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Dolls & Costume Patterns
Susan Helene Kramer
The photo above is a multiple exposure photo of my dolls taken by my hubby,
Stan Schaap. I liked the effect so am sharing it with
you.
Special Note: Summertime
is perfect for starting your doll making projects for Christmas giving! You'll
find free patterns for many of your favorite dolls on these pages. And, if you
need help learning to hand sew dolls and doll clothing order my How
to Sew Cloth Dolls and Costumes Book - either in paperback or download.
Newest –
Royal
Bridesmaid 18 Inch Doll Dress Pattern – inspired by the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate
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Page 1 - Doll Days Poem & Doll Reviews |
Contents this page
Doll Days Poem
Doll Reviews
Teddies & Friends
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Thank you note I received today 11/24/09 which touched me,
so I decided to share with you: |
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photos
just below - Susan helping kids with their dolls and some of her dolls
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1. Corolle 14 Inch Vanilla Blonde Toddler Doll |
I recommend the Corolle dolls, in general because I enjoy them myself. I
have the 17 inch sister, Helen of the 14 inch Corolle
Vanilla Blonde doll.
Corolle Vanilla Blonde has rooted hair which is
essential if you like to get her hair wet for gentle washing or styling. She
has a softly stuffed body with vinyl limbs and she and her clothes are machine washable. She has blue eyes that open and close.
I should note that she and all Corolle dolls have a
slight vanilla scent imbedded in the vinyl to mask the vinyl smell. Be sure the
person this doll is intended for likes the smell of vanilla.
The photo shows the outfit she comes with - pink and white flowered dress,
white sweater and white mary jane shoes.
I highly recommend her for kids and moms and grandmoms,
too. In my opinion the family of Corolle
dolls are collectibles.
Details - Corrolle Doll Maker, Product ASIN:
B000OKRITC
Click
here to buy the 14 Inch Corolle Vanilla Blonde doll
from Amazon.com
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2. Corolle 14 Inch Vanilla Redhead Doll with Auburn
Hair |
Corolle 14 inch Vanilla Redhead doll with
auburn hair comes as in the photo with a white dress with pink ribbon trim,
denim jacket, white tennis shoes and pigtail
holders.
She has a soft vinyl body and rooted hair that can be washed and styled. She
can be put in the washing machine. Her 14 inch sister Corolle
Vanilla Blonde listed just above on this page. She has brown sleeping eyes -
they shut when she's laid back.
I consider the Corolle dolls collectibles and as such
are more suitable for display by the older child and
by moms and grandmoms, though she can be a nice playdoll because her vinyl body is soft.
She has a soft smell of vanilla imbedded in her vinyl as all Corolle dolls have, so be sure the person she is intended
for likes the smell of vanilla. It does mask the usual vinyl smell.
The photo at right is my Helen with Floppy, our cyberhouse
mascot, always begging for attention.
I highly recommend Corolle 14 inch Vanilla Redhead
doll.
Details - Corrolle Doll Maker, Product
ASIN: B000MVD2XY
Click
here to buy the Corolle 14 Inch Vanilla Redhead doll
from Amazon.com
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3. Gotz 8 Inch Bald Mini Muffin Baby Doll |
Bald Mini Muffin baby doll comes with a cap
and dressed in pink, but dressed differently it can be a boy or girl doll,
suitable for any young child.
This
very small 8 inch Mini Muffin bald baby doll by Gotz
is so dear to my heart. It is the perfect size for your son or daughter as a
first doll, or as a new addition to a family of dolls for an older child. And,
being a Gotz doll it would fit into a collectible
category for moms or grandmoms.
I think one of the best features is that it is machine washable. With young
kids this is so important that toys can be washed squeaky clean.
When my grown daughter was young she had a similar size doll and spent endless
hours holding it by the arm or leg which developed her grip. An
unseen advantage.
The doll face is painted on in great detail and I think this is a quality that
would keep the attention of any child. I like looking at mini muffin, too.
Some of the finer features on the vinyl parts are added dimples behind the toes
and knuckles on the hands, and the natural bend lines at the ankles, above and
below the knees, wrists, elbows and several on the bald head.
The head has been very faintly painted a light brown to represent hair. The
cheeks have just a touch of rosy blush, like a real baby. The fingers are individualized
with indented fingernails on the hands and toes, and creases on the palms of
the hands.
In the photo below I have dressed my Bald Gotz
Mini Muffin like a boy so you can see what is possible.
