Alice Illustrated - Queen Alice, Through the Looking Glass

Queen Alice

"The Eighth Square at last!", she cried as she bounded across, and threw herself down to rest on a lawn as soft as the moss, with little flower-beds dotted about it here and there.  "Oh, how glad I am to get here!  And, what is this on my head?' she exclaimed in a tone of dismay, as she put her hands up to something very heavy, that fit tight all around her head.  And, with this final step across the fields of a chess board, Alice becomes the queen.

Tenniel's Through the Looking Glass

When we begin a search for Alice in images, we are generally seeing her illustrated from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  From time to time we'll see her dressed in Tenniel's blue dress with the apron trimmed in red, wearing the striped stockings.  But...and maybe this is just me...I've never seen her dressed in Tenniel's Queen Alice.  I have seen versions of Queen Alice in all white.  Wendy Lawton did one for her 9" book Alice, and Robin Woods did a white one with gold and red crown from one of her very early Alice trunk sets.  But, never the blue, red and gold Queen Alice from Tenniel's Alice Through the Looking Glass.

The Illustration

It has long been a costume I desired to try, and my original intent was to create it for my Wendy Lawton 16" convention Alice.  I still may.  In fact I must, but Alice Illustrated became my first little muse for this costume. 

In the same blue silk as I made her first dress, the traditional Through the Looking Glass costume, I would be working once again with the 1860's French Fashion style of paniers and ruffles (see Louise Godey).  I am always surprised when I begin working on a new pattern to discover that I made something similar before.  Each costume to me has a life of its own, but its wonderful to have had a little bit of practice beforehand.

A side view for Tenniel

Alice Illustrated's Queen Alice gown is a festive costume in the colors of a traditional playing card.  When contemplating the "gold" of this costume, I bought several gold lames to work with.  I don't know if you've ever worked with lame (especially stretch lyca lame), but its a nuisance.  Almost as bad a deep plush velvet.  I tried using a jeans needle to sew through it.  I even changed the stitch length, and it was a beast.  While I contemplated the woes of using this stuff, I realized that the color in the illustration was really yellow.  And, here we can talk about the brain and the artist's eye; what we know to be true, and what we actually see! 

This almost looks Civil War military to me!

I'd already made the pleated trim from a yellow cotton sateen (couldn't find this color in silk), and was making the little boots out of stretch lame.  I sat there and looked again, and once again, and said "What am I doing?!  These will not match."  So I ditched the lame and happily continued work with the yellow sateen. 

The boots

Since I'd made the trim first, and was waiting for the third lame to show up, I began work on the crown, the boots and the scepter.  The boots came first in yellow sateen since I'd already make a pair of stretch lame ones and had the perfect pattern made.  I realized while I was stitching these up that Franklin Mint had made the same type of cloth boots for their Guinevere.  I was much relieved to know I was on the right track. 

The crown is a soft sculpture with a buckram base.  The center is a rich, lush velvet in crimson, and the "fur" band is actually baby blanket material.  I have white faux fur, but it was too furry.  This soft blanket fabric was perfect for the look. 

The scepter is made from wood.  Once again I thank myself for the years I spent working in wood.  The fleur de lis was cut out on my scroll saw, but the staff is all wood dowels.  To make the bumps on the staff, I cut cookies from a larger dowel, then drilled a 1/8" hole in the center (donuts), and slipped them onto the staff, then glued them in place.  There are no wood beads that will accommodate this process unless you're maybe making a larger staff.  Much sanding and carving with a knife was done to create the smooth finishes of the scepter.  Its a wonderful accessory to this costume.

The chess piece crown

And finally I began work on the dress.  If you'll notice the white ruffle on Tenniel's sleeve, it is drawn with a sharp points.  I'd noticed in months back that Sylvia Mac Neil used pinking sheers on some of Chiffonette dress edges.  So I followed suit and made the trim of white silk on the bias with pinked edges.  The two sizes of pleated trim came from the same length.  It was by accident that this happened.  A lucky accident.  The trim was too wide, so I cut 1/4" off it, and this, I noticed, was the perfect size for the trim around the top of the hem ruffle and the sleeve edges. 

