Auntie Bunny’s Burrow

Stepping Out of my Box

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:34:16 -0400

So it's obvious I like making dolls. I like making girly, girl dolls. They seem so much more interesting and fun to make with all their lace, ribbons, bows and other frilly things. I know why I like dolls and, yes, it goes back to my childhood. I used to make dolls for my daughters but they're all grown up and so I try not to foist the dolls I make on them any more. After all, even I don't have the space to display all of the dolls I've made for myself!! LOL But I still make dolls for myself even if I don't have space, it's become a form of therapy I suppose.

Roy Archie

Roy Archie Does a Headstand

In any event, girls dolls are my thing. However, I actually made a boy doll and completed him on Monday!! This is the companion doll to the Lulu Olivia doll that I recently finished. I haven't figure out if he's the instigator of the pair or not. His expression indicates he's rather amused by letting events unfold as they may and going with the flow. His name is Roy Archie, named after DH's grandfather and the name of the pattern given by Hillary Lang, who created the Wee Wonderfuls Make-a-long dolls and accessories.

He wanted to try out his new skills by doing a headstand.

Lulu can't resist trying to get in on the action but Roy doesn't seem to mind, it's nice have have a pal to share the adventures.

Lulu_and_Roy

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

No More Limbo for Lulu

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:31:44 -0400

Lulu Olivia

I think my newest doll has fallen over and gone into a catatonic state from the knowledge that I've finally made another doll! I admit it was an uphill battle, not because it was a difficult doll to make, but from a chronic lack of motivation on my part. But these Wee Wonderfuls dolls are so happy and fun loving that I really wanted to see how mine would turn out. So, here is Lulu Olivia!! Her first name is from a long distant great aunt and her second name is from the name given the pattern created by Hillary Lang at her Wee Wonderfuls site. This one is Hillary Lang's "Make-a-long Story" Olive pattern. I'll be making Hillary's, Archie, boy doll soon although I don't know yet what I'll call him.
Lulu is made from leftover scraps of cotton fabric but while the pattern calls for wool felt for the hair, I used a micro fibre suede-like type of material. I found some wool felt at the fabric store, however, I didn't like what that store had to offer so it was only one color of off white and quite expensive. That's what happens when a person lives in a tropical-like weather zone so I opted to use the (easier for me to manipulate) faux suede instead. Her eyes are cotton batik fabric. I also added a small pouch of pellets in Lulu's bum before sewing it up to help keep her balanced when she is sitting up.
Here's a close up of her face.

Lulu Olivia close up

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

When I'm not needleworking

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:43:56 -0400

I love to read, watch movies, and have blooming flowers, or at the very least some potted plants. I'm just about to finish a book that was written a long time ago describing what the area I live close to now used to be like. It's sort of depressing to think that the vegetation, birds and wildlife back then has changed so dramatically. But the book has been interesting in that it's like looking at an old sepia photograph and visualizing what life must have been like when the photograph was taken.

Cross Creek

I just recently watched a movie that one of my daughters said she and her sister watched and it was beautifully filmed with gorgeous costuming. The movie was "Becoming Jane" with Jane Hathaway in the role of Jane Austen.

Becoming Jane

So when I finish reading Cross Creek, I want to start on a book that I bought a couple of months ago which I am hoping will, for me, add to the picture of Jane Austen.

Jane Austen and Her Times

I got the book at Barnes and Noble which is a favorite hang out for my husband and me. I like reading biographies, I think I can remember the first one I ever read was in elementary school about Clara Barton. Gosh, I kid you not, the library in that little school was about one third of a classroom that was shared with the music teacher. A Book Mobile had more books in it that that little library! But I read lots of good junvenile/youth books there and I liked browsing what was on the shelves.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

June days

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:03:10 -0400

Hitty & Friends Picnic

June the 1st, a nice day for hitty and her friends to have a bit of a picnic. Here are my three Hitty-esque dolls. The Hitty on the right is the one that has a handcarved head with the cloth torso, arms and legs that I sewed and strung together with elastic thread. The one in the middle is a Hitty friend that's all hard carved wood, which I did not make. And the one one the left is a Hitty friend Raikes doll carved out of mahogony wood. As much as I like the Hitty dolls, I think I'm gonna stop at this trio.

For now, they are happy with their little group. :)

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Apron Strings

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:37:25 -0400

And, sew it begins. Once again my focus has shifted and at the moment it's on aprons. After my daughter's apron was made and seeing how nice it looks on her, I thought I'd give it a try too. I like vintage things so I went where a person can find just about anything, vintage or not. Here's a vintage Advance apron, termed "hostess" apron, pattern. I would guess it's from the 40's or 50's, whenever it was that couples used to get together of an evening and play some bridge, canasta, or other card games. It's actually quite a short little apron, just right for covering your lap.

