Representation matters

Stepping away from books agin this week to talk about a custom order I just shipped out on Monday. A woman reached out to me, and said that her four-year-old granddaughter was obsessed with the character of Chrissie from Daniel Tiger. Apparently Chrissy has spina bifida and uses crutches and braces on her legs. The little girl had never seen a doll like her before, and Grandma wanted to know could I do something similar that wasn't exactly Chrissie.

It's high craft show season, so custom orders aren't my favorite, but I took this one as a challenge. I didn't have any pale gray felt on hand, and since this order was already going to take more time than it should have, I wasn't going to run up to the fabric store to buy any. The braces and the crutches are made from felt of another color, covered with light gray cotton which I did have in stash.

The braces are stitched onto the doll's legs, while the crutches have a snap fastener so they can come off her wrists. I was baffled with what to use for the crutches, and then it came to me that straws would work. Of course, I didn't have any of those either, but my local buy nothing group supplied a handful. Really, the hardest part of the whole doll experience was calculating the width of fabric to make tubes for the straws. I left a tab of fabric at the top, to be sewn to the cuff, and the leftover fabric at the bottom was tucked inside the straw using the tube turner.

I can't wait to hear what the little girl thinks of her.

Also, because everything does lead back to books eventually, another reason I wanted to do this was because the youngest daughter in Coming Apart wears braces on her legs, and I tried to imagine how it would feel to her to find a doll that looked like her. Representation matters.

Holiday roundup

With being sick between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I was a little humbuggy this year. We don't generally decorate anyway - cats are not conducive too holiday decorations, and even though we're down to a low-key final two cats, it never occurs to me to do the tree-and-decorations thing anymore.

This year, though, we picked up two batttery-operated candles for the front windows, and that got me started a little. I was thinking about getting a wreath for the front door, but I left it too late. Everything that was left was either too expensive, too cheesy, or just not my taste.

I stopped in the dollar store for something unrelated and saw the wreckage of the Christmas aisle, and decided to see what was left. I came out with the batteries I'd gone in for, plus $8 in supplies (4 mini wreath forms, 4 packs of poinsettias, two packs of white berries, and a sleeve of gold plastic balls), and picked up a pine cone on my walk home. That, combined with zip ties and duct tape, created the masterpiece (!) you see on the door. It works for me; it just looks like hell on the underside. When I take it down, I may stabilize it for next year. I really like seeing it there, especially since most days I keep the door open during the day.

The dolls were my last order of the year. I didn't take the order willingly. The customer came through Facebook, didn't want to order on Etsy, sent me 32 (really) emails detailing what she wanted, and it took so long that she ended up having to pay rush charges to get them by Christmas. They're supposed to be her and her husband, for their granddaughter. Cute, but honestly, people, do not do this on December 20.

We made dinner for ourselves on Christmas Eve - leg of lamb, potato gratin, and broccoli, and on the day we drove to NJ for lunch with the in-laws. No one wants to cook over there, so we went out for dinner. It was nice enough, but I like eating at home for holidays, even if I'm not a big celebrator-of-them.

So that's my update: finishing up the cough, working on the next book, cleaning up the sewing room so that I can find the floor and the tables.

Do you get a break over the holidays? What are you up to?

It's not all writing

Just so everyone remembers I do stuff other than writing, a photo from this past Sunday's craft show. I had a serious book-release hangover, but I somehow managed to make it through and be pleasant to everyone and have a decent sales day besides.

I wanted to share the cutest customer of the day, who gravitated immediately to the doll whose hair matched her jacket. Her parents tried to convince her she wanted a doll who looked like her, but nope, lavender hair for the win.

When I made my schedule for fall/holiday shows, I actually managed to keep in mind the fact of the book coming out, and possible event scheduling there, so craft shows are pretty light...and I'm okay with that. My next one isn't until November 18, but then I have the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend.

I'm going to be thankful for Monday.

