It was time to put Susan back together, and a double thickness of towel was spread out on the table.
My visit to Ellie’s Doll Workshop was so helpful. I came away with some beautiful new elastic and some good advice. When you see the elastics side by side it is a great wonder Susan stayed together at all. I think she wore knitted leggings for some years to keep her legs on! The old elastic is so delightful though, and very much part of Susan. So if you are reading this in the future, let me assure you it still is part of her!
I secured the elastic inside a pouch of soft white fleece, just an off cut from making my Edward Tulane Dolls. This I have slipped inside Susan’s torso, and my Raggyrat lable identifies her too! Stringing involved getting loose wires and hooks (they are not joined to Susan) all places and threaded onto the elastic. Below, I’m using my forceps to keep a little tension on, stopping the wire inside her head from slipping. The crack on Susan’s back might break if moved so it was strengthened with epoxy and a piece of sugru, which had plenty of time to cure.
Here is a close up of Susan’s right hip, showing the roughly cast pottery, and another sugru repair. It also looks like wear and tear has removed quite a bit of her paint.
Once Susan’s head and legs were all connected it was time to tighten them. I asked Mike for help, and he pulled the elastic tight so I could tie three knots. It was a two handed job, because I wanted to avoid using forceps against the ceramic too much. After my repairs I used the metal ring insert and the elastic to add her voice box back. I tipped Susan back and forth, despite her having no arms yet, but the mama-voice-box never even squeaked! I removed it for safe keeping, and used the new one from Ellie’s Doll Workshop. It was all pink, so I painted the top with Culture Hussle / Stuart Semple’s Black Gold. Just a couple of thin coats made it look way more authentic. Susan speaks!
Looking through Susan’s right arm socket you can see the voice box resting on the elastic.
Previously the arms were simply hooked onto the one piece of elastic, but I cut a second piece, and used tension again as the wire and hooks kept slipping back down inside the limb! I had to try a few times to get everything lined up and connected, then clamp with forceps before asking Mike to help me get everything tight. This is so different to jointing the soft toys I’ve made, where I use disks or threads that don’t stretch.
But we did it. Susan can safely sit again. And stand, if she’s leaning safely! Susan, I think this repair has taken years off you!
She will be wearing the clothes my Nan knitted later in life, because these too are unique and part of the doll’s story.
My children didn’t much care for susan when she arrived in 2010, a little worse for wear. They still say her face is a little strange, but that she’s quite nice to pick up and carry on your hip, and yes, she really fits! It takes me back to having my babies, just a little.
I must say though, for a girl in your sixties (at least) you have lovely legs Susan …
