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Stitching & Crafting Room:  Cabin Fever Doll Class  |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 29 2006 : 5:57:56 PM
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well helen .. have you been to the U.S.? would LOVE for you to come visit (and i'll get the 'doption papers started!) .. and oh my yessss .. you would find me on YOUR doorstep someday too. tell us all about life in New Zealand. xo
True Friends, Frannie |
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bubblesnz
True Blue Farmgirl
291 Posts
helen
New Zealand
291 Posts |
Posted - Jan 29 2006 : 7:14:35 PM
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| Oh thank you Frannie, but am plane phobic, will leave the light on and see you at my house :) |
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blueroses
True Blue Farmgirl
1323 Posts
Debbie
in the Pandhandle of
Idaho
USA
1323 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 10:46:33 AM
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Frannie,
I cut out my aprons yesterday and embroidered sayins on them. I love hand stitching - it's so peaceful. One of the cats keeps rubbing his head on my hand right when I'm stitching and he makes me poke myself!! Trying not to get blood on my aprons!! I already tea dyed my osnaberg & muslin and have prewashed everything. Have my tools at the ready. This is so much fun!!
Debbie
"You cannot find peace...by avoiding life."
Virginia Woolfe |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 11:09:45 AM
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last night .. i watched one of my most all-time favorite films: BIG FISH .. (if ya' wanna' know the essence of 'me' .. watch that film!) it speaks to my soul!
well, while watching it .. i put faces and hair on those four dollies i cut from the pattern i will be sending you girls. did several 'face' styles' .. got up early this morning to 'dress' one of them to show you .. will show you the others as they are each finished. i also gave them 'underoos' before hitting the bed. will walk ya' step by step through my dolly-making journey last night:
a bottle of olde buttons and one chose for an eye on one of the dollies
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i've added some olde fabric that i will use as a 'background' for the eyes on one of the dollies .. sometimes i use a small piece of 'crocheet' lace for this background .. or even just a small 'widget' of fabric.
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here's another dolly .. where i am going to 'stitch' eyebrows and the nose.
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background snippet of fabric with buttons sewn on top of them
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i almost always start my face stitching (KNOTS) at the very top of her head (this will be covered with HAIR and will not be seen .. just don't PULL too tight .. or you'll get puckers up there .. but pull 'just tight enough' so you won't have 'loose stitches' in the face .. this will become easy and apparent as you make your dolly.
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here is a stitched 'pinched' nose on the dolly ... let's see if i can describe how to do this one: poke your needle into the top of your dolly head and come OUT where you want the TOP of the nose to start ... now dig your needle down into the cloth (picking up some stuffing in front of your needle) and come out OPPOSITE side where you went in .. keep doing this until you have gotten to the bottom of where you want your nose to end. now .. take a teeensy stitche kinda' like where your nostrils (nose holes) would be on each side .. and go back up through the top of the head .. or if it is too far for your needle to reach .. you can come out at the back of her neck (this will be hidden by her dress). did that make sense? now if you are making TWO or THREE dollies .. you might want to use that technique.
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showing you this picture so you can see all those threads where i start and end my face stitching .. so you won't get a buncha' KNOTS on her face!
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this little 'raggedy anne' is getting an 'applique nose' .. AND ... 'hair' from a RED stripe from a very, very, very olde and wonderful flag bunting that i found in an antiques shoppe many years ago .. and have used on other dollies .. and this is the 'last' piece of it!
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and a 'turkey red' shade of xxxxx's mouth
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the funky little 'black-eyed' beauty is getting both a stitched nose and mouth
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ya' honestly never know just what each dolly will end up looking like .. until she is finished! i LOVE the SURPRIZE!
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an ALL STITCHED face
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this chile' is gonna' need LOTS of ROUGE!!!
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o.k. kiddo's .. ya' got all that above? i'll be showing you some 'hair-do's' NEXT!
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True Friends, Frannie |
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embers1
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
mary
cicero
new york
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 11:10:21 AM
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| Enter my name also Fannie. I love making primitive things. Especially dolls. When does the class start? |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 11:17:49 AM
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a few 'Hair-Do's:
i used 'raw sheep's wool on two of these little ladies
on the 'raggedy anne-ish' one .. i used strips (about 2 to 3 inches long each) from the olde flag bunting
and some wild red fiber on 'trixie'
you simply get a little 'wad' of whatever you are going to use and SECURELY stitch them at intervals around the top of her head .. usually from ear to ear .. although .. sometimes a prim doll looks really GREAT with very little hair!
the 'materials' to use for HAIR are limited ONLY by your IMAGINATION!
just make sure it is 'sewable' .. you just go into the head with your needle and take a few secure stitches over the top of the wad .. and back into the head and knot it off .. you can do two or three stitches if you wish to reeeeeeeeeely secure it!
