"Oh, You Beautiful Doll" was the program at yesterday's Zion Woman's Club meeting. Lorna began collecting and recreating antique dolls in the 1990's. She has traveled all over the country to doll competitions (she's won!), sold supplies, and taught classes. She makes the porcelain heads and bodies herself. She brought samples of heads as greenware (rather squishy), bisque (first firing), and porcelain (second firing). She makes all clothes including the shoes (leather sourced from old gloves). Most of the club members have known Lorna for many years but none of us knew the details about her dolls!
Top: reproduction Jumeau (French). The eyes of French and German dolls are different, though the bodies look the same. Left: 1920's half doll--the skirt conceals a container (trinkets, candy). Right: Titanic passenger with her wardrobe trunk.
Lorna showed a couple of doll-supply catalogs. That got me to thinking about the subcultures of art/craft/hobby -- quilt shops, yarn shops, woodworking suppliers, potters, and more. They're going on all around us.
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In the studio: RSC brown/black Ohio Stars is finished.
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Just drop everything else and read this. You will be glad you did.
82-year-old Fred is all alone in the world--his beloved wife died a decade before, leaving him with a mountain of medical debt that he cannot pay off. He’s about to be evicted from his apartment but doesn’t have any idea where he can go. He takes a walk along the river and encounters a group of nursing home residents on a field trip. It turns out that Fred looks remarkably like Bernard, one of the residents -- so much so that the staff insists that he is Bernard and they take him back to the nursing home. After a few days of trying to straighten things out Fred just accepts it and enjoys having the room and board.
Fred is fundamentally kind and decent. He befriends other residents and the staff at the nursing home. He reaches out to Bernard's estranged daughter and reopens a relationship long shut off. But how long can he keep up the ruse? Confession leads to absolution and opens up a new life that none of them could have imagined.
There are so many ways to use fabric textiles, I'm always amazed at the skill others use them for their chosen passions. The book sounds like fun, improbable, but fun.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting to learn about the dolls! Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss. https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2025/10/08/wednesday-wait-loss-453
ReplyDeleteThe doll presentation sounds fascinating! I was amazed when you said that Lorna even makes the porcelain parts herself. Your newest Ohio Star Quilt is a beauty! The book sounds good, too - I have it on hold at the library.
ReplyDeletegreat finish....love the carolina chain blocks....tantalizing book review and i am desperate for feel good so on my list it goes!
ReplyDeleteSuch intriguing dolls. I never knew one could hold a trinket box. Lovely brown Ohio Stars; they are nicely quiet - masculine and attractive, too.
ReplyDeleteI love your Ohio stars quilt! I'll bet that was fun seeing all her dolls, amazing work.
ReplyDeleteI love brown. It looks fabulous in the Ohio stars. Safe travels!
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