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My poor old pedantic English teacher is somewhere with her red pen, deducting points for the preposition at the end of that sentence. But my question is...

Can anyone recommend a good doll or baby doll to give as a gift? I need one for a newborn girl whose mother sews. I was thinking of the mom making matching doll/daughter clothes someday, but I have no experience with what dolls are currently available! All I know is American Girl, but they are too pricey.

Moms or grandmoms with girls -- do you know of a nice doll who's big enough for homemade clothes? I'd like to give a doll other than Barbie. She can come later. I'm thinking something appropriate for pre-school-ish age, and maybe the size of the nice Chatty Cathy or Thumbelina dolls "my generation" had. I'd prefer to find a doll that can sit or stand upright rather than a horizontal baby doll, if possible. What nice dolls are on the market now?

Well, I do know that the pattern companies make a lot of patterns for 18" dolls such as the American Girl series. I think the Clotilde catalog has some dolls that are a similar size. I think Hobby Lobby also has some similar size dolls.

That's another factor I need to consider -- what size patterns there are. But the mom is clever, and she might be able to draft her own. I know she's already looking forward to sewing "girlie" clothes. I thought a (matching) doll would be a good way to use up the scraps.

I've been looking online...what happened to the Ideal Toy Co. and their wonderful dolls?? Blink, & they're no longer made. Gosh, the Sears Christmas catalog was LOADED with dolls when I was a kid! Was hard to tell Santa which one to bring!

The toy company "Melissa & Doug" has a contender or two. I think that's a good toy company, right? The dolls are only 12" though.

i know that American Girl dolls are expensive but my DD had them at the start when you had to order from the person who created them and lived in Wisconsin. I'd really suggest one since they have lots of patterns, the dolls can take a lot of handling and they really do have lots of stuff out there for them. Some of the less expensive dolls have cheap hair that falls out if combed by a young girl and their limbs are not as forgiving when handled.

I think you can still get Cabbage Patch dolls - babies or kids. Most of these dolls (especially the babies) can wear store bought children's clothes - so children's patterns would work.

Seems that Clotilde's has a doll and of course, many patterns to sell---found it:
http://www.clotilde.com/detail...ria=springfield+doll

I personally think the little girl's first doll should be a baby doll. If she plays with dolls at all, she will want her own baby to mother.

(Reminds me. I have a 19-month old DGD. I need to dig out my doll pattern and see if I have any "skin" fabric left. I made dolls during the early Cabbage Patch craze when people were waiting in lines. My first SAHM job after having my son. I had "body" parts all over the house. LOL There's a photo of my son crawling in the midst of arms and legs while I was doing the stitching to make feet/toes-hands/fingers. Looks a little Frankensteinish.)

quote:

Originally posted by needlecrazy:
I think the Clotilde catalog has some dolls that are a similar size.

Yea - that's not a bad looking doll, or price! It's an "older" doll than the Melissa & Doug ones, which are more like babies who can sit up. It's also 18" vs. the 12" babies.

quote:

Originally posted by KeepYouInStitches:

I personally think the little girl's first doll should be a baby doll. If she plays with dolls at all, she will want her own baby to mother.

That's what I was thinking at first, but then I thought this could also be a gift that could be put aside til later. I just wonder if the mother would rather sew for a non-baby doll than a baby one. She creates a lot of jazzy stuff for herself!

Decisions, decisions.

quote:

My poor old pedantic English teacher is somewhere with her red pen, deducting points for the preposition at the end of that sentence.

I don't have a doll suggestion for you but felt a need to comment about the English teacher. My high school English teacher passed away this morning at age 106! I didn't appreciate her enough at the time but now realize what a terrific teacher she was as well as being a terrific person.

Well, Mary Lou, those English teachers WERE a pain, but they "learned us good" didn't they?

Just remember, no less an august person than Winston Churchill once wrote, "A preposition is a terrible word to end a sentence with." If it was good enough for Winny, it's good enough for us!