True Friends, Frannie |
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junebug
True Blue Farmgirl
2421 Posts
Sue
West Plains,
Mo.
USA
2421 Posts |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 11:36:48 AM
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o.k. .. let's talk BRITCHES!
these are so fun and simple to make .. be imaginitive in the fabrics you choose .. olde hankies .. homespun .. coordinating fabric with your dolly dress (can match the apron you are going to put on her too!) olde fabrics make great underoos! panties can be frilly or plain .. you can hem them or NOT. add lace or coordinating fabrics.
share some of YOUR idea for undies!!
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here's how i do that 'eye-ballin' thingie when measuring doll clothes:
lay your dolly on top of the fabric you choose .. measure from her waist to anywhere between her fanny and her ankles (i tend to like mid-calf .. but short undies on a dollie can be a HOOT!)
i used some of that dyed fabric that was hanging on the clothes line in an earlier posting ... cuz' it was HANDY .. and the movie was at a good spot and i didn't want to leave the room!
you can make your panties skinnier too .. NOT so skinny that you can't squoosh her body into it without a girdle or so she looks like she is wearing tights .. but not so BIG that they bunch up under her dress! you can 'embroider' a little something on the leg of her britches too .. that is really a cute surprize for anyone that peeks up her dress!
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some of these photos will be sideways .. cuz' my disk is full and won't let me 'flip 'em' .. soooooo .. jus' lay your head down on your keyboard and glance at 'em side-wise!
o.k. .. now fold your DOUBLED fabric in half and lay your dolly beside it .. we're gonna' measure where to sew your seam so she doesn't get a 'wedgie'.
mark the spot you will cut up to with a pin and cut through both layers while the fabric is folded in half
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after you cut the fabrics .. you now have a place for TWO legs .. lay the fabric back on top of the dolly to get a 'general' idea of what they will look like (only they will be smaller cuz' you'll have SIDE SEAMS .. and SEAMS inside the legs where you cut the fabric.
REMINDER .. always CLIP at that crotch line so it doesn't bunch!
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picture of side seams sewn .. and inner leg seams sewn and clipped at crotch-ette
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i made two pairs of undies form the dyed fabric .. and now .. i'm getting into a pile of olde lace:
[img ]
to trim the other two pair of WHITE undies
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i've sewn ONLY the two SIDE seams .. and then PINNED the lace to the OUTSIDE of the white fabric at both 'ankles' of the pant legs.
will SEW the lace to the fabric .. THEN .. sew up the inner leg seams (remember to clip at crotch) .. then turn them inside out .. and VOILA .. "fancy pants"
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True Friends, Frannie |
Edited by - CabinCreek-Kentucky on Jan 30 2006 11:47:29 AM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 11:45:12 AM
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o.k. .. now it's time to SIGN and DATE your dolly. this one has a red applique heart with TRUE FRIENDS (my dolly 'signature')
on the back of the dolly, i signed my name and dated her (down by her waist).
be innovative with your signatures .. i used to sew a tiny brass heart on every dolly i made .. then i always put an 'olde' button at the hem of her skirt (on the underside) .. i've appliqued, embroidered, put little labels, made pockets on her underoos and inserted little notes and poems .. stuffed poems, stories INSIDE the dolly .. just have lots of fun with this part .. someday a million years from now .. when your dollies are found .. how CLEVER earth's mutants will think you were!
True Friends, Frannie |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 12:57:51 PM
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ya-ya's .. let's get down to makin' those little dolly dresses now! i love how simple this 'pattern-free dress is! there are lots and lots of other twists and turns with doll clothes .. but we're gonna' start off REAL easy!
somewhat like your dolly undies .. you are also going to lay your dolly with arms out on top of your chosen fabric .. and cut pretty much at her WRISTS and ANKLES .. no need to make it to or beyond her fingertips or toes.