I also enjoy posing mini muffin which is very easy to do as it sits up easily
with the bean bag body. The doll arms are vinyl from mid upper arm down and mid thigh down.
The neck and head in one piece are vinyl, too. The beanbag body is a tightly woven cotton - no worries about it pulling a part
in any way.
Besides, I have found the Gotz dolls in all sizes are
among the best constructed baby dolls, and I've looked at many. The price of
this doll is very small and an easy way to get a great quality doll that will
endure childhood.
I think you'll enjoy the 8 inch Mini Muffin bald baby doll. It has my highest
recommendation!
Details - by International Playthings; ASIN: B0018ODWDY
Click
here to buy the Bald Gotz 8 Inch Mini Muffin
Baby Doll from Amazon.com
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4. Gotz 13 Inch Muffin Baby Doll |
Muffin has realistic features, which you can see by looking
at her wrists, fingers, ankles and toes. Her torso is cotton and the lower
parted is weighted like a bean bag, to help her sit. She has rooted hair that
can be combed and styled. She's the middle sister in the Gotz
Muffin Doll series, and isn't she adorable! Muffin comes in a precious blouse,
pants, and white bows in her rooted hair.
Like her larger sister, she can sit up and lie down, which I definitely feel is
an advantage with baby dolls.
Children
can have fun spending hours dressing her up and playing with her. A doll like
this is lightweight for younger children to carry around and is made to sturdy
standards.
I like posing her amongst my other 'older' dolls in the Cyber Doll House. And
Floppy stands guard of the smaller dolls, especially.
She has sleep eyes - they close when she lies down, making them even more
realistic.
What little child wouldn't love to put Muffin to bed alongside herself for naps
or nightie-night? I know when I was a youngster I sure enjoyed my doll this
size and spent lots of time in creative play.
In fact, during my naptime as a little girl I used to sit on my bed and spend
that quiet time dressing and undressing my dolls and pretending they were in
little plays.
Dolls are such basic toys that children play with over the long haul without
tiring. I think a doll like Muffin is a good basic doll and certainly worth the
price as she continues to hold up, looking good for a long period of time.
My Muffin is pictured in the photo at right.
Highest recommendation!
Details - by International Playthings; ASIN: B001S7VGGQ
Click
here to buy Gotz 13 Brunette Muffin Baby Doll
at Amazon.com
Boy
baby doll - 12 inch Corolle Calin,
washable. I recommend.
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or choose the Black African American Muffin doll -
Details - ASIN: B0014IMI0W
Click
here to buy Gotz 13 Black African American
Muffin Baby Doll from Amazon.com
|
5. Gotz 16.5 Inch Maxi Muffin Baby Doll |
The photo shows how Maxi Muffin comes when you buy her, with
blonde rooted hair, white and polka-dot dress, and white shoes.
Maxi Muffin is a great doll to play with and keep fresh and clean. She can be
washed in the washing machine. And being washable she can be a bath-time
companion, too. I love to dress and arrange my 16.5 inch Maxi Muffin doll with
her friends in the Cyber Doll House!
I
really like that I can pose her sitting and not just lying down as with some
baby dolls. Her soft stuffed body allows this flexibility.
Did you notice how detailed her body is with natural looking toes and fingers
and even realistic sculpting at her wrists and ankles, with creases in just the
right places.
The photo at right is my Blonde Maxi Muffin with Floppy.
I think you can tell from my glowing praise this is a doll that is worth the
money in creative play your kids can have with Maxi Muffin - making her a real
part of your doll family.
Highest recommendation!
Details - by International Playthings; ASIN: B001S80ZLM
Click
here to buy the 16.5 Inch Maxi Muffin Baby Doll from Amazon.com
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6. 18 Inch Gotz
Jessica Precious Days Doll |
This Gotz 18 inch Precious Days
play doll is named Jessica and is full-bodied like the American Girl Dolls
- though she does have full length vinyl arms and legs.
Jessica has a cloth body that is packed very well to keep her shape and she can
stand independently. She has sleep eyes and long rooted brown hair.
In
case you didn't know, sleep eyes close when you recline your doll back and open
wide when she is upright.
I have another of her 18 inch sisters - Emily - shown in the
photo at right that I enjoy dressing up. And, of course our mascot Floppy is
always near her side.
The
line of Gotz dolls are made
for a lifetime of playing and I believe they are fine collectible dolls. Moms
and grandmoms might enjoy adding Elisabeth to their
collection, also. Highest recommendation!
