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August/September, 2001:
Those Old Dolls Are Much
Fussier Than Humans
Several columns ago Linda Learn presented a marvelous and humorous, but
true, picture of what the costumer endures to achieve authenticity and to satisfy fidgety,
fussy customers. That was a natural lead in to dressing old dolls which ironically may not
kick and cuss but it is thrice harder for doll dressmakers to please their owners.
| In many respects dressing dolls is no different than
clothing humans so what pertains to dolls in this column can also be beneficial to
costumers. Many doll collectors attempting to dress their own dolls or for others are
not quite sure about style and fabric. Whatever information is learned along the way, it
is still a prerequisite to have good doll references for all types of garments and
accessories and to understand the basic differences of doll types. |
 Economy at its best
-- head molds such as this German A.M. doll were used over a long period of time. Used on
leather bodies c1890s mold number was 370; used on composition bodies cWWI years, mold
number was 390 as is this doll. |
Before you even begin to costume you should know if doll is an original or
repro, its age and size, maker if there are mold marks, type or classification, condition
[repaired, needing repairs], and what is original to or replaced on doll such as body
parts, eyes, wig, shoes, socks and clothes.
Often manufacturers would use the same head mold over a 20- 30-year
period; sometimes the body style or manufacturer’s body stamp will help to give a
more precise date. However, production longevity for such doll heads gives costumers a
leeway of several decades to choose their styles.
There are three classifications of doll garments:
| original – clothes [also wigs, eyes,
shoes, socks, body parts] on doll as made by the manufacturer and sold that way; commercial
– another term for original but these are additional clothes made by manufacturer or
an authorized company for a particular doll, usually tagged [has label]; and contemporary
– clothes made or bought [usually not tagged] for doll in the decade of its
manufacture. Homemade or "replaced clothing" are buzzwords which
can mean anything, usually just that and in most cases not suitable to doll. Do not be
fooled by clothes doll may be wearing as they could be throw-ons of no particular value or
significance. Of vital interest to collectors are tagged clothing which can be valued many
times higher than the doll as any Ginny or Barbie collector will verify |
 Reproduction dolls can be
learning experiences in dressmaking. This repro boy made a good prop to get acquainted
with sewing techniques for early 1900s children’s clothes, accessories and shoes.
Fabric is old chambray, pique and china silk for bow; belt and shoes made from kid leather
gloves. Hat and socks are from 1980 doll stock. |
If your doll is a repro, you have a choice in being more creative in costuming
and will not have to worry about stepping out of bounds. Many patterns for these dolls are
generally simplified versions and/or today’s conception of vintage costume which
allow synthetics and notions substitutes [i.e., snaps for hooks and eyes]. But for
beginner and advanced costumer alike such patterns do serve to provide basic pattern parts
and sizes which eliminates the need to draft. As you become more acquainted with sewing
for old dolls, your taste will begin to dictate authentic patterns or new patterns made to
the exacting standards of the old patterns.
There is little difference in dressing dolls or humans. Both require
patience, exact fitting and use just about the same fabrics. Here are some guidelines to
fabric selection and patterns, pitfalls and a few construction tips to make the job
easier.
In the chart below you will see reference in some cases to no satins. Most
satins on antique dolls were cotton backed. They are not widely available today or may not even
be made anymore. If you have old silk millinery ribbon, it will have a cotton back; this
will give you some idea of the appearance. The doll costume made with new satin simply
doesn’t look the same and can spoil the entire effect. Gauze refers to gauzy
muslin or lawn or a more open-mesh fabric called gauze. I have omitted voile as many
garments said to be made of voile are actually fine muslin or gauze. More on that in a
later section. All fabrics are natural fibers unless stated otherwise.
