Making a Point

     I just sent an email to someone from one of my doll groups who sent me a little something in the mail.  I vaguely remembered that I was going to get it; frankly, I'd forgotten about it.  It was a delightful surprise.
     My enthusiasm was over the top.  (Well, I was just a happy kid, what can I say?)  After my name at the end of my email, I wrote "who usually tries to be disciplined with exclamation points." Let me explain.
     I subbed a few years ago for a man who taught fourth grade.  His lesson plans were nicely detailed....except for one annoying habit.  After each subject detail, he put an exclamation point.  I didn't particularly notice this until the second time I subbed for him (tho even then I remembered it happened the first time).  I laughed it off.
    After many months I subbed for him again.  Yup, there were those annoying exclamation points.  I realized that I felt rather as though I was being yelled at.  Even writing this now makes me crack up.  So I started "watching" how people write. 
     An overuse of E.P.s generally makes me feel that the writer is 1) very passionate, 2) lazy in their writing skills, or 3) the great mystery?  That sounds harsh; it is more accurate to say that is what I've decided about my OWN writing.
    If you go back to previous posts here you will say, "Me thinks thou doth protest too much" as I tend to still use that old bat and ball at the end of too many sentences.  I do find, however, that I feel I am taken more seriously when the bat/ball are missing.
Just sayin'.
   

Chicken Chooks

I am in a yahoo-doll-group challenge, which involves being sent a piece of fabric.  I am to make something of the fabric and post pics.
My niece has returned to the classroom after a two-year hiatus; she is a seasoned vet (how can I be THIS OLD??) and loves the stuff I send her for her classroom. I plan to make a set of three to her.  She'll use them as manipulatives for educational games.  She loves how goofy my ideas are!!
Here is the first one completed:

Here is the link that gives instructions on how to make them.  I added the feet as an afterthought.  I also didn't use felt as felt isn't very durable for second-graders!

http://www.redtedart.com/2012/02/10/pyramid-juggling-bag-chickens/

One of my Faves

Here is the doll that has haunted me since finding brierrose.com dolls on the internet.
She is a French Fashion doll (I think about 11-13"?) and has such an arresting face.  Thank you, Elaine, for sending me the picture of her!  The doll is a "Stobe."

Elaine does marvelous work on dolls and did my Seaside love (pics posted Feb. 22, 2014).



Over the Top

Okay, so here is the start of my Knitted Garden. I ordered a book by Jan Messent with the same title but it hasn't arrived yet.  I hope to write down the pattern for each crop/piece of land I make. I am incorporating crochet with this as it lends itself so brilliantly to the gardens.
BTW, I am terrible at the real thing-----tend to kill every plant entrusted to me.
So imagine how fulfilling it is to  make a perfect head of lettuce with a bit of embroidery floss?
I hope to make my Gardens the size of a small baby quilt. DD and I have made small dolls for years that will fit so nicely on this knitted "play mat."
I blame all of this on Tree, a doll-group friend---her knitted garden fits a king bed and her imagination knows no bounds! :)

This is about 6" wide.  The "soil" is knitted with size 7 needles and worsted wt.

The lettuce/or cabbages are done with DMC floss and size B crochet hook.

I know the carrots don't grow that way; I have laid them out as though they had just been picked as bunches and are still laying on the soil.

 

The tails of each are used to sew on to the soil; double-knotted shoelace bows are on the back, in case someone would want to rearrange the crop. (Yes, over the top!)

 

Here is how the carrots are done, along with the carrot "tops."

I hope to add patterns as I go, so you can make them if you want!

 

 

Edited Sept. 12, 2015:

Oooops------seems I can kill even yarn-fiber veggies-----I did the piece above and then realized I am a bit too Type A personality to make any sort of blanket or mat that has different size rectangles in it.  I can DO it, that isn't the problem----but it causes me to hyperventilate (figurativel) and life is too short for that, eh?

