With cooler weather on the way, Hitty doll collectors start thinking of cozy quilts. My Hexagon Quilt has been a popular design, but I have always wanted to make a quilt just like the one by Dorothy P. Lathrop from the book, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years. It shows Hitty sleeping in her cradle at the Preble house, listening to the crickets chirping. Since it is a black and white illustration, I was free to interpret the design in my own way and experiment with color variations. The result is a new design on Spoonflower, called, “Cradle Quilt Sampler 21×18.” By purchasing one Fat Quarter, buyers will receive enough fabric…
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Kitty at Dutch Village
For her very first excursion, my 3D printed Kitty doll took a trip to the quaint, old fashioned “Nelis’ Dutch Village” in Holland, Michigan. Even though the tulips were no longer in bloom, it was still a fun place to visit. Kitty was surrounded by old-style architecture, reminiscent of the Netherlands from 150 years ago. The immersive and educational surroundings were a good fit for Kitty, and she learned a lot. Below are some highlights from her trip. See the classic Dutch canal houses in the background? “De Gouden Engel” (Golden Angel), an antique street organ from 1880, played music while dancers dressed in costumes of the Netherlands performed folk…
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3D Printed Kitty Doll
In Chapter 1 of my book, A Tale of Two Hittys, readers learn that the author, Charles Dickens, commissions a woodcarver to create a small wooden doll in the image of his beloved granddaughter, Mekitty. She instantly falls in love with her new doll, “Kitty,” who then comes to life. Mekitty begs her grandfather to retell the story about his encounter with the wooden doll named, “Hitty,” when he was on a reading tour in America. That is how my book begins. My two inspirations are the book, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field, (see Who is Hitty?) and an antique paper mache doll named, “Kitty,” (see Meet…
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Tutorial: Make a Lei for Hitty
In Polynesian cultures, a lei is a common gift to greet visitors as a symbol of friendship, to honor a loved one, or to celebrate events such as birthdays and weddings. The beautiful, fragrant garlands are made of flowers, leaves or other materials strung together. The Summer 2024 issue of Doll News magazine includes my pattern, “Make a Muumuu for Hitty.” In the article, my Hittys all wear miniature leis made from beads. This tutorial will show you how to make a similar lei for your own Hittys or other small dolls. I purchased strands of flat, flower-shaped polymer clay beads from Hobby Lobby, but you can also find them…
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The Book Cover Dresses
A few months ago, I received a request to make a fabric design based on the Hitty book dust jacket. It took me a while, but I finally finished. There are two color variations based on different editions of the Hitty book. Both designs are now available in my Spoonflower shop. New Hitty Book Cover Designs on Spoonflower Hitty Book Cover Classic The first design is based on a jacket from the September 1946 Macmillan edition, which has a dark red background and greenish-gold crosses with off-white flowers in the middle. There is a also a faint white line along one edge of the crosses. Hitty Book Cover Bright The…
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Tutorial: Hitty’s Sunbonnet
This pattern was inspired by Ancestor Hitty’s antique sunbonnet in the Stockbridge Library Museum. I have created a replica of the fabric, but any lightweight cotton fabric will work. You can purchase Hitty’s Sunbonnet fabric in my Spoonflower store, Designs by Frendi, and an 8” swatch is large enough to make two bonnets. I recommend making a trial bonnet with practice fabric before you cut out the custom printed fabric. Click here to download Hitty’s Sunbonnet Pattern! The original bonnet was quilted. This pattern uses lightweight fusible interfacing instead, to get the stiffness in the brim without the extra bulk. Measure your Hitty’s head to see whether you need the…
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The Ginger Club
Kitty often gets together with some of her friends who like to cook. They share recipes and take turns hosting. And by coincidence, all of them have ginger (red) hair, so they named themselves “The Ginger Club.” Today is special, because the girls are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. They are also welcoming a new member, Kelsey, who recently moved to Maine. The girls gather in Kelsey’s new home for the meeting. Maeve gives Kelsey a housewarming gift. It is a treasured piece of heirloom Irish crochet lace made into a table runner. Here is a closeup of the lace. The thread is crocheted into intricate roses and pinwheel shapes. Kitty…
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Tutorial: Tiny Crochet Lace
Those of us who sew for Hitty are aware of the difficulty of finding tiny trims and lace in the right scale. Purchased trim often looks too big and bulky. When we do find something tiny enough to use, there is rarely an option for any color other than white. This crocheted lace pattern makes great trim for doll clothing. It is very versatile: you can experiment with the hook and thread sizes for different results. Try making cute collars, as well as trim for dresses and petticoats. Download the Tiny Crochet Lace Pattern Here! Many thanks to the Hitty & Friends Facebook group members (Shelia B.W., Penny G., Sue…
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Hitty’s Library Dress
For the past few years, Ancestor Hitty has been displayed at the Stockbridge Library wearing a copy of her original sprig print dress. This dress, also known as the “daguerreotype dress,” was the one Hitty wore when she posed for her daguerreotype photo. The original daguerreotype dress has shredded in several places, and it has been stabilized and put on display next to Hitty. But where is her dark red dress with oval blossoms, often referred to by Hitty admirers as “the library dress?” When I contacted a curator at the Stockbridge Library, I was told that they could not locate the dress. Furthermore, their records did not contain an…
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Hitty Dimensions
The original Hitty doll, also known as “Ancestor Hitty,” is a one-of-a-kind creation. Many of us wish we could have an exact copy, and the only way to do that is with accurate measurements. Keep reading to find out how I made a comprehensive list of Ancestor Hitty’s dimensions. Download Ancestor Hitty Doll Dimensions Download Photos of Perfume Hitty Download Bill Fifer’s Hitty Photos Of all the artists who have created Hitty dolls, only woodcarver Michael Langton made exact copies. Michael Langton began carving in 1972, but his big break came in 1979, when he carved a wooden doll for the movie On Golden Pond. He discovered a way to…
