I said a few days ago that I was going back to work on my mannequin doll and am trying to improve the pattern. These dolls are inspired by antique wooden dolls, but then they are also leaning toward some early china dolls. The right hand doll is Angela undressed. She was the first one I made in the series. When I made her male companions, I made some improvements, and now I want to make a better lady doll. On the left is the same pattern with better feet… the limbs are not attached yet- she is all just pinned together.

My improved feet are the same as the male version. There is a separate sole on the foot, and a piece of cardboard inside so it keeps it’s shape. In my next version, I have made the foot slightly smaller and the calf a bit thinner. Also changed is the knee joint- aiming for something closer to what a carved wood joint might look like.

I wanted a more “womanly” figure. I adjusted the pattern for the body front- I widened the front body piece and adjusted the darts. I ended up with the right hand torso. My most recent copy of Antique Doll Collector magazine has an article on early china doll heads and I just had to try adding a bun!

and I changed the arm so that it only has one side seam. Simpler is better.