Alaska!

I just got back from Alaska!

FAIRBANKS

Fairbanks was our first stop.

This is a mural in downtown Fairbanks.

In the Fairbanks Cultural Center I saw

this doll made by Dixie Alexander.

I love the beautiful beadwork in

many of the Alaskan dolls.

This doll was made by Ellen Savage.

These dolls made me think about

finding a doll during our trip!

Beautiful beadwork is a big part

of native dress in Alaska.

I loved this mural in Fairbanks of a sewing woman.

Our next stop was...

Denali National Park

Denali Mountain Range.

We saw wild moose.

We stayed at the Denali Education Center 

in a cabin like this.

The Nenana river ran right outside our window.

While in Denali, we were given a 

demonstration of native dances by 

the Topkop Family dancers.

Pavva Inupiaq Dancers

This style dress is called a "Kusbuk".

I loved her dress and the history 

behind it. In the 1890s, ladies in Alaska were

using flour sack fabrics just like ladies

in the lower 48 states.

The Kusbuk dress is made from cotton,

originally flour sack fabrics,

 but as you can see it has a

definite style of its own.

We also visited "Squid Acres Kennel" while in Denali.

(Nova the 12 year old retired sled dog who now

spends his days getting belly rubs from tourists)

They breed and train dogs for sledding.

These trainers and dogs have run the 

Iditarod over 12 times!

Squid Acres Sled Dog Kennel

The dogs getting ready to do a summer 

training run.

And after they got back. They were all such 

sweet dogs.  We got to give them scratches

and belly rubs.

Our final stop was...

ANCHORAGE

This is Downtown Anchorage.

The average temperature was 68 degrees!

I had this nebulous plan to find a cute Alaska doll

but nothing really caught my eye. 

How cute are these crochet dolls?

Another traditional Kusbuk dress.  

A group of dolls in an Anchorage shop.

Some of these dolls have scary faces.

These two have much nicer faces.

This doll was in the Anchorage Museum.

These two were also in the Anchorage Museum.

My favorite doll is below...

Sadly I saw her after the store closed and 

we were leaving early the next day for home.

I never found a doll!

When I got back home from Alaska, I looked 

for a Kusbuk dress pattern for 18" dolls.

Look what I found from 1997!

I started looking for fabric as soon as

I ordered this pattern.  This is what I found.

I selected 2 fabrics that I felt had a

flour sack fabric look.

Then I selected some fake furs. I was

full of fervor at this moment.  I was planning

on making two complete outfits. I had

never worked with fake fur before...

This is Grace in her Kusbuk dress.

I really like how it turned out, but I

think it may be too long.

Very pretty Grace!

Next came the fur Parka.  How hard

could it be? Same pattern, just with fur.

HA!

I did eventually get it made, but working

with fake fur was difficult.  It tended to slide

around. The top fabric would stretch out

longer than the bottom, but I just

forged ahead.

Here is the Parka.

Grace loves it.  She says it is 

so soft and warm.

I still need to finish adding fasteners, but

for now this will have to do.

Grace is ready for a dog sled team

of her own!

Stay warm Grace!

It Started with Sand Suits!

Isn't she precious?

No, she doesn't belong to me.

She lives on the other side of the world

in New Zealand!

This is Gladys.  

She is a Sylvia Natterer

Gotz doll from 1991

Gladys lives with my friend Anna

in New Zealand. 

Let's hear Anna's story.

Hi Brenda,

This is a project I have been working on

Inspired by you! I wanted to try the sunsuits

Then thought I should go through and make

some of your other tutorials I have been

promising myself I would do. I also

wanted to try and repurpose

some of the doll clothes I had.

A Story For You!

 

I have a little girl in my doll corner who

is very quiet and shy, Her name is Gladys.

She is so sweet but is often overshadowed

By the other dolls, so imagine my surprise

when I heard a little voice whispering

to me one day.  Gladys was asking

for some daisy clothes.

