Daisy's Valentine Postcard Girl

You might have guessed that with my enjoyment of bringing vintage postcard images to life in costuming, Daisy would require a special Valentine's Day outfit.  I had quite a few images picked out, but the striped skirt in this one, and the wonderful hat begged to be done.

Once again I found myself swimming in a variety of red and white striped fabrics.  The stripe width, while important to me for scale, was simply not to be met this time. 

I looked for striped silk.  I looked for striped cottons.  I found a piece of fabric called "wedding satin" in a red and white stripe and gave it a go.  When it arrived, the stripe was huge, and the fabric, a thick polyester mess.  Then a lady on ebay listed a "lot" of red and white stripes in a variety of fabrics.  I asked if she might change the auction to a Buy It Now, and within a few days, I had a huge stack of fabrics to chose from.  I have seen red stripes described as "clown stripes", and it certainly gives you another take on the pattern!

I wouldn't normally have chosen this "painted cotton", but it seemed to work for the look I was after.  I also ordered two different hide pieces of red leather for her little slippers.  The hat straw, I had plenty of, so I began designing the bodice right away.

My first intention was to make the bodice out of the red velveteen I used for Daisy's Christmas Caroler, but quickly realized the horizontal stripe at the bottom of the skirt would be best done in the same fabric as the bodice.  So I chose a medium weight cotton sateen in a pretty lipstick red. 

This was not a difficult outfit to make, so it snipped along quickly and was enjoyable to make.

I used a wide brim PNB hat mold for her funny big "bonnet".  After completing the piece, I turned the brim up and found the "string" in the edge of the straw, then pulled this gently to give it shape.  Like our nice French laces, the Swiss straw has threads in the top and bottom edges of the strand.  If you get a pair of pointy tweezers and do a little digging, you can find the thread.  This part took a little work since the thread wished to quickly recede back into the strand. 

I clipped the end of the string and threaded it into a needle.  By pinching the straw at the base of the pulled thread to secure the "gather", I sewed the string back into the straw.

The detailing of the gold design on the edge of her hat took a little thinking.  I tried using a gold oil based Sharpie Paint Pen, but the effect was flat.  I'd considered using gold glitter glue at first, and this was what I ended up using over the penned design.  Its a little Victorian postcard glitter "bling"!

Next came her little slippers, which also quickly went together as I've done quite a few pairs of plain slip-ons.  They are not Fran's beautiful work, but they meet the requirements.  The inner sole was lined in pretty rose floral fabric, so she could "walk on roses" for Valentine's Day. 

Finally the girl in the postcard is giving a valentine to her sailor boy.  I took a bit of the red sateen, sewed the little heart, then stuffed it with batting for a charming little soft sculpture.  I had earlier done this with Polly's Mistletoe Fair wand, with the gold star.  The effect is far more sweet than a flat piece of paper or cardboard.

Red Sateen Heart Stuffed With Love

Shame on me for not putting Daisy's underwear on when I took these photos, but I wanted to share the back of the garment for a purpose.  You can see that her doll stand is threaded through the skirt.  Since I started sewing, one of the things that's plagued me most is how the stand fits under the garment smoothly.  I don't like the stand on the outside of the garment as it creases the fabric and takes away from the display.  So when designing a skirt with a plain waistband, I give enough room in the back for the stand to thread through.  If making a fitted dress, the dress will be wider in the waist to accommodate that infernal stand!

I have less than a week to do much more, if I wish to meet a Valentine's Day deadline.  However, I've been wanting to make a couple of outfits for the Wendy Lawton 9" dolls.  If I start today, I just might make it!

Love,
Miss E. Mouse 
 

Wouldn't this look lovely on Daisy?

Just love the hat!  I enjoy the cards with the gold gilt.

We do love our paper dolls!

I almost made this one.

One of my favorites.  Anything with an easel.

As a collector of umbrellas, these are just fabulous to me!

Another version of the same card.  Raining hearts!  It is not a mirror image, as the wording is not backwards.

This girl in this dress was found on several postcards, but this one had the umbrella.  I almost made this one, too.

And, my favorite.  Cupid as the artist.  So very Rosetti!

Daisy's Valentine Postcard Girl

Polly's Snowshoe Valentine Messenger

Polly's Snowshoe Valentine Messenger

 "Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of night...will prevent Polly Pratt from mailing her valentines!"  Those Philadelphia winters can be awfully bitter, but no matter how deep the snow, or chilly the winds, Polly is ready to go out and play in her snowshoes.

