The kindness of strangers

Well, that's a bit misleading. They are not strangers, since I have spent many Tuesday afternoons with them over the past few years. Before yesterday, I would have called us good acquaintances, since we have shared bits of our lives as we worked on our projects. We exchanged phone numbers, but I only expected to hear, occasionally, that the group would not be meeting. Five women, united only by an interest in carving wood and the pleasure of each other's company; four who revealed themselves to be the truest of friends.

Recently, by chance, I decided to stop by our meeting place to say hello. I hadn't attended in a few weeks. Hadn't really felt like it, because life dealt me a hand that I hadn't quite expected. A problem with unemployment payments reduced the family bank account to single digits and I've had to figure out how to deal with it and meet my obligations.

Catching them up on my prospects for employment (improving) and the changes I'm making in careers, I mentioned the problem in hopes they might know someone who could help speed up the resolution process. And it felt good to open up my burden to them; they are older and I value their life experiences.

I received support, advice, sympathy and much, much more. We left the building and walked in a group to our cars. I said goodbye and prepared to leave when one pecked on my window. As I lowered it, she pressed a hundred-dollar bill in my hand, saying, "I always carry some mad money with me." I gaped, then protested; she insisted. Before I could say much of anything, she left and two others took her place, also offering money. A fourth invited me to her home, ostensibly to give me a special Easter egg she had made.

All I could do is cry, and promise that I would repay them, when I'm back to work, by passing their kindness and compassion on to others who desperately need it. That's what will stay with me long after the money is gone: how the kindess of strangers creates a family of friends.

Meet My Hittys: Hitty Lowla

Lowla is a bit shy about being photographed, since she says she knows she's not a pretty Hitty. She was at a disadvantage compared to my earlier dolls for two reasons: my carving mentor, Bonnie, had to take a leave of absence, and this was an experiment using paulownia wood.

Paulownia wood, if you don't know anything about it, is a step above balsa. It is very light and easy to carve, though it is denser and can bear more weight than balsa. The ease of carving is both good and bad. I think Lowla's body and limbs are the best I've done. I am very pleased with how her arms and hands look. But when it came to carving the face -- yikes!

For one thing, I didn't like her neck, but I went too far and it is now both thin and long. That's why I try to put her in dresses with trim around the neck, or I tie a piece of ribbon around her neck like a scarf.

At the angle this photo was taken, she was tipped back on her heels, so you get a very unflattering look at the roughness of her chin and the grain on her face. Her makeup (paint job) looks cakey, too, and I don't know if I will ever get the hang of painting eyes properly.

I contemplated (gasp!) beheading her and using the body for a shoulderhead, but I guess I'm like the Japanese. I found this on a blog about Japan: "Dolls after all, are no mere things in Japan, but members of the family, adopted to offer their human-like forms as hosts for the spirits and sins of their owners." I don't know about sins, but once I see a doll come to life, I can't take it away from them.

So, I may attempt to recarve her a bit and fix her paint, but Lowla will always be a loved and cherished member of the Garden Spot.

(PS: About her outfit -- the basic dress was made by Fung Hicks and was part of a round robin where it was embellished and accessories like the apron were added. It was neat to see how creative members of the Yahoo! Hittygirls group are.)

Review: HOW TO MAKE DOLL CLOTHES

How to Make Doll Clothes: A Book for Daughters, Mothers and Grandmothers, by Emily R. Dow. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan Inc., New York, 1953. 96 pages.

My husband went to the library yesterday, and I tagged along. Didn't intend to get any books, but I decided to see what they had on doll houses. I ended up getting four books -- two on doll houses, one paperback mystery ("Murder in Miniature") and this book on making doll clothes.

What a great find! In simple language and with illustrations, the author shows how to create pretty doll clothing using a doll as the pattern guide. She also included basic sewing terms and gives instructions for basic and decorative stitches. She even shows how to sew on buttons, snaps and hooks-and-eyes.

Dow's illustrations are good enough to serve as patterns, and the introduction on the flap of the cover says that they could even be enlarged enough to make "mother-daughter" outfits for a child and her doll.

I plan to take the book to a copy center to make enlargements of the patterns to try for Hitty. They are simple enough to work for me, since I hand-sew the clothing. I also searched for a copy of the book to buy. The least expensive was on Alibris.com at about $11+postage. I did find one person on Etsy who sells PDF versions for $9, which I'm considering getting.

My recommendation? If you have wanted to sew for Hitty but were afraid to start, this book will provide a good jumping-off point. Accomplished seamstresses will enjoy it, too, for its nostalgia and its promotion of sewing skills. All in all, this one will be worth adding to my personal library!