Oct 25

Oct 25 The Cottage at the End of the Lane: Merry Goes Home

dollmaking, custom orders, creative process

The journey Merry and I started earlier this summer is now over. Time to send her home, but not before I tell you all about her making and the fun I had while creating for and with her.

Merry, a natural fiber art doll by Fig and me. Custom order.

As I mentioned in a previous post on Merry, she was made inspired by a beautiful pop-up book. Those sort of books do bring childhood memories, don’t they? With their thick pages, lovely illustrations and the interaction of discovering “what next?”.

The intent behind Merry was very much like the book and the little bits her Mom told me about herself proved indeleble in my mind.

I had to work very hard (but no complaints, just stating facts, I like to work hard) to amalgamate the sensibility of the book with the emotions I already had for this doll.

There was a bit of loneliness, of sadness, behind her. Not the sadness that brings you to a wet pillow, nor the kind of sadness where you sit by a rainy window and feel like weeping all of a sudden.

More like a yellow sadness, that tints your life as you go about it. A longing.

But even through the yellow-tinged emotion I could see the joys of being a child. The things you witness around you and how the adult world seems so complicated to you that you hide in your books. Learning to read is such a blessing, to some of us a lifeline.

I know Merry’s feelings all too well.

I guess that is why I had such a strong connection with Merry. I understood her. I know how she feels.

And is that childhood wonder of Merry, still very close to my skin, that has devoted me to the life of a dollmaker and how I find so much fulfillment in playing with buttons and making dolls for a living.

A life made so enthralling, so rewarding, so fruitful…because I spend time making dolls.

Take Merry’s main outfit, inspired by the book: a long suitable dress, made in cotton voile. With her puffy sleeves and her sweet long cuffs. Gently gathered at the chest and adorned with poppy eyelet lace at the hem.

Then her cotton cabled tights and her sensible black shoes. Girls of this age hate being sensible so obviously we had to add “silky” ribbon ties. Take that Grandma!

She wears a starched petticoat underneath and a sweet straw hat with black ribbon. I almost feel like Mary Poppins is going to come and get her to take her to the park.

Don’t we all dream of being little again and whisked away by magic to lands where our lives aren’t so hard?

We had to make her a second outfit, if only so that her Mom has something to do and dress her more than once!

Seeing how she spoke of clothing in her messages to me, I thought Merry needed a Sunday-best.

All my Sunday-bests were made by my mother and expertly sewn. I come by my craft honestly, though I had to learn alone up here in Canada, I didn’t learn a thing from the glorious experts in my family.

I remember many, many years ago that I wanted to make a pleated skirt for a doll. I read the instructions and swiftly closed the book and changed my mind.

Back then steaming things into submission was not my cup of tea, and anything taking longer than a blink of an eye would be a bothersome endeavour. The time devoted to dollmaking was so short that I had to make things much more simple or risk not finishing anything at all. Ever.

Oh, how life teaches us and blesses us along the way!

Now I cherish all the hand-sewing I do, making things by hand on actual purpose (not so they take longer, but because I enjoy that more than putting them through the machine). The iron is literally my best friend after my husband, and steaming wool can be promptly recognized as a bit of an addiction.

I have problems. We all know that.

I took inspiration for her wool suit from a plaque of children’s clothing of the 40s, early 50s I believe. The mock pocket flaps were just a delight to make.

I did “manufacture” (operative word: stole) a pretend clapper in order to pleat the skirt beautifully. As I said, I am addicted to steaming wool and seeing it transform under my very eyes.

Merry in her innocence and delectableness just agreed with me. Once we were dressing her up she held on to the vintage velvet hat and “bob’s your uncle!” she said with a big fat grin on her face.

The cheek!

Whenever I finish a doll, especially a custom doll like Merry, my heart goes awry. I struggle a lot. Sometimes I cry.

It’s a mix of exhaustion, physically, mentally but also emotionally. Constantly birthing dolls such as these is not recommended by your health practitioner. They not only take umpteen hours…but they rob you of your sanity and they take a piece of your heart.

You end up in some sort of limbo sorry state, not entirely mashed potatoes but close to an actual mess. You have to constantly pick yourself up, look at what you made, love it ten times more than when you were making it and having the time of your life…

…then put it in a box and let it go.

It’s worth it. I love it. Don’t love the mess I make of myself, or how I am constantly battling demons, fabric or personal ones…but I love the challenge, the adventure and the joy of knowing I am making someone’s life that much richer by sending them a doll made with love just for them.

Dear Lyn,
Merry was of course a challenge in more ways that I can properly articulate, and though I know you love her I am the one that feels blessed and incredibly thankful that you chose me, out of hundreds, to make her for you.

May she unlocks the door to let your inner child out, once and for all. She needs reading, pampering and joy. I am sure you will know how to provide them both of that.

As you can see, Merry is already looking south, ready for the challenge ahead. It has been my pleasure!

Yours truly in wool,
Fabs