A large cloth doll with button eyes in antique clothing was being auctioned this week. The body shape and hand shape is almost exactly like the Babyland Rag I'd been bidding on two weeks ago and lost. So I bought this doll with my birthday money. She came with pantaloons, socks, antique shoes antique petticoat and antique dress.
I think this doll is a Babyland Rag that lost her face. The Babyland Rag I saw on Ebay was losing her face - it was peeling off. My theory on this doll pictured is the paint peeled off the "face covering" so someone took it off. On Babyland Rags the faces are a separate slipcover that are whipstitched over the doll form. You can see some stitching marks along the discoloration. Sometimes the Babyland Rags have hair stitched on and bonnets that are permanent. The bonnet I have fits this girl beautifully so I wonder if it is original to her.
My plan with this big girl is to draft a pattern from her. Her 30" size is great because she could wear children's clothes. I have a copy of an antique Babyland Rag catalog that I can use as a guideline in designing a dress pattern for the new doll.
The skirt is attached using cartridge pleating. Cartridge pleating is a way to attach a very full skirt to a waistband and was widely used in antique clothing. This dress is antique and fragile.
3 comments:
Dear Dixie , Your comments on my
blog were .... smart and helpful . and kind . I didn't know you were in this 'club' too. Next time this happens ,I am also going to go OUTSIDE and smell the roses too.
Your post today is interesting .I never heard of cartridge pleating [ I love it ]You know your stuff !
so ...... thank you again.I'm so happy that you visit my blog
Happy Mother's Day
Hi Dixie..I REALLY loved and enjoyed reading about your new Rag doll,Oh wow she is awesome,I LOVE her body struture.. and hope you will create a pattern and hopefully sell it too.Reading about the depth and history of a doll is to me any ways just precious and makes you fall in love with the doll even more!Please keep sharing the knoiwledge..I learned so mcuh from this post its amazing..
she's a beaut, dixie!
love everything about this sweet set.
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