Sappho, A Goldfinch Doll

 

Sappho is now finished and on the Folksy Shop. She is a gentle soul with a kind heart. Her plumage is heavily yet delicately embroidered with emphasis on accurately portraying her plumage.
I chose the dress fabric to compliment that plumage and her overall colours.
This little goldfinch is dressed in an organic Liberty tana lawn called Donna Leigh. Taken from a print designed for muslin by William Kilburn in the 1700's. His print were usually on a dark background but I love the lightness of this soft yellow colourway.
Her dressed is trimmed with organza ribbon, tiny buttons and she carries a sampler pillow. She also has a tiny hoop goldfinch brooch you can detatch to wear yourself. Her underskirts are a yellow gingham cottom with a cream tulle lace. She has the new birdier feet that I prefer and gives the bird girls a lightness I enjoy.
The deep red of her face is stitched with three different colours of red in a random cross stitch with the rest of her plumage in feather or fly stitch.
I was a great fan of Michael Oakshott shot cotton fabric. Wonderful weight and a great depth of colour. Sadly this British business closed down when Michael retired. I am gradually coming to an end of these fabrics and starting to use Westfalenstoffe Oeko Tex Standard 100 woven cotton. It is such a great weight and the colours are truly sublime. Check them our at Elmhirst Fabrics online.