The Scepter

The paniers gave me the fits this time.  Why were they so logical, intuitive, on Louise Godey's and not here?  I think it was in part due to Tenniel's romantic illustration of the draping on the back one.  I tried four times and could not achieve his look.  If I'm correct, the original paniers may have been ruched by a drawstring.  If anyone knows, I'd like to be enlightened.  Regardless, on this small doll's costume, the gathers that should have achieved this look did not.  Still and all, with the trim attached, I'm pleased with the overall outcome.

The Back

The sleeves, themselves, are a bit different from your standard puff.  In order to achieve the look of the illustration, I pleated them, then ease-gathered them.  It was a bit like making a little origami box.  The detail may be hard to detect, but its there.

Alice does not wear stockings in the illustration, so none were made.  This was just as well since the cloth boots would have been difficult to snug over her feet with stockings. 

Finally, a pearl necklace was fashioned for her.  A 2" red scarlet silk ribbon was used for the tie about her waist.

Alice Illustrated's Queen Alice costume was an entirely satisfying challenge.  Like many of the costumes I try, these are things made of my own dreams coming true.  I'll have to admit that I much prefer making costumes, rather than serious day garments for my dolls.  They're whimsical, colorful and enchanting to display.

I don't know what I'll do next.  Once again I have many options and ideas on the table, but for just a little while, I think I'll enjoy my book and the warm spring weather the patio is offering.  At least for a day or two!

Enjoy this beautiful May.  Long live the Queen (Alice)!

Love,
Miss E. Mouse 

A colorized version by some artist.

The marvelous chess board landscape.

A BJD Steampunk Version.  I like it!

Long live the Queen!

Polichinelle and The French Clown

Mignonette and Monette with Marottes

Sometimes, it seems, I flit from one concept in design to another.  Like a wee butterfly from one flower to another.  While creating the long desired costuming for my Robin Woods' Alice, which was in no way an easy task, I'd been browsing a few of the many beautiful albums on Pinterest.  While I am not a collector of antique dolls, I do enjoy looking at them and gathering ideas for my own dolls from them.

One of the costume designs that has always appealed to me is that of the French clown, the Polichinelle, and the jester.  These marvelously unique and colorful costumes are a joy in their design concepts and ornate embellishing.  They are also often accompanied by the doll holding her own marotte, or jester stick.  The marotte itself, was made as a toy on its own, and so the appeal of including such an accessory with a doll costume delighted me.

Found on Carmel Doll Shop

I'd been also looking at dolls on the Grovian Doll Musuem website (used to be The Carmel Doll Shop and I'm not sure if they are one and the same or separate now), when I found a little French doll wearing a charming little Polichinelle costume in pink, cream and gold.  I immediately thought, "What a darling costume for my Wendy Lawton Mignonette", since her wardrobe is French and entirely themed in pink.

Presentation Box From Theriaults

I'd also found among the vast photos (on Pinteretst) of antique dolls in French Presentation Boxes, a marvelous set in blue and ivory that was once offered for auction by Theriaults.  This set intrigued me since its layers were many and the costumes a sure inspiration for Wendy Lawton's Monette, the companion doll to Mignonette, however done in blues and creams.  I had spoken to Jean (Nordquist) about the possibility of creating a presentation box similar to this and creating all the costumes in it for an OOAK doll.  With so much on her plate and a business to run, it didn't seem a likely thing to happen anytime soon, so while I gathered silks and gold trims for Mignonette's costume, I decided to make a companion outfit, from the Theriault's set for Monette as well.  I knew as a sure as the sun comes up that I would also want to make them both marottes as accessories to their costumes.

A marotte is a prop stick or sceptre with a carved or porcelain head on it. The word is borrowed from the French, where it signifies either a fool's "bauble", or a craze.  It is typically carried by a jester or harlequin, and the miniature head will often reflect the costume of the jester who carries it.  They are also considered puppets, and some can be musical.  I've seen a few where you can flick your wrist while holding it and the "body" spins around the stick musically.  Enchanting!  What a lovely toy for a young child.  These may have even been used as "rattles" for toddlers, although I can hardly imagine a these exquisite novelties in the chubby hands of little ones.

