If you liked my new peg wooden dolls Comfort and Joy, you will love this spotlight on the peg woodens owned by Queen Victoria. This post includes very special photos that were sent to me by Bill Fifer, and he has given me permission to share them. Bill and his wife, Patricia, were both interested in miniatures. In 1992, they attended summer school at the International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA) in Castine, Maine. Bill and Pat were active Guild members, participating in the summer school for fourteen years. Both became Artisan members of the Guild, Pat for her exquisite costuming and Bill for making miniature furniture. Sadly, Pat’s health…
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Comfort and Joy
I love the way dolls can bring comfort and joy by their mere existence. That is why I named my newest twin peg wooden dolls “Comfort” and “Joy.” These dolls are tiny, but their presence is mighty. Comfort and Joy are 6.5” tall peg wooden dolls made from two Gail Wilson kits. I received the kits more than a year ago but set them aside. I could tell this project was going to take some time. Each kit had wooden parts that were laser cut and a resin molded head. There were several pages of instructions along with paper patterns for the clothing. I thought my readers might be curious…
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Celebrating Jane Austen
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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November Snow
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…
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Eleanor’s Eyes
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,…
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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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Niagara Falls Part 2
The next morning, Kitty watched the sun rise over the falls, an impressive sight. Then she put on her very best “garden party” dress with a matching lace hat and left the hotel. NOTE: This is the second part of Flat Hitty and Kitty’s trip to Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada (see “Niagara Falls Part 1”). Kitty and Flat Hitty met up at Tim Hortons for some coffee and doughnuts (yum!), before heading to their destination. The girls went to the Niagara Falls History Museum to see a special exhibit called, “It’s My Party: 1950s Women’s Fashion Exhibit.” The temporary exhibit was created by the Wedding and Fashion Museum (on…
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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…
