Sasha day with Dawn

To celebrate the completion of the incredible Raffle prize of Charlotte with her clothes and accessories and to thank Dawn for organising the 2012 Sasha doll festival Rosemarie S arranged with Dawn that we'd have a Sasha gathering at Dawn's house on Saturday.  My girl and I didn't manage to get to the afternoon tea which Dawn hosted last year just after the festival, so this was our first trip through the country lanes to her lovely home.

Some of the visiting dolls

Lorraine's dolls with Henry leading the way of course

Henry

A pretty freckled toddler with adorable smocked dress and her bunny

The toddler with her big sisters

Visiting dolls

Habitat (from Homebase) bike, boys and toddlers

Batman and bicycle

Rosemarie compiled a thank you booklet of the 2012 festival for Dawn, with contributions of photos and descriptions from several of us lucky enough to attend last year, this was presented to Dawn during the afternoon.  Lunch was served in a marquee in the garden - although overcast it wasn't raining and was just about warm enough to sit outside on the verandah to eat and talk.  It was lovely to catch up with several people I met at the festival and have been in touch with via blogs and email since.

Both of us had lots of fun admiring all the dolls people had brought and Dawn's extensive collection of dolls and toys.  My girl was amazed and delighted that Dawn allowed her to hold and touch some of her Studio dolls which were wrapped in tissue paper in their own boxes.

Dawn telling us about one of her Studio dolls

My girl carefully holds a Sasha studio doll

A Sasha studio doll

In Dawn's doll room I was delighted to see a Fisher Price family camper, a beloved toy from my childhood (my sister and I shared this toy and played with it extensively in conjunction with the Triang dollshouse and wooden building blocks and lego).

My girl with my childhood toy

The dolls with their prams were brilliant - lots of colour-coordinated girls and prams (with a Caleb and his scooter).

The dolls and prams

One of the prams with baby

Bike, desk, pushchair, pram and soldier

These dolls have the housework and shopping to do

Dolls and prams, including a gorgeous no philtrum doll

Dolls and prams

A Spitfire flypast was an unexpected bonus - there was a country fair just down the hill for which the flypast had been arranged (though we all congratulated Dawn on this coup).  It is always such a thrill to see a Spitfire in flight (equally so the Lancaster which I've seen several times) and I managed to capture a tiny bit of video of the plane (not great quality though).

Sasha enthusiasts in Dawn's garden

In deep conversation in the garden

Spitfire flypast

My girl enjoyed exploring the garden and admired the pond.  Dawn and I had gardening as well as doll conversations (gardening being her other great hobby).

Exploring the garden and pond/lake

There was also a sale, about 3 people had brought dolls and outfits to sell and my girl and I had fun selecting things (including a Dollydoodles hoodie and outfit).  We got 2 hats from Hattie (who didn't come, to give her sisters a turn for an outing).  My girl fell for a mint baby Gotz (Meke) and decided to start saving up for her.

Sale in the marquee

The 2013 Festival raffle prize from the UK is extensive - the dining table couldn't hold all the items, so a sofa was also used for display.  Rosemarie, Dawn and Lorraine will have fun setting up the display at the 2013 festival which they are lucky enough to be attending.

My girl putting gym shoes and a top to the bag she made for the Sasha Raffle prize

Placing the bag on Charlotte's shoulder

Charlotte carries her gym bag

Some of Charlotte's toys, with the smocked dress I made

The gardening collection, including the apron my girl and I made

Just some of the extensive raffle prize, including the smocked dress  I made

A gorgeous outfit in the raffle

Charlotte with some of her clothes and accessories

More of Charlotte's clothes

We had to tear ourselves away eventually with great reluctance.  Thank you Dawn for hosting the day, and Rosemarie for coordinating the amazing raffle prize for the 2013 festival.

Climb the mountain

Nicholas James and Laura was most interested in the news that we made it all the way to the top of the Old Man of Coniston during our holiday and decided to do some exploring of their own.

