PRIMITIVE DOLLS ARE A VINTAGE STYLE OF DOLL STILL POPULAR IN THE USA – ESPECIALLY IN NEW ENGLAND. MY IDEAS AND PATTERNS HAVE COME FROM A VARIETY OF BOOKS,FRIENDS AND HISTORICAL WEBSITES – TO WHICH I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.

NORTHFIELD PRIMITIVES WAS BORN IN EARLY 2007.

I HAVE BEEN MAKING DOLLS AND TOYS AS A HOBBY SINCE I WAS GIVEN MY FIRST SEWING MACHINE BY MY PARENTS AGED 7.  I STITCH ALL MY DOLLS ON A 1930'S HAND-CRANKED SEWING MACHINE, THAT TRAVELS EVERYWHERE WITH ME!

 Northfield Primitives latest for January 2008:   The Northfield Primitives blog is now up and running.  See link below or visit www.northfieldprimitives.blogspot.com .  I am busy replenshing stock after Christmas fairs, as well as working on new patterns and designs for 2008.  I will be putting information on the blog about where you can see me in 2008 as I book craft and gift fairs over the coming month or so.  I have already posted some photos showing the primitives I will be continuing to make from last year, as well as some of the new dolls.  Keep checking in to the blog as it will be updated every few days (I hope).

I may be listing on ebay, but since changes to listings allowing the US primitives to be shown on the UK website, I think my dolls may get a little lost...and it is quite pricey to list on ebay if nothing is selling!    Best bet is to contact me direct at northfieldprimitives@yahoo.co.uk after looking at photos on the blog!   Prices are listed on the blog - I'm hoping it might work like a 'virtual catalogue' - next best thing to having my own website!

My dolls are also available at Foxtail-Lily Barn Shop, South Street in Oundle, Northants from Tracie, who makes the most amazing country style flower arrangements using naitive flowers from her cottage garden.

What I do when I'm not teachin' or stitchin':  I am passionate about shape note singing.  I discovered Sacred Harp singing in 2005 and have attended as many singings as possible since.   

Shape note singing gave way to other forms of music in England in the 1800's, but thrived in the USA until the early 1900's.  There is still a strong tradition of shape note singing in parts of New England and southern US states such as Alabama, and shapenote music used in the film Cold Mountain, starring Nicole Kidman, has helped to renew interest in this form of 4 part harmony singing.  The Sacred Harp book has been in continuous print since 1844, and we continue to sing from it today.  I'm glad to say there is a strong, growing community of shape note singers in the UK.

If you are at all interested to find out what shapenote music/Sacred Harp is, please go to www.ukshapenote.org.uk where you will find contact names, a calendar oif UK sings and links to sound clips and the American shapenote websites.  Go on - you won't regret it!