A special doll

This was a really special custom project I did back in late December.

The customer - the mom - contacted me and said that her adopted daughter had had cleft repair surgery, which left her with a scar.  She felt self-conscious about the scar, and said that there were no dolls out there that looked like her, both Asian and with the cleft scar.

So, being a good mom, my customer reached out and asked if I could make one for her daughter.

I was happy to oblige, and I think her daughter was happy with the result.

African Dolls

 I recently listed a new batch of African dolls in my Etsy shop.  I hadn't made any in a while, and I came across some remnants of wax print fabric while I was unpacking, and decided it was time.

I think I mentioned before that the first of these was made for a former co-worker, who had an African neighbor who took care of her granddaughter.  When the woman prepared to return home, my friend asked for a piece of her clothing and asked me to make a doll so that her granddaughter would always remember her.

They're fun to make, and I love the colors and prints of the fabrics.  I've found a few bits in thrift stores, in addition to using the leftovers from the first doll, but most of these were from remnants provided by sewing friends.

These tend to sell better online than in person, for some reason.  I sold one last fall at an outdoor event - a little girl fell in love with the doll, and was starting a spectacular meltdown when her grandfather told her she couldn't have it.  She didn't understand why, but when I looked at him, I did.

His wife looked from the doll to me to the granddaughter, and elbowed him in the ribs.  "Give her the doll," she said.  "She's growing up in a different world than we did, and there's no point in trying to stop it."

I think he would have liked to try, but the women - his wife, his granddaughter, the doll and me - won out in the end.




And though I admit I didn't like why he didn't want to buy the doll for her, I give credit where it's due.  He knew his wife was right.  That little girl is growing up in a different world, and there isn't anything he can do to stop it.

Coffee and politics

This doll sits next to my phone at the office.

She reminds me, three days a week, that I need to pick up that phone and annoy contact my elected representatives.

Have you called your senator today?

African dolls

I drafted this post a few weeks ago, scheduled it, and didn't notice when it didn't appear.  So it's a little belated, but here it is.

I'm not sure if I've posted about these particular dolls before, but if I have, now there are more.

I made the first African doll for a co-worker at a former temp job.  Her granddaughter was looked after by a neighbor from Liberia who wore traditional clothing.  She wanted her granddaughter to have a doll that looked like her caregiver, and to grow up knowing that friends -- and dolls -- come in all colors and costumes.

I posted a photo of the doll when I made it, and it sold before I turned it over to my co-worker customer.  Thankfully there was more fabric, so I made her another.

After that, I made more and listed them on Etsy, and when the original fabric sold out, I found some authentic wax print fabric at the thrift store, and reached out to my sewing friends for any scraps they might have on hand.  (Being sewers, they had scraps and were happy for them to find a home that wasn't theirs).

The doll on the left isn't actually authentic fabric, but I loved the pink/gold/brown combination.  The green/white and pink/lime/black are real African textiles.

I don't always take these to craft shows because they list a little higher than the standard dolls, but when I did my a recent show in Swarthmore I took the 3 pictured here, and the green-and-white one in the center came home alone.

Find your tribe

Getting ready for show season in two weeks.  The machines are humming, the fabric is flying and me, I'm tired.  But that's okay.

Hello Dolly

So the last thing I need is another project.

Which is not to say I'll turn one down if it appears, especially if it's time and labor intensive, with the added bonus of being fragile and hard to handle.

About 25 years ago, I purchased my first antique doll.  There used to be a shop on Philly's antique row that specialized in dolls. I fogged their front window for ages before I got up the nerve to go in.

My first doll is part of the group photo below, the one in pink.  When I bought her, she had no clothes. I happily took on the challenge of Edwardian era children's clothing, scrounging vintage fabrics and trims at flea markets.

One doll led to another. When I bought my house, I sold a few of the girls, the more valuable ones, but I kept my favorites.

I haven't had an urge to add to the family for ages.