 

So now I am hanging up my knitted garden tools and am going back to dressing dolls....which is what I've always done best. :)

New

Here is Dianna Effner's "Bebe", a delightful 5" jointed doll sporting her new dress and

snood.  Her hair is very full which is a distraction to me when I am knitting for a doll.

I think she is quite lovely.  Ooops----these pics downloaded out of order. Meh.

 

 

 

Bebe showing off the back of her snood. Her dress closes with one pearl bead.

 

Pensive little face

Lovely paint job by T&D Porcelain

 

 

A Wee Bit

 

These white figurines are "Snow Babies" which have been a popular collector's item for decades. These are reproductions.  They were in NRFB (never removed from box) mint condition...I paid $4 for ALL of them. The penguins came as a set of six. WHAT a garage sale find, a few weeks back with Dear Daughter!

I need to find the photo of one of the Snow Babies I made in a porcelain class back in the late 80s....I made over 100 of them and sold then in sets of 4 for $20.....always the entrepreneur, but seldom wise enough to save a set for myself!! :(

To be fair, I never thought I would have a child to pass things on to....life is full of lovely surprises! 

 

 

This little gal is the last of Sherry's babies-----she looks pensive but was happy to finally get dressed.

 

 

Sherry's second batch----ready to go home, except for J.M. on the left---this IS her new home!

 

 

 

This is a sweater I made from a pattern I wrote after studying an antique doll sacque set. (See previous posts)

I took this picture because the darker blue one underneath is the SAME pattern as the one on top-----same stitches, same needles-----same "weight of yarn."

NOT all sock weight yarns are equal....nor other weights, for that matter.

The top yarn is merino.  I had to make the top sweater to make sure I wasn't losing my touch or my mind. :)

Torquoise sweater and beret fit Bleuette and are available. Contact me at myheadsundercover@yahoo.com

 

 

Here is a Hitty lace apron pattern being modeled by Hitty Constance.

I did this pattern 5-8 yrs. ago and have just recently been reminded of it.

Pattern available. Contact me at myheadsundercover@yahoo.com

Uh oh.....

Oh dear I might be in trouble.  Ever see a tutorial on Kumihimo?
Thought not.
Very mesmerizing----like weaving, like knitting, like a gazillion other things I do....do they have a name for this? Uh----don't answer. I'm sure my friends and family can come up with a name!
Check this tutorial out and see if it doesn't fit in with my fascination for allll things rhythmic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDk8-KCTGjU

Bleuette cape and beret

Here is my Bleuette modeling a set for a friend.  The lacey cape set is out of KnitPicks Bare Merino Sock wool.....lovely, "bare" (no color) super-soft wool.....washable, no less.....this is a "church" set.....she's stylin'!

 

Mine!

What a great surprise to discover last night that this little lady gets to live here as MINE!

Sherry surprised me with her.  I've named the doll Jennifer, after my great-great-grandmother Jennifer McClintock, from Ireland.

The red hair says it all.  I do like this doll, she has charmed her way into my heart as only a dozen or two have in my life.  She will abide in the old bookcase with a few of my other keepsakes.  Jennifer and I thank you, Sherry!!!

Baby 3, second round

More Babies

At my request, Sherry sent me four "new" babies last week to dress.
I've just completed two of them.  Since these are not valuable antiques (though antiques nonetheless!) I had the freedom to paint the shoes black on the small one.

This gal is about 5" and really wide...the dress is no lie!

It's done in baby wt. acrylic.  One pearl bead at the top of the dress closes it in the back.

 

The smaller doll on the right is about 3.5"....she might have been painted (after bisque firing) before; I redid her shoes as they were an odd red.  The dress is ecru, not yellow as it seems to be showing up here. Three pearl beads act as buttons on the back.

These dolls really "come to life" for me as I'm dressing them.  It's been a pleasure making clothes for Sherry's babes!

 

Back to the Future

I'm uploading some pictures for a friend who wants to see some of the doll knitting I have done over the years.  Stroll down memory lane with me......

