I’ve kept you in suspense long enough… I guess it’s time to let you know who was in the box… When I last posted, I gave you these 2 hints about something I had just bought…
A few ladies thought maybe it was a little friend for Ten Ping… No…she’s bigger than that… much bigger.
Several ladies tried to hint that they knew who it was without giving it away, but by the end of the comments most people agreed that it must be a Wellie Wishers doll, from American Girl… AND that would be correct…
I did a post a while back when the Wellie Wishers came out but didn’t think I wanted to dabble in that market… (you can see that post…HERE)
These were the promo pictures that came out of the 5 dolls offered…
I happened to go to Kohl’s after my lunch on Friday and I saw the dolls… and…well… I succumbed to the temptation of just looking at them and bought one… guess which one? Of course… Willa, the little red headed cutie. I HAD to buy the red head… This is what she looked like in her box when I brought her home…
Lid off…
Here’s a little bit closer look…
…and finally out of the box and standing on her own…
I thought you might like to see her next to a couple of my other dolls… so here she is next to 18″ Felicity…
…next to 13″ Isabelle…
…and next to 10″ Patsy Tonner…
[sorry about all the “nudies”… I’m a seamstress so my dolls stay nude most of the time, until it’s time for them to model for me.]
So speaking of nude… this is what Willa looks like just in her panties…
She is made of a very nice vinyl and is smooth to the touch. Her legs spread out to the side when she sits down… sort of bad if you want to put her in a chair, but mine will mostly be standing and modeling…
I read a few reviews and some people thought the hair on the Wellie Wishers wasn’t that nice. The one I purchased seems to be very nice. The ends are soft and the part in the back where the hairs are cut shorter, doesn’t bother me at all. I’m sure at some point I’ll take her pigtails down, but not for now…
She’s very stable and stands well in her rubbery boots. They have splits in the back and are lined with some kind of cloth so they don’t stick to her feet. I did have a little trouble getting them off the first time, but there is a trick to getting them at just the right angle and then they slide off easily.
I have several drawers full of shoes for all my different sized dolls and was hoping something would come close to fitting Willa. I tried on a pair of Nyssa’s boots, and they worked in the foot part, but her calf was too thick to buckle the top two buckles.
I tried a pair of Nyssa’s Mary Jane shoes on her and they would work in a pinch but are really too long from the side especially…
Okay, that’s all the pictures I took, so now let me tell you what I think of her. I wasn’t looking for another doll and I’m not sure she’s the perfect fit for what I do… she just happened to be too cute for me to resist… ( I had gotten some alterations money and had some other money stashed away…) They run $60 at Kohl’s and I personally didn’t think that was too bad of a price. I always look at the price of a doll and try to guess how many outfits I will have to sell to make my money back on her. I figured if I sold 3 dresses for at least $20, she would be paid for. If she didn’t work out, I could always sell her… I will probably sell her outfit as I’ve seen a few going for $25 – $35 on Ebay. Those may have been when she first came out so I’ll have to check on that again. I checked on Ebay to see what was selling and what the going price was…it seemed to be $8.00 – $15.00 for most dresses. I can’t really sell them for that price, so I need to come up with something different that sets mine apart from the $8.00 dresses. Maybe it’s adding tights or adding my accessories… not sure yet, but I welcome any suggestions…
I looked on American Girl Playthings to see what people were saying about the Wellie Wishers. They were mostly saying the dolls were for little girls 5-7 years old. That’s not exactly my target group… but I thought I might sell some outfits to ladies who bought the dolls for their granddaughters. I’m not sure they are dolls that ladies will buy for themselves. So, I’ll just have to see how that part goes.
As far as if I like the doll…I think the one I got, Willa, is absolutely adorable. She has the sweetest, most innocent face and smile and a sweet, well made outfit. It is brightly colored and appealing the young girls. She has slightly stiff arms and they are a bit close to her side when her arms are down so her dress sleeves will need to be a little deeper to allow for that. Her head only moves from side to side and can’t be pointed up or down…which would be nice if it did. I think that gives the dolls more character.
If anyone is looking for a sweet doll to give to their grandkids for Christmas, I would recommend the dolls. Kendall would be my second choice, I think. She was adorable in person.
I think Willa will be fun to sew for.. in fact.. I have something started for her… of course it had to be green to match her eyes…
I drafted a pattern and we’ll see what I come up with… This might be my first Christmas dress…who knows!
If you have any questions about the dolls, I’ll answer them if I can…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh Jeanne, you DID get Willa! Like I mentioned to you, that is my sister’s name! Not many people have that name, and even she is surprised to see that AG used her name for probably the cutest of the bunch! She even looks like your “real” Rebecca when she was small! She really is adorable, and I’m glad you showed her with the different sized dolls. She certainly looks bigger than the LD dolls. My Betsy would be in between them, as she is 14 inches, but I think a bit slimmer. A number of the clothes sold on Ebay for the 14 inch Betsy McCall, 13 inch Little Darlings and the Willie Wishers say they fit all three, but I think that is stretching it a bit.
