Scottish outfits for Sasha Festival Children's Fund auction

Earlier this year I started thinking about what to make as my Children's Fund Auction donation for the forthcoming 2024 Sasha Doll Festival in Milton Keynes. Inspired by our 9 day Scottish roadtrip last August, which Laura and Nicolas James enjoyed, I decided to continue using the yarn I enjoy knitting (which is from the Shetland islands) and combine that with genuine Harris tweed from the outer Hebrides. In our roadtrip I had picked up a bag of tweed oddments plus some small tweed squares at a shop in Oban, none of which were big enough for making a single outfit, let alone a pair of outfits, so I started searching for Hebridean weavers online and found Shawbost Weavers who are based in the Isle of Lewis. I follow them on Facebook, they share progress of their latest weaves then post notifications when they've got the fabric ready in their online shop. 

I knew for a Sasha doll the weave pattern needed to be a small repeat rather than large checks. When they shared a post of their 'Heather' weave in early April (they posted a Scottish landscape of heather photo which had inspired the colours chosen), my colour combination appreciation was triggered and I bought half a metre of the fabric as soon as it was in their online shop (£30 for half a metre, Harris tweed fabric is not cheap in quality or price but is wonderful stuff). Fortunately the fabric, though pure wool, is not too thick for a doll, if the outfit is carefully designed. I knew lining would be necessary for the two main items, so once it arrived I searched through my fabric hoard and found some gorgeous dark purple georgette which was the leftovers from a party dress I had made for Dmd for her 13th birthday when we had attended a friend's wedding.

I used the late Ted Menten's versatile pinafore pattern for the dress (whisper - I dislike setting sleeves, so love Ted's pattern because it has none!) and found a waistcoat pattern which I redrew slightly at the shoulders to accommodate the turn right side out part of the construction, as the tweed was thick enough not turn properly with narrow shoulders (I tried a first attempt and had to cut it out again). However, before I started sewing, I knitted the 3/4 length sleeve top for the girl (Jamieson's of Shetland Spindrift Aubretia), the long sleeved shirt with collar for the boy (Jamieson's of Shetland Spindrift Natural White), the shorts for the boy (Jamieson's of Shetland Spindrift Mist) and both pairs of socks (mainly Jamieson's & Smith 2ply lace Optic White with stripes of Aubretia and Mist). I also corresponded with Lisa Hartley about leather colour for the shoes and decided on a gorgeous dark purple for both the Mary Janes with button and the Lace up shoes), after sending her a photo of the tweed. Thank you Lisa, they are perfect.

Once the outfits were coming together on the dolls, I decided they both needed headgear. The girl has a headband (lined tweed, with black elastic at the back of the neck) and the boy has a Tam O'Shanter (Scottish hat) made using a beret pattern with purple bias binding for a band. I didn't line the boy's hat as it wasn't necessary. He has a heart in the centre of the hat, symbolising friendship which is one of the themes of the festival. The pinafore dress has decorative flower buttons I had bought in a fabric shop near Boston, USA in 2022 after the Syracuse Sasha Festival, they symbolise the heather flowers which inspired the tweed colours - Heather was the name of one of my childhood friends.

The tweed fabric came with some Genuine Harris tweed labels, so I have sewn one inside the pinafore and one inside the waistcoat.

Florence and Reuben got to model the outfits and will do so at the festival but they are not part of the auction donation.

Harris Tweed and Shetland wool ensemble for Gregor and Sasha,
modelled by Reuben and Florence

Tam O'Shanter, waistcoat, shirt and shorts for Gregor

 

Headband, pinafore dress and 3/4 sleeve top for Sasha

Socks and Lisa Hartley lace up shoes for Gregor

Socks and Mary Jane with button fastening shoes for Sasha

Side view of the Tweed and Shetland wool outfit for Gregor

Heart button on the Tam O'Shanter

Back view of the Tweed and Shetland wool outfit for Gregor

Tam O'Shanter at a jaunty angle

Side view of the Tweed and Shetland wool outfit for Sasha showing the headband

Side view of the Tweed and Shetland wool outfit for Sasha showing the socks and shoes

Back view of the Tweed and Shetland wool outfit for Sasha

Back view of the Tweed and Shetland wool outfit for Sasha
showing the buttons and top of the pinafore

Genuine Harris tweed labels inside the pinafore dress and waistcoat

I am pleased with how I managed to achieve my vision of these outfits and hope they help raise funds 'for the children' at the 2024 Sasha Doll Festival.