Advance Hostess Apron Pattern

I happen to really like that little plaid one in the lower right corner. I have a thing for plaid, not for everything, but I do like the way it looks for some things. So I decided that the basic verson of the plaid one is what I wanted. I found some great cheerful and bright plaid fabric for the main parts of the apron, but instead of putting rickrack on the bottom band, I decided a little touch of flowers would be a nice contrast material to the plaid. I made my version of the apron a little longer too, since I wanted to actually use it in the kitchen and not for entertaining. Of course, I don't have that cute little waistline like my daughter has but even so, what I made still turned out to fit okay. Here's the finished apron, I love that colorful, cheerful plaid, it really brightens up the kitchen (when I'm in it)! LOL

My First Apron

Naturally, one is not enough right now so there are more apron patterns on the way! I mean, one never knows when a person will need an apron, be it for yourself or someone else. :)

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Sew What

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:36:34 -0400

My daughter came to visit for a week and it was great! One of the first things she told me was that she had a sewing machine but wasn't familiar with how to work it. I was thrilled that she wanted me to help her through the basics of using a sewing machine and came up with a project that would give her a chance to complete while she was visiting.

I've been noticing how popular aprons are becoming again, vintage patterns are finding a new audience but getting a new look with current fabric designs and colors. Even though many a time I found myself wishing I had an apron to use but I just never did anything to make it happen since I've never been an apron user. Since starting up with making dolls and their clothes again, I find I am creating the ever present sewers stash and apron thoughts were nibbling at my mind because that would be a way to reduce the stash and make something useful at the same time still being a small project.

Enter the daughter/novice and the gears were in motion! We picked out the main apron fabric from my stash, then went looking for a pattern. We found an easy one at the fabric store that had two styles, one a half apron and one a bib apron. The pattern called for one color for the main part, waistband and ties with different colored biased tape trim but I took the opportunity to show that one apron pattern can have many variations. My daughter picked out a great contrasting color for the waistband and ties with the trim matching those.

Once the material was washed and ironed, I guided her through the process of pinning the pattern to the fabric, cutting the pieces out for each fabric. I only started her, she took the ball and ran with it through every step. Then the markings were transferred to the fabric and the acutal sewing could begin. She paid very close attention to the various things I did and asked good questions along the way so that she really understood what was going on as each piece was sewed together. After the waistband was put on, she totally did the rest herself and did a really great job on the little hems for the ties and firmly sewing the ties into the waistband. The she hand stitched the waistband on the inside and I could hardly see where she'd placed the stitches.

So her she is modeling her new and beautiful apron!

Accomplished

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

The Good Old Days

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Sat, 24 May 2008 21:39:15 -0400

Lucinda/Belinda Advertisement

I located a vintage advertisement for a couple of the dolls that were designed by Edith Flack Ackley. The scan is from the ad in my personal EFA collection.
It comes from the Women's Home Companion magazine issue of November 1934.

Apparently, you could either order both or just one if a person couldn't quite manage the cost of both and they came as a sort of "kit" with the doll bodies pre-printed on fabric and everything needed for the hair, face, clothing patterns, and instructions for completing the doll/s. Not bad for 30 cents for one or 50 cents for both!!

Someday, I hope to come across the kits or patterns for the Lucinda and Belinda dolls!

FYI, to see the picture in a larger format, just click on it and then when it displays, click on "Full View" to the right. You'll be able to see the larger size at that point.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Hippity Hoppety

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:13:35 -0400

No, I haven't vanished! We've got family/company and we're having loads of fun going places and doing things. :)

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Mother's Day

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:48:49 -0400

Flowers for Mother's Day

I wanted to share a photo of the flowers I received for Mother's Day! They are beautiful and I love them!!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Hitty Mae is in the Pink!

nobody@vox.com(Auntie Bunny) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:47:13 -0400

Hitty Mae w/Umbrella

Hitty Mae Umbrella Pen

Hitty has a dress! This is the first of several that I have already cut out and just need to put together. I decided that I'd get a whole slew of them cut at the same time so that I could just do the sewing for each when I get the chance. Hitty Mae's clothes and undies are all handsewn with the exception of the dress hem and attaching the ruffle on this dress. The bodice is lined with white cotton lawn fabric and the back seam of the dress has a French seam.

I have to make some adjustments to the neck of future dresses since I think the cloth Hitty doll the pattern was intended for must have a smaller neck. But easily remedied.

I would have photographed her in front of the picture in the Hitty book of her dancing in front of the candle but I don't have the book. :)

Hitty Mae is happy and I think she'll soon be planning a tea party for the other smalls and is starting to write the invitations already.

I can't help it, I really like the way this little compromise of wood and cloth Hitty and her frilly dress turned out!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend