Happy New Year

Happy New Year to each one of my readers. May the year of 2026 bring many blessings, joy and peace to you all. 

Knitting the day away,

Maureen 

 

2025 Doll Album

 

Happy Yuletide

    As I look at 2025 in review. There has been some amazing art and research I have been able to create and compile this year.  The doll you see on the left is my most recently finished creation. There are some other dolls in progress, that are in the chemise shift linen stage but nothing that I have patterned for a gown as of yet. So this is the doll that 2025 is closing out with, a Ebay find that was bought undressed.  While the doll was styled in a more Edwardian hair style was a great option for a more Tudoresque design. Since the Victorians and Edwardians really enjoyed a Tudor Revival in their time. I find some fun in acquiring dolls of this style and giving a more accurate Tudor revival rework in clothing for these dolls.             

      Originally I had a different wreath arrangement, after a few days of contemplation and restyling. I forewent my plan and reworked the headdress. There was a leaf ribbon that is gold leafed from Michael's Arts and Craft. I added some copper highlights to create depth. Opened the wreath wire to make it easier to style. Also put a wreath of pearls to pull those up from the jewelry. Also with the hair being darker brown this allows color to be layered.  Love the periwinkle with orange brocade, this was from Pure silks. I also used a copper colored velvet for the outer gown with some gold lace accents to pull both metals into this ensemble.      

    The doll already had loops for earrings so I was easy to match pearl drops and put those in place. Not all dolls have this feature, but whenever I can find a doll with holes for earrings, I always add pearl drops as the period aesthetic calls for in the 16th century.

    The gold colored necklace and belt were Avon jewelry with a knot like design, that I had in my costume jewelry bin for years. I find myself either shopping smaller dainty pieces for dolls or finding costume pieces that work with the more medieval to renaissance styling for their scale. Many I find second hand stores in my local area. This doll is about 24" tall compared to the smaller size 12" I had done most of the year. The gold lace was purchased from Amazon, they have a bulk feature called Haul that works similar to Temu for some cheaper small items that can be shipped together with free shipping.  I find it interesting that Amazon got on the Temu train with this feature. Although money making is their game. I order trim maybe twice a year but this gives me more variety that I would find locally. Other than Holiday time, I do look at big box retail for trim at Christmas as they get more grand selection that I can use throughout the year for SCA Medieval/ Renaissance uses.  

     The laurel wreaths are charms I also obtained in bulk through Amazon Haul. Surprisingly decent quality for jewelry findings. This feature lets me also find some brass or copper stamping for jewelry that are not always available at local craft stores. This is something I normally purchase online since I began my journey making my own jewelry and dolls.

    I love the profile of this doll, and wishing I could find more quality sculpts like this second hand, really a rare find. While I have done image searches via Etsy and Ebay the AI is not always picking up on the styling just that it's a larger  porcelain doll.  

    There is so much more to be desired with the accuracy of AI. I do not use it for writing my research or my art whatsoever. Art really is an expression of humanity, even if we are replicating human visage though the centuries in figurines that look like us, realistic dolls, lifelike statues and movements of humanity in automations. All of these are made by human hands to display humanity, not to be humanity. The centuries of depictions are only facets that AI could hope to attain. We need to remember we are the artists, the spark that lives encased in our flesh.  There is nothing that can rival our brains power to process than a computer. Humanity's creativity, ingenuity, and invention.

While I may use AI to search things or ask questions, in everyday life. It is not what so ever used in any of my art or research pieces that you find online.  I also do not use it here on Blogger, I type in my imperfect style. Which is very me and that is something that is not going to change here for my readers.

As always I do like to post pictures of the back of the outfit. All the great pleats, seeing how the skirt lays compared to some of my other dolls. See the headdress from behind in this picture as well along with the standing lace.  Always like to have interest from every angle. The lace for the standing ruff is from a vintage dresser scarf, I did have to do some repair on some areas but this is one of the best ways to show it off.

Going back to my original topic, checking my tally for 2025. Created Twenty-Four Renaissance Porcelain dolls in 2025 made this year or styled by me.    

