I used to love Milly Molly Mandy. In fact, when I saw an omnibus edition of the books a few years ago, I just had to get it and re-read it! The stories are quite old-fashioned and were first published in the 1920's. For those who don't know Milly-Molly-Mandy, 'She had a Father, and a Mother, and a Grandpa, and a Grandma, and an Uncle, and an Aunty; and they all lived together in a nice white cottage with a thatched roof. This little girl had short hair, and short legs, and short frocks (pink-and-white-striped cotton in summer and red serge in winter).
There is an episode where she needs a new dress and there is a trip to the village store with her mother and a friend, 'Bunchy' and her grandmother. The story goes ... 'There was a light blue silky stuff which Mother and Bunchy's Grandmother said was 'not serviceable'. And a stuff with scarlet poppies and cornflowers all over it which they said was 'not suitable'. And there was a green chintz stuff which they said was too thick. And a yellow muslin which they said was too thin. And there was a stuff with little bunches of daisies and forget-me-nots on it. Ang a big roll of pink-and-white striped cotton. And there was nothing more (except flannelette or bolton-sheeting and that sort of thing, which wouldn't do at all!). Milly Molly Mandy thought the one with daisies and forget-me-nots was much the prettiest. So did Bunchy. Milly-Molly-Mandy thought a dress of that would be a very nice change'... Anyway, it turns out that there's not enough stuff for both dresses and Milly-Molly-Mandy lets Bunchy have the pretty stuff and they become friends.
As well as the stories, I love the pen illustrations done by the author, Joyce Lancaster Brisley. She was also an artist who had work hung at the Royal Academy. I like to draw in pen myself and there's some of my work early on in my blog.
To make my skirt, I thought I'd have to get a striped sheet or something but amazingly, my village store had a roll of pink-and-white striped cotton! Have I been shaped by Milly Molly Mandy? Well, I do live in the country now and always wanted too, having been brought up in an urban area...
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Love the skirt - the pink and white stripes are delightful! Great work!
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