Doll Project Sneak Peak

Remember this?

When Ahnalin told me she wanted to make her own doll, I went in search of a free rag doll pattern online and I found this!

http://www.ragdolls2love.org/

This ministry was started by a lovely woman who saw precious children hurting through war, disease and natural disasters. She realized that while these children needed many things she could not provide, they also needed something to cuddle. This she could do!

She designed a simple rag doll design that was easy to sew and used small amounts of fabric and a little bit of batting or fiberfill.

I downloaded the free pattern so that I could use it to teach Ahnalin some simple sewing techniques, while giving her a sense of accomplishment in creating an item she loved.

Truly, this doll pattern is so simple. 

Ahnalin did almost all of the work on this doll by herself.

And see that smile on her face?

She named her doll Sally and she sleeps with her every night.

She has loads of other dolls, but Sally is her favorite because she is soft and cozy.

Here is the deal.........

While we do not let Ahnalin watch the news or really do not talk about a lot of scary stuff around here, she has heard quite a bit about the tragedy in Haiti. 

She knows that many people we know have adopted from Haiti, or have been there on missions trips,

or are waiting to hear about a child they are in process to adopt.

Ahnalin understands about orphans.

Even though she was a year old when she came to us, she very clearly remembers wanting a mommy. 

When she heard about orphans in Haiti who have already lost parents, and are now sleeping on the streets, she told me that she wanted to make dolls for them.
She wanted them to have something to hug until their mommies or daddies could get to them. 

She has prayed for them and cried for them. 

So I contacted Elizabeth Winters, the director of Rag Dolls 2 Love, and asked if she was planning on sending rag dolls to Haiti. She said YES!

So Ahnalin picked out some fabric and we started making dolls. 

Each doll requires 1/2 yard of quilting fabric and some stuffing.

You do not need to be skilled in embroidery to make the faces. 

You can just draw the face on with a sharpie!

I will embroider these because I like that look.

The heart is just a red scrap of velvet stitched on.

Rag Dolls 2 Love requests that the fabric be a simple print in colors that are not skin tones. The fabric should not have any specific religious symbols, words or animals or people, as the dolls go to children of different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

As shipping these dolls to foreign countries is costly, she requests a donation of $2.00 for each doll to defray those expenses.

Money is very tight around our house, but I have loads of fabric! I put out the call on Facebook for more fiberfill and a local friend, Kathleen, filled that need in minutes!

These are doll arms and legs that Ahnalin and I sewed last night.

We hope to have some finished dolls to show off today!

I realize that the need in Haiti is great. 

I can not send large amounts of money.

But each of us can do something to reach out. 

I am so glad that God is building empathy in my beautiful girl.

She does not want any other child to hurt the way she hurt. 

She asked me if it was ok to pray for the orphans while we sew the dolls.

You see, when I was a little girl, my mom used to make "Prayer Pillows" for people.

She would pray for the recipient while she sewed for them.

I learned from her, and I pray for the recipients of my creations as I sew for them.

And now Ahnalin prays for the children of Haiti as we sew these dolls.

I praise God for the giving heart He is creating in my little one.

More pics to come. 

And if you have fabric, time, and fiberfill, please consider making some dolls to send.

Love to you all from "Rag Doll Land".