And, so I began designing the pink and cream costume with the Napolean hat for Mignonette.  I chose two different silks, both dupionis with different textures, since the original also boasted two differing silks.  By sewing a seam between the pink and the cream, creating "one" fabric, I was able to cut my patterns out by pinning the middles of the patterns to the seam.  Mignonette's little jacket would also have silk piping on the bottom to finish the hem. 

I actually began with the jacket.  This piece is fully lined the Magalie Dawson way, but the hem was left open for the piping.  The piping was sewn in very much the same way I trimmed all the edges of Louise Godey's outfit (and no, I have not forgotten her!)  Silk ribbon, the regular kind, was ruched and sewn to the hem of the sleeves and around the neckline.  Thin gold grosgrain ribbon was used for the trim down the front.  It would also be used along the pink hemline of the skirt and the bands on the hat.  There was more doggone trim on this costume than I care to think about, but I patiently proceeded to add it all.

The flowers are the same silk ribbon I used in ruching.  These were embroidered onto the costume and centered with gold jewelry filigree flowers with a gold bead in the center.  Her stockings, one pink, one white, were made from little girls' tights for their thinness.

She also required slippers.  Two silk slippers were made.  One cream and one pink, and decorated the same as the costume.  I tried carefully to stay faithful to the original antique doll's costume keeping in mind that the original was probably a larger doll, and chunkier than the tiny wooden bodies Wendy Lawton uses. 

Silk slippers are not easy to make since they don't stretch around a foot like leather.  I took apart a pair of existing Lawton shoes that weren't well made, and used the inner bottoms and soles to create the fit.  The ruched silk and flower and single beading rather hid the ill fit on the top.  However when the stockinged foot went into the slipper, they fit like a dream.

The hat was composed, not on buckram, but on thin cardboard.  I drew out the shape of the Napolean hat on the cardboard, made two, then using these pieces as a pattern, cut out the silk about 1/2" larger all around - then glued the silk to the cardboard pieces.  Trimming along the way, I added this lovely little gold "scroll" trim that had a tiny, shiny gold band running through it.  It was just the right touch.

In the meantime, while working on Mignonette's costume, I begged Jean to make me a couple of tiny porcelain heads for the marottes.  I ask so much of my dear friend, but she seemed excited at the prospect of my making them, and has made them herself, so she consented to make them for me.  She is an absolute angel in these regards! So while waiting for her to get these wee heads to me, I began Monette's costume.

Monette's French Clown, as I mentioned earlier, was taken from the presentation box costume offered by Theriaults.  This would be another jacket, though loose and long, a long sleeved tunic, and the skirt, a pleated affair.  The hat was a bit unusual, although I remember that Boneka had made a similar styled one in blue for a munchkin in their Riley as Dorothy presentation box for a UFDC luncheon (which I have).  I thought of this only after I'd drawn out my own pattern based on the look of the original.  Its rather a silly looking cone with flared sides.  But, jesters and clowns were supposed to have whimsical costuming!

This one did go together a bit more quickly although I did have to design yet another collar, and collars have always given me the fits.  This is not a circle.  Its more of a crescent shape, done twice, one a little larger then the other.  Both were sewn together and gathered gently at the neck before trimming it off with a bias strip.  Silk bias strips also finished the edging on these crescent shaped collar pieces.

The original costume seemed to boast pom-poms in an aqua or turquoise color, but this didn't suit Monette's coloring or compliment her existing wardrobe.  So off came the darker pom-poms (yes, I tried them first), and I replaced them with French blue ones.  I also did this because I had tiny pom-poms in the same color that could be used for her marotte.  Her shoes are little white leather ankle pull-on boots with matching pom-poms.

By this time, the heads for the marottes had arrived.  I began with Mignonette's.  I did a careful study of antique marottes found on Pinterest.  (I might add that it was Jean that prompted me to join Pin and start my own boards as well as just have fun looking.)  The main costuming of a marotte is a hat and a collar.  It was in the search for hat ideas that Nellie Polder's board on marottes was intrinsically valuable.  I selected the two horned hat for Mignonette's and the one horn for Monette's, since the French Clown costume had a little marotte next to it wearing a similar hat. 

