I have loved dolls, history, and the Victorian Era since I was little and can credit my grandmother for that. As a young girl she gave me a Godey’s Fashion print for August 1870 from my great, great Aunt Flossie. I was captivated by the dresses and became hooked. I just love to research everything and anything about the Victorian Era. I also love to design Victorian dolls. I hope you enjoy my Victorian Dolls, Victorian Traditions,The Victorian Era, and Me blog.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

My Favorite Victorian Lady Doll Design Needs A Name

While I was taking pictures for all 1,496 of the dolls and crafts that I have made I decided to take pictures of my favorite Victorian doll design.

She was made for me to use as the Spring and Summer display that I have on the cabinet in my front hall and is not for sale.

Every season I change the front hall display and she stays there for the two seasons which suits her just fine.

Of course, my sister also loves her and I have to be careful that when she comes to visit during the Spring or Summer that she doesn't steal her. She keeps threatening too.

I told her that she can't have her. But, I half expect to see her hanging out of one of her suitcases.

So, she says, "Fine, then I'll take my namesake." Her namesake is similar to this doll and is the doll I used for my Debra (LW027) pattern. She, however, is in a very fancy faux blue suede and white lace outfit. She's beautiful, too, just not as much of my favorite as this one is.

I keep telling my sister that she can't have her either as she was the doll I used for my Linda Walsh Originals pattern so I have to keep her to support the pattern.

The last time I told my sister "no" to both of these dolls she presented me with a list of 54 of my handmade dolls and crafts that she would take instead. All FREE, of course. Isn't family wonderful! I keep telling her that I'm still reviewing her list. I didn't tell her that I tried to burn it! LOL LOL

I told my sister after I made her namesake that she was the largest Victorian I had made and was a pain in the.....! So, I named her after my younger sister, Debra. Ha! Ha!

However, I did clarify that the pattern was a pain. You, my wonderful sister, are not. Well, let me clarify that. You no longer are. When you wanted to play "Barbie" with my best friend and I you were. Of course, you were only about 4 or 5 then.

In any event, I'm getting off track again. Back to the Victorian doll. Since faceless Victorians are my favorite she, of course, is faceless. I do hope you like her.

She is a 27” Victorian doll wearing an 1853 walking dress. She has a fancy lace and ruffled trim lined navy jacket with double stand-up collar and mid-length gathered and lace decorated sleeves. Her jacket is also decorated along all the edges with lace trim - inside and outside. The outside is flat lace while the inside is gathered lace that hangs down below the bottom hemline. The jacket is waistline length and ties in the front with two sets of ribbons.

Her dress is bi-colored with the upper being white and the bottom being a coordinated blue & white fabric. The dress sleeves are gathered and the sleeve cuff is the same fabric as the lower part of the dress. The lower part of the dress is three tiered with two over skirts. The top over shirt and second over skirt tier are each decorated with gathered lace. Each over skirt tier is gathered at the waistline and the second over skirt tier is also gathered up the front center line and back center line. There is 4Th level of gathered lace around the waistline of the dress. The upper part of the dress is adorned with two small silk floral decorations.

She has a very fancy multiple-tiered gathered lace & floral trimmed lined hat covered with white and peach silk flowers all along the top of the hat. A large band of the lower dress fabric is used to secure the hat to the head and is tied under her neck in a large bow just to the left of her chin.

Her red wool rove hair is tied in a large bun along the backside of her head and semi-covered by her hat.

She also has a lace trimmed slip underneath her dress. One of my sister-in-laws Mother's old peach colored lace scarf is draped around her shoulders as a shawl.

Her arms are wire-shaped and covered and she is wearing lace gloves. She also has a fabric covered head and covered square wood base. Her inner body is supported by a dowel and is covered with fabric and lace. She is stuffed with a ton of old bits of fabric to mimic some of the dolls of old days.

As of this date my favorite Victorian doll still does not have a name so I thought you might all like to help me name her. You could submit a name by leaving a comment on this post and then we could all vote on the names. Sound like fun?

So, what do you think I should call her?