Throwback Thursday Knitting for Barbie Retro Kit

I took this photo at the Heinz History Center in March 2016. The canister is from c.1962. There are a couple of these old canisters at eBay or Etsy.I found this photo in the archives tonight. The kit could make a “fitted coat and a pillbox hat”.

I’ve knit basic tube dresses for my granddaughter’s Barbies, using leftover sock yarn but I’d like to see what the fitted coat looked like.

The dress I knit

Throwback Thursday Shirley Temple Doll from the Fifties

The 1937 movie Heidi starring Shirley Temple inspired this doll. My friend has a vintage doll collection. I photographed her dolls in 2015 and had a jigsaw puzzle created from one of the photos.

Dolls prompt mixed responses.

They creep some people out.

Others collect and display them.

Did you have a special doll?

Shirley Temple Doll in my friend’s glass doored cabinet

In 2010 I photographed granddaughter Maura looking at Aunt Linda’s doll collection

A at

Here’s one of the photos from 2010

Doll Hair Gone Wild

I heard from a friend a couple of weeks ago that her daughter’s doll was having some wild hair and could I possibly knit a doll hat?  Of course. They came to the front porch, masked,  the other morning and brought the dolls so I got to take a before and after photo.  We even had an impromptu knitting lesson with some worsted and those kid needles, where one needle is red and one blue.  I am sure a followup lesson in is our future.

Our favorite hairstylist Lauren suggested a good Dawn Liquid shampoo and a drop of conditioner MIGHT help revive the doll hair.

 

Throwback 2013

Throwback to 2013.

Trying to get that photo in the backyard with the grandkids and a puppy. Photographed by my DIL or her Mom.  I can’t remember. I’m holding the baby doll in the second shot, you can see the hair. Six years sure went by fast!

 

Throwback Thursday – 13 years ago

One of my favorites.  A sweet moment in my driveway, thirteen years ago.

Anna and her brother Michael.

The doll belonged to Laura and is now at her home with their cousin Charlie.

 

He is Still Here

On a different shelf.

I blogged Baby Jake. four years ago (see below)

Looks like he’s on the WWII shelf now.

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—from Blog May 2014—

WHAT I SAW ON MY SON’S BOOKSHELF IN HIS OFFICE

First Communion Weekend in my son Mark’s home office I saw his old Baby Jake from 1976.

I believed little boys should have a doll to love and care for when they were growing up. Preparing for fatherhood.

Now he has his own family of four, but it touched me when I saw his old doll Jake on the bookshelf. Jake has a soft body that has been recovered and filled with fluff, his rubbery arms surgically reattached by me.

You might have seen Mark’s 38th birthday post from Monday.

There is something about a toy or a doll with a face.

One that’s been well loved.

If you want to see a doll well loved, his wife Erika’s childhood doll (now named Baby Doll) adopted by their daughter Anna- really illustrates LOVE!

https://rutheh.com/2009/10/20/baby-doll-born-c-1979-her-sister-trapped-in-someones-closet-all-these-years/

old rubber doll from 1976 with home sewn clothes I made for him

My Sister’s Swedish Bride Doll- 1948

A gift to my sister Mary from some friends and neighbors in Mt Vernon, NY.

She wasn’t played with either, just like the italian doll I posted yesterday.

Her white clothing has yellowed even though she’s been wrapped up and tucked away.

I’m still amazed at how different angles and backgrounds create such a varied look.

You can write the captions.

Swedish Bride Doll

Swedish Bride doll

Swedish Bride DollSwedish Doll

My Sister’s Doll – 1947

Italian Doll

Our Uncle Harold brought this doll to my sister in 1947. Mary was in Kindergarten.  He was in the US Navy.

He brought the doll back from Naples.

She was a souvenir doll, not a play doll.

A couple of days ago, I put her in Mary’s NYC apartment window and photographed her from different angles.

Her straw hat wouldn’t stay on her head and I didn’t want to force it.

As I took her photo, her eyes seemed to follow me and I moved her around to try and get a good pose and shot.

Have you ever noticed how something inanimate can feel it has a life?