Wm Cooper, a Queen Anne Gentleman

 I keep getting asked if I still make dolls~ the answer is yes! More than ever! The majority of them are custom orders, so much so that between my stitching classes and them, there are very few that ever get on eBay. I wanted to share this fellow with you, he was a special order for Christmas this year...well, I guess last year now!  I have only ever made a hand full of male Queen Anne dolls, and I am so proud of Master William!  I love shoes~ everyone knows that, and on my dollys, their shoes always come first!

 Certain features define a male face, for me~ it is a broader nose and larger eyes than I give my girls. Men are so much more involved than women when it comes to dressing, they are terrifically difficult...but fun at the same time.  They have so many different textures to think about~ buckles everywhere...buttons everywhere...silks and linens ...coarse and fine~ they are at all wrapped up into one. Here Wm is dressed in his at home attire~ shoes, breeches, long sleeve linen shirt, kerchief and waistcoat

 He is off to work ~tricorn under his arm, with wig and coat on!  He wears a full skin wig that I styled with typical side curls~ it can be removed, combed out and washed and restyled. The back is drawn back into a que and contained in a black silk bag, popular toward the late 18th c

  Such a gentleman~ he was a gift intended as a suitor for another Queen Anne Ladye my customer had me make for them a few years ago

 I didn't want him to be a Dandy, with too many frills and frippery~ but a representation of an honest, hard working upper class gentleman

A gentleman for one of my own Ladye's is on the wish list for this year~  As for dollys for offer~ you will be meeting fresh faces soon!

So Happy Being 'Me'

I was going thru my pictures today, to pick some out to show you body views of Holley & Dollye, and I just got such a feeling of contentment....a feeling that totally pleased me, thru to the soul, of who I am. A doll maker. A mommy. A wife~ it is all good. I feel full measure of my blessings the Lord has bestowed upon me, and I am so very honored to be even a little inspiration to others....if not for anything else, but to inspire one to be and do what they want to do. We only get one life, so I say why even bother putting off what you really want to do~ whatever it is. Don't have the time you say? Make time!

I really do love making dolls. When I look at the early dolls, I think of the makers~ who sat and carved that face....who sat and painted that face? Did they think their little creation would take on a life of it's own, and be so everlasting, and so meaningful to others? I can certainly see the love in the painted strokes on their precious faces, and I get the same feeling when I sit and make my own dolls. I often talk to them about what they will see and do, in the lives they make for themselves. And I do miss them.

Some times I will make a doll, and think she is finished, only to find some time after, that she is unhappy with her current situation. This came to mind this past weekend with Ladye Jane Peale. You may recall this wonderful pet-en-lair I made last year, silk coat and blue silk stays she wore.....well, she just did not like them. Actually, what she really wanted was a big Pompadour hair do, and she just couldn't have a wonderful formal wig, and be in morning house clothes.....so she has retired to the Inn for a while, and her cast offs were quickly snatched up by my Elsa girl. She is a little bit larger than Jane Peale, 25", and they actually fit her better. She was indeed, very happy

As I was cleaning my worktable to paint her some primitive hair on, I remembered the fabulous human hair weft that I had bought earlier this year....hmmmmmmm I thought. Would you like to try some on Elsa? Well as soon as I opened the drawer and pulled it out, she was hopping up and down and just would not be still until I came into her same agreement.

If you recall with my Marguarite, I was not able to find human hair that was up to my standards, so I used my own. ALL of the 20 inches I cut...so I certainly cant keep doing that! Earlier this year I found a gorgeous brunette weft, and so far, have just been admiring and petting it. I have never sewn with a weft before, so that was kind of intimidating me too......but, after stitching up Elsa a wig from it, its like sewing butter and I will be doing many more human hair wigs in the future!

If you are wondering what a weft is, it is a line of hair that has been turned and stitched to itself at the top to keep it together. Most all wigs are made from weft. I wanted Elsa to not have much bulk and her hair to be quite sparse, so in between the wefts I stitched antique kid leather in a nearly matching color, to cover the muslin base. Her wig is totally removable, and I am pondering on making her a blonde one as a surprise birthday gift this year....((shhhhhh~ don't tell!))

