1950/60s Fashion Doll collection - display & renovation

This year (well actually the past year as well), Covid has meant that for me, many outstanding jobs have either been finished or reorganised. In going through & "sorting out" some of my  numerous textile collections, I came across this outfit made when I was around 8 or 9 years old. At that age, I was quite a competent stitcher for my doll (called Lyndy in recognition of my older cousin) & wanted to make a sunsuit from some scraps. I don't remember using a pattern for this outfit but just cut some shapes that fitted & then hand stitched them together. I look at it now (many years later) & can see immediately how that interest grew into what I do today. I couldn't exactly match the patterns & vaguely remember being rather annoyed about that but after all, now I can see - they were just scraps! At that age (noted now), the fabric edges had been edged with yellow bias binding (as there was no spare for hems) & additionally, the 2 fabrics, although identical on first quick glance, are actually the reverse pattern! Detail like this has stayed with me all my life!

Finding this outfit reminded me that I should also look at my doll collection & possibly clean/display it. It's predominantly a range of 1950s/1960s vinyl fashion dolls of various heights together with a selection of period outfits. A large percentage of them are 'special occasion' outfits & again, my early stitching of this type of clothing has remained a firm favourite all my life. When I first started the collection about 20 years ago, the plan was to display it in a manner as per the 1945 fashion mannequins of the "Theatre de la Mode" (if you want to read more & watch the video, just click this YouTube link). An absolutely amazing display of miniature clothing of which I saw selection on display in London at the Imperial War Museum & Harrods during the 1990s.

A Mouse is ready for action ...

My Mouse Mat has been ordered ready for its use in the new studio ...

... & the new website can be found at:

stitcherydoodaa.co.uk

(click the above link if you want to find out more) & it's running well. I've also got some new ideas on paper & ready to begin the next phase!! ... As a result this blog will have no more entries, BUT as a result of Covid etc etc, & over 2 years later, I have decided to periodically use it for specific posts of interest.

Shawl from Dog Fur finished

Hi all - finally the shawl was finished in 2017 & here it is (back & front views) although I think I'm likely going to add some more fringing in the future.

The past few years have flown by - one main reason for not blogging here was I lost all my sign-in info etc etc as I once again moved. Plus I also had a hip replacement & hadn't been doing much until after the op. Now I'm back to somewhat normal although the studio is also moving now & I'm into doing that. Hopefully by 2019 things will be back in place to carry on from where I left off over 2 years ago. NOTE - I have been doing some other things which you'll come across as I update.

Corsetry for Prom & other Special Occasion Dresses ....

I get many enquiries from potential customers regarding alterations to "Special Occasion" such as bridal & prom dresses & they usually have one thing in common ... fit!! In many instances, at the initial phone enquiry (& a few questions later), I first suggest sourcing good underwear before visiting me to look at the potential alteration. It is surprising how many "badly fitting" dresses can easily be cured by wearing GOOD FITTING underwear.

It is equally surprising that many bridal outfits are chosen for purchase without the correct underwear being worn at the first "trying on session" ... so many bodice problems can be corrected with a well-made boned corset. AND when worn correctly, the dress will fit over it & will then be easily fastened.

An extensive range of underwear is available from " What Katy Did ", a London company who specialise in an extensive range of underwear - their under garments being inspired by 1940s & 50s Hollywood glamour. Below are 2 brilliant "What Katy Did" videos (from YouTube) showing how to lace up & take off a boned corset - I've come across so many customers who don't know how to put on or fit this type of garment.

The first (from 2015) shows simply: "Taking a Corset On & Off" & the other (from 2010) shows both a below & over bust corset: 2 corset styles.

Interchangeable knitting + Markers + Paws ...

I'm VERY slowly advancing with the dog fur knitting - here's the latest length of the shawl with the first stripe of the darker yarn now complete. I've gone back to the initial colour for another banding of it before introducing the darkest yarn:

Several "silly but infuriating" problems have been experienced to date:

• the interchangeable needles I started knitting the shawl with, with were not working as well as when there were fewer stitches on the needle. The interchange section kept coming undone but I don't think as a result of the needles themselves. The lace stitch pattern (ie. wool over needle part) + the increasing stitches + stitch markers were all having a tendency to get "caught up". With the increasing width, the needle & cord interchange would untwist with the result that the stitches just dropped off the needle midstream of a pattern!!!
• Changing the needle to a standard circular one cured this problem but caused another!!! As this needle was a standard but longer length, the increase in width from 100 to 200 stitches has led to the knitting being somewhat "squashed" across the needle. With the lace pattern being a series of 'yarn overs', some stitches have a tendency to 'stick' together with the problem then of stitches being lost!!!
• The initial stitch markers I was first using were changed to a 'safety pin' style one as the earlier ones just kept getting caught in the yarn/stitches (&/or dropping off) as the width of knitting began to increase.
• A few initial problems when started (see earlier blogs), led me to handwrite the original pattern in full. Although the main pattern is a repeat over a specific number of rows, the further decision to maintain the pattern re-write has been a very good one especially as a means of keeping an eye on the stitch count!!

As the knitting has developed, the lace pattern appears to resemble PAWS (see below) - rather nicely I think!!

Dog fur shawl - next colour ...

After the early problems at the start (click here for Stitcherydoodaa Studio entries), I think they are now resolved & this is where I have now got to:

Somewhere around top of shoulder level (& it's quite difficult to see exactly where), I've just begun the first colour change. It's the darker mixed fur - generally that from lower ruff & body sides. I'm not exactly sure how much of this I'll complete but envisage somewhere upper arm distance.

Dog fur knitting underway ...

 

My dog fur yarn knitting is well underway (mixed fur above) ... so far a hat (below) & the start of a lace shawl.

If you want to find out more, please follow the link to 'Projects' or follow my Stitcherydoodaa Studio blog.