Doll Types to Accompany Fabric Chart
 Queen Ann type doll of wood,
1720-1789. Original clothes. |
 1870s French fashion type
doll – national doll convention souvenir furnished with pattern. Costumed in Italian
pima; vintage French fringe, velvet trim, hat and umbrella. |
 Late 1860s china head plain
hair do redressed in vintage percale, pique, ball fringe. |
 1880s parian [unglazed china]
semi- fancy hair do; contemporary lawn homemade dress. Red hands and boots are part of
body. |
 All-original later type
French bebé, early 1900s. Costume, fabric and workmanship not so elaborate as those of
1870s-90s. |
 German dolly face, early
1900s. Coat and hat made from 1890s imitation sealskin cape, vintage fur collar, ribbon
and gloves; matching muff has moveable head and limbs, old shoe buttons for eyes. |
 1920s all- original, all-felt
dolls from Germany [l] and Italy. Wigs are mohair floss, used in cheaper dolls. |
 1920s smoking
boudoir doll redressed in authentic costume of dress sateen and matching ribbon from the
1920s. Shoes are original. |
 Composition mama doll, early
1940s redressed in contemporary clothes and shoes. |
 Hard plastic late 1940s-50s;
all –original Mary Hoyer as she came out of the box. |
| Fabric
Selection |
| Type of Doll |
Date |
Pattern Style |
Suitable Fabrics, Scale
to Dolls |
| Any type lady doll –
usually homemade of carved wood. 18th century dolls generally called Queen Ann
dolls. |
to 1800 |
Woman’s or
children’s fashions according to date of doll. Requires complete understanding of
clothing terms and construction; make muslin first. |
Silks, brocades, colorful
floral and striped cottons, gauze, cambric, light cottons, fine linen, challis, light
wools. Most dolls were dressed in scrap fabrics often patched together as fabric was so
expensive and scarce; dress or scraps sometimes glued on. |
| Lady-type doll – cloth
or leather bodies, commonly referred to as French fashion dolls. |
to late 1890s |
Woman’s fashions of the
doll’s decade; usually ornately styled. Pattern required, understanding of clothing
terms and construction; make muslin first before attempting costume. |
Dress silks including
paper-thin for outer garments and mediumweight taffeta for outer and under garments, [no
satins], cotton sheers & semi-sheers; quality gauzes, other fine cotton; challis,
light wools, fine linen; silk velvet; fine laces including val & illusion
netting Batiste, linen, cambric, lawn, taffeta for under garments, broderie anglaise
[eyelet usually as on a border fabric] trim.
Layers of organdy or crinoline used for bustles. |
| China heads, plain hairdo Often
homemade stuffed bodies representing the average housewife; hair plainly styled. |
to early 1900s |
Plain everyday outfits,
Sunday church best appropriate of doll’s decade. |
Percales, dress muslins,
gauzes, flannels, dimity, cambric, lawn, lightweight wool, tweedy homespun effects;
feedsack. Ordinary cotton and flannel for undergarments. Eyelet, crochet-type lace trims;
val lace for Sunday best. Bustles seldom used. |
| China and parian heads,
fancy hair – ornately styled hair usually with ornamentation. |
to early 1900s |
Fashions of the doll’s
period; similar to French fashion dolls. |
Same as for French fashion
type dolls. |
| French bebés or poupeés,
bisque – exquisite child, young girl-type dolls, only for the wealthy; paper weight
eyes. |
1870s-90s |
Fancy clothes imitating
adult fashions. Deceptively simple looking; pattern and understanding of terms required;
muslin first. |
Silks including foulard or
surah, no satins, lightweight brocades, sateen or satinette, silk velvet or fine
velveteen, sheer & semi-sheer cottons, fine linen, cambric, |
| German dolly face, bisque
– so called because of idealized child or young girl’s face; most widely
collected and available. Some rival the French dolls but most churned out by the millions
per month. |
1880s-post-WWI; many still
made into the 1930s |
Late Victorian smock to
blousy, low-waisted Edwardian dress; probably the favorite to sew as it is simpler in
construction. Usually after first dress is made and construction is familiar, you can mix
and match pattern pieces or drape. |
Ginghams, dimity, lawn,
pique, sateen, chambray, cambric, fine muslin, gauze challis, fine linen, light or fine
wool; silk to some extent as these dolls were for the average household which
couldn’t afford this luxury fabric. However, some bisque heads still available in the
late 20s-early 30s, such as those sold by Sears, wore sleazy silk or "artificial
silk" [rayon] garments as a sales ploy. Silk fabric or ribbon for those 1930s
oversize 3-part hair bows. |
| All felt, all cloth –
Lenci, Italian felt; and American cloth doll artists |
WWI to 1950s |
Dolls are mostly children or
novelty costuming. Reference book is needed for a pattern guide. |
Lenci – all wool felt Cloth
– all types of cotton, lawn organdy, baby wool flannel. |
Composition, all types
–
torsos usually cloth; wig or molded hair; includes boy dolls |
WWI-early 20s |
Simple dress styles ranging
from infants to children to young girls; patterns can be drafted via illustration although
several patterns should be had for construction instructions. |
