Elida & Pheobe
With Hubby in Bangkok, my daughter off with her friends, and a house all to myself it was a weekend made for sofa lounging, a lotta lattes, a Twilight marathon, and stitching up some new primitive dolls.
Dolls are my truest love. Making wee dresses and spending hours over tiny details and historical research really soothes my Yankee soul. Perhaps it was from watching my mother's meticulous winter stitches, keeping warm under layers of quilting in the works, or dressing my own dolls in the clothes mom made by hand; these memories come back as I bring to life the historical women who intrigue me.
Elida is a pioneer child who arrived in Texas from Norway. Born on the journey, her name means "speedy sailing". Though her parents loved arriving in Galveston, they moved inland to avoid certain death by yellow fever. Elida's family made a home in the tiny Norwegian settlement of Norse, Texas.
Pheobe Ann Pease is one tough cookie! She set sail on her husband's whaling ship The Cambria, sailing around the world. She returned to Martha's Vineyard in 1861, so her child would be born on American soil.
The girls participate in the picking of their finery. Vintage linens, lace and embellishments add a true time-worn feel to each doll. Wool yarns are a favorite for hair. It is soft, rich in texture, and easily styled.
Elida was dreamt up from my many ghost hunting trips in and around Cranfill's Gap, Texas, where Norwegian influence dominates and small farming communities remain untouched by modern inconveniences.
Pheobe was a nameless stump doll made a few years ago but remained dormant in the unfinished project bin due to her scowling face. Stumbling across a photo of the real Pheobe Ann Pease in a whaling book, I couldn't figure out why she struck me so that I immediately purchased the book. Then it dawned on me- the kindred souls had found each other!
These girls already have a destination and are nearly ready for their new adventure. Another day of stitching, movie marathoning and, of course, LATTES, they should be ready for their big debut!
LOVE & BRAVE WOMEN!
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