Life as a DOLL MAKER .sx by Patrica Younger .sx The first doll I remember making was at the age of four , when , helped by my mother , I padded an army button of my father's with cotton wool , covered it with a piece of silk stocking and joined it to a padded , pipe-cleaner body .sx My mother embroidered her face and rouged her cheeks ; her hair was made from loops of flaxen embroidery silk .sx She had a nightie fashioned from a lace - edged handkerchief and a dress in pink silk embroidered silk with tiny daisies and leaves .sx I took her everywhere in my pocket and loved her dearly .sx She was last seen on Blandford Forum's High Street in June , 1947 .sx .. I cried for days mourning my loss .sx Over the years my doll family grew .sx My aunt sent a life - size baby in composition - her lovely face had been cracked on her journey from Canada , but I didn't care , to me she was the most beautiful doll in the world .sx .sx A Perfect Dollshouse ?sx When I was seven , my parents had a large dollshouse made by a carpenter , and various craftspeople in Blandford made items for it ; a padded settee and chairs covered in tiny , floral print ; needlepoint carpets , a mahogany dining table inlaid with satin wood crossbanding and tiny , shield-back chairs with petit point seats .sx There were hand - painted vases and pictures with minutely-carved gold frames and a tiny black cat curled up in a basket by the fire .sx The brass coal scuttle was full of real bits of coal and orangey-crackled 'flames' leapt from tiny logs .sx The main bedroom had a beautiful four-poster bed with reeded columns and silk drapes and cover .sx Lavinia ( just 2 " tall !sx ) slept there , her blonde mohair curls spread out on a real down-filled pillow .sx The kitchen was fitted with every imaginable item ; tiny baskets of fruit moulded from clay and painted , and the Cook had her scales , mixing bowl and utensils on her pine table .sx A line of miniature clothes was pegged out in the garden .sx I remember that Christmas Eve vividly .sx It was very late and there was a party .sx I was woken up and taken into the drawing room to see the house for the first time , whilst all the very kind people stood waiting for my reaction after all their hard work .sx I was apparently overjoyed - but overwhelmed !sx Perhaps its sheer perfection was simply too much .sx .. a while later , my mother found me curled up on a window seat playing with some balloons - such exquisite creations are wasted on the young , unfortunately .sx Sad to say , it had to stay in Blandford when we left England .sx Life in Canada .sx When I married , and had our first child , we all went to Toronto to be near my mother who was ill .sx She was , like my grandmother , a very accomplished needlewoman , and encouraged me to go back to my craftwork .sx I made patch - work quilts , needlepoint cushions and all Caroline's clothes .sx I started contacting 'soulmates' in America and exchanged dolls clothes and then dolls and animals .sx I was approached by a number of craft and toys shops , and ended sitting up most nights sewing all the tiny clothes onto Bristol board and covering them in cling film tightly to make them look professional !sx .sx Every Saturday morning my mother and I would watch the Jane Gray show .sx She was a lover of all crafts , who emigrated from Newcastle many years before and , after being widowed with children to support , started a toy shop in Hamilton , Ontario .sx She and her daughter , Dorothy , would create all sorts of dolls and animals , and offer the patterns at fifty cents each .sx We used to send for almost every one .sx She was then in her sixties and confined to a wheelchair , but so full of life !sx .sx Return to England .sx Crafts took a back seat to looking after our three children , but I fitted in loads of stuffed animals , peg dolls dressed in historical costume , rag dolls and quilted cushions , which all helped raise funds for hospitals , schools and other charities ; as we all know , half the joy of creating something is giving it to others .sx Five years ago , I experienced that inexplicable hollowness left by the loss of my mother .sx The repercussions were serious and long-lasting , but we survived .sx A Very Special Gift .sx One gloomy day , my daughter Caroline brought me a long , red box , inside of which lay a dear , little doll with blonde ringlets , blue eyes and blue and white 'shepherdess'' dress .sx I was entranced !sx She then gathered many 'sisters' and I started buying doll books again .sx I began to search for good reproductions of antique dolls , but had little luck and a couple of disastrous encounters .sx I had taken 'Workbox' since its first issue , and saw various doll articles of interest .sx My husband bought me a kiln and two moulds for Christmas , and before I knew it , the doll-making had begun .sx Customers who come to us now for Starter Kits ask me what it is like to make one's first doll .sx Any of you who have done it will know , of course .sx .. that first incredible excitement when the first pouring is opened .sx I say it is really quite akin to childbirth .sx .. from a few cups of porcelain slip , there emerges something quite wonderful .sx .. no matter how modest the first attempts , the satisfaction and sheer wonder is still there !sx .sx My husband has always been immensely encouraging and supportive , making me feel that nothing was impossible .sx I would re-do a face many times , if necessary , until I felt it was the best I could achieve .sx I fell in love with the exquisite creations of Frances Lynne .sx I couldn't find the moulds here , so I started to explore American sources .sx Before long , eight cases of Frances' moulds arrived , followed by those from two other artists , and we were 'in business .sx ' .sx I placed an advertisement in 'Workbox' and got a wonderful response ; orders for our first , 12 page Catalogue came by every post , and overnight a 4 page colour one was added .sx We have now added a 44 page 'Crafty Corner' where we do updates of latest doll designs , fabrics , patterns and other products , along with other items of interest to dollmakers .sx Many of our customers have become