Pip has a goose named Goosey Mae. Pip loves Goosey Mae. Pip doesn't go anywhere without Goosey Mae. But, mostly, they never go anywhere anyway because home is the best and happiest place. On the usual occasion you'll find Pip and Goosey Mae in their backyard, resting in the shade, on the lawn, watching the birds and the bees and the squirrels go by. They like to look at picture books. One day when Pip can read, she's going to read great works of poetry to Goosey Mae...fun and interesting reads such as Mud and Galoshes. Oh joy! Sometimes they even take naps on the lawn, in the breeze, in the shade. It's the best kind of heaven. What more to enjoy in life than this?
I'm going to try and contain my emotions here while talking about Pip and Goosey Mae. In fact, I'm not even sure where to start.
First off, Pip and Goosey Mae are made for a very special family....sweetest family I ever did meet, without having ever met in person. Pip was created and designed whole heartedly for one tiny precious tot that I have had the great pleasure of watching her grow day by day through amazing photographs her mama takes of her. It's been a year of watching this beautiful sweet child grow and change because that's how long I've known this family....essentially since the beginning of Scarlet Elfcup. How lucky I am that our paths crossed.
When I was asked to create a baby doll for N, I was so thrilled. I haven't made anything larger than an 8" doll for nearly a year, I think. I have been so smitten with the 6" Wee-Bee Mini Elfcups that I just didn't think that I would ever go back to making anything much larger than that. But, when this request came up, I was so excited to be able to make something for N that I had to reconsider the larger doll. In doing so, I took a rather simplistic design that I had of a 14" doll....my first and only large doll pattern that I created last year....and decided that I would reconstruct and change a few things to make it more interesting....not for me, but for little N. So, now I present to you, Pip.
Pip is the first of Scarlet Elfcup's newest line of dolls, the 16" Baby Pip (yes, this new doll pattern will be named after Pip herself). The 16" Baby Pip will be formally introduced in the next couple days. For now, we focus our attention on Pip herself. Pip is a floppy doll. I think that some of my favorite toys were the ones that flip flopped the most. Somehow, I always did and I still do gravitate toward extra floppy things. They're just more fun to hold and throw over your shoulders, under your arm, around your neck. So, I wanted to create something extra limp and relaxed for N because extra limp and relaxed are my favorites and I want my favorites for her. Pip is a sitting doll with sewn joints that are made extra flimsy and floppy for easy movement and changing of clothes. Pip's body construction is extra long, lanky, limber and narrow. Her torso is constructed very slim so that tiny hands can wrap all the way around her. And finally, here's the bit that I needed for myself....a doll that can still fit in the palm of the hand....Pip still does! :)
Pip stands approximately 16" (40 cm) tall. She is made with all natural materials. Her doll skin is made with premium quality cotton interlock imported from Europe. She is firmly stuffed with bio-wool. Her seams are sewn twice for reinforcement. Her locks are made of mohair yarn tied into two adorable pigtails. The wispy look and the color of the hair were meant to reflect that of little N's very own wispy baby locks and beautiful brown hair. She has a classic Waldorf facial structure with only one minute element of adornment...a dash of embroidery above her eyes. Otherwise, her facial structure is created with the simple beauty of a classic Waldorf doll in order to allow N lots of room for imaginative play. She has embroidered facial features. Her cheeks, nose and various body parts are blushed with red beeswax. She has a belly button and a bum.
Pip comes with an enviable wardrobe, created for the youngling who enjoys changing of the diapers and dressing of the dolly.
An Easter outfit....yes, yet another knitted bunny hat. I guess Easter has been on my mind for the past month considering that almost every doll I've created since the end of February has had a bunny hat of one kind or another. When she goes home, Pip will attend a birthday party dressed in her best, a sweet cream, pink and linen dress lined at the hem with cotton lace. The dress opens fully on the back with two snap on buttons. Underneath she'll sport a pair of linen bloomers lined with elastic lace. Her shoes are hand knit with a chunky Malabrigo merino wool yarn. Her bunny hat is hand knit with a Malabrigo merino wool yarn held together with a suri alpaca, merino and bamboo blended yarn by Blue Sky Alpacas and reverse stockinette stitch knitted to give the warm fuzzy look.
A play outfit. The top is made from corduroy and a beautiful lightweight floral cotton print. The top opens fully on the back with snap on buttons. Her precious but simple bloomer pants are made from a 100% lightweight cotton. An outfit perfect for running around in the sun.
A brand new, store bought, clean and laundered onesie with floral print made of 100% cotton. A pair of dolly stockings and a pair of dolly socks made of a cotton and synthetic fiber blended material. Two pairs of diapers made of 100% cotton, lined with a polyester/polyamide material to give a fluffy, bulky look to the diaper and sealed with velcro.
Pip comes cuddling Goosey Mae. Goosey Mae is a very personal creation, made because N's mama often refers to her as "goose" or "goosey mae." Sweet Goosey Mae is needle felted with 100% wool roving and stands 7" (18 cm) tall....made just for N and her mama.
Pip and Goosey Mae, everyone.....made just for sweet precious little N and her sweet precious amazing mama.