Snowshoes have been around for centuries.  Native cultures developed a bentwood frame with cross-hatching to deter snow build-up, in a large shoe that would evenly distribute body weight to cross snow covered terrain easily.  Snowshoes were an essential piece of equipment for fur traders and trappers, or anyone who needed to get around in deep, frequent snowfall.  Hitty had something in common with traditional snowshoes as both she and they were made from the hard wood, white ash!

While recreational use of snowshoes began with snowshoe clubs in Quebec, Canada (who held events where races and hikes were combined with fine food and drink), the manufacture of snowshoes for recreational purposes really began in the late 19th century, when serious recreational use became more widespread.  And, Polly, ever stylish and contemporary, played in them in the 1920's.

Sheila's Illustration

I first began to think of designing this outfit over a year ago, but when January 2013 rolled around, I was very done with working on white coats for Polly and Lettie.  Still, this darling little sports set begged to be made, and as someone who also enjoys the sport, I finally caved and settled into designing Polly's. Evident right off the bat, were some of the design issues I was facing that deterred me originally.  I'd already decided to use red velvet ribbon to portray the bands, but the cap sleeve epaulets were then, and now, a bit of a nightmare.  For one thing, I had no idea what I was looking at!

Even Cupid Snowshoes

Polly's Snowshoe Valentine Messenger outfit is made from the beautiful Melton wool I've come to love working with.  Winter white wool is very hard to find at any given time, and I have several trial pieces that were purchased last year, that I knew would never work.  Another issue was finding a red and white striped fabric that would have a "close to exact" representations in band size for her belt and stocking cap.  I believe I found this women's sweater to cut up sometime last spring.  I stored it.  And, I did practice a bit on a different wool, the bands I would machine stitch on with the velvet ribbon.  I was so delighted to have come upon the winter white Melton wool this past December, that I knew the outfit would get made in the next couple of months.

The Snowshoes

The snowshoes are American Girl Kirsten, reworked to resemble the kind Polly would use in the illustration.  Fran, of Fran's Heirlooms, made the darling little brown boots.  The cap, mittens and leggings are made from baby blanket fleece.  I often hear people groan that antique doll clothing must be made with vintage fabrics, and that's all good and well, IF you are not trying to make an exact copy of an illustration.  Have you heard anyone complain of Robert Tonner's choice of fabric when he designs for period era dolls?  I didn't think so.  And, so I design antique reproduction clothing for antique reproduction dolls using whatever I can lay my hands on, in the finest quality I can find.

The Melton wool, double breasted sport coat is lined in off white Shantung silk.  It lines wool so beautifully, and makes a nice rustle when Polly "shoes" across the snow.  The tassels on the ends of her belt and stocking cap are made from pretty wool yarn. 

Two things come to mind immediately when discussing this design of this coat set.  One is the cap sleeve epaulets, and to my surprise, the sleeves.  The sleeves were quite a surprise to me when once again I studied the illustration.  In discovering that the bands did not go all the way around, but were set in a seam of their own, the epaulet problem was resolved.  Let me try to explain.

Underneath It All

A sleeve is often one piece of fabric that has an ease, or gather stitch along the top edge for inserting into the coat's sleeve opening.  At first I tried to make a piece that was one quarter the length down from this edge to make the cap, or epaulet.  This didn't work because this is gathered and the look wouldn't be right.  The cap is only at the very top, like a decoration, or extra protection from bumped shoulders.  However with the discovery of the split sleeve, I realized that the cap would be the length of the middle section of the sleeve only.  And, from start to finish (of the sleeves), this took me a month to figure out!  The red piece is a cotton velvet half moon stitched on top of the cotton cap that goes over the wool sleeve center. 

The Back

This red velvet piece alone, was two days in the designing.  If you've ever tried to turn the edges of velvet under, especially on such a small piece, you'll know its nearly impossible to not make a mess.  So this little piece had to be lined.  After several tries with keeping a half inch of edge open to turn the piece inside out and apply, I tried one more thing.  I lay two pieces together right sides together - the velvet and the lining, and stitched them all the way around.  Then I cut a cross in the center of the lining and turned this inside out.  The edges were tight and finished, and the lining would never show since the piece is sewn to the cotton epaulet.  Was all this trial and error worth it?  Yes.

After the belt, and cap were made, I decided Polly needed leggings rather than white stockings.  If you've ever been snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, you'll know that her little legs would have been red and chapped with chill simply wearing stockings.  Her little mittens must be one of my favorite pieces about this set.  The thickness of the fleece stretched over her hands to an exact, snug fit!

