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Meet Elizabeth





I was looking through some old photos tonight - and found the photos of the first doll I ever made when I was living back home in Australia. At the time, I was uber GAF and in love with all things Elizabethan. My boyfriend at the time had purchased an awesome book about Elizabethan costuming for me and I was inspired to try my hand at costuming...and figured it would be best on a small scale to start with. So, I made my first doll.

Elizabeth is a jointed cloth doll. I wasn't too sure with how to make one - so I winged the design, and modified it as I sewed and stuffed. The end result of the body wasn't perfect...but, it wasn't terribly shabby at the same time. The hardest part for me was hand sewing the head onto the neck - at that point of time in my life, I quite frankly sucked at hand sewing.

The hair was created using a rust coloured wool that I sewed into strips, and then glued to her head. The back of her hair was pulled back loosly and fastened with ribbon and beads. Her face was drawn using fabric markers and human makeup for the blush on her cheeks. Originally, I wanted to use flesh coloured fabric forthe face...until I remembered that for most of the part - they had stark white faces back then - so white was fine.

The clothing was the most fun though! I used rather expensive designer fabric for both the velvet and the green silk - but, because I only had to purchase small bits of it - it was quite affordable. Under her dress, she is wearing pantaloons, two petticoats, a camesole type top and a mini corset. The outside was fashioned into three pieces...the top - with the centre being embroided and padded, to emulate a corset....the green skirt...and then, the black velvet overskirt. Green ruffled lace was used around the neckline and the sleeves to imitate ruffles. I also made an Elizabethan inspired necklace (cannot really see it in the pictures) and a beaded cross dangly thing that was sewn to the point of the corset. I never did get around to making shoes for her though =[

I wish I had better pictures to show, but, sadly enough - Elizabeth is still back in Australia with my family and her wearabouts are currently unknown. Anyhow I babble way too much. Photos!

Oh! I forgot to mention why I called her Elizabeth. I had made her right before I knew the movie Elizabeth was coming out (yes - that long ago!). At the time, I didn't realize that movie had been made. When I finally saw it - I was struck with the similarity of my doll with the young Queen Elizabeth I in the movie...so, hence her name :]



After finding these photos - I realize just how much I miss making dolls! I think I'm gonna start planing to make a new doll in the near future - a Japanese doll...from the Heian era. That should pose an interesting costume challenge!

Thank you for looking :]