Scotland roadtrip - part 1

Laura and Nicholas James were going on an adventure. They went on a long drive all the way to Scotland to explore some interesting places.

Crossing the border into Scotland

The first night of their trip after the long car journey was at a small hotel in Dumbarton near Glasgow, where they watched the BBC proms on TV once Laura had her hair done by my daughter who wanted to give her a practical style that would hold up through all the adventures.

Laura has her hair styled by Dmd in the first hotel room

Nicholas James and Laura watch the BBC proms in the hotel room

The next morning the road trip took Laura and Nicholas James to the Charles Rennie Macintosh domestic masterpiece 'Hill House' which is cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.

Hill House was ground breaking in its 'Glasgow School' Art Nouveau architectural style and the materials used when it was built in 1902-1904, however unfortunately the exterior cement-based roughcast has water ingress problems so the house is now sheltered in an enormous breathable steel box - a slightly pitched roof with steel mesh sides which allows the house to slowly dry out over a number of years while the conservators do lots of investigations into the best methods of preserving the integrity of Macintosh's design and the fabric of the building. 

Hill House - the window above the main entrance

Inside the house every room is a delight for those of us who love the work of Charles Rennie Macintosh and his artist wife Margaret Macdonald (whom he described as the genius to his talent). It was designed as both a practical and beautiful home for a large family, and the Blackie family lived in it and loved it for 50 years.

Laura and Nicholas James explored most of the house. The library had a book on a chair which was published by its first owner, Mr Blackie.

Blackie's Children's Annual on a comfortable chair in the library

An elegant cupboard between the shelves in the library, designed by Charles Rennie Macintosh

The library fireplace with the Hill House plans on the mantlepiece

Everything was elegantly proportioned and carefully thought out both for practical use and beautiful design. Laura and Nicholas James admired Margaret's wonderful gesso of the sleeping princess over the fireplace in the drawing room.

Laura and Nicholas James in the Hill House drawing room

The antimacassar's in the drawing room were very unusual fabric art designed by Margaret, the originals are on display in a temperature controlled cabinet upstairs, so these were replicas.  

The antimacassar's in the drawing room  

Close up of one of Margaret's antimacassars on the drawing room chair

Upstairs Laura and Nicholas James discovered the stairs to the school room (sadly not open for visitors).

Laura and Nicholas James on the stairs to the school room with some of Blackie's publications

Underneath the school room stairs was a display featuring some of the Blackie children's toys and books.

Laura and Nicholas James said hello to the Blackie children's aged Teddy bear

Laura and Nicholas James wished they could read some of the Blackie publications

There was a sign painted on the wall outside the kitchen which spoke of the essence of Macintosh's approach to design.

'The practical purpose came first. The pleasing design followed.' Charles Rennie Macintosh's design approach

The kitchen was beautifully proportioned with lots of storage space and space to work, plus it was near the dining room, practical and good for the cook, one cook apparently came for 6 months and stayed for 3 years because she liked it so much.

Charles Rennie Macintosh kitchen in Hill House

A tempting recipe for Scotch Broth in the Hill House kitchen

In the wonderful hallway, there was a table with a tray on it, telling the story of how the children would play in the house and gather in the hall for refreshments.

Hill House hallway and lower stairs, view towards the front door

Tea tray on the hall table

The words on the tea tray say: "For the Blackie children the Hill House was a fun place to live and grow. They loved to follow the lines and squares on the hall carpet, and their games made the most of the clever niches, stair banisters and fireside seats designed by Macintosh. On Sunday afternoons they gathered around the hall table where their mother served afternoon tea." (Hill House, National Trust for Scotland)

Charles Rennie Macintosh chair in a niche on the curved landing of the main stairs

Laura and Nicholas James went out of the house and climbed onto the walkway which went all the way round the house at first floor level and even over the top of the house, giving a view which most people would never have seen unless they helped build or maintain the house. The following photos from the walkway don't include Laura and Nicholas James, who peeped out from their travelling bag - it was a little unnerving for anyone without a head for heights walking over the top of the house especially as the walkway floor was steel mesh so you could see through it to the house roof below.