It lays very flat, and I am quite happy with it. I like a doll with straight straight hair~ seems most all wigs are curls curls curls. I haven't yet styled it, or trimmed it, but as I let it soak in and relax on her, I am leaning towards not doing a thing to it~

I kind of like the morning uncombed look it has~ she is truly relaxing & lounging! Perhaps she will write some letters later in the day.........

Comming June 15th...

A special dollye of undisputed refined elegance....

She will pay us company from the year 1740....

A most dignified and delicate creature, we hear she is already en route from her country estate to grace us with her presence

Diamond K Folk Art 'Dollye Couture'....

I love making dollys, but I don't know which I like best, making the doll, or her clothes! I revel in the weensiest little details, and so many times they get lost in the big picture. I have several types of dollys that I make, but my 'Grande Dames' are the most special of them all. These dollys are a bit larger, have their own trunk or box, and come with removable wardrobes...some even with interchangeable wigs. Most all the clothing on my Grande Dames are reproductions of early garments, completely hand stitched with the utmost skill and care.

This photo shows the inside of a reproduction pannier hoop~ you can see the ties inside it that shape the wooden cane hoops, just like the original one. This one is property of Ladye Georgianna Juniper....
I would describe my Grande Dames as my 'dollye couture', as they are the best of the best that I make. Every now and then, on very special occasions, these dollys and their owners could be invited to take part in special soiree's and events....dolly's do love to party....and who could resist a chance to have new clothes made!

This is the quilt pattern I drafted for Ladye G's quilted silk petticoat. The design as you see it is exactly taken from a 3rd quarter 18th century quilted petticoat, but because of the scale I am working, I did not quilt the zig zag in the center of the large swags.

It took me 42 hours of hand quilting to quilt this coat~ I used a precious baby pink silk taffy over a flannel lining for a smidge of loft


Spending so many hours on her coat, I didn't want to cover it all over with a dress or robe, so Ladye G is getting a jacket to match~ a reproduction c1720-40. This is the first sleeve being pinned in.


I love to work with silk, but it does ravel, so all the seam allowances that are showing get overcast.

This is her basic jacket's bodice completed. The front flaps are faced, and awaiting to be joined with the skirting
I fit the pleats to her waist before fitting them to the jacket, to be sure they layed correctly

Here is the back view of her new jacket. The hem of the skirting will have some wonderful trim, and the front will be laced over a stomacher....but that is left for us tomorrow.....

So I was talking with Marguarite..........



and she really wanted real hair. Am I crazy???? Hmmmmm....maybe. Crazy about my dollys~ definitely! I just couldn't stand the thought of someone elce's hair on her head.....so.........

off came the bottom 20" of mine. My husband couldn't believe it! I haven't cut my hair since we have been married~ EVER(well except the last inch every now and them to trim the ends). I figure in another 20 years, it will be as long again, as it was......

It looks waaay better on Marguarite than it did on me anyways...

Olde stick in the Mudd.....

Have you ever heard of that expression???? Olde Stick in the mudd? I can remember being told that I was one, when I was younger.....cause I like to sit inside and sew, and do relatively mundane things~ exciting to me but not to others......thinking of it, I hear that quite often still!

This is o.k. with me~ I am happy being a stick in the mudd......but my dollys are anything but that! I love playing dollys....and want my dollys to be played with by their new owners too. Yes, they are fragile, and meant for adult collectors....but they are not too fragile, that they cant enjoy their lives!

I think dollys all lined up in a row are boring!!

Part of the appreciation of an artwork is in the use of it, after all, all the wondrous antique dollys we love so much, got their charm and appeal over years and years of play. I can just hear our Mothers as ancestors, telling their children "no touching~ no touching!". Just like I have taught my own....' do not touch unless you are first given permission....and then only carefully'....... unless we are at Walmart....when all 4 of them touch everything they can get their fingers on, and go running up and down the isles like a pack of wild dogs...

This is Abigail, Mifs Abigail Greene. She is one of my Grande Dame Queen Anne dolls, not quite finished yet, but she loves to play! She is content on her stand for a photograph or fitting, but as soon as she is finished, off she goes skipping and getting into everything. We have had to have a few lessons on the proper way for a ladye to sit....it is her favorite to plop herself down, right in the DIRT!, with both legs going the opposite direction.....she madly gathers her skirts up and stuffs them down beneath her crotch....cause she finds marbles very fascinating, and loves to play!