I think Willa makes a cute little sister to Felicity, and I hear that’s what some people on PT are doing. Yes, I think they are geared to the younger group of girls, mostly because of the clothes and accessories. Most of us adults wouldn’t buy them for that though. Just wait until more adult seamstresses get one and start making fantastic outfits for them, including one Jeanne Marie!
HI Linda,
Yes…. I did get Willa… I really wasn’t looking to get her. I just wanted to see what size they were and what they actually looked like. When I got to Kohl’s they had quite a few of each of dolls and the lids just lifted off so it was easy to really “inspect” them. I did and I guess that was my downfall.
I noticed a few sellers saying their clothes would fit all 3 dolls and I had my doubts about that too…
I hope I can find a market for her and make enough on the dresses to make a profit… cause she’s just so adorable. I really like her size and think little girls would really like the dolls. I know she’s not a “doll collector’s” doll, so I’m a little worried about that… but I guess I’ll just have to see. She might just be a fun doll to sew for. But that’s what happened with my Riley. I sewed and sewed and sewed for her, but I never could get past the average price of about $35 for her outfits. A few went higher but the competition was so stiff with $10-$20 dresses that it was just too hard to compete…
So we’ll see… I’ll just enjoy her for now…
Thanks Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Willa was the name of my brother-in-law’s mother, and she’s the one I plan to get for his granddaughter, who is a redhead — but it will be another 3 1/2 years — Anna is only 7 months old. I hope this is a line that continues. I agree with Linda that she’ll be a cute little sister doll, and I’m very happy you have decided to sew for her. How super that you are carrying through the outdoor theme with the fabric you chose, and this may very well be your first Christmas dress.
The Etsy store I mentioned yesterday is called DollShoeLane, and the shoes are between $5 and $6 — I’m pretty sure you’ll be making your own soon. I have several pairs to send to Madison for Camille, but I didn’t try them on her since I wanted Madison to be the one to unpack her. You can choose loafers, flats, tennis shoes, or Mary Janes, and of course you can easily invent your own line or probably special order from the shop owner.
I like the back of Willa’s hair, but I do see that it may limit her hair styles. We’ll have to see what you do with her hair as the months go by. This is going to be fun. I’m so glad you have Willa. I think this is going to be a new and wonderful adventure for all of us.
HI Marilyn,
I don’t think I know anyone named Willa and here I have 2 ladies that are related to “Willa’s” in real life.
Willa just might get the first Christmas dress. I was playing around with some red buttons on the dress last night… of course there are the shoes… I did look up the lady who sells the shoes on Etsy. She has some sweet little shoes…but you know me… gotta try it myself, at least first.
I hope it’s a new and wonderful adventure having Willa to sew for. I know the first dress you make for a doll using a new pattern has to have a few tweaks made and this one will probably be slower going than when I do get the pattern perfected.
I’m looking forward to seeing what she looks like all dressed up from head to toe in one of my creations…
Thanks Marilyn,
Blessings, Jeanne
I am beyond excited!! A new doll..a new size… a whole new adventure in sewing. I LOVE her face and can’t wait to see what you create for her. Lucky Willa, ending up at your house <3
HI Bobi,
Yes, a new doll and new size… challenges for me… new patterns to be made, a new shoe size, and hopefully lots of fun. Yes, it’s silly, but I’m glad I have this new little girl. She’s a really fun size and would be perfect for little girls who have trouble lugging around the 18″ American Girl doll.
Thanks Bobi,
Blessings, Jeanne
Very cute little one. Should be fun to try something in her size. Kind of shocking to see her with your LD. Maybe she looks taller with the boots. I thought she was 14.5″?
We’re supposed to actually get some rain at the end of the week. The plants will be so happy since we haven’t had major rain since May.
HI Joy,
The dolls are 14 1/2″ tall… I think it’s just the angle of my picture that makes her look taller. I got both dolls and put them back to back and there truly is just an inch a half difference. I measured Willa on top of a ruler and she is just as they claim …14 1/2″ tall.
Oh, we’ve had plenty of rain, but I hope you get what you need. Your plants are probably dying to get wet! :o)
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Good Monday morning, Jeanne!
How fun, an adorable new doll for whom to sew, and Willa sure is a cutie! She does resemble your sweet Rebecca, and you must keep her for that reason alone!
I think some doll collectors will surely appreciate Willa as a younger sister to Felicity. The sizes are right for sister dolls, and the two look very sweet next to each other. For marketing, it might be smart of you to test the market and do a set or two of sister dresses to firmly implant that idea in the minds of collectors. What better time is there to try that than the Christmas season?!