"Look Nicholas James, I'm sure we can make it up the hill"

"May I have a rest please, its hard going" says Nicholas James

Laura ducks under a large log which is blocking their path

Nicholas James thinks this is a great adventure

Laura starts rock climbing "I'm feeling a bit worn out now" she says

Nicholas James makes his way along the rocky path

"Look Laura, we've only got a little more to climb now, we can do it"

"Hooray, we reached the summit"

"What a great achievement, we got to the top of the Coniston Rock"

Behind our caravan was a super mini hill which was perfect for children to play on.  All week I was quietly contemplating this doll adventure, but the weather wasn't good for a while and it needed to be at a time when there weren't many people about, so early morning was best.  These photos was taken at great speed while I was in the middle of packing up on the morning we left the site, so I haven't got the light balance right (the whites are a bit over exposed in the glorious morning sunshine).

Nicholas James is wearing the sweater which Dawn Law gave as table gifts at the 2012 Sasha Doll Festival, and his Christmas swap walking boots.  Laura is wearing a cardigan I knitted from a pattern in the three Anne's book, a Hattie hat by Dee, her Christmas swap walking boots and a pair of cropped trousers belonging to the bigger Gotz dolls - not a practical colour for outdoor activity, but they were the only pair of trousers we had with us which would fit her.  It was quite chilly in the morning even though the sun was shining brightly, and at the top of the mountain it is always cold and windy, so they needed long sleeved tops to wear for their expedition.

Ruskin Lace

Our caravan holiday last week was to Coniston in the Lake District.  We had 2 days of really awful weather, the other days were better.  On the second day of rain we took the four children (mine and my cousin's children) to the Ruskin Museum in Coniston village because it includes lots of interesting items relating to Donald Campbell's water speed records, Arthur Ransome of Swallows and Amazons fame and John Ruskin the Victorian thinker and teacher.

My little girl was fascinated by the collection of Ruskin lace which they had in special vertical drawers which you pulled out to view (so the lace was in the dark most of the time for preservation).  It was all behind glass, so we couldn't touch it, but we could see the amazing detail.  John Ruskin helped revive the Lake District lace making industry to help local people and the distinctive Ruskin lace is the result.

I was allowed to take photos (they had a photo licence for a £1) so long as no flash was used.  I prefer not to use flash anyway, especially when glass is in the way, however my photos aren't that great.

There were also some model houses made of slate showing the workmanship and illustrating the local industry of slate quarrying, a model of the Steam Yacht Gondola (which is owned by the National Trust and takes passengers on Coniston water every day), and the actual yacht Amazon, which was the boat Mavis which inspired Arthur Ransome to write his famous adventures for children.  We'd seen Amazon before at the (now closed) museum at Bowness on Windermere, and it was lovely to see it again.

The Donald Campbell gallery was a new addition since we had last been in Coniston 4 years ago and was a very poignant tribute to the man who gave his life to speed.  It included a replica of his teddy Mister Whoppit who was with him on Bluebird during the fateful crash in 1967, and several models of Bluebird itself which was raised from the lake and is being restored.

The Ruskin museum is well worth a visit (or two) as there is so much to see and appreciate. So if you ever get to Coniston village be sure to go to the museum.

A little porcelain doll in a knitted lace dress

Ruskin lace and an embroidered smock dress

Amazon (previously called Mavis)

Model of the Steam Yacht Gondola, the real yacht still takes passengers on the lake every day

Model slate house

Mr Whoppit

My girl watches the video on how to do Ruskin lace

Lacy knitting

During the past few weeks I have been occupied with home decorating (two rooms at once) so my hands have been too rough for any knitting or sewing.  Now we are having a well deserved holiday for half term in the caravan and I have brought my knitting.