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now fold your DOUBLED fabric in HALF .. and kinda' check it again against your dolly for a 'good size'
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o.k. .. i'm having alittle 'picture trouble here .. i think it is because i photographed over an OLDE disk .. one or two pictures are just 'hanging up' and won't even let me see them .. soooo .. i might have to just 'talk you through' a couple steps .. will photo these steps with the next dolly dress i make though and post them). i think this one might be 'broken up' .. but you get the idea.
look closely at how i CUT the fabric. leave enough UNDER the arm for seams (both at the top and bottom). IF you fold your fabric at the neck line on the FOLD .. you won't have a top seamline on the dolly arm up to the neck .. soooooooo .. i'm suggesting this way for this dolly . hope your fabric is big enough to allow this .. IF NOT .. just make sure you leave enough fabric for top and bottom ARM seams.
when you CUT it out .. go to about an inch and a half towards the BODY .. the dress will look HUGE .. but trust me .. if you 'sew' and 'tuck' it like later explained .. it will come out with a great fit. you don't want it to be too big OR too small .. big, i find is better than 'small'.
look closely at the 'curve' of the side of the dress .. DO NOT CUT IT STRAIGHT from underarm to bottom of fabric in a TRIANGLE kinda' thingie .. or ... oh how strange that little dress hem will be. cut it like picture shows .. on the 'curve'. practice will make perfect!
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this is where i lost two photos .. basically, they were just showing you that i sewed a seam from the sleeve to the hem on both sides .. and CLIPPED under the arm .. you gurlz can figger that one out!
in the picture above .. AFTER you have sewn your seams on both sides of the dress .. you can turn it right side out (or you can do this part before turning it)
(1) put your dolly on top of your fabric (that was a lost pic too!)
and MARK with two straight pins about 1/2 inch from her neck on both sides.
(2) fold your fabric in half and make sure the pins "meet" at the same spot on both sides .. if they are a little off .. adjust (adujust to the furtherest pin rather than the closest ones .. OR if the head won't fit through .. you will have to take a little SLIT at the back of the neck so the head will go through .. and after the dress is on your dolly, you'll just haave to sew it up .. somewhat like a 'button' at the back of your dress.
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now CUT a little chunk out from where your pins are to the middle as the picture shows. don't go tooooo deeeeeeep cuz' then she'll have a 'plunging neckline'
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THIS is what your 'neckline' will now look like!
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put the dress on your dolly .. and PIN the neckline under a smidgeon (this is not ALWAYS necessary .. depending ont he fabric you are using and what 'look' you are going for) ..
and HAND-STITCH from the BACK all the way around to where you started stitching and 'tug' a little to 'GATHER' it around her neck .. then do a KNOT at the back of her neck when you are satisfied with the 'look' from the front of the dolly.
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now do the same turning under and running stitch around the sleeve .. do NOT sew the sleeve to the dolly .. cuz' it tends to constrict her movements if you wish to change her arm positions.
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o.k. .. the sleeves and neckline are DONE!
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o.k. now gurlfrenz! these two little gathers are 'starting' to make her dress fit correctly . .the NEXT step is the 'clincher' that really gets the job done though!
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 lay your dolly down flat .. and take your dowel ('er sum little measurin' thing) and put it on a slight diagonal from the 'pit' of the sleeve up to about one and a half inch from her arm pit! CAUTION .. and i've learned this one by doing it too many times ... do NOT sew ALL the way to the arm pit .. or even tooooooo close .. cuz' .. well .. o.k. ... here's a little experiment .. kinda' like the SOCK one above ... remember .. the one where you did NOT go get the sock .. and held us up!
O.K. RIGHT NOW ...
call your husband, one of your kids (they might have to stand on a chair to do this!)or a friend into the room ..
waiting .. waiting .. waiting .. o.k. .. holler again .. only this time with your 'stern MOTHER voice'!!!!
if it is your husband and he is taller than you .. well .. then .. that's good .. if it's one of your shorter kids .. have them stand BEHIND YOU on a chair behind you!
YESSSSSSSSS! this IS part of the dolly-learning process!!
now have them put their arms under your ARM-PITS and attempt to raise them up to about your EARS .. SEE what happens to YOUR ARMS! they just kinda' raise up and dangle like 'night of the living dead'!!
