Annabelle

I have been working on this doll for quite some time. She is affectionately known to us as ( my favorite ), which i guess is mean to the other dolls, as they are just as sweet in their own way. I found on the Hwy 11 Flea market which runs from Meridian, Ms to several states aboove us, this material for her dresss and bonnet. I just loved it and it's so nice to work with. It is perfectly faded and has a few tiny holes but nothing to keep it from being sound. I made her pantyloons, slip, chemise, from plain cotton fabric that has an old look and feel. The underware has been aged to a old look, but just mellow enough to look like real old garments.  The outfit is not perfect, but I think it's beautiful. It might have a few small places that look worn as it would be with age. The sewing is not perfect, but I think everything turned out real good.

Olive and Mamie June

Here are two dolls that have been in the works for a long time., you know how you put some back time after time to work on other things, well, the doll in blue is Olive. she has undergone alot of aging. I know Izannah's didn't wear this type of pinafore, but it's vintage and it matched her dress of feedsack material, so she got it. all the cloth in her outfit was recycled from other old clothes. the next doll is Mamie June. She actually has a new dress that has been aged. Her apron is a vintage hankercheif. Underware is all new cotton,  aged to a nice patina. I am satisfied that I have done all possible to make these girls as good as I can. they are both very sweet and  primitive. these dolls don't look like Izannah's, but they are nice old looking dolls.

4 dolls finished.

I finished 4 dolls. 2 big and 2 little. the little ones have already been posted, but I put these up to show their size.

Teeny Tiny Dolls

I made some small dolls. They are about 11 1/2 " tall.  They were fun to do, and it doesn't take as long. They are still a lot of work.

My Favorite Girl

Here is a doll I have been working on for awhile. I like this one. Alot of dolls are cute, but I think this doll is beautiful, Not because i made her, but just a combination of things. I see through my photo that her right eye needs a little adjustment, it hikes up a bit, but that should be easy to fix. These pictures were taken with flash camera and the curls don't show up as dark as they are, but I did get them straighter. It still just amazes me that just  because you use a mold of the same doll, it doesn't mean you will get the same doll, you will probably never paint the same face the same way twice, not to mention the mold will change some too. It's just a surprise every time. Sometimes a good surprise.

New Izannah Doll

Hi, I hope everyone is doing good. the warm weather is here and it makes more work. I made this doll awhile back, but have been working on her hair and coloring. I think I now am satisfied with how she looks. I haven't picked out a dress color yet, but have some good choices. I am finally getting a handle on the curls. I finally know how to do them.  Hooray for me. It has been such a struggle. I also have been working on some small IW's. They are about 11 3/4" tall. I have had to redo alot of parts, because they were to small or to thin, but I think they are coming along. They are alot of trouble, but the big ones are too. I hope we all will have a good summer to continue our doll making. Time is the main thing we need and not to give up, but to continue on, even when we don't seem to be able to make the dolls we want to. We can make them, We can make them, We can make them. Never give up!!!!

2 more sisters

Here are 2 more sisters.

Martha's New Dolly

Here is my new doll I just finished. Dolly is about 20" tall. all cloth. barefoot with simulated sewed on feet. ( this is optional if you don't want to make the foot seperate and then sew it on, you can do the stitch work to look as though the foot has been sewed on. )  It is really up to the maker how true to the original antique doll you want to go in their construction, the only departure I made in this dolls case was the feet, all other aspects of her are made like Izannah Walker dolls are made. She wears her cotton dress of  brilliant white with matching bonnet.

Black Izannah Walker Style Cloth Dolls

Two Black Izannah Walker Style Dolls I made during December.

Izannah Doll

New izannah doll with her blue dress. She does not get a apron. I really didn't think she needed it. She is going to a very sweet lady I know,  who already has Mary, that I made awhile ago. She wanted a sister for her. I have sent her a standard dress pattern, so she can make her dolls lots of dresses and clothes.



2 Izannahs, The same but different

Here are two new Izannahs. they came from the same mold, but look very different from each other. The way a head comes out of the mold changes each doll some. If you repair flaws in the cloth face, naturally, the face shape changes a little bit. Most faces will need some repair work, so it's not a bad thing, because it gives you a chance to get a doll with a different expression and a slighty different look. I'm still surprised how cloth and glue put into a form, and a little painting and TLC can transform into something beautiful. My favorite part of the doll making is the painting. It's the part that changes a plain white head that looks like a space alien into a real little person. The paint brings out what was hidden from our eyes. It goes around curves, across the high and low places on the dolls face, it gives deepness and soul to the eyes, a sweetness to the mouth , a soft blush to the cheeks that is so endearing. I hope I gave these two dolls all these things.

Group doll picture

Two new Dolls

Sadie and Anessa Sadie is on Top and anessa is below

Below or above,  you will see pictures of Sadie, who is in the first picture and then 3 pictures of Anessa. These are two new dolls and they are unfinished. I will make Sadie some barefeet and Anessa has a more formal look, so I will give her some special boots. These dolls have had a little heavier Antiquing and a few new changes that I am seeing in the Izannah photo's. More brush strokes in the eyebrows and a little more defining of the mouth. also on Anessa I have put in stitching in some areas around her head. The doll is all cloth and the front and back of the head have been joined together, but all the stitches don't show up, so, I have added a few more for a more complete look. Picking out something for a dress. I thought I would use some cotton whitework for one, and I have some vintage red fabric that should look good on Sadie. I will try this time to get the gathers in the top. Must hurry, must hurry, so much work to be done. Wish me well on making the dresses,  and ( happy happy ) doll making to everybody.

New Dolls Sadie & Anessa

Martha Pearl Izannah Walker Style Cloth Doll

Below you will see pictures of Martha Pearl. She is a doll that I made along time ago.  She is made of cloth with paperclay sculpted face and covered in a stockinet. I have experimented on Martha Pearl for a long time , trying out new hair styles, new paint color, I replaced her ears once, I changed out her arms and legs three times, and made her 2 sets of second skins until now she is up to date. She was the first doll that I felt came anywhere near to looking like an Izannah Walker doll. I owe Martha Pearl alot, she patiently let me cut off her ears, sand her over and over and over, tear her apart and put her back together again, stained and removed stain several times, until I learned some things about how to make all the dolls look their best. She is going with me to the first doll show I have ever been to. I am quite proud to show her off. She is such a beautiful girl.

Martha Pearl

Henrietta

The two pictures below are of Henrietta. I just finished her. She is about 20" tall. all cloth head made by layering cloth in a plaster mold, then putting the two sides, front and back together and painting until complete. This doll is big and chesty. She has a bigger than normal chest and neck, because I didn't put her head far enough down into the body but, I have mentioned " happy accidents " before. Sometime your accidents become blessings. I don't think Henrietta would have the charm she has without her big heavy shoulders. If you make a boo boo on your doll, wait awhile and see if you can use it to your advantage. I almost threw Henrietta away, because I couldn't see her potential. I happened to have a very old beautiful pleated dress. It was cut down just a little to fit the doll.  It will now belong to Henrietta and become part of her, I hope,  permanent wardrobe. Maybe someone will want to make her many dresses, I hope so. I have done all I can to get her ready for someone else to enjoy and love.

New Doll Henrietta