Just a note to "Anonymous"

 Recently, while off on vacation, some individual 
(or robot spammer according to my husband) 
left a comment "I want to die" written over 
and over about a hundred times.  

I deleted the comment, but felt I needed to
 respond even if it was a robot spammer.  

In case this was a real person I want you to know 
that there are people who care for you. 
Many of those caring people are readers of my blog. 
I and my readers will be holding you up 
in our prayers and thoughts. 

 I can only conjecture what would make someone 
come onto a doll blog and comment something like this, 
but whether this was a cry for help or 
an attempt to gain attention, I want you to know
that there are people who want to help you.
I am praying for you that you will 
find the help you need.

Any more comments of this kind will be 
deleted ASAP, since commenting here is not 
helpful, to you or anyone else.

However, If you truly want to talk with me, 
my email is:
thesavagedollblog@gmail.com

Why the image of the gloves?
As we all know, a glove is made in the image of a hand.
A glove is made for a purpose, but it is just 
an empty vessel without a hand inside it.
In the same way we are made in the image of God. 
We are empty and have no purpose
until we have God inside of us.  
You, my friend, are made in God's image, 
you are precious to Him and He is eagerly 
awaiting your request for His help.

Very sincerely,

Brenda

Thrift Store HAUL!!

 I spent the past week thrifting with my best friend.

We thrifted in California, then came out to Utah and thrifted some more!
I had the BEST doll haul of all time!
In one particular thrift store, someone had been thinning their
collection.  I found boxes and boxes of doll items!

I picked through everything and took all this.

Mostly bloomers, slips and stockings, but

a couple other cute items.

There is a blue pinafore, a Christmas 

hat and scarf, a pink gingham

playsuit and green 8" dress.

Lots of stockings, bloomers and slips.

Six pair of doll shoes and some more stockings.

I know bloomers and slips don't seem very exciting, 

but when you need some they are nice to have.

I also found this baby doll clothes pattern.

The playsuit fits Sally Ann

and the lace slip and collar fit

Charlotte.

There is a beautiful lace apron that fits

my 10.5" dolls.

And this green dress fits my 8" dolls

but not very well.

The blue pinafore doesn't fit anybody, yet.

I'll keep trying.

BUT!

BEST OF ALL...

I found ANOTHER Ruth Gibbs doll!

She is the 12" Mother doll.

She has the painted gold necklace

and her original dress and bonnet.

Here she is next to my 7" Ruth Gibbs.

Such sweet faces.  I will refreshing her original dress.

I also may be making her a new dress

that matches my smaller doll.

 SO!

I am actually leaving in the morning for

a vacation with my DH.

More when I return!

Daisy's Top

As I was continuing to unpack and

organize the Doll Room closet

The New Doll Room

I found the cutest set of 

Palazzo pants! I had forgotten

we even had them, but I had held on 

to them hoping someone 

could use them.

These Palazzo pants fit Daisy.

But, we could not find

a top that suited them.

Daisy, the fashionista, did not approve

of this boring white top.

(Daisy's words, not mine)

I looked for an older hanky that might work.

I found this partial hanky. 

It had all the right colors.

(Hmm, there's a hole right in front)

This hanky is Partial because it was used 

to make this little hanky dress for

My Patsyette, Helena.

I folded the remaining hanky in two

and cut it in half. One half is going

 to be the front of Daisy's new top.

The remaining fabric will become

some sort of sleeve.

Here is a photo of what I have come up with.

As usual, I am making this up as I go along.

I gathered a little in front, then pinned

the remaining fabric as sleeves.

(How can I fix that hole in front?)

This is how I fixed the hole.

I used Fray Check as a glue to

attach a small triangle of hanky fabric 

to the back side of the top. This works 

because of the lightweight fabric 

the hanky is made from.

The finished top is pretty simple.

I think it's kind of cute!

"Daisy let's try in your new top..."

"Now, Where is Daisy?"

"Daisy?"

"Daisy!!"

"OH! There you are..."