WELL .. you wouldn't want to subject your dolly to a lifetime of THAT position would you?
o.k. .. if you 'got the picture' .. kiss that husband or child, thank them and send them back to whatever it was they were doing before you screamed for them to COME HERE!
soooooooo .. you now see why you don't want to sew that little gathering stitch too close to your dolly's arm-pit!
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a picture of that little gathering stitch we discussed and demonstrated above! you can 'knot it off' securely at the back of the dress. and of course, do this to both sides!
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NOW her dress fits puffectly-puffect!
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NEXT .. we will make an 'apron' for her!
True Friends, Frannie |
Edited by - CabinCreek-Kentucky on Jan 30 2006 1:09:44 PM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 1:17:33 PM
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APRON:
choose an olde hankie, linen or coordinating fabric for your apron. it can be short or long .. it can have a bib or no bib .. straps or no straps .. you can embellish it with applicque, stitchery, buttons, pocket .. etc. etc. etc. i've chose a 'starry' fabric for the apron and a 'stitchery' that says BE MINE for the pocket .. decided to make it shorter rather and long.
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i didn't hem this one .. cuz' it has a nice torn edge to it .. turned under the edges on the stitchery for a pocket and stitched it to the apron .. turned the top edge of the apron under a little and ran a gathering stitch through it and attached it to her dress .. just under her armpits. if the apron has a tendency to 'drag' in the front .. take a little 'tack' stitch in the middle at her chest line. you can put your apron around her waiste with strings too!
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True Friends, Frannie |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 1:33:55 PM
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a tad touch or 'powdered rouge' .. you can apply this with your finger tip .. or with a brush .. just be sure to 'blow' the excess off so it isn't too concentrated .. you can always add MORE .. and you can even 'somewhat' rub too much off with a clean piece of cloth .. i think 'rouge' is the 'magic fairie dust' that rings a dolly alive!
True Friends, Frannie |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 1:38:31 PM
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Aggedy Mae
(while i was up here typing and posting all these 'structions, i heard a 'stirring' downstairs and would have SWORN i heard my sewing machine whirring ... when i got back downstairs .. there was miss aggedy mae sitting by the window watching the birds .. i noticed there was sumpthin' new .. a little red and white check 'gingham' bag in her pocket .. upon further investigation, i smelled CHOCOLATE on her breath .. and checked that little baggie and it is FULL of chocolate m&m's!
True Friends, Frannie |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 1:41:35 PM
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well, sweet gurlfrenz .. that's my dolly adventure from beginning to beginning .. i hope you have enjoyed all this .. and i will start mailing those patterns to each of you that have requested them this week. IF you do not have your pattern by next week's end .. e-mail me and i'll make sure one is put into the postie to you!
I can barely wait to see all the wonderful dollies you create! much dolly love! frannie
True Friends, Frannie |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 2:11:29 PM
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Frannie you are truely wonderful for doing this. Such a generous gift you give us. Love the discriptions and picture to go with. You don't usually get such great instructions, I'm usually not very good at understanding patterns but this is great. Thank you, thanks you Miss Frannie.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com www.sisterhood.sqrlbee.com
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 2:41:27 PM
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hey darlin' .. i was told years ago that i should 'write doll patterns' .. HA! as you can see .. it would have been a DOLL BOOK!
Actually .. it is on my 'list of things to do in this lifetime' .. but i would like for it to be a 'storybook' .. the adventures of 4 dolls (and maybe even going into future generations) .. with a pattern for the four sisters and accessories 'of the era'. There already is such a similar series .. i plan on listing lots of fun places to go for patterns (and this book series will be among them .. not sure they are still in publication though). but i wanted to do one of my very own aunts:
Betty, Annie, Emma and Nell who were born and were children in the early 1900's. This i want to do as a 'tribute' to them. Does not matter if it is ever 'published' .. but something to pass along to our own family from generation to generation. OH MY! i really MUST live to be a million years olde!!!
True Friends, Frannie |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
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farmgrlchick
True Blue Farmgirl
439 Posts
Theresa
Columbus
Montana
USA
439 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 4:59:27 PM
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Wow frannie, Aggedy Mae is so sweet. Love the 'rouge', it really is the magic touch. Sure can't wait to get started, I have an idea of my little dolly...the wheels are a turnin'.
