I am delighted with this "gently loved" "Kit Kittredge, American Girl," which I purchased through littlemarymixup on eBay. I was the only bidder on this particular doll – who knows why. The picture showed her as perhaps a little more than "gently loved," the starting price was perhaps a little high, and she had no clothes. I won the bid and promptly had buyer's remorse, but see how well it turned out. Maybe she just had my name on her. As I unwrapped her beautiful face, Mike said, "She's a beautiful doll. Did you know she was beautiful?" And of course, I did know that the American Girl dolls are beautiful, but I didn't know what to expect of this doll.Kit comes to me via Connecticut where she was the favorite of a little girl who grew into other interests. Kit needed a new life, so she has come here to pretend she's Shirley Ann, Girl of the Ridge. She's going to help me explore and illustrate what life was like for a farm girl living on a ridge in central Idaho in the '30s and '40s. Her new persona is an idea that has been gently unfolding to me over the last few years -- buy an A
merican Girl doll, then make a wardrobe and quilts representative of the era. Once I got past the point of wondering if I really ought to make myself grow up, I found a lot of other adults happily playing in this way – perhaps even my childhood best friend.
Doll clothes with their tight corners and quarter-inch seams are not easy to make and are thus a reasonable endeavor in the perfecting of sewing skills. Making doll clothes allows for practice where the outcome isn't crucial. Failure is not daunting because the investment of time and money is not great. You can start all over if you want to. You can make, re-make, and make again. You can give creative expression a whirl and the doll will never complain that she doesn't like it. And it was thrilling to discover that sewists have explored the way before me by using patterns published in the 1930s for the Patsy Ann doll. I'm looking forward to using copies of these patterns which I purchased through the eBay store, Favorite Huggables. I even found a couple of patterns in my mother's collection that might work for Shirley Ann. An
d of course, when Emerson has an American Girl doll, Shirley Ann can model the clothes that I make for her.
I promised myself that Shirley Ann would not appear naked again, but I needed the doll before I could use the retro patterns, which might need a little altering. I made the apron from a contemporary pattern using two retro 1930s fat quarters. The quilt I found amongst some old doll clothes of mine, but I don't remember where it came from.
We're in town now. It's pouring rain -- I mean a "frog strangler," a "gully washer." Lightning and thunder and rain -- Oh my! Nellie is hiding in the kitchen. Mike left on his motorcycle to run errands in town. Hopefully he's in a dry spot right now. In other late-breaking news, brother Chuck and Joanne are in town to attend an OHS class reunion this coming weekend. They're coming here to dinner tomorrow night. Menu: pheasant enchiladas, broccoli salad, and lemon cake. KW
10 comments:
Oh, she's adorable! I've always thought she was one of the best American girl dolls. I can tell she's very happy and looking forward to her new life. You'll have so much fun sewing for her, and I can't wait to see what she'll be modeling soon. The apron is very cute. Which reminds me that somewhere I've seen AG patterns for cobbler aprons reminiscent of the '30's. I'll have to do some searching.
I got the baby quilt quilted, now I'm off to sew on the binding. Then I have nine boxers to start on!! Good thing Dan's out of town--Lean Cuisine and my sewing machine. :-)
That's a very nice doll and apron! That will make for some very fun projects.
Hmmm...why is Aunt Chris sewing nine boxers? Is this some quilting term or is it underwear?
Hallie, I make boxers for my grandsons for their summer jammies. Three pair for each of them. I've got to get crackin'!!
I think the boxer shorts are summer pajama bottoms for her three grandsons -- three pair each.
I washed the doll this afternoon, as you suggested I should, Hallie. The seller said she had been cleaned, but I decided to shampoo her hair and wash her well. What's fun is to see all the YouTube videos of little girls showing how to wash their dolls.
If you run across interesting patterns, let me know, Chris, but don't make a special effort.
How adorable - I love the name "Shirley Ann" this project sounds like great fun!! My grandma made a lot of doll clothes for me, for a couple of plastic dolls she got me at a garage sale. I wonder how they would fit the AG dolls - I think all the "dolly & me" sets they sell are for american girl size dolls. I could do a series on my Grandma, for a "Gloria" girl raised in OK in the 20's & 30's - that would be cool - another project!!!
Welcome Ann! Thanks for dropping by. Are you the same Ann we know from "Modern Retro woman"? I went over and checked your blog. What a charming family you have! Before too many years you'll be looking for dolls for your little girl.
Chris and I were both SAHMs back in the '70s and '80s. My youngest -- and only girl -- was Hallie. One day she came home from school and said, "I will be in school all day next year. You will need to find something to do." That's when I found a part-time job.
Do you still have your dolls and the clothes your grandmother made?
i'm so happy to see kit/shirley ann with new clothes already. Can't wait to show grace! she read your blog when you finally received her! we look forward to seeing more creations! i wish i could post your pic on my blog!
Please say hi to Chuck and Joanne for me. It was really good to see them in Seattle last summer.
I will tell them, Murray. They were here last night, but I'll see them again before they leave the area. They enjoyed the Seattle event as well.
We had a great time and the dinner was delicious. The "toad strangler" was with hail at Harriet's. Pea size, although Bill said marble size in the back yard. He just has small marbles.
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