Jonny likes to remind the girls that it was his idea to give them flower names (Beatrix’s middle name is Rose Marie.) So, when I finished sewing a set of dolls for the girls to play with recently they immediately started coming up with flower names for them. Beatrix typically names all dolls “Rose,” so of course that was the name she gave her red haired doll. Larkspur’s was named “Marigold” and the third dolly was called “Sunflower.”
I’ve had Wee Wonderfuls sitting on my shelf for about a year and a half. My girls and I have poured through the pages countless times, both of them making requests, me making promises. 0n a whim, I recently cut out all the pieces to make the “Sleepover Pals” set and then began slowly assembling the dolls and their little sleeping bag. As I finished assembling the last dolly yesterday, the girls proclaimed them all to be alive now and then requested that I make up stories featuring the trio of dollies. I am honestly not very good at that, but I did my best. We actually all took turns. Beatrix is a natural storyteller, and she is evidently a fan of dark caves and monsters that “eat you up.” Something about all that storytelling made the little dolls whom Larkspur describes as being “kind of funny looking, but soooo cute”come alive for the girls. My plan is to keep them tucked into their little roll up sleeping bag on a shelf in my closet most of the time and only bring them down on occasion. When I was a little girl, my grandmother kept a doll that was simply named “Sick Dolly” up in her closet. Sick Dolly was only brought out when one of the grandchildren was sick. Something about getting to play with her made being sick less miserable. I don’t know that these little flower dolls will become sick dollies, but I think that keeping them on a high shelf most of the time will guarantee that they hold on to their appeal for longer. I may use these dolls in the same way that I use the “Little Book Basket,” bringing them down when one of the girls needs some quiet alone time.
Cari says
Ginny, you are so talented & have such neat ideas & plans. Those dolls are so cute & will become such wonderful treasures for your daughters to pass down to their daughters & so on!!!
Jenni says
Both the dolls and basket are a lovely idea Ginny – my daughter loved tiny books also! Many titles that we love have come out in mini board book versions since we had the battered paperback larger ones on our shelves! I think i’ll do this for my son! I love the projects that I do an a whim like that – the girls appreciate it so much!
Jenni x
Tirza says
Beautiful dolls Ginny! I have made each of my kids a doll from Wee Wonderfuls and I love them all so much.
Nahuatl Vargas says
They are beautiful!!!
Rachel says
They are very cute- and I love their names 🙂 I have a flower name too- Heather is my middle name, and two of my sisters have flower middle names too 😉
Taryn Kae Wilson @ Wooly Moss Roots says
I love them! The dolls turned out so sweet.
melanie jennifer says
Those dolls are amazing! It makes me wish I had a little girl to sew them up for. Although I could sew a little boy doll up for Connor…. 🙂 And I love the flower names!
Rachel says
The dollies are so cute Ginny! I didn’t comment on the posts about your storm damage, but also wanted to say I’m very sorry about all the fallen branches and damage that was done. Best wishes in all the labor to straighten things out.
Christina says
They are so cute! Just love their hair!
Jeni says
Beautiful. I love them.
I’ve had the same book on my shelf for awhile now, but why is it so hard to start a project?? Probably because I know it’s hard for me to finish them.
I know the girls will love them – thanks for a glimpse at their new treasures!
swanski says
I love those dolls, the fabric, their expressions, everything! They will remember that their mom sewed them up 🙂
Nicole says
Sick dolls sounds like a wonderful idea. We don’t have a lot of toys out here anymore and rotate the few we have. It really opens up their play even more now.
My children’s names have gone from Sanskrit, to Irish Gaelic and then to being named after a Saint 🙂 Nothing in common with any of them – ha,ha.
Jenn says
Those are so cute! Way to go family. 🙂
Jane says
I love flower names! My smallest girl is named Clover, but “Larkspur” was a close contender for her name.
I hope my library has that book in stock… Love those dollies!
heathermama hawkes says
those dolls are so sweet.:) what a great project.
barbara says
I love “sick dolly.” As long as she is washable, of course. I recently pulled Craft Hope down off the shelf when Faith tried to make her own doll. They have a darling pattern too. Thanks for the inspiration.
Jessica says
So so cute! The fabric choices are perfect. Will have to use your special toy in the closet idea.
Rachel Wolf says
We’ve got some serious karma you and I. Lupine (my flower girl) also names all of her friends Rose. Just yesterday I asked her if I should have named her Rose instead of Lupine. “No, mama. I’m already a different flower!” was her reply.
The dolls are lovely.
Ginny says
yes we do, Rachel!
Ellen says
Gorgeous little special dolls. I love the story behind them and their flower names. I have that book too – only made 1 thing from it: a monster for my son. Really should dust the book off and start something again. I like the little floral prints – what are they? (I recognize the larger print you used for the bag). Also the hair – is that felt? Wool felt or a blend?
Ginny says
Hi Ellen! The brown and the yellow print are from the Happy Campers line by I don’t know who because I only have a small cut left! The white background print is from Heather Bailey’s Freshcut line–called dittybud. The hair is made with wool felt. Probably ordered from weirdollsandcrafts.com
eidolons says
Their little buns! I love them! I guess I’m officially going to have to find a copy of that book. My middle son loves princesses and I’m sure these would fit the bill. Also, I could see tweeking them into ninjas for my oldest. (:
Julie says
Gosh, they’re cute! I just love the idea of a sick dolly.. such sweet memory.
Tracey says
I think the dolls are the cutest things ever! Thank you for this very informative post, I am now going to keep a ‘sick dolly’ at my home, that is a great idea. Have a lovely weekend.
Sharron says
These are so cute! I wish my 6 yo liked dolls. She could really care less. We even have a handmade doll with a baby in a back carrier that we bought while in China……she hates it. Thinks it’s scarry for some reason.
Helen says
I hope your girls have read “chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkel. My daughter Violet loves it…all bout a girl with a flower name.
Sharron says
Oh yes! I love that book!
Ginny says
Yes, we love it!
Arielle says
We saw a film short of the story narrated by Glenn Close – it was so awesome. I want to buy that book for every flower girl I know. I know a little baby Dahlia, and my sister would have named her baby either Violet or Trillium had he been a girl. She’s working on another, so I hope we get a Trillium 🙂
Arielle says
Oops, not Glenn Close – it was Meryl Streep.
Tina-Marie says
We still have Wee Wonderfuls from the library. There are so many nice patterns that I couldn’t decide where to start.
Your daughters’ dolls turned out lovely. I love their names. I also love the idea of the sick dolly. Your grandmother was so wise.
teresa c says
Those dolls are just lovely! I bought my mother a Wee Wonderful pattern a few years ago but she never used it. Now that i’m stitching a little bit maybe its time to get those patterns out…
Wonder Why Gal says
Those dolls are adorable and I love when it’s time to find the perfect name.
I like the idea of making the dolls a “special play” doll and not an every day doll.