Hello Ello

My daughter Evie loves the doll I made her for her 5th birthday. She is called Lily and really is part of the family.

This is Evie and Lily in London recently when we went for a visit - yep, Lily goes everywhere.

Naturally, my son Theo has been anticipating having a doll like Lily of his own. He already has a few but not one that you can dress and undress.

When recently I started making dolls again, Theo brought me some doll skin fabric from my stash. "Let's make a doll Mummy."

Well, how could I resist?

So, over the next few weeks we worked on Theo's doll together in that funny hour or so after lunch and before we go and collect Evie from school. I made the head myself first as this is not something that is recommended to do with young children, and we did the rest together. I sewed and Theo helped in the way 4 year olds do. ahem.

This is the story of how Ello was born.

First we covered his head in skin fabric. Theo started to play with him straight away, before he even had a body! He chose the beautiful colours for his eyes and red wool for his hair.

Then we carefully cut out and sewed the fabric for the arms and the body and weighed out the wool to stuff the arms.

We stuffed the hands first. Nice and firm.

Then we put the arms on the top of the body - my helper carefully took out the pins.

Next we stuffed the body with wool.

The head and are were then put into the body of the doll ready to be sewn up.

Theo asked me frequently if the doll was ready yet? No, not yet - soon.

Then one morning (soon after) Theo awoke to find his new friend wrapped in a blanket at the end of his bed.

"I cradled him in my arms Mum, and he is called Ello"