All Dolled Up
From the time I was a small child I loved to make doll clothes: miniature child crafted versions of the beautiful gowns and dresses my mother made for her bridal customers. When our oldest daughter was about five or six, I had found in a Goodwill store a beautiful blond doll in need of a Christmas wardrobe. The intention was to present the doll and complete with new clothes for Christmas. I was in graduate school with no time sandwiched between studies, finals, and a growing family. Year after year, the lovely doll waited patiently to be a little girl's delight. By the time our youngest daughter was old enough to enjoy the doll, I was balancing family with pastoral responsibilities of three churches.
Finally, this year, I was determined to retrieve the doll (from a box not yet u
npacked from our move nearly three years ago) drag up the Singer, dig out some remnants, and resume my doll clothes making: not of our daughter, but for our four year old granddaughter, for Christmas.
I thought the doll to be eighteen inches, and selected the holiday dress and a bolero jacket from the patterns I had collected for just such an occasion. My first clue that I was mistaken was when the jacket sleeves were 3/4 " too long (proportionately on this doll, almost down to her knees!). So I did what any 21st century grandma would do, I looked for the make of the doll (sometimes on the back, but on this doll, on her bottom) and googled her origins. She's the Kimberly Doll made by Tomy around 1970. Originally she was dressed as a cheerleader, or a ice skater. Today, her collectors clothes sell for antiques. She is 17 1/2 " more or less - just enough to swim in 18" Doll clothes.
Half and inch shorter than standard means that you're not going to find shoes for this baby doll in your local WalMart! Another google search found German velveteen sandals and fancy French satin ribboned slippers just under the price of shipping! I could find shoes for myself at WalMart cheaper than for this doll! But, consideri
ng she's in her thirties, she needs trendy shoes. After shoe shopping for Kimberly, I began to reconsider surrendering this antique intended for her mother's childhood to our granddaughter. But Grandma's soft heart won out. The night gown and bathrobe turned out too cute. I Fed Exed Ki
mberly and her starter wardrobe in the family's Christmas package this afternoon.
Merry Christmas Sweet Heart!
(click on pictures to enlarge for details)
Finally, this year, I was determined to retrieve the doll (from a box not yet u
npacked from our move nearly three years ago) drag up the Singer, dig out some remnants, and resume my doll clothes making: not of our daughter, but for our four year old granddaughter, for Christmas.I thought the doll to be eighteen inches, and selected the holiday dress and a bolero jacket from the patterns I had collected for just such an occasion. My first clue that I was mistaken was when the jacket sleeves were 3/4 " too long (proportionately on this doll, almost down to her knees!). So I did what any 21st century grandma would do, I looked for the make of the doll (sometimes on the back, but on this doll, on her bottom) and googled her origins. She's the Kimberly Doll made by Tomy around 1970. Originally she was dressed as a cheerleader, or a ice skater. Today, her collectors clothes sell for antiques. She is 17 1/2 " more or less - just enough to swim in 18" Doll clothes.
Half and inch shorter than standard means that you're not going to find shoes for this baby doll in your local WalMart! Another google search found German velveteen sandals and fancy French satin ribboned slippers just under the price of shipping! I could find shoes for myself at WalMart cheaper than for this doll! But, consideri
ng she's in her thirties, she needs trendy shoes. After shoe shopping for Kimberly, I began to reconsider surrendering this antique intended for her mother's childhood to our granddaughter. But Grandma's soft heart won out. The night gown and bathrobe turned out too cute. I Fed Exed Ki
mberly and her starter wardrobe in the family's Christmas package this afternoon.Merry Christmas Sweet Heart!
(click on pictures to enlarge for details)
posted by The Sermonator | 9:01 PM
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