OCR Text |
Show ftnlb(Q)irs Thursday, Decembers, 1985 Homespun Harmony Helps Hospital Cause SOUTH JORDAN. Homespun Hargroup made up of six mony, a families who work together to teach their children various skills, will be represented at the annual Festival of the Trees. The registered group concentrates on dance, vocal music, Spanish and drama, giving programs using the various skills. Invovled are the Scott Anderson, Charles Garner, Gaylen Buckley, Bill Stone, Steven Cook and Gene Peterson families. 4-- H 4-- i r.ar Xjy v i i The tree the group is donating to the festival is called "Homespun Harmony Holiday." Members of the group have made about 80 sheep and have used spinning supplies in the decorations, including little spindles, shuttles with lambs stenciled on them, yarn etc. There are also bells and various instruments along LOCAl ENTRY . . . Members of the Homespun club, Commy, Chandra and Nicole Harmony Peterson, and Mykin and Kirsten Buckley work on decorations for Christmas tree the South Jordan 4-- with wooden notes. A spinning wheel will be under the tree, The tree cost about $1500 with Arante Construction Co. of Sandy and Chevron Oil the donors. Chairing the effort was Shelley Buckley with Nicole Peterson and Jana Anderson as youth chairman and Angeli Anderson and Merrilea Garner on the committee. All club members helped with the project. The Festival of the Trees opened last night (Wednesday) at the Salt Palace II and will continue through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cost at the door is $2.50 for adults, $1.50 for children. Leaders of the South Jordan group suggested that persons interested in doing a similar project next year contact the Primary Children's Medical Center, the organization benefitted by the annual festival. 4-- H or bosed group will enter in the onnuol Trees, which will run through Saturday. Funds derived from the sale of the trees will go to the benif it of the Primary Childrens Medical Center. Stitching And Stuffing Since 1948 - Sandy Dollmaker Was Ahead Of Her Time ed like the Cabbage Patch dolls. Each one contains about six pounds Green Sheet Staff Writer of kapok ticking." SANDY. Becky Thompson was Like the Cabbage Patchers, each one is an original, different from any simply ahead of her time. Since 1948 she's been stitching and other. Once a customer ordered a stuffing handmade companions for pair of twins, but all Becky could the young and not so young, promise was that they'd be "fraterpredating the Cabbage Patch craze nal" rather than 'identical' twins. "When you make something by by over 35 years. Today, as then, she sells all she can sew. hand, even if you're using a pattern, She's lost track of the numbers of nothing ever turns out exactly the dolls she's made and sent on to new same," Becky reported. "I make owners, but each time it was almost everything, the clothing, the hair, like giving up one's own child. Dur- even the shoes - everything except ing the course of the process, she the socks they're wearing." says, they take on a unique perBecky used to take the dolls to a sonality all their own. They become local department store to try on ' my girls and boys." socks, eliciting the strangest looks Becky wouldn't be a craftsman (or from other customers, at least until craftsperson) if she didn't feel she they realized that all she had was a was turning out a pretty good pro- doll. duct. She didn't come right out and It takes Becky around three weeks say she thought her dolls were better to make a doll, if she hurries. than Cabbage Patch Kids, just dif- Customers can specify the color of ferent. hair, eyes and even the dress, other"My dolls are little children, not wise she'll add whatever she thinks babies," she explained. "They stand is pretty. a full 32 inches high with their arms, She started selling the dolls in legs and necks jointed. They are also 1948, though she always seemed hard stuffed' rather than soft stuff have a needle and thread in hand. by Bob Mickelson -- According to Becky, she was living in Bakersfield, Calif, at the time. When a friend's baby was stillborn, Becky decided to ask her over to help make a doll, hoping it would help take her mind off the tragedy. With the assistance, she discovered could she make enough dolls to start taking orders. Within just a short time, she'd earned enough money to purchase $300 worth ,pf formal wear for her husband. Though she has been slowed down a bit by a stroke, Becky continues to make as many dolls as she can. She even managed a couple of sales while in the hospital, both to terminally ill cancer patients who wanted them as presents for other members of their families. She first sews up the arms, legs, torso and head. She embroiders on the facial features and brades the hair out of yarn. Then it's on to the stuffing, probably the most and boring part of the process. "It doesn't matter how much of the ticking you use, it always seems that you need another handfull," she - M f'" Z7rk 1 i Becky Thompson and two of her young friends out for a drive. It takes Becky about three weeks to complete one of the dolls. She sells as many as she can make. OUT ON THE TOWN . . . noted. "It takes real patience." The arms and legs are attached to the body by means of heavy elastic bands anchored in large buttons. That prevents the elastic from pulling out. It was one of many im provements Becky has adopted over the years. Right now she's giving serious consideration to stitching on the hair rather than gluing it. "After a while the glue works Continued on page 2 |