Fashion is one of the topics I love to talk about on A Tale of Two Hittys, and fashion goes hand in hand with history. For example, the Regency era in England, from 1795-1820, saw a dramatic shift in women’s fashions. It was a rebellion against the overly elaborate and formal costumes of the 18th century. The new look emphasized classic lines and simplicity. Most dresses featured a very high waistline and a long, straight skirt, inspired by classical Greek and Roman clothing. When I think of the Regency era, I also think of the author Jane Austen, born 250 years ago today on December 16, 1775. Her popular novels…
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Hitty’s First Adventure
December is the season of giving, and it’s the perfect time to share my very first Hitty storybook for kids. “Hitty’s First Adventure,” is an adaptation of Chapter One from the book Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field, with updated versions of the illustrations by Dorothy Lathrop. I shortened the story and rewrote it for a fourth-grade reading level. The target age is nine to eleven-year-olds. If you know any kids this age, I encourage you to share this link or give them a printed copy of my story. And of course, younger kids may enjoy having the story read to them. Click here to download the storybook!…
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Hitty’s Daguerreotype Photo
Hitty’s Daguerreotype photo is on display in the Stockbridge Library along with her other possessions. But there are actually two different Daguerreotypes: the real one in the library and the illustrated color plate from the book Hitty: Her First Hundred Years. In the real photo, Hitty wears a brown sprigged dress (see “Hitty’s Daguerreotype Dress”) and sits next to a white vase filled with roses. The photo is black and white, but her dress and the roses have been hand-colored. Hitty’s cheeks have just a hint of pink added. Above: Wendi’s reproduction of Hitty’s Daguerreotype with Michael Langton Hitty (left) and Hitty Sis (right). Did you know that Hitty’s photo…
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Hitty’s Daguerreotype Dress
When Rachel Field purchased Hitty in “The Antique Shop” in New York City, the doll was wearing a simple tan cotton dress printed with tiny brown sprigs. The dress is sometimes called the Daguerreotype Dress, because Hitty wore it for her Daguerreotype photo (see Hitty’s Daguerreotype Photo). If you want to make your own reproduction of the dress, click on the link below. Special thanks to my pattern testers, Alice Swann and Martha Allen. Click here to download the dress pattern and tutorial! SEWING DIAGRAMS The Daguerreotype Dress pattern combines hand and machine sewing techniques. Below are some diagrams which show the hand-sewing stitches used. The tutorial also uses snaps.…
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The Antique Shop
The Antique Shop on West 8th Street in New York City is where we first met Hitty in the book Hitty: Her First Hundred Years (see “Who is Hitty?”). She was sitting on a piece of paper next to a pewter inkstand, holding an old-fashioned quill pen as she began to write her memoirs. After narrating the entire story of her life, Hitty returned to the Antique Shop, making the shop a convenient bridge between Hitty’s past and the present day. “And so we return to New York and the Antique Shop on Eighth Street again, and I will bring my Memoirs to a close.” But the Antique Shop was…
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The Preble Family
The Newbery award-winning book, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, by Rachel Field is a classic story about a doll’s adventures and travels around the world (see “Who is Hitty?“). Now that the book is in the public domain, my goal is to help people rediscover the story. One of the ways I decided to do that is by creating new illustrations that make the story come alive. First, I made color images of Flat Hitty as a Bride based on the illustrations of Dorothy P. Lathrop. Next, I had the idea of making portraits of some of Hitty’s owners. None of Dorothy’s illustrations depicted people: they were all pictures of…
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Hitty’s Floral Dress
Summer is finally here! What could be more appealing than a relaxing walk in the garden? Maybe it’s a dress for Hitty that embodies that feeling! Hitty’s Floral Dress is one of three original dresses from Hitty’s wardrobe in the Stockbridge Library (see “Who is Hitty?“). Hitty’s Floral Dress is printed with green leafy vines and red and blue flowers amid tan-colored branching shapes. The background is brown, and the fabric has a twill (diagonal) weave. In a letter, illustrator Dorothy P. Lathrop stated that she made the dress: “out of somebody’s great aunt’s ‘all wool mousseline-de-laine’ with rosebuds on a dark plum color ground, very flattering to her [Hitty’s]…
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Hitty as a Bride
Working with AI (Artificial Intelligence) to create images feels a bit like being buffeted by wind and waves. It is impossible to control and you don’t always end up where you want to be. I found that out during my first attempt to make a realistic image of Hitty as a young lady in “Faces of Hitty.” After doing that project, I had another idea… what if I could use AI to make a colorized version of one of Dorothy P. Lathrop’s black and white illustrations from the Hitty book? With World Doll Day approaching, I thought this project would be the perfect way to celebrate. Since June is a…
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Flat Hitty
Who in the world is Flat Hitty? She is the perfect travel companion. Flat Hitty takes up very little space, never complains and doesn’t need food. She is happy to go wherever you want to take her. You can also mail her to a friend or relative and ask them to share photos of Flat Hitty’s adventures. There are three different versions of Flat Hitty to make. I hope you will choose your favorite one and give this free tutorial a try! Read and download Flat Hitty’s storybook, Hitty’s First Adventure. In case you are not familiar with Hitty (see Who is Hitty?), she is a small wooden antique doll…
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Naked Hitty
For decades now, admirers of Hitty have visited her in the Stockbridge library (see Who is Hitty?). Although she is just a simple wooden doll, her charm has captivated generations of visitors. Many of them have taken photos of her with the intention of carving a replica. But one thing has been lacking: photographs of Hitty naked. I asked the Stockbridge Library if they had any photos in their archives of Hitty without clothing. Now, I am excited to share these rare photos with my readers. You can print these out for reference or just for fun. If you want to thank the library for providing them, please consider making…
