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Vintage Doll Craft: Before American Girl and Barbie, There Was Church Baby

October 23, 2015 by Carolyn Wainscott

Make do, use what you have – That is just what great-great grandma and grandpa had to do long ago in Pioneer days. There were no department stores or shopping centers and even had there been, no money was available to purchase store bought toys so they were made of whatever was available. In the case of the vintage doll craft, church babies, they were made of pillowcases.

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Dolls were called church babies, pew babies or be good babies because they were soft and noiseless if they were dropped during long church services. Pillow cases were stripped off the pillow that morning because there were no spares then scraps stuffed into the top and tied up with bits of yarn or string or great, great grandma took her hankie from her pocket to make a miniature version quickly.

“Church Baby” is one of the projects my partner in crime, Mary, and I made to put in a consignment store and we had such a great time creating them. Matching up just the right pillow case with coordinating hanky to match for a bonnet. It was like a “Church Baby” fashion show adding ribbons, trims, appliques or whatever we had on hand and trust me, we had a lot on hand. When we ran out of our own pillow cases we scoured yard sales, Goodwill, home sales and when we ran out of those we broke down and made pillow cases – for crying out loud, they are the simplest things to make unless you get into all that embroidery. They were very popular and all of them sold.

Vintage Doll Craft: Church Baby

by Carolyn Wainscott

So, here is “Church Baby” in her blue embroidered gown:

These bonnets were in the bag along with ribbons, etc. left from making our originals.

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the lace bonnet was made from the lace yardage-the white lace bonnet is from a 6″ doily in the bag

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The lace doily bonnet is one of my faves

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This bonnet was partially made in the bag, I changed the ribbons

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Then I decided to make “Mini Church Baby” from the handkerchief from my purse-it was too large to make a bonnet

tie one corner to form left arm, tie opposite corner for right arm-tie both loosely

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insert ball of batting into hanky between arms to form head, tie ribbon for  neck

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Her bonnet is a 2″ crocheted applique that had been rescued from a sweater, also in bag, and Voila-

-Mini Church Baby-

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and here she is with  “Church Baby”

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To make hanky bonnet-simply fold back 2″ [or whatever it takes to fit the doll head] with pretty side out, repeat for back fold

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machine or hand sew casings to insert ribbons

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   you can use: ribbons, yarn, buttons, laces, beads

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                   6″ lace doily used for bonnet  [also found in goody bag]                       DSC04014

                                  casings sewn with ribbons inserted               lace bonnet gathered at back with ribbon

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To make your own “Church Baby” use the pattern for body below

sew-leaving a 4″ opening to turn and stuff or purchase a blank muslin doll from craft store

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place body in center of pillow case-put rubber band around neck

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tie arms

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decorate to your hearts content.

Church baby head-body

Thank you for joining me and may the joy of crafting be upon you

Carolyn Wainscott

www.carolynscanvas.blogspot.com

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Carolyn Wainscott
Blogger at Carolyn's Canvas
I am a 75 year old widow of 3 years after 55 years of marriage whose main focus in life has been my family and homemaking. I love designing, creating, and re-purposing. I was very involved with my children and their activities, then my grandchildren, and now with my great, grandchildren. My first love in crafting is in textiles, mainly quilting. The first quilt I designed was for my grandson over 30 years ago and that pattern will soon be available online. I am loving the internet world where I can market my designs, publish tutorials and talk with crafters all over the world from my own little corner of the world even though never having a lesson on the computer or internet networking I do have to call on my grandchildren at times for help. They still think I rode in on a dinosaur but that's ok, I'm having a great time. I have enjoyed a great deal being able to share my love of crafting on FaveCrafts and FaveQuilts.
Latest posts by Carolyn Wainscott (see all)
  • Vintage Christmas Crafts: The Tussie Mussie and the Language of Flowers - December 12, 2022
  • Victorian-Era Style: DIY Little Girl’s Fur Muff with Matching Doll Fur Muff - August 20, 2022
  • My Granddaughter Hannah’s DIY Duct Tape Mannequin for Sewing Projects - May 25, 2022

Filed Under: Sewing Tagged With: Carolyn Wainscott, Easy Sewing Projects, Guest post, vintage, vintage crafts

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