Do you see the resmeblence?

Patti Culea's Maudlin Maddie

My first doll, not my last

I thought I would show you my very first doll.  I was so excited when I made her.  If you know your dolls, you may be able to recognise who the designer was.  But I must say, if I was the designer I would either be horrified as to how my doll was interpreted, or possibly be stifling hysterical laughter.  This is not a pretty doll.  She looks like she has varicose veins in her arms, and her legs are twisted in a strange position.  She has a lace neckband - to cover the awful stitches attaching her head to her body - she sort of ended up with no neck!  She has fantastic wired fingers - that was what made me want to create this doll in the first place.  As for her costume, I chose to make it from velvet, which tended to disintegrate  as I sewed it.  At the time, I had just started to sew, but my skills were more limited than my enthusiasm.  Her socks were an innovation, I wanted them to look crocheted, not knowing how to crochet that well - I cut up a doily.  I'm not sure if the shoes are meant to look like slippers, but they do.

When I first saw the pattern for this doll in Australian Dolls Bears and Collectables  I didn't start to make it for about 6 weeks.  I scrutinised the pattern, went and bought fabric for the body,  the nylon curly hair, the stuffing.  I had to go to the city to buy the coloured pencils and find the pens to draw the face.  I would lie in bed at night, planning how I would start to make the doll. Then, I spent a whole day - and half and evening making her.  When she was finally made, I was so pleased with myself.  And I started to plan my next project.  I made a lot of dolls in that first year.  Each doll I made improved as I gained the skills in drawing the faces, making the bodies and wiring the hands.

I can make a reasonable doll now, but I would like to do better.  I won't have time to make one for a while, but we will see what will be. 

But tell me............who do you think designed this doll?