Then last week, Mario and I took a weekday off for a trip to the flea market and lunch. Technically it was my (day after) birthday observation, but I'm always up for food and a market.

I was doing good, not spending, until I saw her.  No shoes, no original clothing, wig in desperate need of a wash, but the bones were there.  Beautiful face, body in excellent condition with no need of restringing, and a maker (Gans & Seyfarth) I didn't have.

The price was okay but not fabulous. Considering what she needed, I tried bargaining.  Which worked, because the seller wanted to get rid of her and his wife wasn't there to veto the price drop.

So now I have a project. She needs a new hairstyle, underwear, shoes, clothing and a hat.

So, not much. I can do that in my spare time, right?

Happy Kid

I want every customer to be as happy as this kid looks with her new doll.

That is all.

New Girls

Amazing how long it takes to make the simplest changes sometimes.  I've had my embroidery machine for a few months now, but every time I made a batch of dolls, they went right out the door to a craft show and then most of them didn't come home.

Which is a very good thing, but when I'm supposed to keep up with Etsy as well as in-person events, not so much.  The custom doll listing still had the photos from when I hand embroidered the faces, and after explaining to several buyers that the dolls no no longer looked precisely like the photos, I knew I had to get myself together and update my pictures.

Problem solved.  I had a few girls left post-Christmas and just made a new batch to drop off to stores this coming week.  I also did something logical and added a photo showing the 3 skin tones available for dolls, instead of just explaining that they can be made in light, medium or dark.  It's easier to say that hair is available in light and dark blonde, red, brown and black (plus fun colors), but everyone's idea of skin tones can vary.  This will hopefully clear up most questions.

Is there any other information you think should be included in the listing?

Three Time Customer

Add caption

While my temp job has ended (I think), I'm still getting around to writing about the last piece I sold to one of my co-workers.  She bought a personalized doll for her granddaughter, then a few weeks later placed an order for an "African" looking doll because her Liberian neighbor often babysat for her, and then just a few weeks before the job ended, she asked for another one, this time to look like her neighbor from Laos/Cambodia.  She even provided a photo of the outfit she wanted the doll to wear.

That was the part that took a while, because I certainly didn't want to do that level of embroidery for a doll, but I also didn't want to just use a solid or print fabric.

Then the thrift store had a half price day, and I found this gorgeous green shirt with an embroidered hem and cuffs, and it called to me across the store.  I think it worked out well.

This woman's ideas are always a challenge, but her dolls turn out so cute in the end that I always make more of them for shows, and they always sell at shows.  One of the African ones even sold on Etsy last night, and it's hard to get found in such a saturated marketplace.

As far as "thinking" that my temp job has ended, they did ask me to come back for a week at the end of September.  I told them my reappearance was contingent upon how much product I could knock out between now and then.  At this point, I'm going to call the admin on Friday afternoon and let her know one way or the other.  Since I actually managed to get 24 owls cut, pieced and trimmed up yesterday, with only the eyes and the stuffing left, I'm feeling optimistic that I can manage to get 3 more days of office pay before the end of the month (not that I want to go back, but we're going on vacation in October, and every dollar is going to count in London).

The whole family

Dolls of all nations

I'm temping again for part of the summer, same place as the last few years.  Right now, I'm only doing 3 days a week, and using the other two to continue working on building inventory, so that I don't go into the fall show season depleted, the way I did last year.

So far it's working, except inventory has been getting depleted by my co-workers.

Which is not a bad thing.

One of the women in the office saw my cloth dolls, and asked if I could make a custom one for her granddaughter.  She gave me the colors her granddaughter liked, and asked if I could put her name on it.

I did, and within a few days, she was back.  "I've got a neighbor," she said.  "She's Liberian.  My granddaughter loves her.  Can you do a doll that looks like her?"

So this was her most recent purchase - a doll costumed in my version of an African wax print (it's not; it was just a really cool thrift shop dress reminiscent of African prints).

