From The Editor – I had planned on having some snow days to do some much needed (and wanted) sewing. Looks as though it will have to wait, but my list is ready! In the meantime, I hope this issue will be the best Valentine you receive, and I can assure you it will not add any inches to your waist! We are delighted to welcome back our guest this month, Anne Marie Phelps from Peanut Butter & Jelly Kids. Anne Marie has a marvelous shop which is a must see if you are in the Mobile, AL area. From Christening Gowns to First Communion dresses, and from Portrait to Azalea Trail dresses, she does it all. Such a talented seamstress, Anne Marie creates the most elaborate of heirloom dresses, but all designed in such good taste. We are thrilled to have such a renowned antique doll expert as Louise Hedrick with us as we journey through the world of dolls of both yesterday and today during the next year. Her wealth of information is unsurpassed and we are grateful for her sharing. Our doll series continues with Annabelle and Ping back to make you aware of Heart Health month. So grab your box of chocolates – the one you bought for yourself! – and enjoy this edition of Bear In Mind. If you are a first time reader of our newsletter, you can see all previous editions by going to our website www.bearthreadsltd.com, select the newsletter tab at the top of the page and enjoy. Happy Stitching,

Sheila

National Wear Red Day

February 6, 2015

We all know that February is American Heart Month, a time for increased heart and health awareness and a time to increase your knowledge about the different heart related diseases and their prevention. National Wear Red Day was initiated in 2002 by the American Heart Association in order to raise awareness specifically of women’s’ heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. National Wear Red Day seeks to empower women to become aware of more healthy eating habits, exercise, quitting smoking, and better cholesterol and weight maintenance. On this day churches, clubs and health organizations hold seminars and public outreach events to educate people about prevention and screening of heart disease.

Bear in Mind An electronic newsletter from Bear Threads Ltd. Volume 7 – Issue 2 February 2015

Peanut Butter-n-Jelly Kids

“Your Source for Creating Heirlooms” established 1984

Beautiful fabrics and laces are all you need to make all babies royalty. I fell in love with these fine textiles over 30 years ago! Smocking tiny stitches on pleats and sewing laces together to make intricate designs, and teaching others to replicate fabulous creations. Many have come to me asking for the pattern to make that “dress” or “outfit” and I reply, you use a basic pattern for all, it is the fabric you design that you cut your basic pattern from. Once you learn the basic techniques for the different applications, masterpieces can be created. You do need time because all the heirlooms are works of LOVE!

I love to go to work! I get share my knowledge and skills of all fine sewing techniques, beautiful silks, cottons, voiles, and batistes to all that come in! The best time is when I can sit down with a grandmother or a mother and design that one of a kind family heirloom! We will draw it out on paper, calculate the yardages and finally write out the step by step instructions. Then as the weeks go by, we will see that precious child adorned in beauty and love!

Here are some of my favorites!

See You Stitching, Anna Marie Phelps

“Heirlooms for the Portraits that is timeless”

Romper Pattern by “Chery Williams”

Fabric: Aqualine Blue Swiss Dimity Check

Maline laces

Peanut Butter -n- Jelly Kids (251) 479-8811

“Tyler”

By Sarah Howard Stone

The only pattern alteration is that the sleeves were left out and the arm eyes were finished

with a bias strip.

Dress is made with a combination of Swiss Embroidered Eyelets, French Laces.

Seaform Swiss batiste has 1/8th tucks strips to add a focal in the center of the yoke and fancy

band in the dress.

I love the three colors, white, ecru, and Seaform!

“Madeline Grace”

My newest published smocking plate smocked on an English Net Collar over a beautiful Bearissima Swiss batiste yoke dress. The Collar is smocked with silk

threads from Madeira and tiny glass beads from Mill Hill.

“Louise”

Pattern by Children’s Corner, The back was dropped and the beautiful Netted laces gathered and attached around the neckline. The Fancy band in the skirt is alternating rows of matching netted lace insertion and double face satin ribbons. The 2 1-inch tucks balance the look. Also gives a 4” possible length if needed in the future! The fabrics are silk organza and the lining a Swiss batiste. The instructions for the braided sash and dropped back bodice can be found on

the Children Corner Website.

It is so hard to find appropriate dresses for our older girls and still keep them dressed Beautiful for those special occasions! The girls that wore this loved it!

