This story is about the quality and the quantity of doll clothes that I owned during the 1950’s. The doll in the photo above (believed to be a Betsy Wetsy) was one of my 1950’s baby dolls. She is 14″ tall and in remarkably great condition for her age. Many of her doll clothes were handmade by my Great Aunt Babe.

Aunt Babe was actually Helen Mae Mayer (nee Grayer). She was born 20 May 1890 in Webster Township, MI. Her parents had both come to this area near Ann Arbor from Germany.

I am not certain if all of this doll’s clothes were handmade by Helen, but I am fairly certain that most of them were. My Aunt made her livelihood as a seamstress and so it is obvious that she had the materials and the skill to provide a large wardrobe for each of my dolls. I believe that she worked out of her old west-side home in Ann Arbor, MI.

Both of my sisters certainly knew this Great Aunt and also knew that she made doll clothes.

This is a photo of Walter and Helen on their wedding day 10 May 1911. She was 20 years old. Walter and Helen never had their own children, but they became very much a part of our lives as their grand nieces. Walter passed away in 1957, when I was only 3 years old, so I have no personal memories of him, but I have heard of many lovely stories of his calm and fun nature.

My Great Aunt did quite well in her profession as a seamstress. Her income was good even during the Great Depression. One of her older sisters was my Grandmother, Amelia Ream (nee Grayer).

My Grandmother, was widowed when my mother was only 5 years old. At the time of my Grandfather’s death my uncle was only 13. My Grandmother became a single mother that also cared for my Great Grandmother. Money was very tight for my Grandmother especially during the lean years of the Depression. My Grandmother’s occupation. running a tourist home on N. Main Street in Ann Arbor, did not provide enough income for many of life’s luxuries.

My mother grew up feeling in debt/gratitude to our Great Aunt Helen because Helen had made sure that my mother, as a young girl, could have lovely clothing and toys. Helen provided my mother with those things that could not have been afforded to her otherwise. My mother’s feelings of indebtedness to my Great Aunt were powerful. Later in life, my mother would go on to have to care for my Great Aunt Helen and as she cared for her, my mother never forgot the gifts she had received from her during her childhood.

Our family would spend a great deal of time in the company of Great Aunt Helen. This is probably how Aunt Babe became familiar with our dolls.

I am now an old woman (69) and I want to donate some of the childhood items I have held onto for all these many years. I actually don’t feel attached to this Betsy Wetsy baby doll, but I feel so in awe of some of her clothes. For those of you who know me, you will also know that I am a “clothes horse” and I continue to adore fashion.

I know that my Great Aunt made an impressive number of doll clothes. She also made an impressive number of clothes for me and my sisters. I had a nurse costume (pictured below) and a cowgirl outfit that were part of my personal childhood gifts from her.

Aunt Babe would have been 63 years old at the time I was born in 1954. I believe that by the time she was making doll clothes for my dolls, her workmanship was not the same caliber as in her career days- my mother told me that she had never needed to take measurements for her clients. She could perfectly size them and could begin cutting fabric without even a pattern. I think that some of the doll clothes reflect that she was aging and hurrying to finish projects. Still, the clothing was pretty amazing.

In this close up photo of a snap, you can see that her stitches are not delicate but instead quick and functional.

Here are some of the clothes that Aunt Babe made for my baby doll.

I believe that Babe must have loved corduroy because she used it to sew several of our childhood outfits and jackets.

Look at the fun vintage fabrics and prints! Also, note that the shirt has a collar and a working button!

This close up photo of the nightgown’s back side shows the linen of the sweet fabric and also the quick sewing job on the snap.

The doll shoes in this photo do not go to this baby doll…I believe they are actually one of the toys that my Great Aunt purchased for my mother in the 1920’s.

This close up photo shows some of the stitching…

I know that this fabric showed up in other dresses/clothing during my childhood. It is amazing…right? The other photos show that some of the clothing was prepared quickly and without great precision.

This dress resembles a square dance dress that I believe Aunt Babe made for my mother. I am not sure that this doll dress was handmade?

I think my mother told me that these were her childhood shoes. They may have been purchased for her by Aunt Babe. My mother was born in 1925.

The shoes are very old and obviously well worn…

Below is a doll sized romper and doll socks.

It was fun to take these photographs of these doll clothes. It will be a nice memory of them as I find the actual clothing a new home.