Dress, Bonnet and Apron

Seems like Spring has been flying by, without a lot of time for sewing and dollmaking.  This week, I finally finished dressing my Gail Wilson Izannah Walker kit doll!  I am planning a winter outfit for her with the long sleeved dress, another apron and cape.  Maybe a hard bonnet - we'll see.  But I'm going to work on some clothes for some other dolls first!

Gail Wilson Izannah Walker Inspired Doll

I haven't completely disappeared!  I've been working on this little 10" Izannah Walker inspired kit by Gail Wilson.  She has been a very slow project for me this winter.  Projects around the house with my husband have taken a lot of our "spare time."  When I opened the kit, which I purchased a good while ago, I discovered that the paint containers for the skin had opened and dried out (a miracle that it wasn't all over the other paint pots!).  Luckly, I had some GW flesh colored paint already on hand!   Then, while getting ready to begin painting her face, her paper mache head feel off the pencil/rag "holder" onto the floor, breaking the back part of her shoulder plate!  I was devastated.  I couldn't believe how much crying I did over that silly little doll project - she was more important to me than I realized.  My wonderful husband came up with an idea on how to fix her using some 2 part epoxy stuff from the hardware store.  We molded it as best we could to her, waited a day or two, then sanded it as best we could and painted it.  The repair is obvious when she has no clothes on, but I decided it would be good enough to continue and press on.  Painting her face was a challenge - the experience reminded me that I'm overdue for an appointment with the optometrist, and that I should probably invest in some mag-eyes for this type of project!  But I persevered and did the best I could.

The camisole was made, but my kit didn't have a ribbon for the front, so it took me a while to decide what to use.  I found a light blue silk ribbon in my embroidery things, and over dyed it to soften the color.  Her camisole, pantalettes and slip are finally done!

Yesterday, I picked out the fabrics for her summer dress, bonnet, winter dress and apron and bonnet.  I already had fabric for her cape.  I hope I can make quicker progress on her clothes, because my Gail Wilson order from her March sale arrived on Friday!  I have so many projects to finish this summer - because in the Fall, I will be taking Gail's on-line class to make 9", 7" and 4 1/2" Milliners Model dolls.

Jane Austen project is complete!

Jane's bonnet was finished last weekend.  I may fidget a bit more with the ruffled lining to see if I can get it to have smaller ruffling - it seems I've got on big ruffle for several stitched.

Jane also has had her book for a few weeks.  It contains brief summaries of her stories.

The next Gail Wilson doll project is underway - no pre-painted parts this time!

Update on my Jane Austen doll

Jane's dress is finished.  So is her stand.  I debated a while as to whether or not to put the label on her stand.  Gail is going to come out with 3 more dolls in this series, and promised to also come out with a pattern for Civil War era dresses, so I may have a Little Women set as well.

Gail's painting amazes me!  I am in awe of her control and ability to make such fine, smooth lines.  I'm really blessed to have been able to get the kit with painted parts!

Work in Progress: GW Jane Austen

I began working on this project between Christmas and New Years.  I bought the kit from Gail Wilson Designs in one of her sales.  The special offer was a bundle that included the doll kit, stand kit and book kit.  I always enjoy working on Gail's kits because I always learn how to do something new.  Jane's dress includes cartridge pleating to attach the sleeves and the skirt.  I gathered the skirt 4 times, and attempted to connect it 3 times before I was satisfied!  I need to use a small zig zag around the skirt edges and do the hem next.  Then the silk sash, bow and buttons, and the dress will be done.  

Today I bought thread to match the silk sash.  I'm fighting off a sore throat that wants to become a full blown cold, so that might be all I accomplish today!  I find I can do my best work when I'm not sick!

December Small Quilt of the Month

The December Quilt is Turkey Tracks, from Kathleen Tracy's book, Remembering Adelia.  It has a lot of triangles, which make it a bit more tedious for me to do, but it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  I suppose making a dozen small quilts this year has been good for my piecing, if nothing else!  I was determined to get this one done before Christmas, so I machine quilted it.  I think it is one of my favorites from this year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!  

May God bless your celebration of His Son's Birth!

Meet Christine

The dress for the last of the three Izannah Walker dolls is finished, and so is Christine!  It seemed fitting that she'd have a nice, bright, festive dress for the Christmas season!

