For as long as I can remember, I've had this tiny doll in a bassinet. She must be all of 1 3/4 inches long. She's made out of colored bisque and has separate arms and legs, wired together. She's packed away in tissue paper as she has always been until I can find a dome the right size to put her in.
When my mother gave her to me, her basket had no hood. I made the one shown using strips of cane bent over and attached to the basket. The bed is lined with cross-quilted satin lining, the bottom is a tiny pillow of cotton batiste. And she has an even smaller head pillow.
Mom made a set of clothes for her and I would carefully undress her, wash her bonnet, nightgown, booties, panties, and robe; all the bedding except the outside of the bassinet. Then, I would carefully re-dress her and put her away again.
Some years ago, I decided to make her a new set of clothes. The idea started when I ran across the beautifully embroidered handkerchief that now doubles as a coverlet. It was so wonderfully made, it spurred me to take a shot at making a new bonnet and nightdress. I had been hoarding a shoebox full of antique lace--some inherited, some bought at an estate sale in Portland OR. I had taken a course in French Hand Sewing and used what I had learned to construct the new outfit. It took a while to find a needle small enough to do this.
I had some very fine batiste that I had bought while taking the course, so I was set. I'm glad I bought a whole bolt. Really fine fabric seems to be getting scarce.
I would recommend sewing in the sunlight if you are doing French Hand Sewing--especially if the work is white on white.
Later I'll post some more examples of this kind of work.
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