There's been a new request: another neighbor is from Laos, and could I make one in something resembling her traditional costume?

Her theory is that by the time her granddaughter gets to nursery school, she'll have a collection of multi-colored, multi-cultural dolls and a firm understanding that friends come in all colors and costumes.

There are worse ways to raise a kid, right?

The most difficult part of this doll wasn't the costuming, it was the skin color.  I have a light brown that I use for African American dolls, but she asked for a darker color, something closer to her Liberian neighbor's skin tone.

I had a darker brown in stash, but when I tried using it for a doll face previously, it was so dark that the embroidered features just didn't show up well.  I was biding my time until the right color appeared, and not long after she made her request, I was in the thrift store and this brown scrubs top appeared.

Turns out it was the perfect shade, and a large enough size that I can get another half dozen dolls cut before I run out of fabric - with the exception of a scrap I can carry with me, so that I can color match when I next visit a fabric or thrift store.

Coming soon, Ms. Laos.  Just as soon as I find a sparkly fabric for her dress.

Hello, Dolly!

A while back I mentioned I was working on something new that wasn't ready for prime time.  Well, allow me to introduce my latest make, a cloth doll made from upcycled fabrics.  

I've been meaning to share them with you for a while now, but the first batch of girls went out to craft shows before being photographed (beyond this single shot) and . . . they sold.

Four of them the first show, four more the second, three last time.  Plus two custom ones.

So I guess you could say they're working out.  I'm pleased with them -- not only do they seem popular with both kids and adults, but they're yet another way for me to use scrap fabric, yet another way to reduce my business's carbon footprint by using what's already available.

Their faces are hand embroidered.  I do them in the evenings when Mario and I are watching TV.  Or when he's watching TV and I'm sitting on the couch, embroidering like a fiend because I just can't absorb any more of the outrage spewing from every news outlet -- including the ones I agree with.

Hair colors are everything under the sun, including a few with pink and purple hair (which have sold).  I was thinking mermaid/fairy when I did the pink-haired ones; now I think I really need to make a few with mermaid tails.

My next show isn't until Saturday June 4th, when I'm the featured artist at out the Swarthmore Farmers Market.  That's always a great town for me, so I intend to have a whole new batch of dollies for them.

Beautiful Girls

A long, long time ago, I made clothes for these girls.

It seems like ages ago, and it probably was about 20 years, now that I think about it.  The dolls are all older, pre-WWI German bisque for the most part.  One I had from the family, and others I've accumulated over the years.  All of them, with the exception of one (the flowered dress right of center), came to me either with no clothing at all, or with her original garments in such tatters they couldn't even be used to make a pattern for new ones.

I do remember that this was done pre-Internet, because I spent some happy hours in libraries and bookstores, researching this type of doll, what they would have worn and what children of the era would have worn as well.  There are still a few books on my shelves from this period that I just can't bear to give away.

Each of these outfits was made by hand.  In saying by hand, I'm not just saying by me, but really "by hand," not by machine.  I tried using the machine, and while it was okay for some of the heavier fabrics, like the green striped cotton, it just chewed up the cotton lawn and China silks that I used most of the time, and I wasn't putting 100 year old vintage lace anywhere near the machine.

The hats are mine, too, made of bits of buckram and milliner's wire, covered in layers of gathered silk.

Several of the girls are re-wigged (the blonde with the long curls being the most obvious example), but other than that I've left their physical flaws alone.  Several are missing some fingers and a few are wobbly in the joints, but their stands hold them up, at least until I can get around to restringing them.

The girls are displayed on the top of the fabric shelves in my workroom.  They keep a watchful eye on my work, and occasionally, I think, a judgmental one.  If I ever look up and see them holding score cards -- 5.8, 5.8, 6.0, 5.6 -- they're moving to another room.

And yes, my entire workroom is painted that obnoxious shade of grass green.  I love it.