November Small Quilt of the Month

November's small quilt is the Amish Nine Patch Quilt.  The pattern is from Kathleen Tracy's book, American Doll Quilts.



The binding was sewn to the front on November 30th, and the quilt was finish on December 1st.  I discovered that it is really difficult to get a good photo of these bright, clear colors.  I need to work on a few places where the pencil marks for the quilt design didn't completely wash out.

I'm pretty excited about December's quilt.  I picked out the fabrics yesterday.  I hope I can finish it and share it with you this year!

Meet Betsy

I'm please to share Betsy with you.  She is my second Izannah Walker doll made during the Dixie Redmond on-line workshop.  The dress pattern is Dixie's, but I made the pattern for the pinner apron myself.  Betsy's chemise, pantelettes and petticoat are made from a linen like fabric - left over from my kitchen curtains!  I suppose that Betsy will be a thrify one!

October's Small Quilt of the Month

My October Quilt has been finished since before Hurricane Sandy, but the sun never wanted to come out for me - at least not when I was home and could take a photograph of it to share!  I enjoyed hand quilting this one - it brought back pleasant memories of making hexagon flowers while vacationing on Oak Island last summer!
October's Quilt is from Kathleen Tracy's book:  The Civil War Sewing Circle and is called "Hexagon Flower Quilt."
I saved the cardstock paper hexagons - there could be another variation of this one in my future some day!  I'd love to do it in Civil War reproduction fabrics!

September Small Quilt of the Month

For September, Kathy Tracy's SmallQuiltTalk Yahoo! group made quilts based on a single quilt block called Dove in the Window.  Once again, I was able to make the quilt using fabrics from my stach.  I picked the fabric for the large squares first, and then picked fabrics that I thought would work with it.  My husband helped me decide on the borders after I had narrowed my choices down to a handful.  I was really happy with how it turned out, so I decided to hand quilt it - nothing fancy, just 1/4" from the seam lines, like I learned to do more than 20 years ago!  I finished the quilt on a rainy weekend, so getting a photo in good outdoor light was delayed even more!  

My October hexagon flower quilt top is done - just waiting to be basted, quilted and bound!  I hope that I can finish it within a few days of the end of the month - November will be busy enough without starting it already behind!

Meet Ailene

I have finally dressed my very first Izannah Walker inspired doll, using the pattern as given in the Dixie Redmond workshop.  I trimmed the neckline using some very old off white rick-rack that was in my grandmother's things.  I've named her Ailene.  It means "Little Eve,"  which I think is a very good name for the first Izannah Walker inspired doll I've made.  I may make her a necklace, or maybe a kitty - I still feel like she needs a little something.

Almost There

My 3 Izannah Walker web-workshop dolls are nearing completion - they now have pantelettes, chemises and slips.  I've signed and numbered each doll, along with the year, on the bottom of their "chest plate" on their backs.  They are getting a bit tired of being called #1, #2, #3 - they are a bit too old-fashioned to find any similarities with Star Trek amusing!    I think the first (far left) looks a bit pensive, maybe a touch sad.  The second looks like she is thinking some happy thoughts and the third looks like she is thinking of some very grand, intellectual thoughts.  It is fun to see how these all emerged so differently.  When I do this project again, I think I will focus on only ine.  While doing three has been a great learning experience, I do think I would have taken more time to get her just right.  Three was more tiring.  Somehow, not one of these dolls ended up looking straight ahead.  I guess they are mirroring my busy, distracted mind, finding it hard to just concentrate on what is right in front of me!
So, they would like names...what do you think, should I name them alphabetically?  Agatha, Betsy, Clara...?
Know any other good, old fashioned names to suit these young ladies?

Onto dress making!

August Small Quilt of the Month

I finished the August Small Quilt of the Month on September 1st, but the rest of the Labor Day Weekend was rainy and dreary, so taking a photo was put off until today.  This one is called Charming Quilts Doll Quilt and the pattern is in Kathleen Tracy's book:  Remembering Adelia.  There are 72 different fabrics making the little rectangle coins.  I used a quilt stencil and a mechanical chalk pencil to mark the quilt, before machine quilting it.   

The September Small Quilt of the Month is a pattern that Kathy put together for her Yahoo! group, using the Dove in the Window design.  I cut out the pieces for the block today, but while I've selected the fabrics for the borders, I'm not cutting them out yet, until the center part is pieced.