Step by step, I began building these two accessories by adding first a stick through the neck, a ball at the bottom, and painting them white and cream for the corresponding costumes.  What I discovered through studying the photos on Pin and the need to have a place to drape "points", was that there needed to be a body beneath the décor.  Sure.  You can simply add a collar to the stick and call it a day, but I don't do that, do I?  LOL  So I made a little barrel of silk, gathered it top and bottom about the stick and stuffed it with fiber fill.  These gave me nice little bodies to work on.

Mignonette's marotte is decorated like her costume, and so is Monette's.  Pom-poms included.  I'd noticed that lace collars were often used on antique marottes, so both got one.  The wee hats are also stuffed with fiber fill (batting?) to maintain their form.  Each marotte is about 3 1/2" tall, not including the hat.  These were fun to make!  Except for adding mohair to the heads which is always a nightmare for me.  Glue, mohair and me don't mix!  I did find some curled mohair among my stash that I'd made a very long time ago, and this worked lovely for Monette's little "puppet".  I'll have to remember how I did that.  I added gold beads to each marotte's costuming to resemble tiny bells.  Do click on these photos to see the details.  There's a lot there and its fun to look at.

At the end of this, I feel like I have two new dollies, and I think they'll enjoy wearing these costumes and playing with their marottes for some time to come.  How perfect for April!  April Fools!

Love,
Miss E. Mouse

One in pink found on Nellie's board.

Inspiration for Mignonette's marotte's hat.

Inspiration for Monette's marotte's hat.

Polichinelle and the French Clown

Alice and the Queen's Baby Playset Revisited

13" Alice Darling

Sometimes we must make dreams come true for ourselves, and this is one I've been dreaming of since 1992. 

Long ago, before there was online shopping, Ebay, and extensive Internet searching, dolls could only be purchased (at least for me!), through a brick and mortar shop.  What the store offered was up to the discretion of the owner, and unless you were given, or purchased a catalog, you had no idea what else might be out there.  For me, I was limited to what Toy World in Cupertino, CA had to offer. 

The Ultimate Illustrated Alice

However, each fall, the owner would host a doll fair, and one year, in 1991, Robin Woods aka Alice Darling, came to Toy World and introduced a lovely trunk set called The Ultimate Alice.  She'd only brought one with her, and I bought it.  She was also promoting her line of Let's Play Dolls, that she designed and Madame Alexander produced.  I fondly remember her playing with the dolls in front of her audience, showing how they could be posed and telling us how they should be cared for.  This was one of the happiest days of my life and I was excited to bring home, not only the Ultimate Alice Trunk Set, but the two extra play sets offered in this collection: The Gold Dress Playset, and The Card Playset.

Catalog Cover With Alice Darling in Pink

Years later I would purchase the book, The Ultimate Illustrated Alice, from which Robin got her inspirations for the costuming.  Since then, and most recently, I've poured over and over this book looking for my own inspirations.  In her own words, "(Her) Alice (Darling) goes to visit her namesake, Alice in Wonderland, and becomes The Ultimate Alice - with costumes inspired by the Cooper Edens edition of Alice...All of Alice's costumes and the dolls themselves capture the artistry of the last hundred years of Alice..."  Indeed they do.

Alice Finds the Key and Queen's Baby Playset

Since my first purchase of the Ultimate Alice Trunk Set, I have acquired two more on the secondary market (can't help myself!), but I was never able to purchase the two new selections, one on a doll, one as a playset from the 1992 catalog.  Robin and MA had a disagreement, to put it mildly, and she no longer worked for the company.  The new sets did not get made (many things didn't), and the following year dolls that had been in production had been farmed out to a lesser manufacturer which produced hideous dolls in cheap costumes.  And, that was the end of Let's Play Dolls.  I still grieve.

The Ultimate Alice Trunk Collection

But, all these years I kept the catalogs and would continue to enjoy looking.  I could also use them to acquire other dolls and outfits from the secondary market.  And, then I began designing and sewing.  I only thought to create Alice and the Queen's Baby Playset , and Alice Finds the Key, after a year of sewing for Lettie and Polly.  Finding the right fabrics and acquiring like-trims produced 23 years earlier, would prove to be quite a treasure hunt.  I think I'd finally collected enough of a starter box of fabrics and trims about a year ago.  Yet still, I had other dolls to sew for, things to learn, and I wasn't sure I wanted to sew for vinyl play dolls.  Still, these two costumes kept nudging me to be made, so I caved.  I undressed one of my Alice Darling's and began the work.  It wasn't like I didn't have these two costumes committed to memory after twenty-three years of looking at the catalog pages, but what I didn't realize was how detailed the construction would be.  And, of course, you could not see the back sides of them, or underneath the dresses.

