September 2026 is the fifth anniversary of A Tale of Two Hittys. As I reflect on the past five years, I am grateful to my readers for coming along with me on this journey. After all, what good is a blog without readers? I still haven’t finished writing the book, or even the outline! But all the writing I have been doing for the website is great practice, and I have learned a lot. I am confident that when I do eventually write the book, all the extra time and effort that I have put in will make a difference.
To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to show the ten most popular posts of the past five years. The variety of topics surprised me. There were two tutorials, four posts about Hitty, two posts about peg wooden dolls and two posts about Charles Dickens.
The nice thing about a blog is that you can always go back and read old posts that you might have missed. If you are interested in a particular topic, you can click on the category links. Or if you want to find something that is not listed, use the search bar at the top of the page (it looks like a magnifying glass). For instance, if you want to read all the posts about Hitty Maeve, type “Maeve” into the search bar. Finally, if you have something in mind you would like me to research for the blog, please Contact Me! I would love to know what your interests are.
And now, here are my most viewed posts of all time!
#10 On Dickens’ Desk
(published October 27, 2021)
Although author Charles Dickens died in 1870, he left a legacy of literature that continues to the present day. This post highlights some of the desks that Dickens owned, along with the little knick-knacks he collected and kept nearby while he was writing.
#9 Carving Hitty
(published April 11, 2025)
The title is self-explanatory! If you already carve Hitty dolls or want to give it a try, you will find inspiration here. Legacy Hitty carver Bill Fifer shared his Hitty pattern, along with instructions for his carving method, written by Esther Robertson.
#8 Queen Victoria’s Dolls
(published February 3, 2026)
This is one of my more recent posts, but it’s already in the top ten! Bill Fifer shared rare photos of Queen Victoria’s childhood peg wooden dolls, owned by the Royal Collection Trust. I labeled and identified all 117 of the dolls in the photos, which was a very tedious but rewarding task.
#7 Hitty’s Library Dress
(published August 21, 2023)
If I had to pick a favorite post, it might be this one. I truly enjoyed the process of making a reproduction of one of Hitty’s original dresses, which she wore for many years in the Stockbridge Library. My reproduction dress is now on display there next to Ancestor Hitty, while the original dress is stored safely in the archives.
#6 Fortune Teller Dolls
(published April 28, 2022)
Mysterious and compelling, fortune teller dolls fascinate me! I have a particular fondness for the peg wooden versions, such as Miss Willow in my story, A Tale of Two Hittys. If you feel the same way, check out this post about the curious 19th century fad for fortune teller dolls.
#5 Hitty Dimensions
(published June 26, 2023)
I must admit that I am obsessed with the original Ancestor Hitty in the Stockbridge Library. If you want to copy the original doll, accurate measurements are very helpful. Bill Fifer took her measurements in 1996. I compared these with new measurements of my Michael Langton Perfume Hitty and compiled them in a list, which is free to download.
#4 The Mighty Quill Pen
(published October 21, 2021)
I am a bit surprised at the popularity of this one. Are there really that many people interested in writing in ink with feather pens? After all, there are easier alternatives. But it is a worthwhile experiment if you want to see what everyday life was like in the time of Charles Dickens.
#3 Native Pueblo Manta Dress
(published June 5, 2022)
“Manta” is the name for an off-the-shoulder dress worn by women of the Hopi and Zuni Pueblos. I love Southwest style, and this cute little dress is so easy to make. The free pattern fits a 6 to 6.5-inch tall doll.
#2 Tutorial: Tiny Crochet Lace
(published September 8, 2023)
This was my most popular tutorial by far. I suspect that is because the crochet pattern is so simple and versatile. With this tutorial, you can create lace trim or collars for doll dresses. I used this pattern to make the lace for my Library Dress reproduction in the Stockbridge Library.
#1 Who is Hitty?
(published September 2, 2021 and updated periodically)
If you are curious about Hitty, this post will answer your questions. I am apparently an online authority now, because if you Google “Who is Hitty?” a link to A Tale of Two Hittys will often appear at the top of the list. I will continue to update this page whenever I come across something about Hitty that my readers might be interested in.
Thanks for taking a look at some of my most popular posts. Although the topics may be diverse, the underlying theme is one of having fun through play. You won’t ever hear me say, “I’m too old to play with dolls.” I hope you agree! I think we all benefit from the feelings of joy and satisfaction that dolls can bring us. I’m looking forward to many more years of fun. Here’s to more free printables, tutorials and feature articles about Hitty and Kitty, the doll who started it all!