I wasn't planning on another project but I 

hunted out a few daisy print fabrics to

show Gladys. Well, tears welled up in her

eyes and her little chin wobbled and she 

said, "No, Daisy clothes!"

I was confused...

Then she said, "Daisy has a vintage nightie,

a Christmas dress, red shoes and lots, lots more!"

Then it clicked, oh Daisy from the Savage Pea.

I explained that she could not have the

exact same as Daisy but we could try

a couple of things.

Then it ballooned from there!

The first outfit, which was inspired by

Daisy's dress in your post 

Daisy Restore Part 2.

It is a light blue gingham dress I upcycled.

I happened to have some matching trim

so I added it and some motifs.

One of my daughters made the hat

and cardigan for me.  I made the 

shoes using the pattern found in

Christmas is coming soon!

Next is a vintage nightie inspired by

The Night Before Christmas post.

I added the flower, kept the original

ribbon and made some slippers.

Next I wanted to try the Hanky dress tutorial.

Hanky Dress Tutorial

I did not have any hankys I could use,

so I used an embroidered cloth I had.

After that it was a crochet Easter suit.

Easter Egg Jumper

One of my daughters made it for me.

Gladys then wanted a hanky top with

matching pants.

Daisy's Hanky Top

I did not have any suitable hankys

so I made this version instead.

Next I found in my stash of clothes

a little dress and cardigan perfect

for visiting. I attached the

button at the neck.

Gladys wanted a Christmas dress like

Daisy's in the Christmas is coming! post.

I explained Christmas is a long way away

but the tears welled up again, so after

Looking through my stash again I

found a little green dress.

After resizing and decorating it

I made some shoes to go with it.

Next we made Gladys a sandsuit.

Sand Suit Tutorial and Pattern

Neither of us could decide which

colour to use so she got two!

I managed to muck up the button holes

at the front and made them too low.

I added lace across the back too.

After following the tutorials, me

being me, I decided as we were

coming into winter here, that Gladys

needed some winter outfits.

I made a little pair of dungarees and

resized a top that was in my drawer.

Then I decided she needed something

warmer to wear outside. I made

a little felt jacket and hat and

trimmed them to match

the dungarees.

I rummaged through my dolls clothes drawer

again and found a nightie top with a rabbit 

print on it.  I resized it to fit and trimmed it.

I made a little pair of flannel trousers,

trimming the cuffs with the fabric I cut off

the top when I shortened it.

I found a trim in my drawer that matched 

perfectly and edged the top and pants.

There was a teddy button on the top

and I replaced it with a rabbit one.

I also found a dressing gown

with pink and blue trim. I appliqued 

a rabbit on it and sewed on the 

flower motif to match the top.

I also made some bunny slippers.

After all those outfits I thought I was

finally finished, but that little voice

whispered to me again saying she 

needed a Princess dress and a flower

girl dress to dress up in.

I went through my stash again and found

a dress that needed a lot of work.

It had faded in the front and torn 

down the bodice.

We decided on a Princess dress with flowers.

It was also a fraction too tight, so I cut

the front of the dress out and added the

floral fabricand edging it with pink lace.

I decided the cream then looked too stark

so I threded matching colored threads

through the original lace.

I made a belt with beaded flowers on it.

Then a Princess hat.  I thought just the

floral fabric would be too much and

was trying to work out what to do

and realised the faded piece I cut from 

the dress would work with it and 

because it's not right by the dress it

looks fine, I thnk/hope.

(Yes Anna it is lovely!)

Then to surprise Gladys I made a

flower crown and changed the belt

for a bow at the front and it became

the flower girl dress she desired!

Well, I think I can say that Anna created

an AMAZING wardrobe for little

Gladys! Thank you so much

for sharing all your creations 

with us Anna.

Here are Gladys and Daisy, side by side

in some of their matching outfits.

Sand Suit

Hanky Dress

Visiting Dress and Cardigan

Dress with matching Cardigan and Hat

Christmas Dress and Felt Shoes

Thank you again Anna!

Big Hugs!

Brenda

"Hey! Mom!

I don't have a Princess dress...."