tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5615451396620930512024-02-08T12:22:43.840-08:00Sew Dolls and CostumesLearn about making cloth dolls and costumes for all dolls.Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-69895781590989550072008-10-24T01:54:00.001-07:002008-10-24T01:54:40.674-07:00Antique Dutch Doll House of Petronella Dunois - Close Up ViewsHere are close up views of the rooms of the doll house Petronella Dunois had made c. 1676, one year before her wedding in 1677. Of note are the silver miniatures in the kitchen. The Dutch are renowned as silversmiths.The little figures of people in the doll house are dressed in fabrics and authentic costumes of the day. Doll houses at this time were for the wife of the house to play with and Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-86870898502760907352008-10-24T01:50:00.000-07:002008-10-24T01:51:20.376-07:00Antique Dutch Doll House of Petronella Dunois - Attic Laundry RoomHere are close up views of some of the rooms of the doll house Petronella Dunois had made c. 1676, one year before her wedding in 1677. Of note are the silver miniatures in the kitchen. The Dutch are renowned as silversmiths.I particularly enjoy looking at the details in the laundry room on the top floor. Even today in many houses in Holland the laundry is hung to dry near the ceiling on the top Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-63060711896318716132008-10-24T01:26:00.000-07:002008-10-24T01:47:11.518-07:00Antique Dutch Doll House of Petronella DunoisPetronella Dunois had this doll house put together c. 1676, one year before her wedding in 1677. Of note are the silver miniatures in the kitchen. The Dutch are renowned as silversmiths.The doll house is made like a cabinet and is as tall as an adult.Doll houses in the 17th century were not made for children to play with - they were the hobby of the lady of the house. This doll house is in the Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-26851761247705934412008-10-15T03:08:00.000-07:002008-10-15T03:11:53.918-07:00Wooden Dolls from PolandThese six-inch tall wooden dolls were made in Poland in the 1970s. Their bodies, arms and legs are made of wood. They can be posed and stand on their own. I like the hand-painted expressions with eyes looking to the side and long hand-painted eyelashes. Their soft hair wigs are glued on, and their costumes are cotton material with braid trim.If you need help with sewing techniques for dolls and Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-45929553013172085862008-10-07T02:12:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:13:40.374-07:00Doll Making for CharityI'd like to suggest that if you spend time making doll clothes, anyway, that you collect a few dolls from friends and neighbors and sew a wardrobe or a complete outfit for each doll. Then donate the doll in the completed outfit to a charity that distributes used dolls and toys to kids that otherwise would not have any. When I was a little girl, nothing brightened up my face more than my mother Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-9810721637836690592008-10-01T13:14:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:15:20.181-07:00Costume of a Woman from JavaThis photo is from an exhibit at Madurodam, The Hague, in The Netherlands. Here we see a woman vendor in the street on the island of Java, Indonesia, who is selling what she has made. In this case it is sirih, with the main ingredient being betel leaves, which people like to chew. Indonesia declared its independence from the Dutch in 1945. The dress and scene portrayed are typical of the time Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-39886017299218338092008-09-28T03:36:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:17:54.110-07:00Ballet Costume from 1954This is me in 1954, 7 years old, in my recital ballet costume. My dance teacher was Adelaide Molter in Severna Park, Maryland.I thought you'd enjoy seeing this costume with the tutu portion made of tulle, which is a softer form of the nylon netting that we have today. Because it doesn't have the stiffness of nylon net it is much fuller in volume.The bodice is a stiff form of velvet, though I Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-84584654801558165562008-09-28T02:46:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:18:41.897-07:00Masks for Halloween CostumesMasks can be Halloween costumes in themselves and for the child that does not want to wear a costume a mask might be fun!Here is an example of a feathered mask that is made like a fancy pair of glasses.To make a similar mask use a pair of sunglasses and remove the lens.With craft glue attach fake gems around the eyeglass frame and glue on your choice of decorations.The wearer will be able to see Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-16392757282220100052008-09-26T00:40:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:39:45.062-07:00Costume of Sinterklaas in The NetherlandsI'm an American living with my Dutch husband in a village by the North Sea in North Holland, The Netherlands. I thought your family might enjoy seeing how Sinterklaas (our Santa Claus) is costumed here. In the photo you'll see Sinterklaas has the long white beard like the American Santa Claus and the German St. Nicholas. He wears a long white gown with lace around the hem, girdled by a white cordSusan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-37511270767781878262008-09-25T08:10:00.000-07:002008-09-26T00:36:03.721-07:00Fabric