Lawn organdy [lawn with a
stiffer finishing], soft-finish organdy, dimity, batiste, cheap silk or silk/cotton blend,
gingham, percale, muslin, cheap gauzy cottons; knit fabric from old sweaters. Val lace and
cheap silk ribbon trims. |
| Composition, mama dolls usually molded hair; includes boy dolls |
1920s-40s |
Simple one piece dress or
romper with bonnet; pattern can be created from illustration although patterns for several
types of bonnet patterns should be bought. |
Dresses -- lawn organdy,
soft-finish organdy, dimity, nainsook, gauze, cheap rayon or cheap silk – Halloween
costume type during Depression years; knit fabric from old sweaters; val lace trim. Romper
suits or dresses – tiny checked percales with brim or banded bonnet most popular;
muslin, gingham, chambray. Rick rack, piping trim. |
| Composition—girl/fashion
teens such as Alexander, Effanbee, Arranbee/R&B, Horsmann, Hoyer, etc. Boudoir dolls |
1920-40s |
Simple and basic lines;
patterns for each decade should be bought to learn techniques. Styles ranged from young
girl to fashion teen around 1940. A great period for formals, fur wraps, skating and other
sports outfits. Comical novelty costumes for boudoirs. |
Percales, muslins, ginghams,
gauze, broadcloth, lawn, dimity; limited silk and taffeta, netting, wool felt; old
sweaters; rayon and acetate, especially taffeta and satin, and blends beginning in the
1930s. Val lace, rick rack, sequins, applique trims. Boudoir dolls – sateen, satin,
rayon, novelty and gaudy. Black lace, val lace trims. |
| Hard plastics, all types
– pre-Barbie |
post-WII to mid-1950s |
Same as composition above.
Teen fashions and glamour clothes very prominent. |
Same fabrics as above with
the introduction of nylon late in the 1940s. |
Making Clothes
Fabric Selection – Familiarize yourself with old fabrics to be used for dolls
just as you would if you were sewing your own clothes Vintage glossaries and catalogs are
of immense value to color, style and fabrics popular during each fashion period. Use only
natural fibers; rayon, acetate and nylon as they appeared on the market.
| Then assess your doll and decide just how authentic you
want to be. A biased opinion is if doll is not a repro, then dress accordingly in every
aspect to its place in time. The patina and expression on old dolls seem to clash with new
styles and modern synthetics. Aside from outer garment fabrics and trim, you will need
to consider fabric and trim for underlining, lining, underclothes, padding, bustles and
crinolines. Fine cotton such as lawn, batiste, nainsook; cambric, fine muslin and percale,
cotton flannel, especially red, and taffeta are ideal for period drawers, petticoats,
chemises; rayon beginning in the 1930s and nylon in the late 1940s. |
 Small bustle of lightweight
crinoline on a mid-1870s wax over wood doll. Bustles began to recede during this period.
Underskirt and over petticoat are yet to be made. |
 Bustle and under garments are
made before outer garment so that skirt and jacket will hang properly. Pinned hem not
straightened at this stage; bustle was reshaped for better appearance. |
|
| Batiste, fine nainsook and a reproduction fine muslin open
mesh are suitable for underlinings. Linings will vary with type of garment but an opaque
lawn or nainsook is workable. Crinoline, lightweight buckram, layers of stiff organdy and
boning are ideal where managed fullness and padding are required. Avoid satin before
1930s, heavy and bulky fabrics in general and fabrics not available in the decade for
which you are dressing. Also avoid voile unless you have the old, fine type or buy
today’s finest English voile. Most stores, especially chains, sell a voile very
different from yesteryear’s. Voile is a very difficult fabric to sew as it is weighty
and hard to manage. |
 Drawers are made first; then
doll put on stand to make fitting and draping easier. Holder is slightly above waistline
and secures drawers. Fabric and lace are from an early 1900s lawn petticoat. German doll
early 1900s-1915. |
 Coordinating slip is long-
waisted to accommodate lines of low, blousy Edwardian style young girl’s dress.
Notice slip has been put over stand holder so it will not interfere with costuming. |
|
Sewing Construction: As with humans, no two
dolls have the same body, even though they may be identical. This holds especially true
for the antique cloth, leather and composition bodies. Most bodies have been repaired or
restored at some time and so they will not be symmetrical.
| This emphasizes the first rule of sewing --- fit, fit, fit
as you go along. And it’s especially important with the complicated French fashion
and bebé styles, indeed any where precise fit is required. Do not overlook making
undergarments first; totally vital when bustle or padding is involved. To get a correct
hang of overskirt and precise fit of the snug tops and jackets, you need to place garment
over bustle or padding. Usually padding and bustles were placed over a petticoat, then
topped by a very thin petticoat or separate skirt lining. If you choose this option,
remember to hold back on making that particular undergarment until padding is in place.