The Queen's Baby Playset Dress

So I began to make Alice and the Queen's Baby Playset for spring.

During this entire process, I was often dismayed that I could not replicate it exactly, but I continued to try for a close match.  I was plagued by the construction of the apron, working with organdy, and helpless to find a pink and green striped wired ribbon for her hair.  As I think back on what Robin may have used for the pink ruffled trim (attached to a band), it may have been a grosgrain ribbon trim.  But, nowhere could I find this, so I used a pink sateen and made a facsimile of the pieces.

Earlier, I had collected a pig, and also a pair of slip-ons that I would create her "baby" and shoes from.  Beneath it all, she wears her original stocking and under garments. As most of us know, the pig was the Duchess's baby, but perhaps "Queen's" rolls off a child's tongue more easily than "Duchess's".

Trims and Appliques

One of the most difficult trims to find, was a scallop edged organdy trim for the apron.  This does not exist.  I looked.  And, looked.  But, what I did have was a second, and new, sewing machine that could make adjustable length scallop edges with a bit of programming.  And, so I made my own trim.  It does not give a deep scallop like the original edging, but it gently waves the edges for a similar look.  This trim was important to make since it edges the cuffs and pockets, as well.  I used a 1/4" size silk bud trim for the inset trimming.  Little pink centered daisy appliques substituted for the originals.  I also cut the leaves off another flower applique to enhance them. 

All Tucked In

The dress is a basic empire waist with large puffed sleeves, the cuffs being the difficult detailing.  The width of the skirt is exactly 44", the width of most cotton fabrics.  When I make other outfits for the Let's Play Dolls, this will be a standard.  Robin Woods was always and forever about frills, ruffles, laces and ribbons. 

The slippers were fun to enhance.  I took a tiny strip of soft pigskin (don't tell the "baby") and made a tab at the front of the shoe to thread ties through.  The ties are pink and metallic gold embroidery threads braided together.  Her bow is a wired ribbon in green, pink and mauve checks.  I have several wired ribbon rolls, tried, and stored now, attempting to find one that I liked well enough to use. 

The Slippers

In figuring out how the apron fastened in the back, I noticed the playset on a doll on another page in the catalog.  It appeared to tie with an organdy ribbon.  So I fussed and fiddled to get the two bands centered into the waist band I'd made, along with the ruffled straps.  Patience and courage were the terms I'd use.

And, finally, I made a blanket for the pig baby out of cuddly baby blanket fabric.  I tucked the noisy little beast in and he is quite warm and happy now.

Where I Found the Tie in Back

All the while making this outfit, I've been working in turns trying to make Alice Finds the Key.  The green velvet I'm using is so slippery and thin that I've had to hand sew most of it and am not excited by the machine work.  Sewing appliques on this stuff is going to be a nightmare, so I've purchased two other dark green velvets in the hopes that one will prove better.  I will not give up, but I do need to remain patient until this one comes together.

The Back, The Bow

And, so, my first Ultimate Alice now has her baby playset to enjoy.  I did my best to replicate the sewing construction of the other Let's Play Dolls dresses I own, and this included using snaps for closures.  I have another dress I wish to make for her that I don't believe was ever produced (either).  While awaiting the arrival of the two velvets, when this fabric arrives, I may make it.  These dresses are so much fun to dress a doll in and my Let's Play Dolls remain one of my favorite collections of all time.

Love,
Miss E. Mouse









A Dream Come True

Dressing Alice Illustrated: Agnes Richardson

Alice Illustrated in Agnes Richardson

Remember Alice Illustrated?  She's a new look to celebrate the work of Agnes Richardson!  While I don't usually change a wig just to share costuming, I had to make an exception here for continuity.  And, why not?  Alice Illustrated is a play doll, and she loves to model the lovely fashion styles Alice was dressed in over the years.

For Alice Illustrated's fourth Alice dress, I chose to dress her inspired by the utterly charming illustrations by Agnes Richardson.  Very little is known about this English artist, or at least has been documented.  I find this terribly sad, but the precious works she created for posters, postcards and children's books are her glorious legacy. 

