Pillowcase Doll

Pillow Case Doll

A friend, Marsha Young dropped by unexpectedly today & yes she called before she came. With her she brought an out of town guest, Kathy, who is blind and shared she'd been blind since birth. We had met the day before at a FCE meeting which included lunch. They brought with them to the meeting a pillowcase doll that I later learned they’d just made. I was interested in how the doll was put together. I asked Marsha if she might show me how it was done and that was why they came by.

I had expected my friend might call me in the future (if she remembered my interest)never dreaming Marsha & Kathy would come the very next day. With them they brought a pillowcase with an embroidered water lily on the front. I could tell the case was old, although well care for, with just a slight hint of yellowing in what was once pure white. The other supplies they brought were a small strip of lace, white ribbon to use as ties and a little stuffing. The whole time they were here we spent talking and visiting as we worked on the doll. Kathy said the pillowcase came from her grandmother, who had done the wonderful embroidery.

Within a few minutes the lace was sewed on near the back end of the pillowcase, which formed the bonnet around the head. In all it only took about fifteen minutes to complete the pillowcase doll. As I tied the last ribbon to form the hands Kathy said now I needed to name the doll. I couldn’t think of a name right off the top of my head and knew I needed to give it some thought.

Marsha had told her friend Kathy that I was a writer before they arrived and they graciously asked what I’d been working on. I told them about the OurEchoes site and submitting some of my stories, with one of the most resent one being Wilma and the Giant. Kathy asked if I would read the story to her which I did. She told me she loves novels and enjoys hearing them audibly, I believe by tape or CD. We continued talking almost jumping from topic to topic as we got to know each other better.

As they got up to leave and I was thanking them for the doll they said was now mine. I was so please and made a comment about the water lilies growing in the pond west of our house and that sometime this fall I planned to wade out to pick the brown seedpods that were now forming. As soon as I said the words I believe the name Lily came to all three of us at the same time. Yes! Of course her name would be Lily. It took only $2.00 dollars of material, an old pillowcase, a couple hours of visiting and a doll named Lily to always remind me of our shared time together……priceless.

Thank you Marsha & Kathy for sharing!

Story ID:	877
Written by:	Cynthia Jo Ross (bio, contact, other stories)
Organization:	Lens to the Past
Story type:	Diary/Journal Entry
Location:	Towanda Kansas USA
Year:	2006
Person:	Friends