About Primrose Jessalyn

Primrose Jessalyn arrived last December, and Treesa suggested that I feature her in a So Random post with some brand-name Cabbage Patch Kids to show her size.  I figured, "Why not just give her her own post?"  First, here's Primrose Jessalyn; I call her "Prim," similar to Primrose Everdeen.

Hmmm, that's the second doll that I've named after a character from The Hunger Games (Madge was the first), not counting Katniss herself.  Katniss is...well, she's Katniss!  There may one day be a Maysilee in my collection as well, since I like the name, but I digress.  I suspect that Prim is handmade, because instead of a brand name she's got an artist's label stitched to her tushie.

Prim's fabric is...I think a very fine fleece (it's a bit too fuzzy to be flannel).  She's very solidly made for the most part, though the back of one leg is coming undone like so.  I can fix that with a whipstitch or a blanket stitch, or I can hide it with socks or tights.  No biggie.

Prim's face is a riot without her pacifier.  She did come with one, but it was broken and broke even more when I handled it, so right now Prim is without.  

My vinyl-faced dolls that take binkies or bottles don't usually look this goofy; I think Baby Blossom Flowerpot may be my sole exception, and she just looks blank rather than goofy.  It can't be easy to make a rag doll that takes a binky, though!  Holding one in place requires either magnets (like my reborn baby, Sandra) or friction (like Baby Blossom and my paci-faced Cabbies).  A magnet would've worked for Prim in the short term, but it would've put tremendous strain on her fabric in the long run.  A small hole would've allowed that binky to slip right out.  So Prim looks funny, but her maker made the right call in making this mouth the way she/they did.

Quick look at the hair before moving down, Prim's hair was parted but hanging loose when she came to me, so I tied it up in perky little pigtails, like the ones that Clio Teresa wears.  She needs some ribbons, but I'll fix that eventually.

So!  Regarding size Prim LOOKS like she's about the size of a regular Cabbage Patch Kid, but that's not saying much since Cabbies vary a lot in their sizing, especially among the full-sized Kids.  The factory that the Kid hails from sometimes has some bearing on their size.  For example, Elisabeth Clara (right) is from a UT factory and is thus small for a Kid (I'm starting from the beginning, with Coleco).  On the other hand, Idalia Gale (left) is from a P factory, and those Kids are supposed to have understuffed bodies with smaller hands and limbs.  Idalia Gale is very large for a Kid, close in size to my TRU girl.  Prim is closer to Elisabeth in size, but she's a smidge bigger.

My other popcorn, Beryl June, is also a P Kid, and she's little.  Here's how she compares to Idalia Gale and to Elisabeth Clara...

...and to Prim.

So sometimes the marking on that tag means nothing more than "This Cabbie was made at this factory."  Preemies are a little easier; I've got four, and they're all roughly the same size.  Here's how Prim compares to Nathan Hunter (left) and Stella Rae (right); her head is much bigger than theirs, but her body is roughly the same size.  I think it's time to get Nate and Stella some spring clothes!

Lastly, my two Growing Hair Kids are bigger than the average Cabbie, so here's how Prim compares to one of them, the famous/infamous Andrea Doria. 

So Prim would be on the small side if she were a Coleco Kid.

Hasbro dolls vary in size as well, but most of mine run a little smaller than the Coleco gang.  Most of 'em, mind y'all.  Gwenda Cecile (Posin' Kid, left) is a large doll and thus is bigger than Prim, while Alice Helene (Love 'n' Care Baby, right) is smaller.  Again, Prim has a larger head than both of 'em.

On the other hand, Rowena Skylar (Kissin' Kid, left) and Gillian Ida (Splash 'n' Tan Kid, right) are both about Prim's size.  Rowena and Gilly are about the size I've grown to expect for a Hasbro Cabbie.

On to the Mattel era.  Size varied again, but for the most part these dolls were smaller than the Coleco Kids.  I'm just gonna stick to the two biggest ones, Gary Collier (left) and Lucey Dena (right).  Lucey is pretty small, so she's a bit smaller than Prim is.

Ownership of the Cabbies gets a little nebulous after the Mattel era, so I'm just going to move to Jakks Pacific and Play Along and be done with it.  Kory Aryan (right) is my biggest doll from this period, and Taniyah Yasmin (center) is my smallest.

On the other hand, Leslie Emily (left) is about the same size as Prim, and Iris Evangeline (right) has longer legs.

From Mattel onward some of the Cabbies grew smaller in size, so the dolls I chose don't represent their whole division.  See?  Skye Kitty (Mattel) can sit in Prim's lap.  Owen Presley, from the Wicked Cool Toys era, is bigger than Skye and thus can't sit on Prim's lap, but he's small enuff to play little brother to her.

Other Wicked Cool Cabbies are a full sixteen inches or even a mite larger.

Lastly, my foreign Kids.  Jesmar dolls come in three distinct sizes, but as far as I know Tri-Angs do not.  Candela Laura is one of Jesmar's taller dolls, so she's bigger than Prim, while Kitrick Randolph Fergus is between Prim and Candela in size.

I solemnly swear that Candela is bigger than Kit, by the way.  Most of the extra height is in her legs.

As to clothes, I have had Prim clad in the dress she came in, a green brocade number with soft lace trim and fantastic drape.  It's a nice dress, if a tad long in the hem for Prim's stubby little legs, but I wanted something a little brighter.  Mama bought a couple'a cute little outfits before we went on famine mode, but only one has arrived.  St. Louis appears to be the city having mail problems now (things have gotten better here in Malden).

Mama says it's an improvement, and I have to say I agree.  This outfit is sized for sixteen-inch Kids and it fits Prim almost perfectly.  It's a smidge tight around the neck, but I made it work.  Now all she needs are hair bows; I'm thinking my usual green, to match the bow on her chest.

And that's...well, that's not an in-depth look at Primrose Jessalyn, but y'all get the idea.  She's about the size of your average Cabbage Patch Kid, but a little softer and lighter and with thicker hair.  I like her a lot, especially in bright clothes, and I'll like her even better when she has a pacifier!

Cheers,
RagingMoon1987