Well, this sweater set I just finished today!  So much for memory lane, eh?

 

 

This 14" Kathe Kruse is sporting a lace sweater I designed and made for her.

I no longer have either the doll nor sweater.

 

This 22" Kathe Kruse is wearing a sweater I made for her.  I STILL HAVE THE SWEATER!

 

The Raikes Hitty is wearing a lace cape.....nope, don't have either of them anymore.

 

Same doll, simple cape....

 

Lovely Bleuette afghan from sock wt. wool.  It makes a lovely small dolly blanket, too.

 

This is Bleuette's market bag I designed.  The baguettes were handmade, as was the letter from her Maman to go to the bakery!

 

Brook's Bleuette sports my cape/beret set.....

 

Hitty wears a hooded cape to stave off the encroaching winter.....

 

Another lace/beret set for Bleuette. I don't have the cape but do still have the doll!

 

Different stitch was used for this cape set.....

 

This is variegated sock yarn.  Fun, eh?

Aprons aprons!!

This is an apron pattern posted on Hittygirls.  It is the Moebius apron.

It's done by hand and is oddly therapeutic to make....also very addicting!

Sherry made me a sample apron which Hitty Constance is wearing (back row, on right).

Close up of the first one I did. I've since altered the pattern a bit. Very fun to do!

Keepin' On....

This fine 4" lady seems pretty old. I got her for $1.50 at a garage sale yesterday.

I'm going to disassemble her and make a new body for her. I should name her Madame Pegleg because she is missing a leg. Poor lamb.

This headboard was a real find------$10!

I've been looking for one for years.  Unwilling (well, unable) to afford anything more pricey.  Good things come to those who wait!!  ha ha ha

Sherry's Babes, before being shipped out. What a happy bunch.



More dollying

I've been a busy beaver. 

This little lady is one of Sherry's babies.  She has a twin and THEY didn't cry from the bookcase! Humph.

This knitted dress has a tiny crocheted edging. Sherry might attempt some embroidery on the dress.  Heaven knows she is capable!

 

 

This Hitty was carved by Wanda H.  and painted by me. Basswood is very pale.  What to do???  Tough job to "stain" the body after it has been sealed with clear sealant.

Sherry gave me the idea to add a touch of paint to a sealant.  I added Delta Ceram Coat Toffee Brown.  I like the color very much.  I've renamed her Hitty Constance.  Now to paint her shoes! 

 

This clever little apron is a vintage hankie.  Sherry did it for me as a sample.

It came from a pattern on Hittygirls.  Tiny rickrack is sewn on the front side, then turned under and stitched again.  It is a moebius pattern so no buttons, snaps, ties, etc.

Hitty Gran is thrilled!  She is on German Shepherd guard duty----Majorette and Jackette are real rabble-rousers.....

Little known facts

In honor of the 4th of July picnics that Americans are having today, I have two little known facts I'd like to share.  Being the documentaries-nut that I am, these facts came from an agricultural show.

1--each kernel of corn has an accompanying strand of corn silk. That explains why you feel you can NEVER get all of those strands off the ear!

2--you will find this hard to believe, but the cooking time for corn-on-the-cob that gives the MAXIMUM nutritional value to eating corn is 2 MINUTES.
You read that right.....make sure your corn is room temperature.  Put it in a pot of boiling water, cover it, and boil for 2 minutes. THATS ALL.
Take it out and prepare to eat it.

I sort of remember cooking the corn for at least 15 mins., while growing up? That is, until my mom got a bit microwave-happy and began to cook it in the microwave. blah.

Betsy, Vintage Ginny, Ginny decked out!

Here are dress patterns I have completed for these dolls.  Betsy McCall is Brook's; she is 8" tall. Vintage and modern Ginny are also 8" tall. 

Ready for Embroidery

I think it's a go; ready now for embroidery!  Off to bed for me...

8" Betsy McCall

Brook's doll, long-awaiting a knitted dress....