Remember this little guy? My mom got this doll for Christmas in the forties. All that was left was his head.
But look at him now!
Not exactly a “restoration.” I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to do. His body was rubber filled with shredded foam and it disintegrated into a big, gooey, melted mess over the years.
I finally bought a kit for one of those “Real Born” dolls. Looks creepy, right?
I watched some YouTube videos on assembly and then did things my own way, as usual . I filled the limbs with these poly beads because that is what I had on hand. They are a real mess to work with!
Then added a bit of poly fil to keep the beads in the limbs and to fill the body. You use zip ties to secure the silicone arms and legs to the cloth body.
His body looks too narrow! But the limbs seem to be the right size.
And now he can be held again. This vintage baby dress fits perfectly.
You may recall that Judy gave me a lovely vintage hanger to display this dress on. It did not go to waste!
Dear Ila sent me this vintage child’s apron and I was about to go looking for another vintage hanger for it. Now I don’t have to. Isn’t this adorable?
I’m so pleased to be able to display my mom’s doll. I sent her photos and I think she was pretty happy too.
Have a great day!
KatyQuilts 
Thanks! I’m sure a true doll restorer would be horrified. When I was little, if I were careful and good, I got to hold Jimmy. I’ve always loved him. Have a great day!
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Thanks! When I was little, if I were careful and good, I got to hold Jimmy. I’ve always loved him. Have a great day!
Sent from my iPad
>
Thanks! When I was little, if I were careful and good, I got to hold Jimmy. I’ve always loved him. Have a great day!
Sent from my iPad
>
I’m a child of the 40’s too, Katy, and had the very same “boy” doll. Mine was named Jimmy too so that’s what he must have been promoted as. He wore a long sleeve t-shirt, blue corduroy bib pants with a matching blue corduroy hat. He was large enough to wear real baby clothes and I *adored* him. Please ask your mom if she remembers what her Jimmy wore.
Jimmy reminds me of Dodie, a baby who was about 30 years younger than Jimmy and came home from the hospital with my parents as a gift to my older sister – so she would have a baby of her own to go along with mama’s. After several years of love, her cloth body wore out, so my mama made a new one for her. I don’t know how she attached the head. I’ll have to ask her.
Those beads look really hard to work with! I don’t think they are the same kind I’ve used; those were more like plastic pellets and were pretty easy to use by pouring them down a funnel into the doll/bear part–but yours look like they have a lot of static electricity, so they might not be the same kind I had. Of course, I had to keep a steady hand on the doll part being filled or the beads still got funneled away!
Your doll looks wonderful! You are amazing! Hugs,
Now you can add doll restorer to your many skills.
The quilt you posed the doll on, I have fallen totally and completely in love!
I’m am always amazed that we have been blessed with so much creativity. Loved reading and the end results are charming. Tho I’m sure for you there is a lot of sentiment and love also attached. 💕
Great job! I’m beginning to believe you can do most anything you set your mind to.