Harriet joined our family this weekend. A birthday gift to Elena from my grandmother, she hails from Latvia.

We bought her from Antonia’s Wonderland Inhabitant on Etsy. I adore Waldorf (Steiner) dolls and wish I had the time to try making them myself.

To be frank, dressed Waldorf dolls can be really expensive – a cost our family can’t justify for something which is going to be owned by a two year old. Antonia’s store is great because she sells naked dolls! It’s a nice compromise. We sent her a photo of Elena so she could fashion a likeness – I think the end result is pretty cute. She’s well made and satisfyingly squishy.

When the Harriet (so named because it was the first name in a long list which Elena agreed to) arrived I started working on an outfit for her. So far she’s got a little blue cardigan (a little Kina) and a tutu. I’ve a dress and another cardigan for her in the works. Dressing Harriet has been such fun.

Over the last few weeks I have been playing with hand-dyeing yarn. I crocheted one of my first skeins into this little blanket. It’s a simple granny square blanket, joined as I went with a cute border.

Fortuitously, my mother found an old wooden cradle at a garage sale a few months ago. She’s done it up beautifully, just for Harriet. I re-fashioned an old pillowcase into a mattress and a pillow. I think it has come together pretty well. It’s nice when something old can be re-purposed into something new.

I set Harriet up in her cradle while Alex and Elena were outside putting the bins out (all glamour, here). She waited patiently to be found by her new owner.

Elena was surprisingly tentative when she discovered Harriet in the living room.

She soon warmed up.

I don’t think Elena really understands where Harriet fits in yet. She set her up in her cradle with one of her favourite toys, though, so I guess she’s in the good books!

I think they’ll be great friends.