Tag Archives: china doll

Martha Tudor – Part 1

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Martha Tudor, Pictures, Sewing by

As a fan of Tasha Tudor dolls I regularly check eBay for new items listed. The most common dolls are Meg, Emma, Sally and Nell. Less common but still occasional are Molly and Dora. I have seen Amy, Julia, Lady Patricia, Trudy and Martha only once. When I see these uncommon dolls listed I usually put on a really high maximum bid because I don’t want to lose them.

While I was finishing Julia, I saw an auction for Martha, placed my stupidly high bid and waited for the auction to close. I hate auctions lol. Anyway, I won her and waited with great excitement to receive her because I have only heard of her from a site visitor – never seen before the auction.

The box arrived. Crushed.

Martha had a visit to the French Revolution via USPS or UPS or however she was shipped.

The seller has refunded me.

I lamented this happening to my family and my daughter suggested trying to glue her back together. Could I do that?

I found a number of articles online about fixing a broken chest plate on a doll. A couple referred to this porcelain and ceramic glue.

It comes with some very fine tube tips for highly precise glue application. I felt a bit like one of those artisans at a museum putting together shards of pottery. Ok not really. I actually was thinking of all the moms and dads through the years gluing dolls and cookie jars after the kids got too rambunctious.

Fortunately Martha’s head is intact! I carefully removed the pieces from the body, then tried to figure out how the parts would fit together. A bit of glue on the broken edges, then pressing them together for 30 seconds created the basic bond. This glue needs to cure up to 24 hours.

I’m not thrilled with one seam. I didn’t want to force the porcelain into place and the seam is off just a smidge.

I applied glue to the cracks inside and outside as well. There are a couple of holes where bits of the porcelain has been lost.

When it comes time to reunite her head with her body I may use glue instead of sewing tapes because I don’t want to put too much stress on the china. I am also considering strapping over her shoulders. I had to do that with Julia as her chest plate had cracked between the hole and the edge. There may be a few other alterations in her future as well – painting on gold shoe buckles, stitching in elbows and knees, little things like that.

Needless to say, Martha will have a high necked dress. I will also be trying to style her in Colonial attire. That’s an era I know nothing about clothing wise, so this one will really be a learning experience for me!

I was going to dress Lady Patricia next, but I think she’s going to have to wait a bit longer!

I also need to do something about her linebacker shoulders haha.

Progress on Julia – corset cover and skirt

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Misc, Mom, Pictures, Sewing by

I haven’t made as much progress as I’d like on Julia’s wedding gown, but I did complete a couple things.

First I made a little batiste corset cover because I just know the gold silk corset could potentially show through the bodice and I don’t want that. It was a little difficult to fit to her, but right now I can’t remember why. I used French lace and mother of pearl buttons – and of course hand sewn button holes. While this pattern came from the Louise Hedrick book, it is very similar to one I made from Le Mode Illustree from 1872 or 1879.

Next I completed the skirt. I actually made a test skirt in plain cotton and that is acting as an additional petticoat. The silk satin is luscious. The skirt is fully lined. I used bias strips to create the hem and the facing is just stitched to the lining.

I had this gorgeous lightweight pink silk satin ribbon and used it to create the ruched trim by running a gathering stitch on either side about 1/8” from the edge. The sweep of the skirt hem is about 36” so I used 90” of the pink to make the trim.

Next up I am working on the undersleeves. During this era, sleeves were still a separate item that was tied on around the bicep. I’m making some organdy sleeves with gorgeous French lace at the cuff edge.

After that I will make the bodice and finally a veil. But just because I have ADHD, I made a bouquet for her to hold. It is bound in a rose colored silk ribbon and I left tails long enough to tie it to her hand.

The flowers are paper and I can’t remember now where I bought them but there was a sale so I bought all the colors. :-)

Stay tuned for more progress soon. I really want to finish the glorious wedding ensemble – of course that will necessitate rearranging my display cabinet and that can always be fun too!

Oops I was incorrect

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Sewing by

I recently shared that I need to make an elliptical hoop for Julia. I really procrastinated on this, partly because it seemed like a lot of work. But also because in the back of my mind, it didn’t seem correct.

With all the fashion changes in the 19th century, why would an elliptical hoop stay in use from 1865 to 1872? It just didn’t make sense.