Dolls from Jamaica in the 1940sThe 2 dolls in the photos were made in Jamaica in the early 1940s.They are cotton fabric, 12 inches (30cm) long and hand sewn. The eyes are embroidered in a light green sewing thread – not floss. And to make the eyes come forward a running stitch was used around each eye and pulled a bit to make the eyeball protrude outwardly.Their bodies are packed tightly with kapok.Article and photo credits Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-80492917849896255072008-09-25T08:04:00.000-07:002008-09-25T08:09:43.149-07:00Degas Sculpture - The Little Dancer Aged FourteenFirst exhibited in 1881 in wax, costumed in a gauze tutu with a silk bodice, fabric slippers and real hair wig, “The Little Dancer Aged Fourteen,” by Edgar Degas (1834 – 1917) is in the style of Impressionism. The artist’s model was Marie von Goethem, a student of the Ballet de l'Opera, Paris, France.After Degas’ death, the original wax sculpture was made into more than thirty plaster and bronze Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-66642918525653943172008-09-24T05:17:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:37:44.272-07:00Sewing Directions for 18 Inch Dress PatternYou’ll need about one half yard (one half meter) of material for dress and a small swatch for bib collar. I use 6 strand embroidery floss in a contrasting color for tassel on bib collar.For the skirt cut a rectangular piece of material 30 inches (75cm) by 10 inches (25cm) – this gives you enough to make an ankle length dress, if desired. Cut a 10 inch long and 1.5 inch wide strip on the bias of Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-50740898516976467172008-09-24T04:22:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:36:40.719-07:00Pattern Pieces for 18 Inch Doll DressesHere is a page of pattern pieces to make a dress in long or short length for an 18 inch fabric or vinyl doll, such as Gotz, or American Girl, or Corolle. Be sure to measure your doll's waist and chest to make sure the pattern will fit with enough extra for movement.For the skirt cut a piece of fabric 30 inches (75cm) wide by 10 inches (25cm) long. You may use the pattern for personal use but not Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-30223519655666463452008-09-24T04:10:00.000-07:002008-09-26T00:58:49.257-07:00Men’s Clothing – Indians of Northern Woodlands about 1850I thought you'd enjoy seeing this display that I photographed at the Field Museum in Chicago. See additional blog entries for more photos of clothing.Article and photograph copyright Susan KramerSusan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-21145793775936388512008-09-24T03:57:00.000-07:002008-09-26T00:59:31.152-07:00Women’s Clothing – Indians of the Chicago Region about 1850I thought you'd enjoy seeing this display that I photographed at the Field Museum in Chicago. See additional blog entries for more photos of clothing.Article and photograph copyright Susan KramerSusan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-20277195086890688702008-09-24T03:26:00.000-07:002008-09-26T00:09:38.214-07:00Seminole Indian Wooden Doll and ClothingSeminoles lived in the Southern Woodlands of the United States. This is a photo of a Seminole wooden doll in the upper left, a belt across the top and other ornaments from about 1850. I photographed this display at the Field Museum in Chicago.Seminole dolls were carved from one piece of wood, and female dolls have a ball-shaped head of cloth or palmetto fiber; she appears to be about 12 inches (Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-11952733249989684922008-09-24T02:29:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:34:10.924-07:00Raggedy Ann and Andy Doll Pattern SourcesHere are three pattern sources for Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy bodies and clothing, and a toddler costume that are available on the internet. I've included a description of the contents of each pattern envelope. 1. Simplicity 3945 - One-size Raggedy Ann and Andy Pattern with Four Seasonal Clothes OutfitsThese are patterns with instructions to make the 15 inch Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls, Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-4714377721825409982008-09-24T02:22:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:32:03.679-07:00Care and Cleaning of Doll ShoesNo outfit for your dolls looks complete without doll shoes, except perhaps for a bathing suit, and even then a pair of sandals completes the picture.To keep your dolls' shoes looking their best after lots of hard play and walking through everything can be a challenge, but thankfully there are solutions.Doll shoes are made of many fabrics today and if you have an older pair of doll shoes or even Susan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-561545139662093051.post-69067002357059805852008-09-22T10:03:00.000-07:002008-10-07T02:20:39.914-07:00INTRODUCTIONHi dear readers - this is my first entry for the Sew Dolls and Costumes blog. I'll be posting tutorials for making and dressing cloth dolls and all the popular dolls out today including Raggedy Ann and Andy, American Girls, Gotz (Goetz), Magic Attic, Sasha, Pleasant Day, Baby dolls galore and more ... check back often for updates.Also, check out the entries on costumes for kids and adults and theSusan Helene Kramerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11083934701507978456noreply@blogger.com0