Hill House roof including the roof of the curved wall stairway 

Hill House tower stairs used by the servants (the children were banned from using those stairs, to give the servants some privacy). This photo of Hill House shows some of the roughcast removed as part of the restoration investigation work.

Hill House exterior wall with roughcast removed

Hill House in its box, showing the stairs to the top walkway which goes over the top of the house

Hill House exterior design is fascinating

Outside the 'box' containing Hill House Laura and Nicholas James explored the garden. By that time they were joined by their new friend, the Heilan Coo (Scots language for Highland Cow, the Scottish Gaelic name is Bò Ghàidhealach) who had been waiting for them in the National Trust for Scotland shop adjoining the house.

Nicholas James, Heilan Coo and Laura outside Hill House in the garden

Nicholas James, Heilan Coo and Laura liked the Japanese themed part of the Hill House garden

Heilan Coo on the lawn in front of Hill House

Heilan Coo and a cheerful dandelion

Hill House was fascinating, Laura and Nicholas James enjoyed exploring it (they took many more photos than shown here). 

After leaving Hill House, Laura, Nicholas James and Heilan Cow continued on the Clyde Sea Lochs trail route, briefly visited Loch Lomond at Tarbet before starting the Argyll Coastal route (which takes in lots of sea lochs) to Inveraray on Loch Fyne where they spent the second night of their trip in a youth hostel and saw red squirrels feeding in the garden when they arrived!

Loch Lomond, near Tarbet

First glimpse of Inveraray on Loch Fyne from the car

Red squirrel at Inveraray Youth Hostel

Laura and Nicholas James had enjoyed their first full day in Scotland and looked forward to the next day's adventures.

My donation for the Children's Fund Auction 2023

This year we cannot attend the Sasha Festival in Portland, Oregon, USA, partly due to the expense of getting there from England and partly because the dates chosen clash with something else already booked before we attended the 2022 Sasha Doll Festival in Syracuse, NY, USA last July.

The 2023 Sasha Doll Festival theme is 'Sasha Rocks'. When the theme was announced at the end of the 2022 festival, I knew what my CFA donation would be.

'I still have faith in you' ABBAtar outfits for Sasha and Gregor

On 2 September 2021, Swedish pop group ABBA released the first two songs of their first new album in 40 years ahead of the full album and the ABBA Voyage show opening in London. I watched the two songs and as soon as I saw the outfits on the ABBAtars (the holograms of the ABBA members) on the 'I still have faith in you' music video, I wanted to make those outfits for Sasha and Gregor dolls, even though they were computer generated outfits and hadn't actually been sewn for the singers.

The music video is at ABBA - I Still Have Faith In You. The outfits on the ABBAtars first appear at 3:44.

I haven't yet been to ABBA Voyage ABBA Voyage Official Website - 2023 ABBA Concert in London, some work colleagues went recently and had a really good time.

The following is a screen clip of the ABBA Voyage website showing the ABBAtars wearing the outfits I wanted to make for Sasha and Gregor.

ABBA Voyage website

Soon after 'I still have faith in you' was released, I searched online for some suitable fabric and bought it, but it was a long time before I was able to start drawing up the patterns, because I was working on the Shakespeare Dream Coat for the 2022 Sasha festival. The theme for the 2023 festival served as the impetus to get started again once I had other projects completed (such as Trudi and Katherine's coats). 

I drew patterns for the tops of both the girls and the boys, these were based initially on a sleeveless bodice pattern for a Sasha dress. I wanted to avoid many seams because of the nature of the fabric (shiny stretch lycra) so didn't want any darts or seams for attaching short sleeves, they needed to be part of the top, to get the flow of fabric to hang better than arm hole sleeves would have allowed, and this proved to be the right decision for the fabric and scale. The boys tops were slightly lengthened versions of the girls tops, which I made first.

