This year Flat Hitty and Kitty decided to go on vacation to see Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. They were very excited to visit a new country and were eager to explore the falls. Flat Hitty wanted to see the falls up close and personal. She went on a touring boat called, “The Maid of the Mist.” The boat was electric-powered and very quiet, but the roaring of the falls drowned everything out. All the people on the boat wore raincoats. Flat Hitty was not concerned about a little mist. It’s a good thing she was laminated, because when the boat approached the Horseshoe Falls, she did get wet! Meanwhile,…
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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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Tulip Time
It’s Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan. Every year, in this picturesque town, thousands of tourists arrive to view the Tulip Festival in early May. Flat Hitty and her friends decided to check it out. In the 19th century, settlers from the Netherlands brought their unique culture to Holland (see Kitty at Dutch Village). Planting tulip bulbs each year is a tradition that continues to this day. Header photo: Hitty Sienna, made by Fung and Bruce Hicks; Wooden Flat Hitty; Hitty Sis, carved by me. Hitty Sienna wore a blue and white printed dress and apron, inspired by a Dutch costume. Hitty Sis wore Hitty’s First Dress, with the addition of…
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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 storybooks, Hitty’s First Adventure and Hitty and the Crows. See Flat Hitty dressed as a bride. In case you are not familiar with…
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Bill Fifer Hitty Gallery
Last year, Bill Fifer gifted me with his archive of Hitty-related materials (see Bill Fifer’s Gift). The Carving Hitty post included Bill’s Hitty Doll Pattern and showed the steps he used for creating his dolls. Bill was consistent about signing and dating his dolls, which can be identified with a number on the back. He also kept a record of his dolls and who purchased them. Bill carved 82 dolls, including a few mini Hittys, between 1996 and 2018. The header photo above shows some of the Hitty dolls in Bill’s personal collection. Bill also carved the Bécassine in the top left and the grandmother reading the Hitty book. All…
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Carving Hitty
There is only one Ancestor HItty (see Who is Hitty?), but there are many people who carve Hitty dolls. Each carver uses his or her own artistic vision to create Hitty. Dolls can be hand-carved, power-carved, turned on a lathe or made using a combination of techniques. They can be peg-jointed, ball-jointed, or strung with elastic. The method of carving can be stylized or realistic. The finish can be sanded completely smooth or left unsanded to show individual marks from each carving tool. The only thing all Hitty dolls have in common is the inspiration for their creation. Header photo above shows 15 Bill Fifer Hittys in progress from 2007.…
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Faces of Hitty
You may have heard of AI (Artificial Intelligence), but have you ever thought of using it to create a portrait of Hitty? To celebrate Hitty’s birthday (officially designated as January 22, 1820), I made a 3D sculpture of Hitty’s head in Zbrush Core. I started with a basic shape and kept making adjustments until the model looked like my vision of Hitty. I paid particular attention to her signature curls. Then I added colors and textures to the sculpt with digital paintbrushes. The result took me four days to do. Admittedly, I am not an expert, and someone more experienced could have completed it in half the time. The image…
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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…