106 is amazing! Mine wasn't what you'd call a great teacher...she had strange class requirements and personal habits that did not endear her to her teenage students (who of course were soooo cool, LOL!). Everyone everyone EVERYONE dreaded having her. You couldn't escape school without having her at some point. But boy, the stuff she said is still ringing in my ears!

Joan Hinds has several books on making doll clothes. Think a lot are for the 18 inch AG dolls, but she may have patterns for other sizes too.

I still a few of the doll clothes that my late Mother made. I was the doll player of the 3 of us. My two younger sisters had Barbie dolls. Her cousin knit a lot of their clothes.

I am thinking that you might get her two dolls. One for now and one for when she is older. Maybe not right away. My Mother did make some clothes for the "baby" dolls too.

My nephew was given a "doll" that was just a fabric doll that wasn't exactly a doll. Maybe more like a gingerbread man made out of a white fabric. Didn't have any facial features. He loved it and she hated it. He didn't hang on to it very long. But he liked having it close when he was very little.

Have fun and let us know what you decide to do. Sorry I don't have a doll source for you.

PS: I also had an English teacher in jr hi that everyone didn't want, but boy oh boy, we learned in her class. In high school, was sure glad to have had her, the ones I had then were not very good. Wish I had told her in later years how much I came to appreciate her. A big regret.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Strings,

Wonder when the next JoAnn's pattern sale will be? I should look for some sale patterns, too. I was thinking of getting "Mom" a few little girl patterns & maybe some fabric to go with them...something basic like pink gingham or polka dots. After all, she's the one who's been doing all the work for the last 9 months, not to mention the months ahead. She's entitled to a little reward!

I just wanted to jump in on the 18" bandwagon. There are a ton of patterns for 18" and also pre-made items available for non-sewing relatives to 'supplement' her wardrobe or accessories, lol.

FYI: American Girl dolls ARE expensive But you can pick skin color, eye color, hair color & hair texture ie straight, wavy, curly, etc. Most importantly they have a 'hospital' where mishaps can be repaired in case a young beautician cuts Dolly's hair or uses a permanent marker as 'makeup, lol

My daughter has both "Bitty Baby" and an "American Girl" Doll that her grandma bought her. I think both dolls are made by the same company. You can watch for deals...they do have sales periodically. Maybe go in halves with someone and split up a twin set.

How about a Baby Alive...

Make the doll? Raggedy Ann?

I bet your geometry teachers are proud to know you use it daily! Went to guild tonight and two of my geometry students are members. They thank me often.

I bought an 18" doll at Michael's for a neighbor's foster child. Her foster mom made clothes for it. She really played with it until recently and it has really held up. She is now 11 and now longer plays with it. I made doll clothes for another foster child. I highly recommend the 30 Minute Doll Clothes with Joan Hinds as shown on Sewing with Nancy. They are quick and easy to make and for little hands to use.

If you have a Hancock Fabrics in your town they have McCalls and Simplicity for .99 cents August 16th - 18th. I don't work there, just shop there!

Thanks, Deb & DD. Will look into it. Figures...I have an errand to run right beside JoAnn's today, when the patterns aren't on sale yet.

I took my DD's Cabbage Patch doll and made new clothes for it for her daughter. You have to be careful to make the neck large enough but there are plenty of patterns available on Ebay,

Have you tried the Toys 'R Us website?

I like the AG doll for older girls. I knit some things for my DGD's doll.

But I think a girl 1-6 or so needs a softer, more hugable doll. At that time, the toy store had dolls that had soft bodies and smaller that the 18 inches. It was easier for a tot to carry around. Just my two cents.

Hey! There are some cute dolls here! From the website Mountain Laurel mentioned for buttons. I have bought something from them before and was pleased.

http://www.homesew.com/D41.html

My suggestion is the 18" Our Generation doll from Target or the similar one from Michaels'/Joann's. Also, the pattern companies have matching girl/doll patterns out that you could include that are for the 18" dolls.