Handmade Valentines To Mail

But, Polly needed more than just leggings and a coat to keep her warm.  She needed a onesie under it all.  So I made up one of cotton flannel and top-stitched it in red to match her outfit.  Although it would never be seen, we know its there, and she greatly appreciates being well outfitted.  

With the snowshoes, I had these from a purchase made last year when I first attempted the project.  I wanted to make a band or wrap that she could slip the toe of her boot into that would hold its shape and her foot.  After removing the original leather straps with an Exacto knife and tweezers, I made two top half portions of shoe slippers.  I gathered the edges, sewed the ends together, then sewed this piece to the center of the snowshoe.  NO GLUE!!!  Much more authentic, and everyone knows glue disintegrates when wet with snow!

Our Cute Little Polly

What appeared at first to be a simple project, was by leaps and bounds just another summit to climb, a mountain pass to climb to the peak.  And, now Polly can do just that in a very smart and sporty coat set.

Towards the end of this project, I was beginning to work on a Valentine Postcard Outfit for Daisy.  This is when it occurred to me that Polly might need a handmade Valentine to hold.  And, of course, that spun into a full set of mini, handmade valentines and a satchel to carry them to the mailbox in.  She became Polly's Snowshoe Valentine Messenger!

I'm tickled to pieces with this set and its not only a great sporting outfit for winter, but a darling costume to wear for Valentine's Day.  My work table is still an explosion of red and white valentine fabric, but off to one side is an array of greens and shamrock prints.

Don't let the deep snow keep you indoors!  Strap on a pair of snowshoes and go!  Its a blast and a great way to enjoy the beauty of winter.

Love,
Miss E. Mouse

Edwardian Sporting - Snowshoes On Back

Two Little Snowshoers

I have to make this for Daisy!!!!

Snowshoe Into the New Year



I love this one - Take me there!  The Sierra looks like this where I cross-country ski.

A Valentine Snowshoer

Another coat with the epaulets.  Does Polly need a second one?

To Thee From Me

Off She Goes!

Katy Curls' Bluebird of Happiness

My Little Bluebird

It wasn't until I was actually stitching on the very last hooks to Katy's gaitors that the idea of her Best Coat just might be her Bluebird of Happiness Outfit.  Certainly there is a little bluebird on her school satchel, and the beautiful wool of her coat could be seen as "bluebird" blue, yet my mind was still cluttered with the numerous details of this complicated little winter outfit. 

The first mention that we know of the Bluebird of Happiness was a play written for young children by Maurice Maeterlinck titled L'Oiseau Bleu, around 1908.  It is a fairytale with the moral being that happiness can only be found close to home and living an unselfish life.   I can't say exactly when they became a popular theme in illustration, but the bluebird in his sapphire beauty can be seen in so very many of the antique postcards, in every season and greeting imaginable.  The image of this cheerful, and sweetly singing bird just had Katy written all over it.

Katy's Best Coat

I'm not even sure when I began working on this outfit, but assuredly is was sometime after Christmas.  I think it even sat in wait while Daisy's New Year Party Dress was quickly being made (as inspirations will have us do).  The whole idea behind creating an outfit like this, is not how quickly can I make it, but how, again, like the illustration I can come to designing it.  Each and every angle and detail was thought out over and over until the final stitch was put in.  However, I'd also wanted to make her school satchel and most definitely give her a bright, shiny apple to enjoy.  AND, she needed an outfit for those chilly and snowy winter days (that never came to California!)

Frances' Illustration

My first recollections while beginning this coat set was of this absolutely gorgeous cobalt blue wool I was working with.  It is such a happy color that my mood was always brightened while working on it.  At least for a time!  Designing is not easy.  But without a good working base design, you cannot move forward.  Questions like "How is that collar attached?", "How does that cape work with the coat?", "What on earth kind of cloche hat is that?", "Just how many buttons are on those way-up gaitors?", would be constantly on my mind as I tried to figure out what Frances Tipton Hunter had drawn.  Don't get me wrong.  Its a fabulous outfit, but a bit unusual from what I've seen before.  Yes, Bleuette has caped coats, but not one like this.  I looked.  And, looked.  Of course I hoped I might find a pattern that could give me a jump start, but that wasn't going to happen.  And, it did not happen with the cloche hat either, which I'll address later.