It is wise to make drawers first, then put doll on
stand and continue fitting and sewing from there. This helps you to adjust waist seam so
that stand holder will not be in the way. For cloth dolls and leather bodies, especially
the French fashion type, try to get saddle stands so you can avoid fitting bodices. |
 Replaced cloth body made and
stamped by Emma Clear Hospital on a late 1880s china head. Notice saddle stand which
leaves waistline free for precise fitting. |
 Typical German composition
ball-jointed composition body cWWI. Shape is natural; opposite of French A-shaped
child/girl bodies. |
 One common type of leather
body. Out of proportion shapes like this are best dressed with blousy tops to hide body
lines. |
|
On dress bodices gathered at neckline or waistline
or both, firmly handpress gathers when finished to achieve a flat gathered look.
Don’t iron although you can hold iron over bodice to release steam which makes
handpressing easier. Seams should be french or hand overcast with slant or buttonhole
stitch.
| Pattern Shapes: When you first attempt vintage
sewing, you will be both amazed and confused by certain pattern pieces, especially
sleeves. |
 Two-piece curved sleeve from
an mid-1870s fitted jacket. |
 Asymmetrical sleeve from
girl’s dress cWWI. Gathers will be more to the back. |
|
Vintage sleeves are not the fast-making symmetrical shapes of today;
rather they are two-pieced and curved as in 1850s-80s styles, two-piece gathered as in
mutton leg top and mutton leg to elbow styles of the 1890s-early 1900s, two-piece straight
with asymmetrical top cWWI where undersleeve seam lines up with bodice side seam and
one-piece asymmetrical top with seam to the back of bodice. Where tops are to be gathered,
gathering is more toward the back which is why tops are shaped asymmetrically. In other
words, no matching center of shoulder seam to center of sleeve top.
| Other strange first encounters will be split-crotch drawers
in which each leg is made separately, then joined at top only with a drawstring; the art
of cartridge gathering and learning to stroke plain gathers into place. Placement and
arrangement of darts on fitted jackets will also be tricky in the way they fan out in
multiples from waist toward side seam. Actually fitted jackets of any vintage period are a
challenge due to assembling so many pieces which require trial fittings. |
 1860 drawers. Each leg is
sewn separately, then two fronts are joined. |
Resources If you cannot find the vintage
fabric you need, there are specialty stores which carry fabrics, lace, ribbon and trim
manufactured just like the old to serve both costumers and dolldressers needs.
Fabric sources: The following all stock a tremendous selection of English voile;
Swiss lawn, dimity, dotted swiss, batiste, flannel; Italian and French silks; French lace,
silk ribbon and trim and other accessories. Most cottons are now being made in wider
widths up to 60" so while price per yard may seem steep, you will not need that much.
www.farmhousefabrics.com and www.mini-magic.com
Vintage Fabrics: www.juliennes.com, www.revivalfabrics.com and www.classactfabrics.com
Patterns and supplies: there are many excellent
patternmakers, pattern books and supplies which serve both dolldresser and adult costumer
and are available at stores, doll shows, internet search and Ebay:
Patterns-- look for Lynn Alexander, Eleanor Carter [advanced], Franki [difficult
instructions, not for beginners], Ledgewood Studios, Petite Patterns, Ulseth and Shannon,
Yesteryear’s Patterns. Many are out of print but available; www.addall.com is a comprehensive book search site. Doll
Costumers Guild, a quarterly publication, featuring patterns and articles 1850s-1920. www.dollcostumersguild.com
Pattern Books – Collectors Book of Doll Clothes by
the Colemans has become a collector’s prize in itself and is now pricey but essential
history for any costumer; My Favorite Patterns – 1865-1925, Evelyn Ackerman,
from original doll clothes; Paris Collection, Sylvia MacNeil, from original French
fashion doll costumes; Wish Booklets, Susan Sirkis, covers all eras.
Repair Books – Doll Repair and Restoration, Vol. I and II, Marty Westfall.
The doll repairers’ bible.
Suppliers – Paris Papers, a division of Doll Costumers Guild, carries
patterns, reproduction fine muslin gauze for underlining, books, doll-related and sewing
and other supplies. www.parispapers.com Global
Dolls has a comprehensive line of fine English mohair wigs, fine leather shoes and socks
and other supplies available at www.globaldolls.com
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