I’m glad I didn’t dive into that project, because after doing a bit more research and asking people more knowledgeable than me, I discovered the shape I am looking for is somewhat in between the older hoop and the not-yet invented bustle.

Wow. That is very different.

Here is an extant wedding dress from 1871 that better shows the shape achieved.

So I’m really thankful again that I didn’t start making that hoop! But now I need to figure out how to make those wire channel pocket thingies.

It was suggested I design the garment after the Truly Victorian TV108 Grand Bustle, although that seems like the next fashion era to me.

Then there is the Truly Victorian TV101 Petticoat with Wire Bustle, which again feels later to me.

I must continually remind myself this is for a 20” doll. No one would even blink if I made no bustle garment at all!!

Foundation garments

Posted in Dolls, Mom, Sewing by

Busy, busy fingers. I have been working diligently on Julia’s foundation garments. In my last post I shared the completed chemise, drawers and corset. Today I will share the next items.

First up, I completed the empire hoop. This is the second time I’ve made this particular item and I’m less than delighted with both of them.

Side view
Back view

I feel like the hoop is meant to support a smaller skirt than Julia will likely be wearing. We shall see. The first time I made the empire hoop, I discovered the instructions didn’t tell you to hem it! Obviously I remembered that this time and added a sweet gathered lace.

I don’t love how the back just seems to collapse instead of standing out, but maybe I’m picturing the wrong thing. A grand bustle hoop would stand far out and that’s not the silhouette I’m going for here.

To compensate for the uninspired shape, I’m making a small crescent shaped cushion bustle. More like a bum roll. I saw this on a vintage recreation of an elliptical hoop and I think it’s going to provide the shape and lift/support I’m looking for here.

Vintage buttons

I do love these buttons. They are vintage glass buttons and yes, I did handsew the button holes.

I’ve considered making a different elliptical hoop based on original garments, but what a massive amount of work that will be. Talk me off the ledge!

Bummer

Later…

I’ve made the crescent shaped bum pad and I don’t love it, either! It’s possibly too full and stands out too straight of an angle from her body.

Bumper pad

If I try to flatten it down it has a better profile, but even that isn’t realistic to maintain. I also tried putting it under the empire hoop but that just threw off the way that garment hung and fit, so that was a no-go. This is just going to be set aside for the time being.

I had made the bum pad while waiting for some laces to be delivered for the petticoat.

Lacy petticoat

Here you can see the petticoat, which I do rather like. It is about 1.5” shorter than the hoop and I don’t think that is correct even though it exactly matches the measurements in the book. Le sigh.

I’m just going to focus on what I like. I like the tucks. I like the lace insertion. I like the ruffled hem.

Pretty petti, ugly hoop

At the center back are two itsy worked eyelets for the drawstring. I’m rather good at eyelets. I really should be great at buttonholes because they are just elongated eyelets, right?

The drawstring waist allows me to draw more of the fabric to the back of Julia’s body. This is perfect for the 1872 profile I am hoping to accomplish here.

Part of Julia’s issue is that she is sort of potato shaped through the body. I can’t make much of a waist on her, even with the corset. It’s not a big deal because she is a doll afterall. I just want her to be a beautiful bride once finished with the project!

Bride To Be, Julia

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Pictures, Sewing by

I started working on the new garments for Julia Tudor, who will be getting married in 1872. Based on the lovely drawing in the 1872 La Mode Illustree, she will be wearing an ivory silk satin with blush silk trimming, French lace undersleeves, and a bobinet veil.

Of course before she can don her bridal finery, she must have the appropriate undergarments. I have completed the following so far.

A fine batiste chemise with delicate lace on the neck and arm openings.

Delicate batiste drawers featuring tucks, hem lace and white embroidery in a tulip stitch.

Please ignore the messy work table!

A gold silk taffeta corset, boned and fully lined, featuring orange blossoms embroidered on the front.

Orange blossoms for good fortune
Back view showing lacing

Still to be finished are a practical corset cover of crisp cotton, a luscious petticoat featuring tucks, insertion and also lace at the hem, and an empire hoop of cotton/linen blend. I will share more as they come!

2025 Project Goals

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Pictures, Sewing by

I have a number of things I want to work on this year now Ruby is completed.