Hanging Out in the August Heat

We were at my brother and sister-in-law's house earlier this month, and this squirrel was relaxing in the tree in front of their house.  There is a nest in a near by branch, but apparently, it is cooler to hang out in the trees. He was sleeping, but I think he heard us talking about him, and decided to watch us, like we were watching him.

Update on My Izannah Walkter Workshop Dolls

Least any followers think that my Izannah Walker dolls are languishing somewhere half made, never to see the light of day, rest assured, slow and steady progress is being made.  I was about to antique them one evening this week, only to read the directions on my antiquing to learn that they should be sealed with a matte sealer first, so I did that instead.

Here are my girls before antiquing.



What do you think?

Their arms and legs are all ready to be antiqued as well.  Maybe on Sunday.  Then the fun of attaching legs, making and attaching the body covering and sewing on arms!  I love to see a doll come together - and once they are together, the delight of making their clothing can begin!  I do hope to complete it all before August is out.  Time is flying by, I best get busy!

Back from Vacation

It has been about a week since we've gotten back from our wonderful vacation at Caswell Beach on Oak Island in North Carolina.  It was a wonderfully relaxing time to catch up with some family that reside closer to there than here, to spend some quality time together, enjoy the ocean and just relax and rejuvinate.  On the drive there and back, I began working on my hexie flowers for the October Small Quilt of the Month.  I finished the final 2 on the road trip home.



We enjoyed amazing views and wonderful beach walks. The view from our rental condo's deck:



We could see two lighthouses from the beach, and there was no competition for space at the beach.


As a general rule, I don't post family pictures on the web, but here are my kids on one of our evening beach walks!


We got to do a little sight-seeing in the vicinity.  Here are a few photos of some things that I found interesting and related to my interests.  This was one of the displays in the Visitor's Center at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson.  They told the history of this Colonial town that ended up being the sight of a Civil War Fort.



I found dolls at the NC Maritime Museum in Southport!


And there was a 19th century sewing machine there, too!


We really loved Oak Island, especially the Caswell Beach area.  It is a very relaxing, refreshing and rejuvinating place to stay!

July Small Quilt a Month Challenge

I think this is a new record for me, and probably not one I will beat this year - my July quilt is actually pieced, quilted and bound and it is only July 8th!  Not too shabby, considering that the July quilt wasn't announced until 7/2!

This month's quilt is from Kathleen Tracy's first book, American Doll Quilts.  It is called Indigo Blue and White Doll Quilt.  I was nervous about this one - all these triangles - how many points could I get nice and sharp - and meeting nicely with it's neighbor?  Well, I am satisfied with how it turned out.  I was tempted to go onto the web to find true "indigo" reproduction fabrics and shirtings, but I stuck to my stash and used what I had - lots of blues, but the lights are mostly not shirtings, and the darks aren't all indigos!  It was fun to do a 2 color quilt.

June Small Quilt of the Month

The June Small Quilt a Month Challenge Quilt was a quick one!  I had fun using "leftovers" from a larger quilt that I've put together but still needs to be quilting.  Then I used other fabrics from a charm pack I'd ordered from Keepsake Quilting.  I love the patriotic and retro prints, and I have a special doll in mind for this quilt.  I hand quilted this one and it turned out nice and straight, but my grass makes it look a bit wavy here!

The pattern from this quilt comes from Kathleen Tracy's book:  The Civil War Sewing Circle.

May Small Quilt of the Month

Well, I am managing to almost keep up with the Small Quilt a Month Challenge - put the last stitches in the binding today for my May Quilt.  The pattern selected was "Civil War Stars" from Kathleen Tracy's book Civil War Sewing Circle.  I've had this Tom and Huch fabric medley for years and have been trying to figure out how to use it.  Instead of using 4 patches as the block centers, I fussy cut out the small vignettes of Tom & Huck.  There are a few things I'd do differently, but I am pleased with how it turned out.  I think the goal of making one quilt a month helps you "just do it" and maybe learn by trying instead of spending too much time over analyzing!  Please forgive the wrinkles - I need to do a better job "staging" my quilt photos!




I am looking forward to the June Quilt - it is going to be an easy one, and I'm going to try for something to match a larger quilt that I've pieced, but only begun to machine quilt.`