The girls have wraparound skirts. My initial designs were based on circular skirts cut on the bias, but this resulted in too much fabric around the bottom of the skirts which looked wrong, so I redrew them straighter to use less fabric. The front of the skirts have a shape to them with a lower point hanging below the imaginary hemline (the skirts and the tops are not hemmed at the bottom as it would have detracted from the hang of the fabric), this was based on watching how the outfits moved on the ABBAtars in the music video.

Agnetha's outfit

Agnetha's outfit

The fabric I had found for Anni-frid's gold outfit was a different type of lycra from the silver and turquoise lycra I had found for the boys and Agnetha's outfits, it is a glittery material which sheds glitter a bit when being sewn and is slightly thinner.

Anni-frid's outfit

Anni-frid's outfit

I made the long boots for the girls from the same silver lycra fabric as the boys tops, based on a larger boot pattern I found online (for 18" dolls) and resized down for 16" Sasha, plus adjusted to make the boots knee length. Only the back seams of the boots were machine stitched, all the other seams were hand stitched.

The boys trousers are the same silvery lycra as their tops, but sewn with the black side out, this worked well.

Bjorn's outfit

Bjorn's outfit

I made the microphones from wooden dowel, with the black side out of the silver lycra fabric glued and sewn on, plus some black and silver glitter netting fabric at the one end, with flat black elastic straps to help the dolls hold their microphones. The dowel and thickness of the fabric means they're quite a tight fit in the doll's hand, with the two dolls I used the grip of Agnetha (Miranda, blond green dress girl) is narrower than Anni-Frid (Laura, red haired white dress girl). 

Benny's outfit

There was quite a lot of hand sewing in these outfits though I used the machine for some seams. 

I commissioned the shiny black pixie boots for the boys from Lisa Hartley.

Shiny black pixie boots by Lisa Hartley

Benny's keyboard was a joint effort by me and my husband - I raided his workshop for possible pieces of timber which he cut to length. A piece of thick dowel, a piece of skirting board and a rectangular offcut from another project formed the basis of the design (the offcut length ended up determining the length of the keyboard which is slightly narrower than the one in the music video). Similarly, due to Gregor not having bendable knees it made sense to have Benny stand at the keyboard, so I made it taller than in the music video. Once all the pieces were cut, I drilled the two holes for the dowel to fit into, one end fits flush with the bottom of the base board, the other fits into the bottom of the keyboard which is made up of the offcut and the skirting board glued together.

Then I set up a cardboard box on a table in the garden for spray painting first the primer then the silver top coat on all three pieces, gradually building up primer on all sides, and sanding down gently with silicone carbide paper once dry (it was quick drying) before the top coat layers were sprayed on (also quick drying). The spray painting was done in one afternoon. 

The keyboard and the words on the front of it were printed on paper then cut out and glued on with tacky glue after the paint had dried.

Benny's outfit side

Benny's top and keyboard

Benny's keyboard

The following photos show Benny's keyboard partly assembled or in pieces.

hole in the bottom of the keyboard for the dowel leg

Keyboard: dowel leg pulled out of the base board

Keyboard: underside of the base board

I bought Bjorn's guitar new. The miniature 1/4 scale black guitar was branded as made by Babyaxe and my husband carefully screwed two tiny round head brass screws into it so a strap could be added. I made the strap from a silver glitter ribbon with elastic loops at either end. Putting the guitar on the doll entails hooking the loop onto the middle of the back of the doll, then putting the strap around the doll's shoulders and under his arm before hooking the other loop onto the bottom of the guitar, with the silver glittery side of the ribbon facing outwards.

Guitar underside with strap fitted

Strap fitting

Strap fitting

Guitar with strap

I had fun setting up the 'I still have faith in you' scene with our dolls Trendon Elliott as Bjorn, Laura as Anni-frid, Miranda as Agnetha and Nicholas James as Benny. 

I hope this donation is popular in the 2023 Sasha Festival Children's Fund Auction and raises some money for the children!

Bjorn, Anni-frid, Agnetha and Benny rocking it for the 2023 Sasha Doll Festival Children's Fund Auction