Meet Dilly

There truly is no rest for the wicked in my house!  

It's Saturday morning and I had booked my lie-in as the 10 yr old is at her father's and the dobe will sleep for hours, as long as she has a spot on the bed.  What I hadn't accounted for was Dolly, endless thoughts of whom kept me wide awake... and eventually pushed me out of bed.

It seems she wants a face, and we will be going Victorian Gothic black for her dress... with very narrow sleeves and miniature pearl buttons.

But first, meet Dilly, my first Kate Erbach doll.

She is, by far, my most favourite doll pattern.  I have made her twice, once at the suggested size (8" tall) for my mother and here at 2.5x for me.  She is long and narrow, her face is just over an 1.5" wide and her hands 0.5", but she was a dream to put together.

Like Dolly, her body is canvas.  Her hair is Ecru embroidery cotton mixed with a very fine mohair handmade wool.  Decorated with handmade silk roses, ribbons and sequins.  Her dress, in faded Sanderson rose curtains!, was nothing more than two squares sewn together and gathered at the top, with folds and pleats sewn in and beading detail.  Her bloomers and sleeves are in white muslin and the sleeves were handsewn onto the arms, to make them as close-fitting as possible (a detail I will use for Dolly).  The bodice of her dress was based on a historical (Regency) outfit I saw, with a hint of Obi belt at the back; made with a selection of ribbons and handstitched into place.

I adore her, she spends her days sat with Old Man Chan, an antique Indonesian marionette, but today I'm going to tear her away and use her as inspiration for Dolly.