Reader, my heart sank when I saw her. She needed a cleaning to be sure, and a good chunk of one foot was missing, but…that coat! That hat! Those are my two favorite things to make, and there was no way I could possibly improve upon what she was already wearing. I would have to think of something…

Thus begins the description for O.L.D. (Once-Loved Doll) No. 122, Shelly the United States Navy girl. You can see her adoption page HERE.

And it’s true! I loved what she was wearing more than anything I could make for her. But I had to do something besides the usual cleaning and few repairs! So I got to work.

First of all, while her coat was so nicely made and while it even had the perfect dress AND onesie beneath it, it looked a little too short! It needed something to go beneath. Some pants would do…and you can’t wear pants with a dress, so a shirt too! And of course some shoes…

Then while looking for something else entirely I came across I skirt I got from heaven knows where that I’ve had for years. I wanted to give it to some little girl, but never knew any that it would fit. Besides, it might be an adult size skirt. I could have worn it back in the day, but now…If I had a second one, I could put each around my thighs and perhaps create a new sensation of bell-bottom shorts, but no. Shelly needed this skirt much more than I did. So when I found a tattered little nightgown that suited her, I decided that a special hooded cape would be in good order.

The skirt is an ESPRIT skirt. It was navy blue and had two white stripes at the bottom. Avove those stripes were the words:

A curious sailor boy appeared and took my hand, and led me only goodness knows where.

I managed to get the first half of that quote going around the bottom of Shelly’s cape. After all, she’s only 15″ tall!

Then I wanted to make a tote, or sailor’s kit for her to carry everything in. I found a WONDERFUL tutorial and modified it to doll size. I then mimicked the “U.S.N.” and anchor motif on her uniform sleeve along with her O.L.D. number in paint on one side. And voila! She can now carry the rest of her clothes.

But she still needed something. I love to put brooches on my doll’s coat for a touch of sparkle, but you can’t put a brooch on a U.S. Navy coat, it would be undignified!

“I have the perfect thing!” my wee sister’s voice squeaked to me from the other end of the line.

Secretly, I doubted it. I’m around these dolls all day and even *I* can misjudge their size and how very small they are. I wouldn’t want to weigh this girl down.

Minutes later she came screeching to a halt in front of my house and I ran out to see her, sure that I would be proved – once again – right.

I WAS WRONG. She handed me a little pin of a tiny ship’s wheel about the size of a nickel and surrounded by rhinestones. JULIE WAS RIGHT, it was PERFECT.

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And now our little Shelly is complete, basically Just The Way She Was but with a few extra things to help her on her journey to new adventures unknown. To your house, perhaps…?

Another girl who’s now experiencing new adventures is TAHITI, who had an adventure on her way because SOMEBODY transposed the numbers in her zip code (that would be me. That makes twice in the past week and a half I’ve been wrong. Oh dear). But she finally safely arrive and is so happy with Gwen R. of Bedford, TX. Thank you, Gwen! And your kind husband too!

And with that, I leave you! Be kind to your Mother’s, you’re her favorite!