After Lunch and before The Children’s Fund Auction, we had The Experts Tables which were very informative.

There were four experts tables.

Number 1 as I went around them started with a display on how to re-string your doll by Anne Santucci.

here she is hard at work

 

The next table I visited was Anne Votaw’s wonderful display of studio dolls. I was very honoured that my studio Inge  was on display and that Anne told her story. Anne also advised us how to look after our studio dolls and how to identify them.

Anne Votaw is sitting by the table in a lovely green outfit.

Below is Inge looking very proud at sharing the platform with her American cousins.

Marti Murphy made this girls dress and it suits her so well.

Love this girl

Diane’s new bebe, Anni, in the pink gingham.

A glunk doll whose eyes were painted by Sasha Morgenthaler

I could have stayed looking at those beauties forever, but before long it was time to visit my next table.

 

 

Ann Chandler’s table was my next visit and Ann was advising us on how to use different types of fabric. How to check if a vintage fabric would stand the test of time or would fall apart and be no good to spend a lot of time and effort on. It was fascinating to listen to especially if you enjoy sewing as I do.

Ann Chandler demonstrating which fabrics are suitable for Sasha or Gregor.

The suit that this Gregor is wearing was completely hand sewn by Ann Chandler and I just love it.

In this photo Ann is a young child and the dress she is wearing in the photo is the dress on the table, which at some point will be made into an outfit for Sasha.

The next photo is of an older Ann, she is on the right in this photo and I believe the beautiful dress she is wearing has since been made into an outfit for Sasha.

 

 

All too soon it was time to move onto the next table and this time it was Dawn Law showing how to curl your dolls hair in a permanent tight curl.

Dawn sets to work measuring the pipe cleaner which is used as the curler.

Combing a small piece of hair out and dampening it with water.

Rolling the hair under onto the pipe cleaner.

Until the whole head is covered in pipe cleaner curlers.  Then hold the baby over the sink and pour boiling water over the curlers, being careful not to burn yourself, then leave until the hair is dry and remove the curlers.

Hey Presto a head of bouncing curls.

 

 

 

Now the last table I visited was a re-rooting demonstration by the lovey Sheila Foery.

 

Sheila uses a medium sized doll needle

A pair of clamps

 

Sheila cuts the tip off of the doll needle so that it resembles a mini tuning fork

Now early Gotz doll heads are a lot softer than Trendon doll heads, if you need to heat the dolls heard first, Sheila has come up with a brilliant idea, by using a microwavable heat pad like the ones you can get to heat your neck ect. If you heat your pad or neck warmer in the microwave then apply it to your dolls head to heat it up in order to put the needle through. You will need to do this a few times but it is a lot less messy than hot water or  a hairdryer.

Select the strands of hair you are going to use and bend them in half over the top of you needle end, then wrap the rest of the hair around your needle twice holding firmly in you hand. Place the needle on the clamp and push into the hole on the dolls head tuning fork end first. Push in so that the needle goes in a good way, release you hand so that the hair is released and pull the needle out. The hair is now in place and will not come out.

 

I hope you have enjoyed The Expert Tables as much as I did. A big thank you to all our experts. .

Tomorrow will be The Sales Tables.

Thanks for looking…..