Richardson's Reading to Alice

Agnes Richardson was born in 1885 in Wimbledon, London, and died in 1951.  The only information on her work I could find was that she illustrated posters for the Underground Group from 1912-1922.  She attended the Lambeth School of Art.  In 1923, Geographica Ltd, London, published her illustrated version of Alice in Wonderland. 

Among Friends

There are very few images from this book to be found on the Internet, but I do know of one person who has a copy of this book, Jean, and she shared some fabulous illustrations with me from her own copy.  This book is extremely rare, and difficult to find.  And, no wonder!  With the darling pixie-ish characters, very reminiscent of Grace Drayton's work, who could ever manage to give up their own treasured copy?

A full length view

When I first created Alice Illustrated from the 12" Wendy Lawton doll, I'd collected several fabrics to bring some of these lesser known illustrated dresses to life.  One of them was this blue and white striped silk taffeta.  In my continuing enjoyment and research of costuming, blue and white stripes seem to have been a favorite to dress both Alice and other children in.  They're bright, cheery, and classic.

The Pinny

It wasn't too much trouble to make this little frock for spring as I have a good base set of patterns for Alice Illustrated now.  I did have to design the collar (wretched collars!), and the "snowball" pinny, and also a new pair of slippers.  I call it "snowball", because essentially, its two rounds, one on top the other.  Well, more perhaps like a bowling pin.  Maybe we'll call it the "bowling pin" pinny since Alice did play a sort of ball with a hedgehog.

A goose rather than a flamingo!

A bodice redesigned with a slight V-neck was the base for the pointed collar.  Why do these collars never stay down?  Iron them as I might, they still flip up.  Her attached skirt is full, but not as short (above the knee), as the 1920's style Agnes' little Alice wears.  While I love this fabulous little wooden body, her legs seemed to request just a bit more modest length to the skirt.

The pinny is just that.  There wasn't a detected tie in the back on the illustrations, and also there was the absence of straps.  Hence, it would have been "pinned" to her bodice.  A pinny.  The pockets are round and gathered on the edge for a bit of fancy.  She wears a black, flapper style, headband of silk around her soft brown curls. 

Black Cross-Strap Slippers

I have a ton of little wigs in my stash so it was no problem finding a suitable one for the look of this outfit.  Her long blonde hair just wouldn't cut it with this dress, but it is tucked away with her growing "illustrated" wardrobe, so she will wear it again.

Alice Illustrated

The most fun in making this costume was in designing the shoes.  I guess I've made enough unusual shoes by now that I don't shy away from new styles.  Agnes Richardson's Alice wears a pair of black cross-strap slippers.  I did a little research on shoes from the 1920s and found some wonderful examples of the shoes little girls and ladies wore.  One thing I noticed was that they were fastened with buttons.  None were tied in back, ballet style, so I had to come up with a design that would have clean lines and the cross-strap look. 

The shoes are of black leather and are a basic slipper with a gently squared edge.  The strap is one long piece of thinly cut leather that begins on one side, the instep, crosses around and buttons on the side with a thread loop and a tiny two-holed bronze colored button.  She wears little white ankle socks to keep her feet warm.

1920's Child's Shoes

I couldn't help but add some interesting photos to this journal.  One is of a postcard Agnes illustrated with a little girl in similar stripes.  Can we assume this classic stripe was popular in the 1920's?  I think it may also be an easy fabric pattern to paint in illustrations.  I also recalled that my Tonner Alice, who is a 12" vinyl doll, was given a blue and white striped dress, so I dressed her in it and am sharing her portrait with you.

When I was researching the shoes, I saved off a pair of cross-strap child's shoes from the 20s, and also a very alluring pair of strappy flapper heels.

Tonner's Alice in Stripes

Please enjoy the final portrait of Alice Illustrated in Agnes Richardson's design.  I included a beautiful little book that can be purchased through Jean Nordquist, and the porcelain toy Humpty and Rabbit she made for me to display with my dolls.  She really is an amazing artist!

Welcome spring!

Love,
Miss E. Mouse

Agnes Richardson Postcard

I want a pair of these!



Alice Illustrated with Friends From Jean