Billie Ann doll

I LOVE a handmade doll. Seriously. Like more than my three girls love dolls.  For years I have made various dolls for my girls and others using Bit of Whimsy patterns. They sew up very quickly and easily and have just that vintage look I like.  And the best part - my girls love them!

Here is L's Katie Kitten:

And E's Mae doll:

M's Billie Ann doll has been much loved and looks it:

Like the princess bandaid?

M's doll (named Shirley Ann) even kept M company in the hospital while waiting for the surgeons to set her broken arm.

This is the Jane doll I made for a dear friend's daughter.  Her daughter has an old soul so I tried to make her a more mature doll:

So when I was trying to figure out what to give my precious niece for Christmas that wasn't plastic (I really try to avoid landfill gifts whenever possible), I decided to make her a Billie Ann doll to be cousins with M's doll.  I was a little nervous about what she would think (if all advertisements directed at you as a young child are full of plastic toys that light up and twirl, why would you be excited about something as stationary and boring as a handmade doll?) but she loved it!  The best part was seeing the cousin dolls playing together.  Wish I had taken a picture of that!

I also made her brothers homemade gifts for Christmas.  But more on that later.  My goal for next year? To make each of  my girls quilts for Christmas!  Here's to handmade gifts!