Homes for dolls

These guys went to Comfort Cases via a group in Maryland that had a special toy drive for them.

If you are like me, you probably have far more dolls around your home than there is room for.  So where to find a home for all these dolls?

I have been exploring this conundrum.  Of course, you can sell them if you like.  Sometimes I do, but I'm just not a salesman.  Every year several of my dolls go to my parents church for their annual Christmas bazaar (they even have started asking my Dad if I will have dolls for the bazarr!).   Other possibilities exist in your community:  your church, your local hospital, shelters for women and children, nursing homes for the elderly.  There are also some online possibilities:

1.  Comfort Cases.  They put together supplies and a toy in a backpack for children entering the Foster Care system; for as they say, a garbage bag should NOT be a child's backpack.  They recently held a special drive for immigrant children taken from their parents at the border and entering the Foster Care system, which is how I heard of this (from a good Facebook/Flickr friend), but they provide this caring for all children entering the program.

2. Cancer Kickin' Critters.  In their own words ' Cancer Kickin' Critters is a nonprofit created by a kid to bring comfort to children in the hospital fighting cancer.'  I love this, and will be donating to this group as well.  They are on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for all you social media savvy types:  

Facebook:  Cancer Kickin' Critters
Instagram:  CancerKickinCritters
Twitter:  @CKCritters

I would love to hear of any organizations that you donate to or would recommend.  We can make the world a better place, one handmade doll at a time :-)

Whoever welcomes a child like this...

"Whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me...And whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it were better for him that an ass' millstone were hanged on his neck and that he were thrown into the sea." Mark 9:36-37, 42.

In an effort to channel my anger and frustration regarding the treatment of immigrant families and their children at our border, I reworked a previous pattern of mine; changing the body shape, making the head a bit smaller, and creating a new wardrobe.  The pattern, Whoever Welcomes a Child Like This  is freely available here on my blog.

If you make one of these dolls, please keep in mind that all children are deserving of our love and protection.

puffed sleeve dress, ropers, brimmed sunhat and cat hat

undies!

dolls in many colors :-)

These dolls measure 3 1/2 inches when worked in size 10 crochet cotton and a size 6 steel hook.  The clothing is worked in size 20 crochet cotton and a size 9 steel hook.  If this seems a bit tiny and daunting, try working the doll in sportweight yarn and a size B hook, and the clothing in size 10 cotton and a size 6 steel hook.  Full disclosure:  I haven't tried this yet, but am pretty sure it would work :-)

Update 7-6-2018!

I have an additonal pattern of four more outfits for Whoever Welcomes a Child!

Whoever Welcomes a Child Additional clothing

Enjoy making your own child, for a special child in your life :-)