My New Easy Girl Doll Pattern

I have been trying to finish this doll pattern for months now and finally she is here, and just in time for Christmas! Hooray!!

This sewing pattern is to make a child friendly cloth rag doll that is 19” (48.5 cm) tall from cotton and felt fabrics. Just as her name describes her, she is very quick and easy to make!

Not been sewing long, don’t worry my pattern comes with a 10 page detailed photo tutorial with helpful tips, tricks and How – To’s, and an easy face embroidery template.

You’ll be a dolly making pro in no time, and guess what, you can sell your dolls made from this pattern too! And to help you get your name out there, I also include links to my quick and easy Fabric Label Tutorial. Hooray!

Sew ……. Let’s Get Sewing Together!

To read more about this pattern

please visit her in my Etsy Shop ♥

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Dolly Donations Supports The UTHANDO PROJECT

I wanted to tell you about the need for hand made dolls for the Children of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

“KwaZulu Natal (KZN) is home to one quarter of South Africa’s children. ....2/3... live in poverty and 1.5 million are younger than six. The HIV and AIDS pandemic affects everyone ….. When one in five children has already lost one or both parents to the AIDS, the care-giving capacity of families is stretched and at times overwhelmed.

Through play children have the opportunity to experience delight and to unleash their imagination. They may also express their grief and loss, and come to better understand things that trouble or confuse them. One grandmother may have up to a dozen children in her care….”

“Play begins with the making of the dolls. Love is embedded in these handmade dolls, which carry with them the warm intention of the best possible outcomes for the child."

You can read more about the amazing work they are doing and see photos of the dolls HERE

What they are looking for:

• They have collected 40,000 but need Thousands more handmade “African style” dolls
•  Dolls must have a brown skin tone, be firm, well filled and cuddly, with colorful clothing.
• Dolls with removable clothing need at least 3 items of clothing. Shoulder bags, beads, shawls and other decorations are all welcome!

WHERE TO SEND 

TREE,
PO BOX 35173,
NORTHWAY 4065
SOUTH AFRICA

It is essential to mark each parcel / box so that extra charges are avoided:

"HANDMADE DOLLS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO CHILDREN IN KWAZULU-NATAL.

NO COMMERCIAL VALUE"

Please advise Terry Kass ; her email is terry@tree-ecd.co.za with details of what you have sent and date.

♥


They have drop off locations for people in Australia only  (go here for the list) but  please phone contact person before making deliveries.

♥


Hugs and Happy Sewing!

♥

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Your Doll Drives: Brownie Troops Holiday Gift!

I just received a wonderful E-mail from Leigh in Alaska USA. Her Daughter's Brownie Troop is donating holiday gift boxes to the local drug and alcohol treatment center. It is a live in program with man & women bringing their children.

“(We were) asked for toys suitable for young kids and I immediately thought of your pattern.

I was able to get ten dollies finished for them to pack up. They were a big hit with our brownies, especially mine! I hope the kids at the center love them even half as much... ...Thank you so much for sharing this pattern that can bring so much joy to the life of a child!”

It is my pleasure Leigh and Thank You and your lovely Brownie Troop for spreading such a lot of love through giving this holiday season! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Happy Sewing!!!

♥

If you have started your own Dolly Donations Drive, big or small, please don’t hesitate to let me know!

Take care Everyone and have a lovely weekend!

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Your Doll Drives: Jenn's 250 dolls for Haiti and counting!

A soon to be adoptive mother to an orphaned Haitian boy, Jen has been hard at work over these past few months using the Free Dolly Donations Pattern to make dolls for her trip over to see her son. I was lucky enough to speak to her recently and her passion to help children in need was abundantly apparent.


To date she has donated 50 dolls to our Free The Kids doll drive and another 50 dolls to The Abundant Ground!

To keep herself busy whilst she waits for more news on her adoption from The House of God (creche au maison de deu) in Port Au Prince Jen spends her time raising her other children and you guessed it, making dolls.

“i am making dolls as steadily as i can. i found a group here that does mission trips all over the world. i have committed myself to providing dolls for anyone they are willing to take them to. they work with orphanages in Tibet, Cambodia, several areas in Africa, as well as Haiti.


They are planning a Haiti trip for feb. so i've earmarked around 150 dolls for that trip. i'm still working on getting more for them as well as starting some lighter skinned dolls for their current Tibet mission.”

Jenn has already made enough dolls for all 70 of the children in her son's orphanage, but if anyone would like to help her in her efforts and make some doll clothes, bags or shoes or anything else that can be used for the children to play dress up with them that would be fantastic!

If you would like to help make some doll accessories for Jenn please e-mail her directly at:

jenhaefeli@me.com

“i've sewn almost 250 with another 200 cut and in process! yay!!!”

♥

Well done Jenn, we think you're a Dolly Donations Super Star!!!

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A New Direction for Dolly Donations

After much debate I have decided to take a break from setting up large doll drives and focus on being a mummy. This past year has been a fantastic journey. I have been overwhelmed by all of you, your kindness, dedication and drive, and feel honored to have met you all. I am also terribly honored to read your e-mails of how I have inspired you to set up your own doll drives using my Free Dolly Donations Pattern.

I would like Dolly Donations to move in a new direction to help promote Your Dolly Donation Drives around the world.

So if you have set up a doll drive, be it big or small, for an orphanage, church group or organization supporting children in need, sent dolls to a homeless shelter, or battered women’s shelter, or perhaps given dolls to missionaries working overseas, please contact me.

I’d love to hear your stories, see photos of your finished dolls and whenever possible the happy children’s faces with their new dollies.

Dolly Donations would love to help spread the word for local sewing groups and drives around the world so that others in your area can join in the fun. And I would love to be able to share your stories with everyone in the Dolly Donations community!

♥

 Dolly Donations Active Doll Drives List : LINK

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How do I start my own Dolly Donations Drive?

• First off, talk to your friends. You never know what connections are out there until you ask.
• Contact your local church group or organization that might be supporting children in need abroad.
• Know of an orphanage, why not contact them?
• Are you or do you know somebody who is adopting a little one from overseas? Why not see if you can send some dollies along with them on their next trip?
• Why not drop some dolls off at a homeless, or battered women’s shelter?
• See if dolls would be a good gift to give to missionaries traveling overseas to distribute.
• Are your relatives in the armed forces? Some of the smaller patterns are ideal to give to them to hand out to local children to build trust and friendship in areas devastated by war and hardship.
• GAP Year Students, Traveling Doctors, Aid Workers, Missionaries …. If you know someone traveling overseas with a big heart and a bit of spare room in their luggage for a vacuumed pack group of dollies (they spring back to life once released from their plastic confines!), why not ask for their help? 

The sky’s the limit! Go on give it a shot, you’ll be amazed how easy it is, how many wonderful people you meet along the way and remember for every doll made you’ll be making one child very happy!

♥ 

I'm no longer hosting Doll Drives 

- but please feel free to start your own & Support the Active Doll Drives Listed.

♥

 Dolly Donations Active Doll Drives List : LINK

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Dolly Donations: Sending Love, 1 Dolly at a Time! 

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