Julia Tudor

This doll is about 20” tall and will make a lovely bride. She has a tiara on her head and I am trying to figure out how to make a veil stay in place. My vision is an 1872 wedding dress in ivory and blush pink. Or it could be blush pink with ivory, I haven’t finalized that yet. I’m drafting the pattern from the 1872 La Mode Illustree’ and so far there is only one confusing bit.

Preparing for her upcoming matrimony

Amelia

I’d like to make an 1850s styled doll and give her a Bloomer Suit. This fashion was popularized by Amelia Bloomer, hence the name. I’m undecided if I will use a china headed doll or make a cloth lady doll for this. 1850s heads are rare and expensive. If I decide to make a cloth lady doll, I will try a Susan Sirkis method for attaching hair.

Could be interesting!

Amy Tudor

It’s a stretch goal for me but I would like to make this pretty bonnet head doll. I only have the head so I’ll need to decide if I will purchase china arms and legs or make fabric ones. Bonnet head dolls are based on 1840s styles even though they were produced around 1910 apparently. I’d like to dip into this time period though as I know nothing about it.

I’d like hands and feet, please

Minerva

This beautiful doll doesn’t need much but a repair to her broken foot. I had an idea that I could make boots and stockings, fill them with emery or something similar, then fit them to the broken china on her foot, pull up the stockings to hide the transition. We shall see. I got this idea from Ruby actually since she has her own boots and stockings.

My foot hurts!

Charlotte

I just acquired a 3” tall frozen Charlotte doll. Of course she’s nude. Clothing her will be a challenge due to her itty bitty size so that could be a fun little project. I have some ideas based on other frozen Charlottes with clothing I have seen.

Brr it’s so cold I’m frozen!

So there you have it – my ambitious goals for the year. Of course I’ll be posting here with my progress. And no, I haven’t forgotten the various other dolls I have to work on, they just might need to wait until 2026 lol.

Did you know I have an Instagram where I post lots of interim photos of my work? Look for me under norkio and follow for progress shots and other fun stuff.

Ruby’s Debut

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Mom, Movies, Ruby, Sewing by

There isn’t really much to say about this except that I am tremendously pleased with the results! Please enjoy the grand reveal of Ruby’s wardrobe and body remake. She is currently packed up and ready to be shipped to her owner, my cousin M.

Click here to see all the posts about Ruby and read about her restoration.

Embroidered Silk Handbag

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Ruby, Sewing by

A proper Victorian lady doll must have a handbag for the various items she’d like to carry with her when visiting friends. Perhaps calling cards, a pencil, a coin and a house key might be needed during her day. I wanted to make Ruby a little handbag and devised this pretty one. You can make one too, just follow these easy instructions.

To make this embroidered silk handbag you will need:

Silk outer fabric

Cotton lining fabric

Silk thread

Sewing needle

Scissors

Pins

Embroidery floss

Embroidery needle

Tissue paper

Pencil

Begin by cutting one silk and one cotton piece 2 inches wide by 5 1/2” long. On one short end, make a point that is stepped back 1/2” from the end.

Forgot to take a before picture!

Trace the embroidery pattern you like onto tissue paper. I went with this continuous line art found in A French Fashion Doll’s Wardrobe.

Pin that where you want your embroidery to be. Make sure to leave space for 1/8” seams on all three sides of this flap. Using 2 strands of your floss, stitch directly through the tissue paper and follow the pattern.

I chose to do this in a backstitch but you may like a split stitch or a standard embroidery stitch. Let your creativity decide. When you have to end your stitching be careful not to catch any of the silk in your anchor stitches.

Once you have completed your embroidery, tear away the tissue paper. Make sure to pick out any caught in a stitch or under a thread. I used the blunt end of a crewel needle to do this but you could also use craft tweezers.

Fold right sides together so you make a 2” square pouch, and then stitch down the sides. Repeat with the lining.

Pin the lining and silk right sides together on the flap and stitch around the flap only. Turn your work and push out the corners. If you like you can lightly iron the flap to roll the lining to the inside.

Set this aside for a moment to make your handle. This tutorial includes a braided embroidery floss handle but you could use ribbon, cord, chain, really whatever you might like as long as it isn’t too heavy.

Measure out 24” of embroidery floss, then section that into three 8” strands. Knot one end, then tape it to your work surface. Braid the floss until you have 4 or 5” of braid. Knot the end and clip off the tail.

