Here at Flutterby Patch we all love reading Mabel Lucie Attwell annuals and my little dolls especially like the pictures of the tiny fairy folk. One of their favourite stories is this one where a little girl catches a fairy in her fishing net. But when she lifts the net the rascally fairy flies away.
My two dolls Tilly and Kate long to catch a fairy but the weather outside today was cold and damp and so Tilly decided she would open the playroom window and she and Kate would take turns to hold the fishing net ready to catch any little fairy that popped in for a look around. They waited.....and waited........
..........then suddenly..........Plop! Something tiny landed on the window sill and Kate was quick to catch the 'something' in her net. Could it possibly be a fairy?
Kate held tightly to the net whilst Tilly closed the window.
Then Kate removed the net and picked up the little 'something'.....
........... and much to her delight it was indeed a tiny fairy.
Measuring just 15cm (6in) he was the sweetest little fellow dressed from head to toe in scarlet and green.
He showed no sign of wanting to escape.
He even danced a little jig, much to the amusement of the two girls.
I think he might have come to stay for a while and the dolls will spoil him of course. If he should get lonely he'll find plenty of companions in our Lucie Attwell Annuals.
A BIG thank you to those of you who left thoughtful comments with my previous post (A skip down Memory Lane). It was good to see Milly Molly Mandy is such a great favourite worldwide. It seems the books never fail to stir happy childhood memories.
Several of you asked about the little dolly I featured. You quite rightly presumed she was inspired by Waldorf dolls. Her head, which is roughly the size of a conker (horse chestnut), is made using the Waldorf method. It was quite a fiddly process working on something so small but I've always loved making miniature items and so persevered. She measures 15cm (6in). Her arms and legs are covered pipe cleaners, her hair is mohair knitting yarn, her dress is Liberty lawn and her cardigan is knitted with 4 ply Shetland wool. The head and features of the little fairy found by Tilly and Kate is also Waldorf inspired.
Before I started blogging three years ago I knew very little about Waldorf dolls and their history and hadn't a clue how one was put together. Creating the head and features is a fascinating procedure and the resulting dollies are just the sweetest little characters. I've seen many of these dolls featured in blogland but the blog that has always been in my favourites list is Little Jenny Wren. Jenny never fails to amaze me with the little people she creates. She never seems to run out of ideas and as a result every doll is different. Jenny's lucky little dollies regularly travel to new homes around the world. Do pop over and take a look.
Meanwhile, if you'd like to know more about making Waldorf dolls you'll find plenty of information online and there are several good books (with patterns) available. Another blogging friend of mine has just completed her first doll and what a pretty little girl she is. You'll find her at Mary Jane's Tearoom.
Time to visit Tilly and Kate and check their new found friend with his mischievous grin isn't wreaking havoc in the playroom.