Field trip and dolls

Sometimes the most exotic and different things are located in your back yard, so to speak. My hubby and I are celebrating the 41st year of the first time we ever laid eyes on each other. So we took a field trip, by that I mean, we continued our on-going journey into "Old Florida". In Bartow, the county seat of Polk County, we found a great museum in the old county courthouse. There was a lot of information there about the Seminoles. These pictures above are from a display of the little dolls the Seminoles made.

Here's a picture of a boy's Seminole dress:

 And below a little settler boy's coat:

Here is a picture of some Florida "crackers" cooking some sugar cane syrup

It was really hot in the 90's when we visited. We saw lots of photos of the first "pioneers" of Florida and I wondered how they managed with no AC, running water, toilets or even good bathing suits.

Long before people lived in Florida, the Bartow museum noted that huge crocodiles did:

But I digress from dolls.  The only other two places I saw about dolls were:

There was some interesting architecture and a beautiful campus at Florida Southern College. Hence, the picture of the  Frank LLoyd Wright dolls. I learned that girls during World War II built the whole library there using a lot of complicated concrete and mostly by hand. The girls were students and were working for their tuition. How about that! This is what was the library then and a pic of the inside of the old "reading room".

  But alas, I never got to visit this cute shop below in Mulberry  because they were closed: I hope I can go back. They are relocating soon somewhere.

Easy Swim or Dance costume Pattern for Hearts 4 Hearts and Les Cheries

New easy-sew pattern for Hearts 4 Hearts Girls and Les Cheries or other 13 -14 inch dolls. Complete instructions even includes hand sewing stitches. Come see it . Click here

Comparing H4H girls and Les Cheries doll measurements

I am having "sew" much fun sewing for the mid-size dolls, Hearts for Hearts Girls and Les Cheries by Corolle. If you can click on the image above you will see the comparative measurements of these two brands of dolls. As many of us know by now, they can share most clothes. Seamstresses, pay attention, though, there are a few crucial differences: the head, arm length and inseam length could make a difference in what you are making. In addition, Les Cheries are flexible so may be able to ease into some shoes or pants with tight foot areas that H4H couldn't manage due to firmer plastic. I hope you find the chart useful.

BeachBabyDoll will have a new pattern for these dolls very soon (hopefully this week). I think you will love it. Check out BeachBabyDoll.com in the Doll Pattern page often for doll patterns.

Here is a little outfit I made. You can see that they share it nicely:

It's nice to have someone to share clothes with.  I used to share clothes with my sister! God blesses us with sisters and friends who are like sisters!

Free pareu style top pattern to fit BFC Ink large dolls

Just Chillin'

 

Free Pattern for a pareu style top from BeachBabyDoll.com

"Just Chillin' and thinking about the start of school! My human Mama made me a pareu top because I liked the one my sister doll Anusia had. It's nice and cool.  You can make your favorite BFC Ink doll a pareu too.  The pattern is free on BeachBabyDoll.com's pattern page!"

Sylvia hopes you like it.  She said to tell you that she added a couple of illustrations and cleaned up a couple of typos in the Hearts 4 Hearts Pareu top pattern. It's easy to download if you need to do it again.

Free Pattern to fit Hearts for Hearts Dolls

Free, Easy Sew Pareu style top to fit 14 inch dolls like Hearts for Hearts Girls and may fit Les Cheries. I got it out just in time for you girls' last project of the summer. Really a fast sew if you use a serger. Have fun! Make a bunch. Find it on BeachBabyDoll's value pattern page. Sylvia

Simple pants pattern and tutorial for Hearts for Hearts Girls

Simple Pants pattern now available for Hearts for Hearts Girls or other 14 inch dolls.  Now you can make a whole outfit with my tee shirt pattern too. See it on this page: http://www.beachbabydoll.com/page2.html
Free doll size BeachBabyDoll shopping bag with every purchase. It comes to you as a pdf file along with your pattern purchase or in a separate e-mail if you purchased the doll clothes. It's a little bag that you print, cut, assemble and put yarn or ribbons on as handles. Sample picture on the above page.