Theresa |
Edited by - farmgrlchick on Jan 30 2006 4:59:52 PM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 6:08:28 PM
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will take the pattern to town tomorrow and make copies .. and get 'em on their way!
xo
True Friends, Frannie |
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CountryGirl85
True Blue Farmgirl
225 Posts
Laura
Oswego
IL
USA
225 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 7:42:06 PM
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Frannie, you should write a doll book! I just love all the stories of the chilluns! And I can't wait to make one of my very own! Thank you so much for this! And the lil soul of my future first dollie is flying around thanking you in advance!
Much love,
Laura |
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Rebekka Mae
True Blue Farmgirl
965 Posts
Rebekka
Moscow
ID
USA
965 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 7:42:40 PM
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Frannie- After reading through these instructions I am so excited!!! I generally do not do well with specific instructions ( patterns are so limiting!) and your method of explaning things is just my speed- I think my little boy will be adorable once I stitch him up- though those pantaloons are so sweet I may need to make a sister for him. Don't you think that we could just cut and paste form here and make your dolly making book? You have already written it so let's make your little dream a reality...I am sure lots of farmgirls would buy it and keep a copy to give to crafty girlfriends... let me know if I can help- I can just see it with a cute cover (maybe sewing zigzag along the edge to bind the pages together). Thank you for all you have put into this project, hopefully many of these babies will be at farmfair and we can sit em all together on the stitching post deck for a photo shoot! Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.
Love, Rebekka |
Edited by - Rebekka Mae on Jan 31 2006 12:48:16 PM |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 8:36:06 PM
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finished the other three dollies that i made from the pattern i'll be sending you gurlz ... (am also watching THE HOURS .. powerful story .. powerful actresses .. the first time i saw it .. i researched the life of Virgnia Wolff .. and oh so tragic!) but anyhoo .. during commercials .. i'm snapping pictures and posting them ... be right back .. i hear the movie back on! (i'm also stuffing the seven smaller versions of this pattern)!
RITA BONITA
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Prudence and Patience
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PRUDENCE
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PATIENCE
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THE HOURS just ended and i had tears just a-flowin' down my face!
Now, you would probably have to see the film to understand the importance of the last scene ... when ... the mother of a man who has committed suicide returns .. and visits an important woman in her son's life. This mother abandoned her son and new born daughter many years before. She has outlived her husband, daughter and now her son.
She is telling the friend that "to stay would have been death to her and she wished she could regret having left" .. but "what does it matter to say your regret .. when you have no choice. It's what you can bear." i remember wondering if that is how my own momma felt.
isn't life and those we love and love us back .. well .. just precious!
True Friends, Frannie |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 8:39:57 PM
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sweet rebekka .. you and all the other gurlfrenz have my blessing to copy all the photos and instructions for yourself and for your friends. no price should ever be put on it .. it is my gift to all my friends. with love, frannie
True Friends, Frannie |
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AnnieT
True Blue Farmgirl
287 Posts
Annie
287 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 8:44:25 PM
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Oh, The Hours is definately a heart wrenching, but beautiful story. I love those dollies. So interesting to see the different faces. Its amazing how a tiny change can completely change the "attitude" of the dolly. I think I might make up a dolly tomorrow while I'm waiting for your pattern to arrive. I just don't think I can wait any longer. I have a ton of clothing that I'm getting rid of in preparation for our move, and I'd love to put it to good use. I could probably make a few hundred dolly dresses with everything I have to give away. :)
Annie
Bramblestitches Store: www.bramblestitches.etsy.com
My blog: http://bramblestitches.blogspot.com/ |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2006 : 8:56:06 PM
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Annie .. dolly dress alone are great for decorating too! i have made little homespun ones and i get a 'twig' from under a tree .. and wrap homespun around it and use it for a hanger .. it's great to 'color coordinate' the dress and the hanger .. you can either hang it from the homespun .. or don't use fabric and only use the twig and a 'rustic' string for the hanger .. or you can drill a little hole through the wood and use rusty wire. for prissier clothes (i have HUGE collection of vintage doll and children's clothes .. for hangers i sometimes use a strong 'herb' branch and tie it with silk ribon and hang on a nail .. AND .. you can string ribbon through the arms and neck and make a 'garland' with them too. and oh yeah! it is SOOOOOOOOO easy to make a pattern .. just keep things somewhat in 'proportion'. show us pics when you are finished! xo
True Friends, Frannie |
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Stitching & Crafting Room: Cabin Fever Doll Class |
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Cabin Fever Doll Class
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