Pin Cushion Dolls

I found these two ladies, wrapped in plastic bags, hiding in a box full of hem tape, thread, and remnants. They are "half dolls", popular during the last 2 centuries and maybe even earlier. The porcelain bodies are dressed in 18th century fashion, powdered wigs and revealing bodices. The ladies are dressed in taffeta that was once a cherry colour and now brown, stained and faded. What you can almost see is that the skirt of the forward doll is no longer intact in the back. Knowing my Mom, she probably found them in an antique "quick sale" bin, bought them out of sympathy, and intended to repair them - someday. Mom rescued poor and ailing dolls, repairing them if she could, occasionally providing hair replacement therapy, and always making them new clothes. She never got to these two, so I have begun the task. Taking them apart was a dusty, dirty job. I found so many "lost" needles in them (thankfully not in my fingertips!), they filled up my own needle sharpener. The bodies are post WW2 Japanese made porcelain, and they were filled with something softer and denser than cotton batting - in fact, one filler felt like silk! I cleaned them up and added an architectural feature (my secret) to keep them from getting tipsy again, and repacked the original filler into a sleeve of netting to hold it firm. I still have to make the skirts. I started to tat some lace for the skirt decoration but one of my old cats decided to do some tatting of her own with my work - it just didn't meet my standards. When they are finished I will post them in a before and after view.