Doll Necklace

Aloha from Karen,

It's autumn so I thought making a doll necklace similar to one in God's Girls#1 could be fun.

Take a piece of thick yarn and cut it long enough to go around your neck and end about the middle of your chest. Bend a 2-inch piece of chenille stem in half to make a simple needle. Fold yarn in half and over the chenille stem-needle. Thread 5 pony beads for the body and then a larger bead for the head. Remove the needle. Slide beads so both ends are about 4 inches below the bottom pony bead. Tie the ends together twice under the last bead to hold beads on necklace. Tie an overhand knot towards the end of each end to form feet. Cut a  5-inch piece of yarn and tie the middle of the yarn between the head and top body bead to form arms. Tie overhand knots at the end of each arm to form hands. Cut a 3-inch scrap of shiny garland or boa to make a skirt. Twisst a piece of chenille stem around the center of the skirt and then around the necklace, between the bottom two beads, to attach the skirt. Add yarn or twist another piece of chemille stem around the top of the head to make hair. Use permanent markers to draw a face. It's ready to wear.

Have fun with the doll necklace. Cut fabric or paper scraps to make little costumes to dress the doll. These can be attached with short pieces of wire or chenille stems.

From my book, there's a matching devotion for the doll. The verse Romans 16:12 in a letter from Paul asks people to greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, two women who work hard in the Lord. He praised them for their hard work. Tryphena means delicate and Tryphosa means dainty. These were ladies who served God and impressed Paul with their virtues. God sees them as special daughters, so you can make dolls as reminders of these gentle, delicate women. Make a second necklace for a friend who also loves God.

Enjoy these autumn days and bright colored leaves!