It’s been a while since this little lady left my wool nest and she has been safe in the hands of her mother for many months now, but she still needed to come here and meet you all.

jane eyre inspired custom doll in blue floral dress

Being inspired by such a tender and strong character, is obviously enough introduction. Unless you have been hiding under a rock, and I know some of you are (hehehe!) you’ve probably have heard about Jane Eyre, an English heroine who endures many trials and tribulations, written by the masterful Charlotte Bronte.

As I’ve mentioned here countless of times, my formative years were not spent under the bosoms of my Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers, learning and practicing the fibre crafts.

I spent most days with my nose inside musty books (don’t worry I was in great health as a young one), cannibalizing everything I read into my stories, being chastised for telling lies (I had a vivid imagination and some days I truly believed my own stories) and having jolly mental travels through the many pages I took into my dreams.

small fiber art doll with brown suri alpaca hair, green eyes, floral dress and white linen collar

Looking back into those days and remembering so much of it, as I worked slowly and carefully on Miss Jane here, was an absolute blast. I have been looking for an old copy of this book, to have in my collection, since then. My childhood turned me into a lover of dusty, old, well-flicked books. They are my preference to read from.

When her Mom and I discussed the idea of Jane, due to the age and size of the doll, we both knew we would have to focus on the early years of our favourite heroine. The nasty time spent at Lowood School.

This gave me the option of choosing some of the tiniest, hoarded, I mean carefully curated, floral prints I had. Since orphans are bound to wear “sound and somber” colours, which I prefer to be fair, Jane and I went for the one we made her dress with.

I think the real Jane Eyre was not wearing flowers, but as a dollmaker I get some creative license you see? A little bit of antique cotton lace as a mock button band, puffy sleeves so it is easy to dress her and that magnificent puritan collar I obsessed last year with!

A wee apron was a definite must.

doll linen bloomers with lace edging and black wool boots

I still wanted her to have something “precious” so I grabbed the lightest linen I possess in my antique fabric collection, a handful of Portuguese antique lace and I sewed her bloomer-style underpants.

I wanted this doll to feel that even though her circumstances might look dire, underneath it all she was still a precious person, and her true beauty and character would shine on the outside one day.

natural fiber art doll, sitting down, wearing heirloom style clothing

When I look into the level of detail of her clothes, and the sculpting of her little face, I am throughly reminded of how far I’ve come in my dollmaking journey.

Not in my wildest dreams did I ever consider that one day I would be able to draft collars like this one on the fly, or sew such tiny sleeve hems by hand, never mind sculpt such detailed faces on a 9” doll. It’s almost like it’s not real.

The photos remind me of this. It actually happened. I made this doll. She lives happily in her new home and I can make another doll if I so wish.

Which by the way, of course I do!

close up of wool sculpted doll, covered in doll skin, made in Waldorf style

Thank you Molly, for giving me the chance to bring Miss Jane out of our beloved book into wool form. I hope her rosy cheeks and loving green eyes are enticing your storytelling heart, as much as it helped mine.

It is only through the continued patronage of generous, patient and interesting people like you, that I have been able to keep making dolls for 17 years now. You all give me so many great doll ideas and support the loving work of my hands.