About 3 months ago I started to make the Lace dress by The Doll Works but had to stop when we took our living and dining rooms apart.  A couple of rainy days in the caravan and 2 additional children sounds like a recipe for no space no peace however this morning they are playing outside despite the drizzle and I have managed another 12 rows of the lace skirt (all the rest of the dress is made though not yet stitched together).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dollmum/8868198144/

Lacy knitting work in progress

Four of the doll family have come with us on the insistence of my younger daughter (to fill the four doll sleeping bags): the Sasha's Laura and Nicholas James, and the Gotz 19.5 inch Matroshka and Peter.  They have brought 2 small boxes of clothes and shoes and yesterday afternoon had a session of changing clothes but are back in their sleeping bags awaiting the next playtime.  In this weather they won't venture outside but hopefully later this week they will do as the little hill behind our caravan provides the perfect spot for adventures

Sewing for Sasha Festival 2013 Raffle

I wish we could attend the 2013 Sasha Doll Festival in the USA, however funds won't allow, so the best we can do to participate is send donations for the Children's Fund Auction, or main Raffle or Helper items.  I was contemplating sewing or knitting something to honour Sasha collector Erica who was my swap partner last Christmas - sadly she died earlier this year.  However just as I was considering ideas, along came an email from another England based Sasha collector telling me about the donation for the one of the main Raffle prizes which the English collectors are putting together to celebrate the wonderful time we had at the 2012 festival, and I was glad to join in.

The message was addressed to both me and my younger daughter, and we both got to vote on the name of the doll who is crossing the Atlantic with her marvellous wardrobe of clothes and accessories.  A list of items to donate was included and we had fun choosing what we wanted to send.

My daughter decided to make the gardening apron and gym bag so I dug out some fabric from my collection for these.

From her birthday pattern book my girl found an apron sized for a Barbie or Sindy doll and I showed her how to scale this up on some paper.  She wanted a pocket in the front of the apron (to hold the seed packets or gardening tools) so she cut out a rectangle for this.  I showed her how to use the iron to double fold the edges so there would be no frayed fabric then helped her with the machine stitching (the curved bits were the trickiest).  Once the pocket was stitched on she found some embroidered transfers in my sewing box and arranged these on the pocket, then ironed them carefully in place.  The finishing touch was stitching on the ribbons - I showed her how to hand stitch these in place and she did a great job.

close up of the gardening apron pocket, with the iron on transfers

hand stitched on ribbon ties, sewn by DollMum's daughter

The gardening apron, made by DollMum and daughter

The gym bag needed to have the doll's name embroidered on it.  My girl was delighted that the most popular name chosen was the one she had picked (my favourite came lower down the list).  I showed her how to use the lost thread cross stitch method - using soluble cross stitch canvas to provide the guide for the stitching, then wetting it and removing the threads with tweasers to leave the cross stitch in place on the base fabric (apparently some soluble canvas literally dissolves on wetting, water dissolves the glue holding the canvas together on the canvas I use).  She decided that the doll had to have ballet shoes on the bag and the Olympic Rings, to celebrate 2012.  Once the embroidery was complete we stitched cord runners in the tops of the bag, stitched the sides of the bag together and had fun working out how to thread the bag correctly for drawstring operation!

my girl trimming threads on the gym bag

trimming threads carefully

the gym bag, made by DollMum and daughter

The Olympic side of the gym bag, made by DollMum and daughter

One very proud young sewer, with the gym bag and apron

Rosemarie S sent me the Liberty fabric for the dress (I wanted to do the smocked dress) and I was pleased to see that it was the same fabric as had featured in the 2012 Sasha Festival programme - Berry F dress (on page 23), however I chose to use a different pattern from the programme (Red B) as I wanted to do puffed sleeves and no collar, and my own design of smocked stitching.  I made a pair of matching knickers from the remaining fabric to go with the dress.  I am pleased with the results and Rosemarie made kind comments in email correspondence.

