The Pirate

This doll marked the first time that I restored a used doll into something other than a fairy doll since the time I restored a vintage 1970's Velvet doll in 2005.

Technical Specs:

Type of Doll: A vinyl doll that was purchased used from a thrift store. I don't know what doll it was. All I know is that his back was marked with "© 1973 Mattel" and "Made in Taiwan". There is no name on this doll and I have no idea if he was manufactured as part of Barbie's line or if he came from another Mattel doll line that was short-lived.
Size: 22.5 cm/9 inches
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Lips: Pale pink
Outfit Description: He originally came with a long sleeved light yellow shirt, brown pants, and yellow loafers. I painted the loafers black. I fashioned a sword for him out of polymer clay. I covered his missing eye with an eyepatch that I created out of felt and hemp twine. I made a belt for him out of three strings of hemp twine that I braided together. I made the vest and hat using patterns from Affordable Designs' pirate outfit for Trent/Matt doll. (I had to reduce the size of the pattern in order for the hat and vest to fit this doll.)

Date I Finished Customizing This Doll: June 26, 2008
Sold: Craft Fair, Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church, Adelphi, Maryland, May 10, 2009

Click on any photo below to see a larger version of the same photo open in a new window.

Here is what this doll looked like when I first bought him from the toy store. He lost one eye, his clothes were a bit on the plain side, and his shoes were an ugly yellow color.

Here's the back of the doll. Despite the fact that the shirt had a snap in the back, there was still a wide gap at the opening.

This close-up shows the doll's missing eye.

Here's the doll after his makeover. I kept his original outfit. I just embellished his outfit with a new belt, hat, vest, sword, and eye patch.

The vest did a good job at covering that wide gap in the opening of his shirt in the back.

I painted his ugly yellow shoes black then sealed the paint with acrylic paint, which was a definite improvement.

I braided his belt with hemp string.

I made his sword out of polymer clay.

The eye patch hid the fact that this doll was missing an eye. It also fitted perfectly with his pirate character.

The Pirate

Technical Specs:

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