Home Economics at Cornell in 1918

I was browsing Flickr and realized that the Flickr Commons has a number of photographs uploaded from my alma mater, Cornell.  I was looking through, and stopped on this photograph.   Click on it and view it in the highest resolution.  These were some interesting ladies.  They posed for this photo right before women got the vote in the US.  You can read their biographies here: Faculty of Home Economics at Cornell in 1918-19 school year.  You can see the second row first lady on the left is holding her glasses in her hands.  I wonder if the photographer made her take them off or if she wanted to remove them for the photo?  There are so many details present in this photograph.  The laces appear so crisp and fresh and the expressions of each of the women make me wonder more about them and their personal stories.

I find this photo fascinating, not only for the glimpse into history, but for the character and personality of each of the women pictured in it.  There's some enlightening reading on the history of Home Economics in the US here.

"Canning peaches. Sewing a dress. Making perfect gravy. These are familiar images of home economics, but do they tell the whole story? So often home economics has been cast as a "conspiracy to keep women in the kitchen," an interpretation that has overlooked its impressive and diverse contributions. New scholarship in American women's history suggests that home economics was a progressive field that brought science to the farm home and women into higher education and leadership positions in public education, academia, government and industry."

Little Hedgehogs

 

I love this Japanese print fabric!  I still have a little left.  I only use it for special projects.  I made this dress for my sister for one of her ball-jointed dolls.  It looked so good on Dawn, though, that I had to take a few photos.  I also made a little embroidered felt jacket to go with it, but I didn't photograph that.  Dawn is just the cutest, even though she is factory painted rather than hand-painted.  She's a Let's Play Dolls exclusive by Dianna Effner for Boneka.

Bitty Belle by Helen Kish

 

Here's a girl who doesn't get enough attention.  I love her hair.  This is Bitty Belle by Helen Kish, about 11 inches tall and just as cute as can be.  I made her a new outfit, because she had been wearing her previous one for way too long.   The dress pattern is from a Rosemary Ionker pattern and the fabric is a small quilting calico from Fabric.com.

Riki with Puppy

Riki with Puppy
Originally uploaded by elizabeth's*whimsies

Riki, by Helen Kish, is snuggling with my Toby portrait sculpture by Barlee Rumburg. I made Riki a new outfit yesterday. She looked cold in her sleeveless summer dress!  Below is the full view of the outfit.  The pantaloons are made from a Londie Phillips pattern and I drafted the bonnet and top myself.  The top is wool felt.  The embroidery pattern is based on an illustration in a Dover book of floral embroidery patterns.

Before and After

After seeing one of the dresses I sold on etsy on a Narsha, I realized that I really needed to add one to my collection.  I found the one above (upper right photo) on Den of Angels forum and knew when I bought her she would need to be repainted.  I spent the weekend repainting her (twice!) and now I'm satisfied with her appearance. She needs new hair and eyes, though, but the ones that she has are OK for now.  Narsha is about 14 inches tall, but her torso is quite delicate.  I find that she can actually wear Bitty Bethany clothing, but it needs to be lengthened.  Items for the 13" Effners and 14" Kish girls fit her, too, but they're rather baggy around the middle.  I'm looking forward to sewing for her. 

So good to be appreciated

Here's my little old dog, Toby, curled up on the bed I made for him.  His old bed was pretty icky, so today he had a bath and while he was drying off, I made him this bed from some leftover fleece.  About five minutes after I set it on the floor, he curled up on it and he's been sleeping there ever since.  He's a sweet little doggy.  Those are appliqued hearts in the corner for him to rest his head on.

Oregon and Pennsylvania

Finally, I have finished a few more blocks on the State Flowers Quilt.  I'm resting at home for three weeks after having foot surgery, so I have time to embroider!  These are from Vicki's free patterns.  I should have taken the iron to them prior to photographing them.  They're not as uneven as they look!

Doll with Doll

 

April is playing with the 1:12 scale baby from my Edwardian dollhouse.  He is dressed in a little dress I knitted when I was crazy.  (It was really difficult to knit that tiny and I wouldn't attempt it again!)  April is wearing a dress similar to the one I made in Little Darling Effner size.  I was asked if I could make a similar dress in yo-sd size, and I did and it's already mailed out to the recipient.  I hope she enjoys it!