I've known for a while that I wanted my daughters' first dolls to be Waldorf dolls. A simple search on Google or Etsy will show the variety of sizes, colors, and styles of Waldorf dolls. But all of them have at least one thing in common -- they are sweet, innocent-looking dolls that are perfect for developing imaginations. Unfortunately, another trait they share is that they are quite expensive to purchase!
However, with a few materials and a needle, we were able to have a go at making our own at very little expense. And thus, I am very pleased to introduce you to Edith:
Edith is a bunting doll, which means that her "dress" is really her body, too. For the head, we followed Beth's marvelous instructions on Flickr: Making a Waldorf Doll.
Edith's hair is a gorgeous merino wool that we found in a local high-end yarn shop, and turned out to be the most expensive part (though I have PLENTY of yarn left for future dolls or other projects!).
There were a number of things that made this the perfect beginning doll-making project. With no real "body," there was very little actual doll-making involved. And having the cap sewn straight on to the head meant that there was no wig-making involved, either (except for the few strands that peek out at the top). It gave me a taste for doll-making without boatloads of stress. It's definitely something I'll do again in the future!
As much as I love the doll itself, I'm even more pleased that it's something Rosa's mama and grandmother could make together for her. And while Rosa will have to pick out names for her dolls when she's older, I named this one "Edith," because that was my maternal grandmother's name. Though we'll be calling her "Edie," just like my grandmother was called by her friends!