friends , and our business , Classic Dolls & Crafts , has taken over our lives .sx It involves the whole family , and Caroline now devotes a good part of each week dealing with customers who visit our home studio , and filling our mail orders .sx None of us realised when she bought me that long , red box , how it would transform our lives .sx For catalogue send pounds2 to :sx Classic Dolls and Crafts , Elmfield Lodge , 35 Elmfield Road , Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 4BA .sx QUILTS .sx Kits or Ready Made .sx Jean Butler and her husband specialise in providing quilts in kit form or ready made .sx The quilts are made to a traditional Irish pattern , and are constructed of only the finest cotton prints in very pretty toning shades .sx They contain a very warm but soft polyester wadding filling with a cream backing .sx Both kits and ready mades are approximately 74 1/2 x 99 1/2 inches .sx Kits contain everything needed to produce your own quilt .sx Both kits and ready mades come in three different shades of either pastel peach pink or blue .sx The kits only need basic machine skills and are very easy to put together .sx Kits are pounds85 and ready mades are pounds185 each , both include postage and packing .sx I am sure you will agree that these are outstanding value .sx Details ( SAE) :sx Exclusive Patchwork ( WBX ) , 80 Princetown Road , Bangor , Co. Down , N. Ireland BT20 3TD .sx PRE-CUT WADDING .sx To cater for the growing demand from quilt makers , Beckfoot Mill can now supply pre-cut pieces of light weight Bonded Polyester .sx These are available in 2oz weight in four sizes :sx - " x60" , " x80" , " x86" , " x102" .sx The four sizes offered correspond to single , double , queen and king size quilts , but can of course be used for other purposes , such as upholstery and clothing .sx They are packed in a handy carry-bag , and conform to the Fire Safety regulations .sx They are available from some needlecraft shops or by mail order .sx Details ( SAE ) Mrs Crossley ( WBX ) , Beckfoot Mill , Clock Mill , Denholme , Bradford , West Yorks BD13 4DN .sx PATCHWORK PACKS .sx Fabric packs of pre-cut squares for patchwork are very popular .sx 'Patchwork and Quilts' offer an interesting range , including a new pack of eleven inch squares .sx If you want to make a Charm quilt ( where every piece of fabric has to be different ) they have a starter pack consisting of fifty 4 " squares , for pounds4 .sx There is also a Lucky Dip pack , consisting of one and half metres of fabric in total , in a variety of colours and patterns , including some plains , for pounds7 including postage .sx Details ( SAE) :sx Patchworks and Quilts , ( WBX ) , 9 West Place , Wimbledon , London SW19 4UH .sx Antique Dolls .sx If you are interested in collecting old dolls , look out for English cloth dolls made during this century - they can still be acquired at reasonable prices .sx Foreign dolls often fetch higher prices , especially those made by K a the Kruse , a German lady , in the early 1900's .sx Bisque dolls always fetch high prices - one sold earlier this year , which had been given to the vendor's mother , as a child to console her after falling off her perch of a pile of hymn books , went for pounds850 .sx French and German dolls are highly regarded , especially those from the middle of the 19th century .sx French fashion dolls , and German Jameau or Bru dolls - the latter complete with 'trousseau' , fetched pounds8,000 , not long ago .sx These prices are paid for dolls in near-mint condition , and attract buyers of all nationalities .sx Many have a mould number , which is invaluable to date them , and identify the maker .sx Moulded china dolls , and paper - mache type are still reasonably priced , partly because of the large numbers coming onto the market - many are found in attics , long ago discarded by their owners .sx Wax dolls could be bought quite cheaply a few years ago , but are now fetching higher prices .sx If you buy an old doll , or own one , don't be tempted to refurbish it , if it is dressed in its original clothes - it's worth much more if you leave them on !sx .sx Seventeenth century dolls carved from wood fetch very high prices , particularly when they are dressed in their original clothes .sx Even a one-armed doll , dated about 1800 , was sold for pounds1,300 .sx A world record price was paid recently - pounds71,000 .sx The sales of toys and dolls at auctions , include many of the most desirable examples , presented in profusely illustrated catalogues , which are now widely used by collectors as reference books on the subject .sx For further information on forthcoming sales contact :sx - .sx Sotheby's , 34/35 New Bond Street , London W1A 2AA .sx Christies , ( WBX ) 8 , King Street , St. James's , London SW1Y 6QT .sx Phillips , ( WBX ) 7 Blenheim Street , New Bond Street , London W1Y 0AS .sx TREASURES AND TRINKETS .sx A jewellery exhibition at the London Museum ( until January 26th , 1992 ) entitled 'Trinkets and Treasures' , is a visual delight .sx Over 500 pieces have been selected from the Museum's astounding collection of bequeathed , donated and excavated jewellery spanning 1900 years of personal adornment .sx It places special emphasis on the significance of jewellery as social symbols .sx The association of jewellery with love has been recurrent throughout history , and many pieces in the exhibition represent this ; there are medieval posy rings bearing love inscriptions , rubies worn as symbols of exalted brooches in the shape of true lovers' knots .sx Royal associations are particularly strong in the exhibition , and include the magnificent jewelled parasol presented to Queen Victoria at the 1851 Great Exhibition and a ring given to her as a child by her mother , the Duchess of Kent .sx Sumptuously displayed and thoroughly documented , Treasures and Trinkets , explores the symbolism of jewellery through the ages .sx *NB .sx The Museum has received a special award for providing outstanding facilities and services for disabled people .sx Individual disabled visitors should telephone Public Relations Office ( Tel :sx 071 600 3699 Ext 240 ) in advance of visit to reserve car park space .sx