The Grand Magasins of Paris
A remarkable coincidence exists in French history. On each July 14th since 1880, Bastille day has been celebrated. What's not been memorialized is the quiet entrance, on this same day, of a...
Outside the Lines
The posts in this category are just what its label says, i.e., every single thing ever written without categorization. If you want to read straight through from the very beginning, go to the last page and work your way through backwards. The most recent posts are always added at the top of the first page.
The Peace of Quiet
“What on earth do you think about all that time?” My husband is nothing if not astonished by his typically impatient wife, painstakingly sewing row after row of tiny tucks, without the distraction...
Felicity is a Redhead!
I knew the minute I set eyes on this fiery little soul that her hair should be red. I was lucky enough to find her a perfectly sized wig with braids and...
Maddie’s Underthings Part II
There’s something very sneaky about a mother’s words - they ring in your ears forever, even if you plug them up with your fingers and drink a lot of wine to forget....
Maddie’s Underthings
Maddie’s drawers were finished quite some time ago, so I hadn't really looked at them in months. But now that it’s time to make a matching slip, I pulled them out and...
Maddie’s Fancy Stockings Project Part III
Tiny stockings are a joyful thing! It’s surprisingly satisfying to look at them splayed out in a little multi-colored fan. It was slow going at first - about six hours each for...
Stitching Sylvia Mac Neil’s Stockings
Sylvia Mac Neil is known for her charming and detailed construction drawings, and her stockings pattern doesn't disappoint in this respect. However, it often helps to have additional sources of information. Sometimes...
Felicity’s Restoration
Felicity endured a "bath" today, and I've discovered two things I wasn't aware of and confirmed my suspicions about a third. First, the nearly invisible hairline in her neck does travel into...
Maddie’s Fancy Stockings Part II
Who amongst us hasn't drooled over the wondrous collection of stockings made for Chiffonnette by Sylvia Mac Neil? If you haven't seen them, or if you'd like the pattern she provided to...
Even Strong Leather Doll Bodies Break
We all know antique dolls are fragile. We all know that leather can, and will, separate along seam lines. What I learned yesterday is that this can happen even when a seam...