I also think these new dolls will be hugely popular the younger set, as they will appreciate the bright colors, modern styles and cute accessories like boots and headbands. As to marketing for those who are buying for children/grandchildren, I see that all the Wellies are dressed in separates, perhaps because they are easier for little ones to dress their dolls while offering a bit more versatility. With that in mind, perhaps you could try some separates that are reversible, in essence, offering two outfits for the price of one, like a mix-and-match sort of thing. Parents would definitely appreciate the value of that. I think your charming accessories will be very appealing, too, not to mention the playthings that come from the dolly toy box!
All of this might make your new Willa very cost effective, as well as a lot of fun for whom to sew. I’m sure your head is already swirling with plenty of ideas, and I know we are going to be charmed by all of them! Your last design has me coveting an Ellowyne doll of my own, and now your review of Willa has me thinking I made need a Wellie, too. See the power of your talent? 😉
I just want to remind all your readers to check out your listing for Ellowyne, and be sure to scan down through the entire listing to read the WONDERFUL poem you wrote to accompany Ellowyne’s pretty ensemble. Jeanne Marie has so many talents!
HI Anne,
Well, I’m certainly going to give Willa my best shot to keep her here with me. My dolls do have to “earn their keep” so to speak… so I’ll do my very best.
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of the smaller Wellie’s for young hands. These dolls are much lighter to tote around and just as adorable.
I’ll have to consider your idea of a reversible dress and also the sister sets. I did notice there weren’t any dolls with accessories, so that might work for me… The Wellies are the right size for lots of my accessories too… that helps.
If you have a Kohl’s store near you, you really should just go check them out… That’s all I was PLANNING to do, and look what happened. I liked them all, except I wasn’t that excited over Ashlyn… she doesn’t seem like she fits in with the group for some reason. It must be me…
Thanks for the plug about Ellowyne on Etsy… She’s the only one dressed on my dolly shelf and she’s flaunting it. :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
Oops, I guess I was wrong about which doll you got, but Willa is a perfect choice. 🙂
HI Christine,
Yep, it’s little Willa that won me over…She’s very sweet and I hope she works out for me…
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
I recognized the box as Wellie Wishers and guessed Willa would be your choice and I was correct!! I went to Kohl’s and saw them and Lea. The Wellie Wishers are cute, but I wasn’t tempted to have one. The ladybug boots are a sweet touch. I was a little surprised that the WW eyelashes are only painted on instead of like false ones. My daughter has a My Twinn and a couple of the Cuddly Sisters and they have the false type ones on their non sleep eyes. The short hairs in the back make sense because of the ponytails. My daughter’s German Kirsten has them and my Caroline does as well.
That’s a pretty olive green fabric you’ve chosen for her debut outfit. Looking forward to the rest.
Thank you Laura,
It was purely an impuse buy with me and as long as it’s taking me on this first dress I’m not certain it was the right move. I guess we’ll see…
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Congrats.. she is so cute.. they say she can share the clothes of the Heart4Heart girls too.. I love the dolls with the hard body.. so much easier to clothe
Hi Kath,
I don’t have a Heart4Heart doll and have actually never seen one so I’m not sure if they are the same size or not. I need to loo up the measurements on the dolls and compare them.
Thanks Kath,
Blessings, Jeanne
I have one Hearts for Hearts 14″ girl. Very cute.
They are coming out again I believe for the pre Christmas. Were not made for awhile.
The info I have:
6.5 Chest 5.75 Waist 7″ hip, arm 4.25, Leg5.25 Head 10″
This is a very cute doll to sew for I think.
But, what about the A Girl for All Time doll group. They are so your style.
There are no clothes out there at all for them. Look them up. I only have one. And she is a cutie.
Just a nudge…
Hi Joy,
Thanks for the information on the measurements on the H4H girls. I’m not very familiar with them, but will check them out and see how their measurements compare with Willa’s.
I’ll also check out the Girl for All Time…I know even less about them.
Thank you so much…
Blessings, Jeanne
I usually go for the redheads, too, Jeanne, so, good choice!! And I also knew someone named Willa–she was a head nurse at a hospital I worked at for a while back in the 70s. And, of course, there’s the author, Willa Cather.
But, I do like little Kendall, too–such a sweet face, and lovely hair! Hm, as soon as I get over this nasty cold/sinus infection (went to the doc today), I’m going to have to get over to my local AG Place (yes, I’m less than 15 minutes away from one!), and check them out.
As to making her “earn her keep”, I like the idea someone put forth of reversible clothes. Even if it was just one part of the outfit–a wrap skirt, or a vest, for instance–it would add versatility to the whole outfit.
Thank you Charlotte,
I am debating seriously about Kendall too. She is as cute as can be in person. If I were a doll collector I would buy her in a heartbeat!
I’ll have to give the reversible thing a try…
Blessings, Jeanne