Some of my Paperclay dolls

Sophie

Paperclay over cloth, Sophie reflects the 1830's aesthetic in hair and dress. Her dress is an 1830's Reproduction cotton print, and the lace trim is antique, along with her petticoat and drawers. Her dress features the really large gigot sleeves popular in the era. Sophie is named after one of my most favorite people, whose precocious little face will most likely appear on this blog someday.

Paperclay Doll

I am embarrased to admit I forgot her name! That's very naughty of me, I know. What I do know, is she's Paperclay over cloth, styled in the manner of the late 1830's. I was inspired by the papier mache dolls of the time. Her dress is a muted brown sateen in the style of the 1830's, with the shorter waist, tight upper sleeves and billowy lower gigot sleeves, and pleated front bodice treatment. Her dress, as well as the garments of all my dolls, are completely handsewn in the period correct manner. Her skirt is gauged, and there is tiny self-fabric piping in the appropriate seams.

Victoria Regina

Queen Victoria (or Miss Vickie, as I like to call her) is made from Paperclay over cloth, with fore-arms and legs of Paperclay over cloth. I originally tried to make a cloth Godey's Lady doll, but the pattern was quite complicated and the cloth doll just didn't hold up like she should have and was really wonky looking. So I laid over her head with Paperclay and hand sculped it, adding the clay to the arms and feet. As a result, this little gal has limited movement, so her rigidity fits her role as Mother England. I let her fester abandoned in a drawer for a couple of years trying to determine if I should put her out of her misery and leave her out in the alley to become an unwilling mistress of feral cats, rats and opossums. But I really liked her face so she was saved at the 11th hour. I figured I'd put so much work into her, I might as well give her a dress and see if she improved. She did, enough to rate a new adopted home with someone who loves her, so she was worth the effort. I know she looks much prettier than the real Queen Victoria is generally depicted, but that's okay. I tried to place her at her nicest looking decade, the 1830's. She is wearing an 1830 Reproduction fabric, in the style appropriate to the time, with the slightly higher waist, tight upper sleeves and large lower gigot sleeves. Her daycap is antique striped silk organza, and she sports scarlet slippers under her antique fabric and lace petticoats and drawers. She has a 'dickie' of antique silk organza and a 'mantel' of antique lace which is removeable.

Clara

I made this doll for an ebay Rags To Riches Dolls challenge this past Christmas. She is made of cloth with a Paperclay head, arms and legs. She represents the Civil War period and is dressed in a garment typical of children in the early to mid 1860's. Her dress is made from Civil War Reproduction fabric from Rosie's Calico Cupboard in La Mesa, California (what a dreamy place that is!). She wears a period correct bonnet made from vintage Scalamandre velvet, with antique cream soutache trim, with embroidered silk strings (ties). Although you cannot see in this photo, she is wearing a petticoat and bloomers of antique fabric and lace, and striped 'stockings' with deep red Balmoral boots with black 'patent leather' foxing at the heels and toes. She carries her own Nutcracker, when she's in the mood to tote him around. She was lucky enough to find an incredibly good foster home where she is as happy as a clam!