Little Amity

This is Miss Amity, my first real attempt at making a doll from the pattern on up. She is mostly inspired by pictures of handmade cloth dolls from the mid 1800's, but once I reached her face, I couldn't help put embroider it!  I have only found a very few pictures of cloth dolls from the 1800's who's faces are not simply painted (or very beautifully painted, but I did not want to attempt that just yet!). Most of the embroidered faces I have seen are on very sweet little African American dolls, so I may have to try making a copy of one of those next. When I realized Amity was not going to be a perfect reproduction doll, I decided to just have fun experimenting, giving her hand-spun hair with a braided bun, and hands inspired by Izannah Walker dolls.
I hadn't realized that I never got a good head-to-toe picture of her, but I'll post more pictures as soon as I have her underpinnings completed ~ for now I am having a very fun time imagining tiny petticoats and miniature leather shoes!

Back to sewing for me ~ what do you all think of my little girl?

Two little friends for a birthday girl

 

Just before Christmas a little friend of ours turned seven. Since her birthday just right around Martinmas, she asked to have a Lantern Walk party! Can you imagine anything more lovely?

And what other present could  you give a sweet little girl for  her Lantern-Walk-Birthday then two little woodland people carrying their own little lanterns?

Now, I have to tell you, I am still not happy with their faces. The little brother's eyes seems a bit... But I was cutting it a bit close, and barely got their smiles drawn before we had to head out to the party, wrapping them up in purple tissue ribbons on the car ride.
I've been working on drawing and painting better faces all winter, and am getting much more confident ~

I hope everyone is doing well, and having a lovely winter!