It’s that time of year when golden leaves cover the ground. November brings cooler temperatures and sometimes a gentle dusting of snow. The brilliance of the snow in contrast with the colored leaves can seem almost magical. My Hittys took their dolls on a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the November snow. Clara is a paper mache doll by Elaine McNally. She also made the tiny tuck comb doll named Sadie. Clara borrowed a velveteen cape from Kitty, but Elaine made the rest of her clothing, including the darling little bonnet. Kelly Sue is a cloth doll made by Sue Sizemore. I dressed her and the little peg wooden…

Who is Eleanor? She is a 10” tall wooden tuck comb doll that I carved about a year ago. Tuck comb dolls were sold by the thousands in the early nineteenth century in Europe. Most were produced by woodworkers in the Grodnertal region of Germany, where pine trees were plentiful. The wooden dolls had long, graceful limbs and peg jointed bodies. On their heads, many of them had simple golden combs. The short, curly hairstyle was popular during the Regency period in England from 1811-1820. Below is my “inspiration” photo of an antique tuck comb doll from Live Auctioneers. Eleanor’s blank was made by Janet Cordell. In November of 2024,…