I have been collecting vintage materials since1982 at thrift stores. Presently I pick up vintage materials on Etsy and Ebay. A few years ago I was given a treasure trove of vintage handkerchiefs. After 72 loads of hand washing I had lots of “new” fabric to work with.
I started making hand sewn doll clothes with the vintage materials and hankies using vintage patterns which I found in library books.
India
Country Girl
Butterfly #2
Romantic Tulips and Ribbons
I am presently doing hand sewn hankie and vintage material doll dresses using a mix of patterns including patterns I have designed myself. At this time I’m making dresses for American Girl and Barbie and similar sized dolls.
 Autumn Leaves with Dogwood |
 Perfect Pansies |
 Peace and Love |
I sew by hand because I sew fast and well. I like to showcase certain patterns in the material in my work. I enjoy the sense of immediacy when doing a small object and I am always surprised at how the dress turns out. I don’t sew on a machine because, should my machine eat a hankie or some chiffon, that fabric is over and part of the series is lost.
Carneval #3
I enjoy making doll dresses with vintage materials because each is unique. I can read the materials and see part of the finished dress, but I still am surprised by how the finished dress looks. By the way, all the clothing is lined with new material to stabilize the vintage fabric.
My work is considered Romantic.
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Cheryl has been involved in the fiber arts since her teen years. She started with weaving and dressmaking, received a degree in Studio Art from UCD and, in the early 2000’s, was known for her miniature quilts. She sells her doll clothes on Etsy at cfcfdoll.