We are working hard at sitting with legs together, at the side.

'Gabby' as we call her, is growing up so fast. She has been promised in marriage already at just 14, and we are getting ready for her betrothal to a spunky young fellow that works as a shoemaker on Needle Street West.

Playing does have consequence~ shoot a marble to hard, and you may end up loosing a thumb! Play too long with your Mifstresses' baby, and she may chew off your pinky finger.....character~ all character building moments!

A fortnight ago we visited Msrs Piproy & Meegle.....shoemakers yes, but they have just employed a new Stay~Maker...trying to keep current with the times I suppose....anyways, her fitting went so very well, and her new stays were delivered to us Mondaye last. She has been wearing them ever since, trying to get used to them and break them in slowly, as not to rub blisters under her arms or on her hips...... they are in a beautiful pineapple shade of silke, with black trim.


Is it getting hot in here???? Gabby get your cap back on! Is is not proper for a young ladye, or any age of ladye for that matter, to be seen indoors without her head covered!!!
Are we getting undressed now? 'Ohh, yes,~ you'd like to take a bath?' Ok....we have a bit of spare time, why not. I will go boil some water........

Gabby is a Grande Dame, so of coarse, all her pretties come off so you can p*l*a*y!!!!

See her shift??? Its hand stitched from antique linen, and embroidered on the front "S S".

What??? What is that you say???? ........Oh no! Those are not her initials! Her Dear Mother has given Gabby her wedding shift, so that she may wear it on her wedding day, and then pass it down to her own daughter one day.

Shoosh! Look at that wild hair! Gabby's naturally black, undyed mohair locks perfectly match her antique pupiless black glass eyes....

I LOVE to make shoes~ yes I do! These are a new design for 09....(no rhyme intended)....wonderful little wee latchet tie shoes~ made of antique dark green kid leather, with green silk ties~ yes, they really tie, and come on and off. They have cloth footbeds, with my mark in the center, and leather soles.

Hmmmm........looks like Gabby may need a little trunk for her pretties

:::GASP:::: Bath must be ready! Where has that girl gone~ stark nekkid.....well with only her stockings on! Look at that~ she has taken off her hair and left it on the floor.....I better get that before the cat paws it into a rats nest!

No matter how many times I tell her~ I cannot get her in habit of hanging up her wig! I hope she is using SOAP in that bath~ Id better go check!

Dollys Dollys Dollys

I have been working working working ~ and thought I would share one of my more traditional, primitive 18th century Queen Anne dollys with you. I have made her special for Christmas and used only antique bits for her wardrobe, which are all fully removable for play , and include knit stockings, silke garters, little matching latchet buckled high heel shoes, petticoat, drefs, little stole and bonnet. I really Love making dollys!


Click on the picture to make it bigger, and you can appreciate the red top stitching on the back seams of her drefs. I made her bonnet out of a precious c1820 bit of hand embroidered sleeve cuff, with a mull crown.
'Dollye Bonnet' wears several strands of the absolute weensiest 1mm genuine turquoise beads around her neck, and antique brass ear bobs. As with many years of play on the original dollys, poor thing has bumped and chipped off the tip of her nose....I think it adds much character to her winsome portrait.....and her c1840 antique glass eyes

I love her primitive profile, very simple. I made her gown from the most perfect late 18th to early 19th c red toile. There are so many wonderfully reproduced cotton prints at the quilt markets, that do give a correct period impression, but there is just no substitute for the charm and aura a thing of age acquires over its years

I am working on another primitive Queen Anne dolly especially for my ETSY store, so if you like Dollye Bonnet, I think you will really like 'Pet Nelly', and hope you'll check back to meet her soon!

In the means, I wish you all a Very. Merry. Christmas!

A Nice Fit
Need I even say that I really do love making dollys? There is nothing I like, or can appreciate more than a well fit! Ladye Jane quietly said that she would 'prefer a new set of stays to match my pet en l'air, as Suzy Bellingham is having one made up in Rochester, and it would just be very nice to have the latest' .......how could I say no? I patterned the hand stitching on the front from a beautiful mid 18th c corset. I was going to cover the seams with a teensy lace trim, but I like the stitching to show, so I left it plain.
Robings all done, Ladye Jane is ready to receive her afternoon guests~