Hoping that your Holiday Season was Warm and Bright,

Maureen

 

Dolly Goodness

 

Enjoying the process of creating dolls that are 1:6 scale so about 11 to 12 inches tall. These particular dolls, I found online in the nude. I dressed them in the appropriate layers that would be found for this style of late medieval clothing. The two in the middle are more of a 1520s to 1530 style Henrician Tudor gowns. Middle left has a Gabled English hood, While the middle right happens to have a French Style hood. The gown on the middle right is fully lined in a fake fur, but it is super plush and close cut so it is appropriate for the scale of this doll. Gowns were lined with fur, especially in the winter to keep warm as fireplaces in each room only provided so much heat.

The gown on the middle left is of a purple silk with hanging sleeves that have a purple cotton velvet. The under skirt and foresleeves are made from a brocaded silk that has a metal accent running through the design. The same fabric is used on the Gabled English headdress, which has a black silk split veil on the back side. And each design has its own custom-made jewelry and either glass, metal, with some pearl accents.

The doll on the far right is created in a 1570s style French gown, made out of a red brocaded cotton edged with velvet ribbon. The underskirt is a moss green silk fabric edged in a gold lace. Each doll has a linen shirt, this particular one has rough on the collar and on the neck cuff. A least edged silk handkerchief makes an appropriate veil for this early Elizabethan style.

The doll on the far left is created in a 1570s English style, created from of a light blue dupioni silk. Edged with metallic gold threads and soutache trim. The under-layer is made from a brocade gold and white silk in a floral pattern, which is also used for the above full sleeves. Those sleeves are edged in a lace, as well as the underskirt edged in the same trim. A lace edged linen shirt completes the delicate ensemble, with The same metallic and soutache trim used for a bun covering in the back of the hair.

There has been some challenges, trying to find dolls that are about the size of a Mattel Barbie, but made out of porcelain that are jointed. I’ve been lucky enough to find a few in my travels as I’ve been collecting other size dolls for redressing. i’ve had to resort to looking at advertisement from closed porcelain doll store. As they would have a better likelihood of the size and variety of doll that I am looking for. I’m doing my best to locate dolls that look like adult women and not like children, which is a task easier said than done.

I do have some good news coming up for my research in 2026. I’m not able to share it at the moment due to future time constraints and making sure that thing actually happens. Although I didn’t want to keep completely silent that great Dolly things are coming in 2026. Just because I have achieved some thing doesn’t mean the work ends.Wanted to share some Dolly goodness on this rainy autumn day.

Soon to be Mistress of Poppets,

Mairin 

Godsmacked

Another award wall has been started at home, the one above my desk is pretty full, except for maybe some smaller scrolls in a 4x6 inch size. Anything larger would end up getting tucked behind the door or up near the ceiling and it wouldn’t be as nicely visible. Fittingly there is wall space above my bookcase.  Which features my most used and treasured research books regarding Tudor and Elizabethan clothing. Along with my resources for all my research on fashion dolls. 

This past weekend, I was honored with the writ for my future inclusion into the Order of the Laurel. This has been a dream goal of mine since I started in the Society for Creative Anachronism back in 2004. Which means I’m going to have to set new goals, which is perfectly fine. There is extra wall space above the picture frame you see in this image so there’s a nice spot for a larger fancier elevation scroll. 

Elevation in the Society for Creative Anachronism as a party celebrating a person’s cumulative  accomplishments. There are people that will normally describe accolades that the person has done over their many years of participation. There is delicious food made for the occasion sometimes snack food sometimes or a minor meal depends on what the honoree wants. Normally food made by friends and or family especially for the occasion. There is a certain amount of required regalia that do notes the persons induction into a particular peerage. Those pieces of regalia are normally made by someone who is close to the honoree. This completely caps off during the elevation ceremony at the end of the day where all the pieces of regalia are dressed upon the new peer. Just before they take their oath of Fealty to their kingdom, peers, and society before all the populace. 

This is definitely daunting for an indecisive person, but on this, I have had some ideas over a long period of time. Had some preparations made for materials and some bling in my sca hope chest. Now it’s the process of setting them into motion.