Details - by International Playthings; ASIN: B001SG1JQE
Click
here to buy the 18 inch Gotz Jessica Doll from
Amazon.com
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7. 15 Inch Kathe
Kruse Toni Doll |
The 15 inch Kathe Kruse Toni Aimee
comes dressed in a pleated skirt, shirt vest, long scarf, mary janes
and socks. I love posing her. She is made of hard vinyl and stands on her
own. She has a kanekalon wig which can be brushed and
styled, and her face is hand painted.
My recommendation is that she be played with by at least a 6 year old child, as
she is more for show and display, rather than for the rough and tumble of a
baby doll. She can be cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth.
I thought it might be helpful to give you her measurements as she is a slim
specialty doll and her clothes are interchangeable with Magic Attic and Sasha
Dolls:
Chest - 8.5 inches (21.25cm)
Waist - 7.75 inches (19.5cm)
Hips - 8.5 inches (21.25cm)
Shoulder to waist - 3.25 inches (8cm)
Waist to below knee - 5.0 inches (12.5cm)
I like having a variety of dolls and this is one for all the moms and grandmoms to enjoy, especially. Besides being a specialty
doll she is a collectible in my opinion.
But, why keep her hidden away when the real enjoyment can be had right now be
keeping her out on display with your other dolls.
The photo at right is my 15 inch Kathe Kruse Toni
doll with Floppy. I designed and hand-sewed her dress.
I sure enjoy designing clothes for, and dressing my fancy dolls, and this one
is my most collectible, so far, in my opinion.
Highest recommendation!
Details - Sold by Moolka; ASIN: B0013N2URE;
Item model number: 37805
Click
here to buy the 15 Inch Kathe Kruse Toni doll from
Amazon.com
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8. Zapf 17 Inch Baby Born Doll |
I loved playing with my baby dolls as a little girl. I
probably got a new one as a present every year. Baby Born doll by Zapf
Creations is a 17 inch medium size baby doll.
This
was so much fun for me as I was the oldest of 3 kids and when my sister arrived
when I was 4 years old I remember playing with my baby doll while mom played
with her new baby!
The
photo at right is my Baby Born Doll with Floppy, of course.
I think you or a little friend will enjoy taking care of her doll from the
wardrobe you can make for it practically for free from you leftover material
from you own dress projects. Maybe you can even make the doll and a little
child matching outfits!
It is a lot of fun dressing and undressing and feeding and cuddling this doll
as she has soft vinyl skin, and movable shoulder and hip sockets. Ordered
from Amazon.com she comes with the items in the photo.
Recommended for girls 3 to 10!
Details - 17 inch Baby Born doll; Zapf Creation; ASIN: B0013HA3NS
Click
here to buy Zapf 17 Inch Baby Born Doll from Amazon.com
The stuffed animals at right live in harmony with their doll friends in the
cyber doll house and at my house. In this photo some of them are sitting with
my 24 inch Raggedy Andy doll.
Also
in the photo is our long-time hound, Floppy who appears in virtually all doll
photos for 2 reasons - to keep the dolls company and to show a comparison of
the doll sizes overall.
Floppy is more than a stuffed dog - he is "real" because when a
neighbor's dog came to visit and bounded into the living room and saw Floppy on
the shelf he started to bark at him - it was really funny, but it did seem to
confirm that Floppy is indeed alive to many of us!
The stuffed teddies and animals below
are those I recommend because they are precious to look at, and very soft with
a luxurious feel. These stuffed animals are by GUND which has been in business
more than 100 years - definitely quality animals for a life time of cuddling.
Also, GUND has devised a technique so kids can't pull out the button eyes on
the stuffed animals. The GUND company is based in
Edison, New Jersey.
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All doll reviews and content on this site are
copyright Susan Kramer
and may not be used in any manner without express written permission.
Email: susan@susankramer.com
Charlotte
Doll Body and Dress Full Size Patterns
Inspired by doll of Laura Ingalls Wilder
E-patterns by Susan Kramer
|
How to Sew
Cloth Dolls and Costumes
plus Traceable Patterns |
Medium Doll
Clothes |
|
Baby
Christening Gown |
Royal
Bridesmaid |
~ please visit again soon! ~
Hunger Site http://www.thehungersite.com
'a click a day gives a free cup of staple food'
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My friend Mieke Blockland,
here in Holland, does beautiful work with machine embroidery. Take a look at
what she can embroider for you: http://www.miekeskreaateljee.nl/
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Dear Readers, to comply with the FTC ruling that went into effect December 1,
2009 I am an affiliate of Amazon.com.
page
updated July 26, 2011
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