School Satchel and Apple

In order to keep this post as short as I can let's just begin with the basic coat.  While it may look simple in concept, its a belted wrap coat with a two button closure.  The sleeves are cuffed in fur.  You do not see the top button of the coat in the illustration because the fur collar covers it.  Yet, you have to know that one would exist.  The collar is a separate piece that hooks in the back at her neck.  A collar like this could not be attached to the coat.  The lined and fur edged cape is also a separate piece which attaches at the shoulders, perhaps for extra warmth.  Were it to have been part of the coat, sewn at the neckline, you would never have been able to sew the thicknesses together or achieved a smooth silhouette, much less gotten that detached collar around the neckline.  These are a few of the things I contemplated, and eventually decided to implement into the design of the outfit. 

Back View

As much as I love making hats, this one stumped me entirely.  We know its a cloche hat.  And, just what is a cloche hat?  Merriam Webster gives us two definitions of cloche, one being a plant cover for the cold weather, and the other, "a close fitting hat usually with a deep rounded crown and narrow brim".  Samples of cloche hats are vast and varied, yet once again, I'd never seen one quite like this. 

Study.  Studying these illustrations is the only way to get close to the costuming the illustrator had in mind.  Its not enough for me to say, "this looks like it could be it", it has to be it.  Like a detective, I have to crawl into the mind of the illustrator and puzzle the pieces together.  Again, I looked to Bleuette.  She has a similar hat, but no cigar.  I tried it.  I hoped for it!  But, alas, I had to design it on my own. 

Bleuette pattern in green vs crown pleating by me

Close up

The thickness of the wool proved to be a problem.  I steamed it, block ironed it, and a few other tortures, but it would not thin out, at all, to create a flippy little cloche.  I eventually added a brim of buckram between the layers and that helped flip up the brim in front.  If you look carefully at the illustration, you'll notice that the "pleating" in the crown is attached to a rounded flat at the top.  The stitching of this adds bulk.  This is not your normal cloche, I'll repeat.  And, all this fuss needs to fit nice and snug on Katy's head to keep her warm.  The rest of the hat was made as I would any milliner's hat, yet this time I added a vintage silk grosgrain to the inside edge of the brim that folds in to the crown.  This finished the edge and also keeps Katy's curls nice.  I added two large gold jingle bells to a brown double-sided silk ribbon, and this was the decorative finish.

Attaching the Crown

Before I tackled the gaitors, I noticed that a pair of gloves was in order.  So I switched gears and made a little pair of white gloves like the ones Lettie wore for her golfing outfit, detailed with the three-lines of topstitching.

I think I made four pairs of gaitors before I was satisfied.  One of the things I'd missed on all three first tries, was the loop, or stirrup, that she'd slip her shoe into!  I achieved this by drawing a length down each side, just off center, and long enough to work with once the two pieces were sewn together.  They were then measured, folded over under her foot, cross-stitched together, then clipped.  Each gaitor has twelve bead buttons individually sewn on and knotted, and six hooks and thread loops for closure.  A length of that beautiful grosgrain is sewn to the edge to provide "tucking" beneath the flap-over.

Detail of Gussets and Lining

While waiting what seemed an eternity for the right black bead-buttons to arrive - which were 3mm black agate rounds, I made Katy's bluebird satchel.  I could have sworn I had some nice leather for this, but it seems I was wrong.  I did have an old pair of toffee colored gloves from a very expensive department store, so I cut those up for the satchel.  It is primarily machine stitched with a bottom and side gussets.  It is also lined in fabric covered board for stiffening.  The bluebird is hand-painted on with acrylics.  It is closed with an 18k gold plated bead-button.  Plenty of room for her school books or a journal and sketchbook on a summer's day.

Oh, yes.  We do have her apple.  I purchased a small pack of wooden apples, painted one, and glued in a twig stem from a Japanese Maple out back.  The apple and stem were then sealed with glossy Mod Podge.  I'm sure you can see why Jean's little kits were heaven sent when I needed a break!

Perhaps the idea of the Bluebird of Happiness came to me because I was so relieved to have finished this set finally.  Thirty-six buttons, two snaps, twelve hooks and thread loops, and a lot of hand sewing on of fur later, I dressed Katy up last night and she seemed to beam me a delightful smile of joy.

Below are some photos of the details of this outfit.  And, of course, a few very lovely postcards with our little sapphire winged mascot. 

Love,
Miss E. Mouse (If I haven't mentioned it before, you can click on any photo to enlarge it.  Try it!)





