Steiner Dolls

Last Tuesday, I went to a PD on making Steiner dolls.

First, we sewed up a tube, and stuffed it.


Then we divided it into two sections. In my later doll I used a rubber band, but for this one we used tapestry thread.


Then we cut a hole in the middle of a small piece of satin, and put it on the doll like a petticoat. We stitched it on the doll.


Then we cut a hole in a piece of muslin and put it also on the doll, then stictched it in place. We added another piece of muslin, doing the same thing, and arranging the top piece so that all of the petticoat is covered before stitching this second piece into place.


We chose a hair-piece, and stitched it to the middle of the head. We only need to cover the front of the head, as there will be a head-piece covering the back of the head.


Sew the hair to both sides of the head.


Fold up a smaller piece of muslin, and arrange into a head-piece shape that you want. It might be like a peaked cloak, or like a bonnet, or however you want. This doll has a peaked cloak hat, my next doll has more like a bonnet (picture later).



Decorate the head-piece as you like. This doll has lace flowers with sequins in the centre. Pretty! Decorate the neck band, and any other parts you want.


Draw or stitch on the eyes and mouth. Steiner dolls have no nose, a straight line for the mouth, and small stitches for eyes. The point is that children can project any kind of emotion onto the doll that they want. In order to get the eyes etc in the right spot, use pins as markers and check to see that you like the expression.

That's it!

Here's the doll I made today. I used the scraps from the holes in the middle of the muslin and satin pieces to make the flower..

On "Early" Marriage

I often find it strange being at work. I'm the only conservative Christian there, and rather ironically, I get along better with the other 'religious' people than most of the non-religious ones. The religious don't see life as one big me-fest, full of drugs of varying kinds, and spending every cent and then some on the all important ME.

But it often comes to the fore when I mention that my dream job is to get married and have children.

"Why? You're so young! Enjoy life!" is the typical response.

I am NOT young. I'm 25. Less than 100 years ago I would be considered an old maid. Old maid discussions aside (I don't think I'm quite over the hill yet), the idea that we should be waiting until we're older to get married is just plain silly.

Firstly, age does not determine readiness. Besides, who is ever "ready" for marriage, or children. No one feels, when getting married, or when having their first baby, that they are "up to it". That's because we aren't. We NEED God in order to do what He has called us to do - whether it be in marriage, child-rearing, or otherwise.

I also find it funny that the age in which you are "ready" keeps on getting pushed back. One of my work collegues said that she wanted to get married when she was "around 35." She then quickly revised her date, because it was only 3 years away, and she didn't think she would be "ready" by then. I thought that was sad.

Not only that, but it's easier to be ready earlier. The older you are, the more set in your ways you are. Sorry, but it's a fact. So I should wait until I'm nicely set in my ways, and then marry someone who's a few years older than me (and therefore slightly more set in his ways) and expect everything to be hunky-dory. I don't think so.

And finally, I find the above statement a bit degrading. It's like saying, "I've enjoyed life. Have the dregs." Great, I just WANT to marry you now. You've done all the good stuff, and now I get to be with you while you get fat and old and die. Yay. (I don't object to those things - indeed, in a marriage they are to be expected, but the idea that thats what to expect, and nothing more.)

Marriage isn't like that, or at least it shouldn't be. It's a partnership under God, to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to exercise dominion for the glory of God. And that can be achieved every bit as easily (indeed often more easily) when done "younger" than "older"