I am having fun on this cold winter day looking ahead to the UFDC convention week next summer in nearby San Antonio, when several friends from a distance away have promised to visit my home. I am making a little wall arrangement above the sweet child-size cherry desk that Santa brought this year.
The first collector to show me how great a group of cloth dolls can be displayed this way was Carolyn E, a prominent doll dealer in Pennsylvania. Carolyn had a stunning group of black Lancaster rag dolls. They were on her hall wall and it was breath-takingly good, like most of her collection. In a sitting room by the fireplace two Izannah Walkers also were displayed on the wall in this way.
The little boy is an Ida Gutsell printed doll patented 1893. The large doll which I call a spoon head doll was made by me more than 20 years back. Her head is a three part shoulder head sewn on my usual cloth body pattern. I would like to offer this pattern and a few others this year as pdf's. "Old Spoon" is wearing a dress of true homespun given to her by Barb Carroll and "Spoon" is holding a tiny new doll bought off the web. Cloth dolls have an affinity for other textiles like quilts and samplers. The little sampler with a 1794 date is a recent acquisition. I am indebted to friend Barbara for that one, Barbara has a case space at Parker French in NH. Maybe my very favorite shop in the country! (I have by no means seen them all). e
