Kirsten is an 18-inch-tall girl from 1854. Meanwhile, Nellie is an 18-inch-tall girl from 1906. And, Mini Kit is a 6.5-inch-doll from 1934 (although she wishes she were living in a fantasy realm).
And Kit's birthday is May 19th--and so is Mini Kit's! Which is good, because that's the day we threw her a mini party!
It was also meant to be a pajama party for the Pajama Parade on AGFMB, but as usual, I took too long to get the album compiled. Ah well. Enjoy!
Kirsten is in her nightgown (made from the official American Girl pattern), and Nellie is in her nightgown (handmade to match the one in the vignette in Nellie's Promise). Pegleg Sally got to wear Kirsten's St. Lucia dress; in the books, at least, it starts life as a nightgown. And Mini Kit...
...is wearing her birthday present, a Ren Faire-inspired shift! It's a version of Renaissance and medieval-era ladies' underwear (I suppose somewhat similar to Felicity's). It could be called a chemise or a shift, or likely some other names, but in this case, it's a nightgown!
A real shift would have had been made of more than one piece, but it's so hard to sew for mini dolls! Maybe someday I'll put the pattern up. The collar isn't perfect, but Mini Kit hasn't complained. She'd rather I make her a bodice and skirt to make a full costume, instead of fixing something she already has, you know.
Mini Kit was already having her best birthday ever, mostly because we've never celebrated her birthday before. But things just kept getting better as I received a parcel from my Secret Sister...
"A card? For me?" Mini Kit asked. "Wow! Even Big Nellie and Big Kirsten haven't gotten cards before!"
"We got valentines," Kirsten said spitefully.
"Those aren't cards," Mini Kit replied. "And they didn't have your picture on the front. So THERE." And she opened her card up...
"Is that the best picture you could get?" Mini Kit asked.
"The flash washed it out," I replied, "and you didn't hold still. But you can still read it!"
"Yeah! It's so great!" Mini Kit said.
"Wait!" Nellie called. "I think there's more, Miss Mini Kit."
"More than this beautiful card?" Mini Kit asked.
"Wow, a present!" Mini Kit said. "Do you think it's my bodice and skirt?"
"That's really not possible, Miss Mini Kit," Nellie said. "Miss Cheap Lady's Secret Sister didn't know you were getting a shift. And besides, I doubt she knows your measurements."
"Oh," Mini Kit said. And she pulled open the wrapping paper...
"Hooray!" Mini Kit called. "Books! An atlas, so I can learn all about real places to have adventures! And a dictionary! No more using the historically accurate but ludicrously large 1927 dictionary!"
Mini Kit helpfully illustrated just how hard it was for her to look anything up in that old dictionary.
"Hmph," Kirsten said.
"Don't you remember that this is called 'Kirsten's Adventures'?" Kirsten complained. "Why don't I get a present?"
"Well, Miss Kirsten, it's not really your birthday," Nellie said.
"It's okay," Mini Kit said. "Cheap Lady's Secret Sister sent a book just for you!"
"Neat! Give it to me!" Kirsten said.
She examined it more closely...
"HEY!" Kirsten yelled. "This isn't for me! I'm plenty polite!"
And Kirsten threw the book at Mini Kit.
"Hey!" Mini Kit yelled. "Be nice! It's my birthday!"
"Oh dear," Nellie said.
I had to make Kirsten read the entire etiquette book cover-to-cover as punishment--though I did point out a few key passages about not teasing others to Mini Kit.
The rest of the time, Mini Kit went off to play video games, while Nellie helped me clean up a bit of clutter. So Mini Kit, Nellie and I had a good night, at least.
By the time Kirsten finished reading the book and Mini Kit cleared her latest level, it was bedtime! Kirsten and Nellie shared a pillow-bed with Pegleg Sally.
There was nothing in the etiquette book about how to behave if your cheap caretaker makes you share a bed with an adoptive sister, so Kirsten didn't know it was rude to poke Nellie in the eye. I guess they need their own pillow-beds next time.
Mini Kit, on the other hand, got a sleeping bag all to herself...and since it's hard to tell if mini dolls are awake or asleep, she very well could have stayed up all night reading.
Thank you, Secret Sister (from me and Mini Kit both)!
On to 8.19.07