Most people at 8pm are chilling watching the tv, maybe reading a book, some are probably even eating dinner. A lot of the time, I’m doing the same, but not this Wednesday night…

I got an update from my brother that my niece was having to be taken to hospital for the third time this week. So, I started to try to look for a gift I could send that would hopefully make them all smile a little.

I have struggled with “get well soon” gifts for a while now. The reason for this is because I’m not a big fan of cut flowers and I just don’t think grapes would do well in the post. When you can’t visit someone because of the distance, what do you send when a card doesn’t seem enough? This conundrum got worse this week because well, what do you send your poorly 7 month old niece?

So, in my hunt for something I had a lightbulb moment and decided I would make her a doll. Not not having the time to develop a pattern I went on the hunt for one.

The place I always start on occasions like this is Etsy. There are loads of patterns available, and a lot of them come in .pdf format so I can have the pattern instantly to use. In my search, I came acrosss an Etsy shop called “Elf Pop”. Unusually, this is an Etsy Shop owned by a Scottish lady (I say unusually because most of the patterns I find on Etsy are American). She has the most amazing selection of doll patterns, and I love purchasing things I need off other small businesses.

So after printing off the pattern, and finding the fabrics I needed from my studio (I always make sure I have a stash of what I call “staples” in my studio for when these moments arise. I can’t stand it when I want to make something and I don’t have something I need)

So, just 90 mins later (and at least 10 mins of that was me trying to locate where I had tidied my fabric pens too), she was all finished and looking (even if I do say so myself) amazing. The pattern was really thorough and so easy to follow, I can really recommend them.

The pattern came with the pattern and instructions for the doll, a little mouse friend for her (which I did make, but wasn’t particularly enamoured with so discarded) and even a little skirt for the doll. I made a couple of adjustments to the pattern because I decided to make the whole doll in skin colour (rather than doing a coloured body, like the pattern suggested) with a little dress for her to wear instead of the skirt.

So off she went in the post, and the next day (I have no idea how the things I post my brother arrive so quickly but I love the royal mail for it) she arrived…

Most fabulously my 3-year-old nephew decided that her name should be… JOAN! (Hilarious, no one knows where this name sprung from… the mind of a toddler) The name is trying to be vetoed but I can’t stop thinking of her as Joan, so to me that’s who she’ll always be.

My niece really seemed to like her and it definitely put a smile on everyone’s face like I had hoped it would.

So, next time you have an evening free, try one out… you’ll be really pleased you did.

Click here to checkout where you can buy the pattern.