The next several months are going to be joyfully busy,

THL Mairin O’Cadhla

The future Mistress of Poppets

Women’s Knitted Tudor Cap

This is a project I have been wanting to make for a long time. Until more recently, I was concerned, my knitting skills were not up to par for this kind of work. Although one does not necessarily do something because they already know how to do it sometimes you have to challenge yourself. And while I looked at the directions that are in the Typical Tudor book. I realize those directions were for a very family lace weight yarn, which is not what I happen to have. While it’s single ply, it is definitely a bit thicker and has some variation in the thickness. Just like the example picture I have above this is from 1534 by Hans Holbein the younger. The young lady will cap you see over her linen is what I am trying to re-create. These tend to be made out of wool that is white. Although that does not necessarily mean, they could not have been made in other colors of dyed wool or natural sheep colors like grey or brown.

 

This time around, I’m going to be making them in three different colors; a darker blue, moss green and  goldenrod yellow. As you can see the example image to the right. They were not always in white. Even though this image is pencil drawing we can tell the beret like hat is a darker color. I currently have this type of hat in a different style that was made during the Artisan exchange. In black with red embroidery see picture below. I am hoping after I knit and full these caps, that I can either to embroider, appliqué or both type of designs to make them unique.

Also looking to see about making the linen under caps, decorated shirts, and partlets as well, to better enhance the garb I have and the more I plan on making in the coming months. All good things and feeling motivated to create despite life being busy. 

For this project it could be done on 4 or 5 double ended needles or a set of connected needles. I decided knitting in the round for all three hats made the most sense for me and how I knit. Having a hat made of wool fabric that is not knit still is useful for a size that I know fits my head. For these knitting projects am using a US size 6 round needles and 100% wool Lion Brand yarn, each skein has 299 yards of single ply sport weight wool. I have three sets of needles one for each color so I can get the different ones started. 

Am proud of my consistency it has take years to get my rows to look nice and neat without going nuts on tension. This is a really lovely wool yarn for being a commercially produced, although sustainably done according to the label. 

Which is also very important. According to the label, it says it is a medium weight yarn compared to the lace weight that was used with directions from the book. I obtained two skeins of each color, just in case I decided to attempt other projects with the yarn. Definitely could make a beautiful set of sleeves with this weight and they could be fulled since it’s a single ply.

Update!  here is one of the three hats that is completed. I was having issues reducing so I gathered the center me like the star pucker. This still needs fulled and blocked so some of that may smooth out with that finishing process. The other two women’s knitted flat caps are still on needles and are at the halfway mark or more. Also with the finishing process am wondering what will happen with the shrinking in hot water, this cap is larger than my head so hoping it gathers in to the size you see in the picture off the black one. 

Also working on a Wool and silk blended shawl I like the first miniature picture in this post. That is in a thin white two ply lace weight wool but wanting to see can be done  in the same yarn for these to have matching shawls. Things to consider, yes I know less matchy matchy in the period but it’s my preference. Also as a person would order or make items their preferences would be in their selection so there is that influence of the individual in wardrobe choices. 

Knitting away,

Maureen 

Spinning All The Fiber

When I am not working on dolls or making my own garb or garb for other people. One of my side arts and science’s project is fiber arts. When I originally learned to spin, I started on wool mostly of a Corridale breed of sheep. Which is an Australian breed eventually I learned to spin Marino, which is an Italian breed of sheep. More recently I’ve learned to spin shetland wall because it would’ve been available back in the 16th century and would’ve been a Scottish import.

Breed a sheep or something that happened after the timeframe I like to depict. Sheep are particularly bread for the kind of wool staple length of their fleece. They have to be shorn in the spring every year because the fleece does not fall out on its own due to the breeding. It’s the summertime now and even on Facebook marketplace I am seeing people who don’t sell their wool, trying to sell the fleeces unwashed to those who might actually use the wool.  While I have purchased dirty fleeces to wash and then spin, it is very labor intensive. Some people also spin in the grease as it’s called and then wash the wool after it’s created into yarn. I’m still trying to figure out which version would’ve been more accurate to the 16th century. I very carefully store mine in a dry temperature control basement and if it is dirty wool, I put it in plastic to at least keep it from making other surfaces greasy.

