Doll Pillow

My Mother-in-Law called me one day with a request. She used to have this doll pillow years ago that she loved and didn't know what happened to it. She was hoping I could make her one, that was similar to what she used to have. She really loves Native American style so we decided to make the doll pillow a bit Native American in the colors to match her décor. We chose buttery yellow, golds, turquois, cream, and a dark red. She described how her doll pillow had her arms pinned together so she could hold something like flowers. And she wanted her to be about 18" tall.  

So off I began to sketch and think, and shop (my favorite part) for supplies. I had fun picking out buttons, beads, trims, and fabric. To start I drew out a pattern of her head and body onto paper that I pieced together. I then traced the pattern onto some muslin. Sew, turn, stuff and ta-da, a doll shaped pillow was coming together! I painted her lovely face and hair, but left the body part unpainted since she was going to have a pillow case dress.

The "pillow case dress" was exactly that. Fabric I made into a pillowcase of sorts to be slipped onto the doll body and attached at the neck. I sewed and stuffed her arms and sewed them into the side seams of the pillowcase. After attaching the dress I glued it closed, and added her shawl (which was a must have) and her necklace.

Here she is with a little babushka. I just thought she looked cute tucked in her arms. I know my Mother-in-Law was thrilled with how she turned out, and I thank her for the inspiration, and opportunity for me to make this Doll Pillow. :)