The Practical Hitty Newsletter
Editors: Hitty Henrietta and Charlotte Hitty

A Hitty made from Polymer Clay
by Airliefairy and Hitty Hetty

Hitty Hetty and her Kitty
© 2002 Mary Vlasak

Or--Too Many Dolls is Never Enough

My name is Mary Vlasak. I have owned an antique doll museum for 35 years, and I'm a dedicated dollmaker. This means that, every day of my life, I make dolls, study dolls, and dream of dolls. I started with cloth dolls many years ago, eventually made and taught the craft of porcelain dollmaking, then went back to cloth dolls, and discovered polymer clay. I now only do originals, no moulds used, to make my daydreams come true. I make and publish my own cloth doll patterns (most of them are from the Magical Mushroom) and write articles on doll making. In fact, I have a lot of fun, don't I? I've only been seriously working in polymer clay for 18 months, and have had my computer just over 12 months.

My Hitty Hetty is made from polymer clay. I used Puppenfimo, a very forgiving clay. The colors are great, it holds the modeling very well, and I can forget it in the oven, knowing it will not discolor. I have to buy mine from New Zealand, from Zigzag. Petra (from Zigzag) is marvelous, gets the clay straight from Germany, and gives terrific service. I know it is available in the States, but not sure where. I used the pictures and patterns of the original Hitty from the Hitty.org site, and from my book, which after being out on loan for several years, finally came home. I actually made the head and body in one piece without the hair, and added the hair in black Fimo after baking the torso. This was much easier then doing it in one piece and having to paint the hair. I actually found the face rather difficult, as there is not a lot of detail. Her personality comes out in the painting, and I had to discipline myself to stop trying to put details in. I did want my doll to look like the Hitty in the book, not just a pretty little doll with Hitty hair. I started one lunch time, and finished her by the evening. Then I painted her face and dressed her the next day. I used my own pattern for the clothes, and hand sewed everything.

My main difficulty was with the jointing. I had a brilliant idea (at least, it seemed brilliant at the time)to joint her with bamboo sticks going through the body, and gluing them in the side of the arms and legs. This would have given her similar movement to the wooden Hitty. It looked great, but when I tried to dress her, the wood kept coming out, so back to the drawing board I went. I eventually strung her with elastic, like a china doll.

So far I have only made one clay Hitty, but I have an order for another, and everyone who has seen her has fallen in love with her. Nobody knew her story at first, but I've known about Hitty a long time. I'd bought the book for my daughters when they were little, and the oldest is 41 this month, so I have loved Hitty for many years. My next project is to do another clay Hitty to look like wood, and aged.

Of course, Hitty Hetty needed a friend, never mind mentioning that her first pair of pants were too small, and made of linen, so Rosey Posey (who thinks she is a shiny chiny doll) was made. Firstly to wear the pants, and of course, as Hitty's friend. The Hitty Kitty is a cloth one I made last year, obviously for Hitty Hetty to play with. They all sit on a little wire couch in a cupboard in my living room, and keep me company. Now I think I will make them some little polymer dolls to play with. You can never have too many dolls. In fact,I will finish with these wise words: Too many dolls is never enough.

© 2002 Mary Vlasak	Side view of Hitty Hetty, the polymer clay Hitty
"Hitty Hetty needed a friend... so Rosey Posey (who thinks she is a shiny chiny doll) was made," says Mary Vlasak, doll artist	© 2002 Mary Vlasak

home