Tuesday, March 20, 2007

THE OTHER ' EFA' DOLL



Actually, I had made one more Edith Flack Ackley doll. After making the little doll. I was moved to try a larger doll. 12" tall. This one was sewn using the back stitch. Very tedious. Much too slow. But, she came out a little better. She is also stuffed with medical cotton. I wanted a lady doll. A sort of fashion-costume doll. Over time I made her several different outfits. But, after awhile I felt they just didn't suit her. I think maybe I had seen something in a movie I preferred instead of what she had on. I never kept any of them. I think the fabric was recycled on another doll. Her hair changed too. But, not her eyes. For some reason I had given her violet eyes. Elizabeth Taylor, maybe? I can't say.
I think one time she was Lana Turner, then perhaps Dorothy Lamour. Betty Grable? Probably. Ava Gardner. There is a vague memory of a handkerchief Sarong. Her coiffure was blonde, brown, black and orange. But they were all awful. All I had for hair was regular knitting worsted-ugh. too coarse.
So the dress she has now, I made for her sometime when I was in High School. I did give her brown yarn for hair. The black velvet is a scrap of the dress my Mom wore when she and my Dad were married in 1931. It once had a nice striped hip sash. That's long ago. And about the dress?, don't even ask.
The sleeves of the doll's dress are of black rayon tulle. And the gown is trimmed with ice blue sequins. Then she was packed away for years. She lived in the bottom dresser drawer in my bedroom. With the rest of my dolls. They had a very long sleep. Because I wasn't able to retrieve them until 1969. When we finally had our first home. The hair she has now, is of a nice rayon yarn. And dates about that time. I was finally able to make a hair style that had a sort of 1940's look to it.
To make the doll a lady, I designed new legs. I made them for high heels. But, she never got those. They were separate from the body sewed on separately. I sewed silver sandals on her feet, done in silver embroidery thread.

1 comment:

Dannielle said...

She's wonderful! Love the Liz-ish violet eyes!