Victorian Dolls

This is a recent little project I did for a friend at church: she had a fire in her house some years ago and these lovely Victorian dolls' dresses got soiled by the soot. So a while ago she asked me if there was any chance that I could redress them - she herself is incapable of such work nowadays because she's suffering from Parkinson's Disease (it makes you shake violently). It took me quite a while but I think they came out nicely, and Pat was so happy when I brought them back to her...

Such dolls are actually collectors' items over here: they have porcelain heads and limbs which are often made by one of the famous porcelain manufacturies like Royal Doulton or Wedgewood. These are attached to stuffed fabric bodies, onto which clothing can be sewn. The Victorian dolls in this picture have complete outfits including shifts, petticoats and stockings under their dresses. Most of them are the originals which I could rescue by washing and pressing, but some bits had to be replaced.

Credits: everything from Club Scrap "Ivory Elegance" and "Design" digi kits