January 2001
Free Monthly Project
Sunbonnet Hankie Doll
Do you have any old hankies that you
don't know what to do with? Or do you want a small "carry around"
embroidery project. This little doll is made by folding and tying a hankie.
Simply remove the bonnet and ribbons and your hankie is untouched. These are
cute little gifts and would be darling hanging as decorations.
I didn't have a fancy hankie, so I embroidered a design on a plain men's hankie.
I used 2 strands of DMC floss 321 for all the red. I blanket stitched all around the
outside of the hankie. I used Aunt Martha's embroidery transfer #3840 - "Lovely
Designs for Linens" for the Sue design. This transfer is available in our
shopping section.
Sew the bonnet:
Using a small rolled over hem, hem the 5" sides of the fabric rectangle.
Along one of the long sides, turn up 3/4 inch to the wrong side of the rectangle.
Turn under the edge and sew, forming a small casing. Thread a 8"
length of the 1/4" ribbon through the casing. To do this easily, I fastened a
small safety pin to the end of the ribbon and threaded it through.
On the other long side of the bonnet turn over 1 1/2 of fabric. Turn the edge
under and sew along the edge. Sew another line of stitching 1/4" away the first
stitching (this should be about 3/4" away from the edge of the bonnet.
Thread a 8" length of the 1/4" ribbon through this casing.
Now pull the 1/8" ribbon tight and tie in a bow.
Put it all together:
Fold the hankie in half diagonally. Put the Styrofoam ball in
the center of the hankie. Pull the hankie around it and put the bonnet on the ball.
Tie the ribbon around the neck to secure the bonnet.
To make the arms, grab the corner of the hankie. Tie a overhand knot
right on the edge. Fold the hankie back on itself until you are 1" or so
away from the head. Cut a 3" piece of the 1/4" ribbon and tie around the
"arm" securing the knotted end. Repeat for the other arm.
If you'd like to turn this into a "Sunbonnet Angel" you can hot
glue wings to the back of the doll. Of course then the hankie is no longer usable,
but these would make great Christmas ornaments. Make hankie "angels" from
your Grandmother's old hankies as a remembrance of her to hang on your tree.
