with real golf balls.

Next: Katy Curls by Frances Tipton Hunter

Polly's Costume for 2013