Miranda models the dress, gym bag and apron for Charlotte

Miranda models the gym bag and dress in our spring garden

Knickers to match the smocked dress, by DollMum

Back view of the smocked dress, by DollMum

close up of the back view of the smocked dress, by DollMum

Miranda models the smocked dress, by DollMum

Miranda looking wistful in the smocked dress

close up of the smocking, by DollMum

I checked with Rosemarie before publishing this - I didn't want to spoil the surprise for those lucky enough to attend the 2013 Sasha festival.  As our contribution is just one small part of this wonderful Raffle prize, this post will just provide a taster of what is coming their way in July and Rosemarie is happy for me to share this on my blog.

Skating or ballet outfit

The other sewing I completed in February was for my daughter's 9th birthday gift.  I am teaching her to sew and knit so for her birthday I assembled a box of her own sewing goodies, including a sewing basket and contents, fabric (lots of fat quarters or half metres), mini mannequin and learn to sew books.  In the box I included some outfits for Laura, her Christmas Sasha.One of these outfits was the new ballet/skating outfit I made based on the ballet leotard pattern in 'Sasha Dolls: Clothing and Patterns'.

The leotard is straightforward - I made it from a white t-shirt overlaid with the filigree gold fabric I'd previously used for the tribute outfits to Torvill and Dean for the larger Gotz dolls.  The shoulders are fastened at the back with mother-of-pearl buttons. The tutu is stitched to the leotard and is made from several layers of tulle, overlaid with tulle with gold flecks in it, and petals of the filigree, topped by a gold ribbon waistband.

I had previously bought the Sasha sized skates for Susie, my Palitoy, however it looks like Laura has claimed them for her own.

All the dolls who have skating outfits came downstairs to watch the 2013 season of 'Dancing on Ice', and much to my family's delight Beth Tweddle, the Olympic gymnast, won the series.

Jakob and Laura in the gold skating outfits

close up of the tutu

Now that the DoI season is over for another year, Laura has changed into one of her other new outfits, a sweater dress and hat from Dee (and Hattie) and a pair of Ruth's dolls Mary Jane shoes.

In response to the previous post it was suggested that the felt baby could be made as a plaything for Sasha children.  Before the baby went to its new home, Laura held it.  I think the baby needs to be a bit smaller to fit the scale for Sasha dolls (the baby is 7 1/2" high).  I plan to experiment with a scaled down version, though might have to simplify the pattern even more.

Laura holds the auction baby

Auction baby

In February my husband's niece ran an online auction via Facebook to raise some cash for the baby loss foundation she founded in memory of her second daughter who was stillborn 5 years ago at 38 weeks.  She discovered on suffering this dreadful loss that stillbirth, miscarriage and young baby death is still a taboo subject in many quarters and that support networks are hard to find, so she wanted to build one locally to help other parents in similar situations.

I volunteered to make something for the auction and she asked me for a rag doll.  After looking through lots of pattern books and at my fabric stash, I settled on a 7 1/2" miniature baby felt doll by Jean Greenhowe.  I made the carrycot as well, which was loosely based on one she had designed for a teddybear.  The baby needed to be unisex, so the new owner could decide whether to add girl or boy clothes.  I made a nappy of white fleece, mint leggings with matching top, a white bib trimmed with lace, a mattress and blanket.

The doll and carrycot got several bids and sold for £7 which was a bit disappointing as I would have liked it to have raised more for the foundation, however there were only 3 bidders and no reserve.  The winning bidder seemed pleased, and the baby in its cot now lives in Pembrokeshire.  However the auction did raise over £300 altogether which was a good total.

Baby lying on the mattress in the carrycot

the nappy, bib, clothes and blanket

the felt baby, its cot, clothes and blanket

felt baby wearing nappy and bib

felt baby with hand embroidered hair

felt baby with hand embroidered face

felt baby in carrycot wearing all its clothes

carrying the cot and baby

carrying the cot and baby