Rows of Buttons on Cape - Two on Coat

How the cape hooks on.

Close up of gaitors with stirrups.

The Gloves

Lined Coat and Cape

Bluebird Painted On

Loving Thoughts

For Easter

For Happiness

For Christmas - Gotta love this one!

In Greetings

On Katy

Polly Got a Dollhouse

Polly's Doll House

Often when I need a break while working on a project, I look for something fun to do, something that won't take too much effort, but will provide a little restful playtime.  The creative mind needs these breathers, but often they result in inspirations that take me down another path. 

The other day I was browsing Bleuette on Ebay and stumbled upon Jean-and-Ken, Jean Nordquist's Ebay store.  I couldn't believe the adorable new kits she had and began to wonder how I lost touch with her fabulous items.  I do recall she had sold some of her business long ago, and the person who bought it could not deliver items in a timely manner.  Hence, I lost interest.

What fun to play in!

But, Jean's work struck me very early on in my foray into miniatures, tiny dolls, Bleuette and vintage ephemera.  She had it all.  One of Jean's specialties is collecting antique paper toys and images, and reproducing them in miniature kits for dolls to play with, or be displayed with.  Another part of the business she and Ken, her husband, run, is gluing these gorgeous images to nicely cut wood pieces creating game tables, trunks and darling chairs...and doll houses!  Just the thought of not having to measure and precisely cut the wood myself, much less paint miniature images on it, like I used to, was entirely appealing to me.  So I bought a few kits.  Then bought a few more!

Through these purchases, Jean and I began to write to one another and she's not only an amazing creative mind, but a treasure to know.  Any artist that graciously allows another artist to offer ideas, is a dream.  I mean that will all sincerity. 

The Exterior Papers and Paint

I had to try her little 10" doll house that was targeted for Bleuette.  One thing it did not have that her larger doll houses had was room imaged wall paper.  So I asked if she might consider scaling it down for this house.  She offered me the papers and I put the house together.  Isn't it beautiful?!  But, of course the house needed furniture now.  The Mary Frances Housekeeping furniture was too large, so back to Jean I wrote.  In the next couple of days, two pages of folding paper furniture arrived.  I just could not have been more pleased.  She will now be adding these features for her 10" doll houses!  Hooray!

I'd recently acquired two sets of B.Shackman's Dollies on Their Travels paper dolls, and miniaturized one for Polly's doll house.  I guess I'll have to make Polly a dress to match the paper doll's.

Margie's Paper Store Toy

Kit Sample

As you know, this blog is on the creative process.  And, I must impress upon you that Jean's work, whether I realized it or not at the time, was inspiring to me, and must have laid some groundwork ideas for me early on.  As you can see in the little peg wooden paper doll house I made that stored the tiny peg wooden doll and her items, it is similar to Jean's process of cutting wood, then gluing on the paper image. (As I looked and looked for these two images in old files, there were so many photos of things that I'd made it was scary!)  The paper that covered that tiny house was called The Lettie Lane House.  These were images I found on the Internet somehow.  The quality of the image wasn't sharp, but it did make up a cute little house.

Jean's mini kits are super easy and make up in a few minutes.  One is this little folding paper store glued to a base of shiny gold paper.  Margie is thrilled with her toy and it even matches the dress Arlene Hayes made for her. 


Peg Wooden Paper Doll - House Storage With Sliding Panel



Little Red Lettie Lane House

Building tiny doll houses is not new to me, as I'd made one for Bleuette a few years ago.  I don't know why, at the time, that I didn't paint it anything but white, but it could have had to do with all the tiny furniture I'd made for it.  The two tiny dolls in it that I dressed, were made by Nada Christensen.  I'm just not sure I can do such tiny work any longer, but I can certainly cut out and fold tiny paper furniture!  Of course, if I put my mind to it, and it was a commissioned piece, I'd do it, but creating such little luxuries on spec is no longer something I'm inclined to do.

The bead buttons for Katy's gaitors finally arrived today.  Her blue coat outfit is done, save for finishing the gaitors, so I'll be sharing that shortly.  And, I'm working on Polly's Snowshoeing Ensemble right now.  Thank goodness for Jean's sweet toys and kits to give me a break when I need to simply play!  You can also find her work at jeannordquistdolls.com or The Collectible Doll Company.

Love,
Miss E. Mouse



Jean's Sewing Mini Kit

  

The House that Miss E. Mouse Built

 


A Doll House For Polly