A surprising new project!

 Note:  I started writing this in the half term break at the start of June.

Second note:  We still haven't finished Daniel's bedroom!

We are getting Daniel's bedroom done at long last.  As a result, on Monday, I took down his cabin bed.  He has had it 7 to 8 years and whilst taking it apart I found all manner of things I had stowed around it, that were impossible to get to.  One of the things was a box of cuddly toys and in the bottom of that box I found this:

Now this is a doll my mum made for me and I can't have been very old.  So I think she must be at least 38 years old.

I have, therefore,  made her my new project.

Yesterday I carefully sewed up two breaks (not rips as I believe I was pretending to be a doctor when I purposely made them!)  I also put a bit more stuffing in her.

Today I put her through a wash in the machine - just a gentle wool wash, which has taken the worst of the dirt off of her, but there were several stains that remained.

I had a go with vinegar and sodium bicarbonate which helped on her face, but the ones on her arms and legs were quite stubborn.

So I have now used a stain remover on her arms and legs and then will wash her again by hand to remove traces of the cleaners.

Her clothes were in good condition, apart from needing a wash and stabilising some seams, all but her pants are fine to go back on her.  The pants are beyond repair so I shall knit her some new ones!

I did all of that although when washing by hand I found the water coming out was a very dirty brown and actually started to makthe whole stain situation worse!  So I finished with a bought stain remover, which did a good job.  I have then reknit both pants and skirt, to give us what we have today.

I think you will agree she looks much better and ready to face the next 38 years!