Open the silk pouch and tuck the lining inside. Make sure the corners go all the way inside.

Next tuck one end of your handle in between the silk and the lining at the flap fold. Pin that in place.

You will need to tuck under the silk and the lining so all raw edges are inside the seam. Carefully stitch a blind stitch, making at least two stitches through the handle. When you reach the other side, tuck the other handle end in and stitch through it.

All the raw edges should be inside, the handle should be nicely secured. Finger press the flap closed so the embroidered side looks pretty. If you like you can add a hook & eye or snap. Depending on the embroidery you select you could make a buttonhole and add a decorative button.

Very pretty!

Much Progress!

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Mom, Ruby, Sewing by

I have been posting progress pictures over on my Instagram and just realized I hadn’t posted anything here in a while! I’ve made great progress on Ruby’s wardrobe. I won’t say we are on the homestretch, but the only thing left to make is her bodice, so we are almost there!

The last post I made was about her completed undergarments and since then I have completed the skirt and drape for her dress. In the 1880s, women’s dresses sometimes had asymmetrical features, like drapes that were pointed on one side, lapels only on one side of the bodice, things like that.

As an aside, funny how 100 years later in the 1980s, I myself wore asymmetrical styles – I had a wide leather belt that was wide on one side and the skinny end overlapped at the waist. And we can’t forget the bib front shirts that were meant to be worn half unbuttoned. Anyway, that’s a funny thing about fashion – everything old is new again.

Here is the front of the lovely silk taffeta skirt. I really agonized before making this because the side panels are curved and I was really concerned the stripes would go awry on the side and back.

I was worried over nothing! The two large pleats on the side back take up much of the curved edge and in a way, correct the direction of the stripes.

The bustled look is accomplished by adding a set of tapes across the back of the skirt and then drawing up the tapes and tying them into place. I do know this method was used on original dresses back in the day. Here you can see the bias strip of batiste and the tape before it’s been cut in the center. The bias is stitched through both the lining and the outer fabric but for much of the rest of the skirt stitches are placed only through the lining for a very clean look.

Here’s the back of the skirt with the tapes drawn and tied. This silk taffeta is so luscious to work with. I wish all fabrics were as nice!

The next layer is the drape, and of course Susan Sirkus patterns are fiddly at best! I ended up writing out the instructions separately because much was missing from the method. At no point do the instructions tell you to hem the edges – one of my big complaints about her patterns.

But whatever, I know how to sew and what needs to happen to bring a garment together thankfully, but over and over I realize the Wish Booklets are just not for beginner sewers.

I used a softer silk for the drape that is just the color of the blue stripes in the taffeta and it coordinates perfectly. And because the Victorian era was one of embellishment, I decided some kind of design should be added to the drape. At first I thought maybe trim around the lower edge, but instead decided on an embroidered motif.

I found this design in the book A French Fashion Doll’s Wardrobe. It’s one continuous line.

Based on the image in the Wish Booklet, this part of the drape should lay across the side front, but it doesn’t. I just can’t get it to stay there. I know I followed all the instructions and was very careful in the construction, but this drape just sits high on the bustled skirt underneath.

I also have issues with where the pleats on the front fall. It’s one of those things – the drawing just doesn’t match the reality. Is this a problem? No. Does it bother me? A little.

And also based on the drawing, this back portion should cover the bustle instead of whatever it’s doing here.

But overall I still quite like the drape and how it works with the skirt. Could I redo it – yes of course and I could make changes based on my experiences. Is it worth it – no, it probably isn’t. This is a dress for a doll, not a live person.

I used these lovely cloisonné buttons I have had forever that just so happen to be perfect for this dress!

So pretty!

I’m not a cobbler

Posted in Crafts, Dolls, Ruby, Sewing by

I had to make a repair to Ruby’s boots the other day. I think the amount of handling & disturbance has been more than they should have experienced. I noticed that the threads literally disintegrated.

You can see how the threads just…disappeared. I literally gasped in shock when I noticed it. And dismay that I didn’t think to protect them better, but I have a solution there. More on that in a moment.

I quickly found some thread that matches the deep red color of the original stitching, and stitched. In most cases I was able to use the original holes.

While I am glad to have stitched the boots back together I’m not going to risk any more damage. I’ve wrapped her feet in soft cotton for the remainder of the project!