Since I am moving house and fixing table later today, I decided that it would be easier to work on a small project whilst waiting. It probably not be ready until Tuesday. I chose to do a quickie.....Or so I thought.These three ladies have been patiently waiting to be clothed for several years. I drag them out and do just a little to them every once in a while.
This morning I decided to get them dressed all in one fell swoop....What is a fell swoop anyway?
The taller lady is the one that is going in the antique radio case. For some reason, I stopped on her after doing all of her padding but one upper arm....Don't ask me why. I don't remember.
The second one had no destiny planned. She had both upper arms unpadded and the third one, for some reason, had the lower half finished to the fancy underskirt. Her upper arms were also bare... I am mystified as to why I did bottom halves and no arms.
As I remember, I was doing them in an assembly line the last time I worked on them. These are the dolls that I had to lengthen the arms on. They were all way too short for real people.
Anyway, this morning I started an assembly line once again. I got all of their arms padded and the two with no clothing received bloomers and long under skirts.
From there, I decided to concentrate on one person at a time.
I picked out the dark haired diminutive girl and started in. She has the least fancy hairstyle and she told me that she wanted work as a maid.
She didn't specify what kind of maid, so I made her a kitchen maid.
I didn't use a pattern, so I won't be drafting one for you to use this time. She is an unusually small lady, so in all probability, her clothes wouldn't fit the standard dollhouse person.
I found some blue and white striped cotton and started to work.
She got an A line skirt and puffed upper sleeves, typical of the 1890s. Most of the costume was hand sewn. When I got to the apron, I went with the glue syringe.
She still needs some buttons and I am going to paint or cover her shoes with leather. Whomever made her used something strange to paint the shoes and they are wearing off. They weren't fired into the porcelain.
As soon as I got her dressed, she started coming to life. She has a little of Tessie in her. She immediately took over and ordered me to cover the other ladies! Then she took it upon herself to do the job.
She grabbed a handkerchief and held it in front of the others....Of course she was not aware of the photos that I previously took of the three of them.
I am not going to tell her about computers and such. She wouldn't believe me anyway, so why try. She is a good old fashioned girl and she will go in a good old fashioned kitchen when I find one for her.
I only have two more to go....No promises. The six year old is getting bored. I am going to put the maid's trim on and then stop for the day.
I still have to get Walter to help me with the townhouse and then I will glue the table back together. That may wait until tomorrow.
When I have the attention span of the six year old running things, I tend to put things off and go find something new to do....Often.
See you tomorrow.
10 comments:
I love the tiny maid. She reminds me of my Aunt Pat who is both very tiny and a miniaturist.
Perhaps Cordelia needs a kitchen maid/companion?
You tell the new little maid she can come work in my new kitchen anytime. What a "doll", no pun intended!! I see the little blond as being Nordic, but then, she's not tall enough, ah well. I know what you mean about starting other projects. If I were to start to finish all mine, it would all be done in about 2015. ((HUGGS))
Your girls look very pretty. :D
I think I'm going to have to take Grandma back to surgery now that I see what you've done here. I used cotton and glue and she is stiff as a board!
Of course I had to go find out what "one fell swoop" means... Thanks, another distraction. LOL
Oh, forgot to say how great the little maid looks! :D
I found a "one fell swoop" blog (!) Shakespear used that phrase in Macbeth Act 4, scene 3, and it is also the title of the 3rd album by punk rock band Spill Canvas!
Enough of that, back to work!
It didn't take you long to whip up that outfit, Casey. It's beautiful! I'm really looking forward to the radio project.
I think she looks kinder then tesse, less selfish?
The apron looks absolutaly wonderful on her! I have an idea; she could be tessies maid/cook person! douse tesse have a kitchen?
Cordelia doesn't really have a full kitchen. She mostly eats out and I wouldn't wish Tessie, as a boss, on anyone!
I found her a place in the Christmas kitchen scene. She seems very happy there.
And Kathi, I still don't know what a fell swoop is.LOL Nice to know where it has been used though.
OK. I went hunting too, Kathi. I found that fell swoop originally meant "The swoop is the rapid descent made by the bird when capturing prey. And in this text, the fell is a savage attack." Maybe I should look up the meaning before using such a phrase...
Your blue and white striped maids outfit is awesome!
Casey, "one fell swoop" simply means "all at once". In my opinion and according to explanations on line here and there, you used it correctly. I often see this expression when using it in that context.
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