This Victorian kick has been a lot of fun. Besides contra dancing, Leon has a high-wheeled bicycle, called a penny-farthing, that we like to take to living history events. Recently we have started adding hand-crank sewing machine demonstrations to our living history endeavors. Some folks may focus on Renaissance period, or Civil War or Colonial or Mountain Man. We are finding ourselves happy with the Gay 90s.I have a black and white gingham prairie outfit that works when Leon wears his cowboy hat and stresses our farm roots. Recently I have finished an 1890s walking skirt and mutton-chop sleeve blouse that suits the penny-farthing better. It was for this I made the Victorian corset. I have patterns for more garb, such as a Gay 90s split bicycle skirt.
Honestly, I don't know if I enjoy doing the stuff as much as I enjoy making the garb!
But all this sewing reminded me of the pincushion my Mom had when I was a girl. It had a china half-doll sitting in a pincushion that formed her skirt. That pincushion fascinated me. (After the doll broke, it was never the same. [sigh]). So... you can find anything on the Internet, can't you?
I found several inexpensive ceramic half-doll bodies on Etsy. I ordered a few and have been making dolls. I have already planned who will get one, but gee! Which will I keep for myself? As it turned out I gave them all away and ordered a fifth half-doll that will be my pincushion. She is a French court doll rather like the pink and blue one with all the lace. Hm... What fabric should I use for her skirt? I wonder. Could a skirt be knitted?
Two of these dolls are technically sewing baskets rather than pincushion dolls because their skirts have extra pockets and loops to hold notions. I made them from a Simplicity pattern that I have had for years. (Simplicity 7105) Sure glad I kept that pattern. It is no longer in print.
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