"Mommy, why does my tummy stick out?"

"Hmm, I don't know Daisy, 

but it sure is cute.

Let's try on your new top."

"OK!!"

"Oh Mommy!  I like it! But take my 

picture jumping on the bed!!"

"DAISY!!"

"What Mommy?"

"You shouldn't jump on the bed."

"Why?"

"Just because! Besides I need a 

picture of the back of your top."

"Oh Biscuit!"

"How does it look Mommy?"

"Pretty cute!"

"Can we please have just the pants wearers?"

"Aww, mommy Biscuit just wants

 his picture made too."

"Very nice ladies!"

"I'm not a lady momma, I'm just a girl!"

Daisy and Biscuit.

Daisy's Restoration

Ruth Gibbs Doll

A few months back I heard about a

china head doll made by Ruth Gibbs

in the 1940s, during WWII.

They were called, 

"Godey Little Lady Dolls".

But, what was Ruth Gibb's motivation?

Ruth Gibbs had a love of China Head dolls

and collected dolls herself. Ruth 

wished there was a china doll that girls

could play with, without breaking

quite so easily.

(Clara, my repaired 1890 China Head doll)

Antique China head dolls were fragile and

many were broken by their little

girl mommies who then had 

broken hearts themselves.

My grandmother mourned her broken 

china doll as long as she lived. 

I wonder if Ruth had a similar memory?

Grandma's broken doll must have been 

similar to my Clara.

(My grandmother's 1920 China doll, 7" tall)

Ruth must have noticed the smaller China dolls

seemed a bit more durable. Due to their more

compact head and limb size.

(Ruth Gibbs "Little Women")

In the early 1940s, Ruth began designing 

a China Doll that could be played with.

They came in 7" and 12" sizes.

Some of Ruth's little 7" dolls came with a box

that opened up and had a dress pattern.

Notice her little gold painted shoes.

All the Ruth Gibbs dolls have these 

sweet hand painted faces.

OH! This is my Ruth Gibbs, "Lily".

This is Lily as she arrived. The dress 

she is wearing did not truly fit her.

Here is Lily patiently waiting for a dress.

The Ruth Gibbs dolls have wires

inside their bodies for posing.

Lily is looking much happier in her new dress.

But she needs pantalettes!

I found a small pant pattern and 

widened the legs for pantalettes.  

I sewed lace to the leg bottoms, then 

sewed the front seam together.

Then I zig-zag 1/8th inch elastic along the pant top.

Then I close the back seam and finish

by sewing the inseam.

I used a hanky to create Lily's apron.

I decided to try making a bonnet with the 

remaining hanky.  I cut along one whole side

then gathered the fabric.

Next I sewed ribbon along the bonnet, 

gathering as I went.  

The back is sewn together to create 

the bonnet shape. This was a very 

finagling project and I wound up 

hand sewing a LOT of it. 

Here is Lily in her new outfit.

Bonnet back.

And Pantalettes!

Looking very sweet!

If I do say so myself.

AND her little gold shoes!

BONUS!!

I've traced and drawn on my computer 

the original Ruth Gibbs Pattern.

Original Pattern

I have added my pantalette 

pattern as well.

Save both these images in a

Picture Folder on your computer.

Print out full size on 

8 1/2 x 11" paper.

The one inch square is so that you can 

verify the print is the correct size.

I did try out the blouse pattern

to be certain it worked

Pretty simple.  Hem the sleeves.  Press down neckline and 

stitch. Fold with right sides together and sew side seams.

Pinned inside out to Lily

for sizing.

It was slighly large, so I adjusted 

my pattern accordingly.

Here are some more

Ruth Gibb's dolls

for your enjoyment!

12" Ruth Gibb Lady Doll

12" Lady dolls had a gold 

painted necklace.

7" Jo from Little Women.

7" Meg from Little Women.

7" Godey Flower Girls.

Ruth Gibbs with wigs.

(Notice the large felt bonnet)

Keep your dollies safe!