Exploring Antique Dolls It is with pleasure that I will be presenting you with a peek into my world of antique dolls in the coming year. In exploring this period of world history, it is noted that the focus and expertise in the production of bisque and porcelain dolls was focused on Germany and France during the 19th century. In the coming months we will look at the popular categories of both china (glazed porcelain) and bisque dolls of both countries: the lady fashion, both German and French, the French bebes, the German children and babies, and the popular all bisque from both countries. Sewers the world over delight in costuming these dolls and providing lavish wardrobes as their counterparts did more than 100 years ago when the dolls were created. Today, the French fashions are the most popular. They have their choice of the rare antiques or the beautiful reproductions of these same dolls that are produced by the highly talented reproduction

artists. To give you a brief look into this world, I am attaching pictures of two of my antiques from the well known company of Germany, Kammer and Reinhardt, marked K*R 101, popularly known as ‘Marie”, the first of their character children, produced in 1909 (#100 was a baby). She is 14” with a bisque head on a jointed composition body. The second picture shows a doll by the French Bru Company, the very popular and sought after Bru Jeune. She is marked on her shoulder plate “Bru Jne” on one side and “8” on the other. She is 21” tall, bisque head, shoulder plate and lower arms, with a jointed kid body. She was made circa 1885. Both of the dolls have been costumed by me in heirloom sewn attire.

About the Author

Louise Hedrick Louise Hedrick is a renowned antique doll expert, author, teacher and costume designer, specializing in French fashion, bebes and all-bisque dolls. She is very active in doll organizations, including the International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA), the United Federation of Dolls Clubs (UFDC) and travels extensively throughout the United States teaching both the historical and technical aspects of doll costuming. She is also a Doll Artisan Guild (DAG) Guest Instructor, teaching seminars on creating authentic antique doll costumes. Louise contributed all the patterns for Barbara Hilliker’s 2002 book, Bleuette, the Doll and Her Wardrobe, and in 2005 was the co-author of Bleutte Clothing Patterns, 1905-1916. Her latest book is A French Fashion Doll’s Wardrobe, Patterns 1864-1874. She also shares her knowledge and expertise in the articles she writes for publications such as Doll News and Dolls Beautiful.

Sewing for Dolls – Tip #2

Since seams for 18″ dolls are usually 1/4″, it’s handy to use a 1/4″ presser foot. Usually used in machine piecing for quilting, the 1/” presser foot will help to maintain a consistent seam allowance.

Annabelle and Ping ‘Go Red’ For

Women’s Heart Health

Ping has settled into her ‘home for a year’ living with Annabelle and has made lots of new friends. She loves American school and has discovered there are more social clubs and activities for her than she had at home. Of course winters in Connecticut are quite different than in Singapore, but being so busy she does not have time to shiver – well not much! .

Annabelle and Ping are both in a community service club at school. The membership rules stipulate that they volunteer with a local charity or health organization. They chose the American Heart Association which annually hosts a ladies luncheon to bring awareness to young girls and women regarding heart healthy lifestyles. Being two young girls who love a party, Annabelle and Ping thought this was just the best opportunity they could imagine. And it was the perfect occasion to combine St. Valentine’s Day decorations with their Heart Health Awareness promotions.

They arrived at the CCC (Connecticut Country Club) early to help with the decorations and set-up. They were so smartly dressed; all of the other ladies lunching at the club were looking. Annabelle and Ping just smiled and went about their duties. They knew they looked ever so sophisticated, what with their smart pant suits perfect for the occasion. It had just snowed again the night before and they decided that pants would be so much warmer and more comfortable. Ping chose a classic look of navy and white hounds tooth pants with a red jacket. Annabelle was ever so chic in Black Silky Cotton Pants with Red Cotton Flannel Top. Her infinity scarf was Dotted Swiss red on white.

Annabelle’s pants are a McCall’s pattern and her top is from Jennie Bagrowski’s Blog and is called Smocked Top or Dress. (Editor’s note: If you enjoy sewing for the 18” doll, this blog is for you!) The infinity scarf was original and made by sewing a 3” x 30” strip of fabric into a tube. Ping’s pants are Simplicity 4297, and her jacket is Simplicity 3551. All fabrics are 100% cotton from Switzerland and available from Bear Threads, Ltd. Patterns and fabric are currently available. Their luncheon was such a great success that they were awarded the Community Service Club Award for the first quarter of the year! Congratulations, Annabelle and Ping, and see you next month. And thank you Tami and Lori, our couturiers!

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Bear Threads wishes you and those you love a heart-healthy month.