After I had truly gotten comfortable with spinning wool. I want to try other fibers to see how they behaved. Next moving onto flax as that was one of the more common fibers in the 16th century. This was normally used as your base layer of clothing against your skin. Regardless of social economic status, you were wrapped in linen when you were a baby and wrapped in a line shroud when you were dead. So this clothing made from plants was ubiquitous in the human experience.  I also found out that there is other plants besides flax that can be used to make linen fabric. Nettle or known as stinging nettle, bast fibers of the stem are harvested set to dry and then soaked to allow the outer shell to rot and the fibers to be released. Allowed to dry again and then manually beaten to slough off the outer shell of the stem. Bast fibers are the material that soaks up moisture, and brings it to the leaves and the top of the plant to allow photosynthesis. Through researching the history of plant fibers, I found out that there are many other plants that can be used to create fabric. Cotton, of course is the material around the seed pod. Jute, hemp, rayon known as cellulose,  are all bast fibers some are more processed than others to create the necessary fibers for spinning into yarn. There are plenty other plant fibers that can be used to create fabric and be spun into yarn. It was a very interesting to research from horticultural background, to find the various plants species that can be used for creating fiber for clothing production. Wetting the plant material does help release some naturally occurring mucus that the plant uses to hold together that also will hold the yarn fibers together. This was a very interesting discovery while I was working with the various different kind of plant fibers

The most recent type of fiber I have been using is silk. I was finding the process of spinning, this fiber a bit more challenging. As the spindles I had were much larger and heavier, and were not allowing the fibers to pull apart as easily. I was able to learn from a fellow SCA person that I needed a smaller spindle so it’s fun faster to twist the fibers quicker. Which allowed me to draft the silk into the desired thickness and create a continuous unbroken thread. Which is always the goal when spinning to create a continuous unbroken thread the least amount of joins creates a very strong finish product. I’m noticing with silk in particular that I have to be very mindful of the tension when a join is present so it does not fall apart when I am trying to place it on the spindle for the next fibers to be drawn. 

Currently, I am spinning some silk handkerchiefs in multi colors to get the hang of the manual spinning process. So far so good I’m hoping that eventually I can create my own silk threads for sewing and embroidery from my silk spinning. Even if I’m able to weave a little bit for my own use would also be nice as well. It would end up being more narrow work than yardage of wider fabric.

Also something to do while people are at Pennsic war For the next two weekends.

Mairin

No Pennsic

It’s only on rare decades long stints that I attend Pennsic War. Mainly due to my dedication to Tudor clothing that is not friendly to heat and rain. Also more recently, I have medication that makes me more heat sensitive than normal. As a few syndromes of circulation already put me in that group of heat sensitive individuals. While I enjoy my medieval events that are more indoors. Also enjoy camping by itself, I just don’t enjoy them together.

If I end up attending again, I’m definitely going to be getting a hotel. At the end of the day, I can get hot or cold shower and be able to soak my feet in a temperature controlled room with an actual bed. I still have to figure out what hotel I would want to book for an entire week. And also need to figure out what they do about parking for just the day at the campground.  Do have to do some logistical questions to solve.

Traditionally, they’re called Pennsic Pity Parties Where are people that are not attending gather together to hang out during the two weeks of war. I do a few crafting projects while everyone is at Pennsic. So I have some dolls to work on which are the 6” and 9” variety. Currently am working on garb for a friend before this event. Will be nice to get back to some dolls projects before finishing out the last pieces of garb for the same friend. 

Pennsic War begins this weekend. So I kicked off my annual celebration by Re-organizing the sewing items in my bedroom. Which normally means collecting a whole bunch of plastic totes from Walmart. So I can stowe all of my crafting items in a way that keeps them clean and organized. I also found the perfect size tote for the completed smaller dolls, and have those ready when needed. I hate losing things, a personal pet peeve, so being organized helps me better keep track of my belongings.

What do you do during Pennsic if you don’t attend?

