Making a Doily Romper for an Early 1900s AGD Composition Doll

This is a 9-inch AGD-marked composition doll attributed to Allied Grand Dolls who specialized in black dolls beginning in 1915.

I acquired my first 9-inch AGD-marked early 1900s composition doll in June 2017. It arrived wearing a dingy pair of oversized pants, and the composition was crazed (lifted) in a few areas. I restored it and made a papier-mache romper using tissue paper. 

An identical AGD-marked doll (shown in the leading photo and in the next two) arrived in March 2025. The second doll with the same dimpled cheeks is in much better condition, but it also needed clothes. 

The bent-knee AGD-marked baby doll is shown from the back.

A close-up of the doll's back illustrates the doll's AGD mark.

Making the doily romper was simple. 

The things I used.

I used an 8-inch white (pre-crocheted) doily, a piece of white felt, scissors, Glue Dots, and white grosgrain ribbon to make a no-sew romper for the second AGD doll.

Two cut pieces of white felt cover the doll's body and pelvic area as illustrated. The felt is held in the back with Glue Dots.

Next, the doll's body is laid on the doily and centered to allow enough room for the doily to cover the body. Then, each arm is placed through a loop in the upper sides of the doily.

In this picture, both arms are in a loop hole on both sides of the doily.

Next, a pointed area at the bottom of the doily is brought up between the doll's legs, and a measured and cut grosgrain ribbon is threaded horizontally through two side-by-side loop holes in the flap. The ribbon is long enough to bring the loose ends up to thread through the upper sides of the doily as illustrated next.

The ribbon is threaded through the lower flap of the doily and both loose ends are threaded through the upper sides of the doily in this picture.

The ribbon is pulled tight and tied into a bow to create a closure. The excess doily near the doll's neck is turned down to make a collar, and the no-sew romper is completed.

Later, I might dip the romper and ribbon into a cup of coffee to give it an aged appearance. 

I made a 3-tiered doily dress in April 2024 for a German reproduction character doll that I did not share here. View the video of how that dress was made here. 

Related Link:

Clothing a Circa 1915 Composition Doll

Museum Installation of an AGD-Marked Composition Baby Doll 

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