It's probably time for you to meet Miss Helen. She's been hanging out in my wool basket lately. Miss Helen is a soft sculpted doll from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts from the catalog of about 1995. She stole my heart way back then. She has a sweet face, but it was probably the red hair that got me. Five of my children were born with red hair, and three of them remained red-headed.
You will want to know that I did not knit her sweater. It's part of my doll clothes collection in white, much of which happens to fit Miss Helen. I didn't name her either. She is modeled after the portrait of Miss Helen Sears done by the wonderful portrait artist John Singer Sargent.
(It was also a good excuse to show you the progress I've made on my knitted mohair scarf there on the left!)
We are missing Miss Helen's other shoe since the holidays. Holidays can be like that! It will turn up somewhere eventually. I try to keep an eye on Miss Helen and her things when the little girls come to visit. She is very popular, but has too many fragile accessories.
The real Miss Helen lived during the Victorian Age, and her collected handmade wardrobe, like this little cotton slip, reflects that. Don't you love that lovely feather stitch? (She came with only one outfit which was also new.)
I also wanted to show you my most recent hand-knit sweater rescue. Isn't this cable knit gorgeous? I have no idea who Barbara Grant is, but I adore her beautiful work.
I also found this yummy white cotton yarn on a big spool at the craft store while I was looking for (and failing) to find bulky rug yarn in a natural fiber.
Thankfully, that's all the drama that is happening around here!
Hope your week is good!
Jacqueline
Join me at
Jacqueline, I don't have any little girls to visit to play with the sweet dolls that live in a basket in one of our guest rooms. Wish I did. I think they love the company. ;-) Miss Helen is charming. Love the red hair. ~ Sarah
ReplyDeleteOh my, what have those girl dolls been up to when no one is looking?
ReplyDeleteThey are precious, and I love Miss Helen's clothing. Great job on your scarf so far, too!
Jacqueline,
ReplyDeleteI adore your dollies......Miss Helen is a beauty, I have always wanted to make a few fabric dolls, I am not a talented painter, however....so mine would NOT look like here. I did take a class years ago about how to put hair on a fabric doll from a gal who made doll patterns, and it was very fun to go and watch how she did it. She also produced the yarn for the hair, i still even has a few skeins of that yarn because I was hoping to some day use it...I will one day...I love the porcelain doll as well....A dear friend of mine made porcelain dolls for awhile, and I was lucky enough to receive one as a gift from her. She and I made doll dresses for premade porcelain dolls, and also used sets of doll heads, hands and feet to make som 10" dolls and then their clothing. It was such fun...I should make another of those...I still have some of them too!
I love your blog, thanks so much for sharing! I also enjoy knitting now and then!
Hearts to you,
Betsy
Miss Helen,is lovely,I too have 2 out of 3 redheads,and 1 red headed grandson. Lovely colour :)
ReplyDeleteI so love a knitting basket with work in progress sitting waiting by a favourite chair. That fluffy wool is lovely
She is adorable! I think the missing shoe makes her all the more adorable!
ReplyDeleteCarol
Poor dollies! Those grandbabies can take a toll on stuff, but they sure are precious!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore your doll and your sweater is to die for! So many pretties my dear!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
I can understand why Miss Helen is very popular with the little girls - she is simply beautiful. I love her wardrobe!
ReplyDeleteMy son was born with red hair that eventually turned dark. He married a red head and has one red-haired little boy - we love red heads!
Hi J,
ReplyDeleteWell Miss Helen is a charmer and I was shocked at how small she is, I didn't realize it until she was tucked behind the cable knit sweater! I had a beautiful cloth doll my mother made me as a girl, it was one of the keepsakes I kept, but she was ruined by a slow leaking hot water heater, many years ago:-(
Hugs,
Bella
Miss Helen is sweet, I like her sweater. I also like that lovely cable knit cardigan, Barbara Grant is a very good knitter whoever she is.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet. I love the sweaters, they looks so soft and snuggly. Poor Miss Helen, hope her shoe turns up. I guess she had a fun Christmas! Kicking up her heels.
ReplyDeleteKaren
What lucky grand daughters...of course they want to enjoy Ms. Helen, she's a beauty.
ReplyDeleteIt's a darn shame Aunt Lydia's bulky cotton rug yarn is still not being made. I use to make rugs from it and now it only comes in acrylic. Ugh.
Lovely sweater and your scarf is a beauty too.
Your photos are real treasures!
Oh She is a little darling. That face just melts hearts. Love the shoeless foot. Makes here even more charming. Barbara Grant is a very talented knitter.
ReplyDeleteHave a special day, Celestina Marie
I love Miss Helen! Great to meet her!
ReplyDeleteHopefully the missing shoe will turn up soon....
Simply a great and lovely post!
Greetings from the Perigord,
Karin
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline,
ReplyDeleteLovely doll.
I can see how the red hair would melt your heart. Most of my family has red hair...including "Mr. Ed" and our sons!
Love the cable knit of both sweaters!!!
I usually find loss items "under" something...like the bed, the couch, a favorite chair. Hope it turns up soon!!!
Fondly,
Pat
Miss Helen is a beauty and I love her outfit!
ReplyDeleteMiss Helen is a beautiful doll! Lovely photos!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteOh! Miss Helen is adorable, Jacqueline. I love that painting by Mr. Sargent and have stood in thrall before it many times. What a beautiful dress she has, and how lucky the sweater fit her. I agree that Miss Grant's work is enviable... I've never seen such even cables! I hope you find a project for your lovely new yarn.
ReplyDeleteOh my she is beautiful! Not sure if her shoe will turn up or not, though, lol....my grandson lost a knob to a drawer months ago and I have yet to find it. ! :)
ReplyDeleteShe is beautiful. I have a redhead too. I Actually have one of each, blonde, red, and brunette. I will love for the grand children to come someday and play with dolls.
ReplyDeleteSherry
I'm glad you sent us back to this post as I had missed it and your introduction to Miss Helen. What a sweet doll. I love the sweater on her and the other one you found as well. Very pretty!
ReplyDelete