Crafty Organization for the win, 

Mairin

Renaissance Replica Fashion Doll Display

 Displayed my accumulative dolls at Aethelmearc Kingdom A&S Faire last weekend. These seven dolls are the selection that are competition worthy for more discerning historical investigation. Many have been in Ice Dragon, A&S Champs and other such SCA Arts and Sciences events over the years. I look back and my first Ice Dragon Doll entry was in 2010, won the Novice Pent two years later. 4 out of the 7 dolls are air dry clay over wooden artist mannequin. Found this method the easiest to make a convincing face that has reasonable proportions as I know from my extensive lifetime background in art. Found the pine wooden mannequins are easier to sculpt fingers without separation which is prone to breaking over the oval hand representations. 

    Once the air dry clay is dry, use gesso which is a 50% glue and paint mixture to seal and smooth the surface for paint. I do about 3 to 5 layers of gesso with sanding in between to build up and smooth the features. Then after the final layer make sure it dry before painting. I work from medium layer color to lighter colors and work the layers of gouache. Which is an opaque watercolor to create definition by using highlight, low light and some makeup techniques. Then use a matte sealer to avoid a shiny finish but this also protect the paint and clay from moisture.

    When I set up my display, out the dolls down flat on the table. Although after working around the table it was sturdy enough later I was able to stand the dolls up without much issue of falling over. Did have one incident where the taller in the middle wanted a hug apparently. She fell over because the binder behind fell and pushed her forward. No damage but will have to keep this in mind for the next time I display these dolls.  The wooden mannequins do have good stands attached to the wooden figure so they don't topple easily, which is another good reason for using them as a base. Was wonderful to line up the dolls with their respective renaissance inspiration portrait.

    I have more mannequins and terracotta air dry clay this time and am curious how that will show up compared to white air dry clay as used with the sculpted dolls. Want to play with all shades of skin, so I may need to find a gesso or make my own that will be same shade as a smooth and layer before painting. This will play differently with the gouache since you are not starting with a white base but rather a bronze brown base.  

    A related to my decades doll research. I have also read up on several different styles of dolls and figurines in related styles and uses. I received a few questions about different kinds of figurines yesterday and wanted to check my notes and give some answers here.

    Took a dive into researching French provincial Crèche and Neapolitan Italian Creche figures about. May also see the term Santons or Santos used for these figurines. These are a larger figurine made of terracotta bust, legs, lower arms with wire for the non ceramic part. The 10 gauge wire is wrapped in rough tow fibers to provide body. These figurines are used to make a medieval like town scene where the nativity is nestled somewhere among the hustle and bustle of the “medieval Bethlehem”. These are very elaborate Christmas displays were normally costly investment that is displayed by large churches. Companies still make these figures but their height of popularity was in the early 20th century one of these companies being Fontanini. They currently tend to use resin and other materials to create their figurines in modern day and still sell nativity sets. Most of the smaller sets tend to be a hard figuring and not able to be posed, the larger more expensive sets have more options. These terra-cotta figurine like dolls are heavy and have not found any that are jointed. Other than artist Mannequins or religious Santos which are also within SCA period. I found a pair of German made artist mannequins from 1530's. These are an elaborate anatomically, correct artist mannequin that has specifically detailed facial features as well as styled hair, hands, and feet that have toenails.

   Wooden Santos dolls are jointed dolls and primarily used for the similar religious displays but tend to be a year round item. A large majority of Santos dolls tend to be made of wood and are jointed. These could depict not just the holy family, but also certain Saints. The figure could be dressed and redressed and wigs could be changed out. The features are made in such a way that there are certain poses and facial expressions that could work for several different Saints or different depictions of Mary. Depending on how the scene is set, the large doll dressed, and what items are put with the figurine would determine which saint you are depicting. Crèche figures, Santos dolls with their religious connotations or items that would have a basis in colonialism. These would have been brought to the New World for the purposes of converting the native peoples. Many of these kind of figurines are still very popular in Spain, Italy and Mexico today. These figures tend to be used in religious parades and devotions during the liturgical year.

    I am pleased with reception of my dolls and was able to also share the citation my research received by another author. Since that happened the year my father and sister passed, had more on my plate to deal with. Although that was the highlight of 2022, nice to be able to share that with folks in the A&S community. Art is truly is life for me and keeps me sane while living in the mundane. 

Feeling Appreciated, 

Mairin