Cool Doll Books

This is an old Tim Tierney/Dover paper doll collection of 1890's fashions--I thought they would be a nice reference for sewing for my Soom Cuprit, Carissa--she has hoofed feet so she is pretty much limited to skirts, and this style looks good on her since the shoulders balance her big old head. :D

This next book seems like it would be kind of dull, since it's just the older dolls from the 1700's to the early 20th century, which I am not really interested in, but as I started to read the book it dawned on me that the doll clothes were what people really wore (since they were made to look like the owners in many cases) instead of "Sunday Best" and fashion clothes--and the props were what women would have in period--like toothbrushes and tooth powder! Also there were underclothes (things like split drawers) and children's clothes, which are actually sort of hard to find references for in paintings, but which are all over the doll world! Here is the spine:

And look at the huge number of period illustrations:

And photos, and drawings of outfits, too!

 Look a this smug little puss (it me):

And then in the back, in fact the whole back 1/3 of the book...

PATTERNS. All this for 5.00.

And the other book I bought was one Mom has, so I know it's a great reference for all things embroidery:

A classic! And this was a somewhat battered first edition, but the pages were fine.

 Here's a sample of embroidery (not recommended for your first project):

Aside from the basic stitches at the front, there is a ton of historic examples and notes:

I'm so happy to have this classic at home. I did spend a lot of time reading the books, but I also worked on a replacement dress for the poor porcelain doll before she goes back to the thrift store. I finished decorating her hat, and her skirt just needs a back snap and some hem lace. The bodice needs the loops for the front lacing and the undershirt, which is cut out but not sewed up yet. She is actually a music box so there is a winding stem in her back I need to work around. :P It plays, too!

K will recognize the orange lining fabric as "cabbage" from the x-wing pilot outfit she made!