June Bride 15" Vintage Cloth Doll Pattern

June Bride is a 15" cloth doll from the booklet "Dolls Old and New," which includes several cloth doll patterns. There is no copyright date or publisher's name on the booklet, but it appears to have been printed circa 1970, though individual patterns may have been offered at an earlier date. This may be a publication of Reader Mail, Inc., the company responsible for Laura Wheeler, Marian Martin and Alice Brooks patterns, among others.

June Bride is a baseball-head doll with attached ears. Her arms and legs are sewn in place so she cannot sit. Her facial features are embroidered after stuffing. Her hair is worsted weight yarn. She has mitten hands and flat-soled feet.

June Bride's wedding gown is a very simple one, with the bodice and sleeves all of one piece. The bodice is trimmed with lace and buttons to give the illusion of a yoke. She has a veil, petticoat and bouquet, but no underpants or shoes.

June Bride would be a nice doll to display a miniature-sized version of your own wedding gown.

Ella's Original Doll Pattern #41: Cicely, Circa 1810 Bride Doll

Ella DeHart self published many doll patterns in the 1960s and '70s. Many, like this one, are Barbie-sized. Cicely is dressed as a bride in the Empire style of the early 19th century.

Cicely has a quarter-seamed head with ears, an hourglass torso with separate bust pieces to stitch over her body after stuffing, and a shapely bottom. She has stitching to indicate fingers. She is to be made of skin-toned percale, fine linen or any cotton. The maker is instructed to cut the head pieces on the bias to make the cheeks rounder. Hair can be darning thread, yarn or a wig; very little direction is given on this and style is left up to the maker. (A common hairstyle in this period was for the hair to be worn up, with little wispy curls around the face.)

Cicely's wedding outfit includes a gown with Empire waistline, pleated bodice, and overskirt with vertical gathers at the hemline; pantalettes and petticoat; veil, gloves and slippers. She should have a bouquet of tiny flowers. Although instructions call for the ensemble to be all in white, it should be noted that brides didn't always wear white at that time.

This pattern looks like it would be rather tricky to make, with a lot of detail on a relatively small doll. What do you think? Have you made one of Ella's patterns?