Over 20 Handkerchief Angel and Doll Tutorials

Vintage handkerchief dolls, also known as pew babies, church dolls, prayer dolls, and poppets, have a long history; these sweet dolls, turned hankie angels, are becoming popular as Christmas decorations and vintage handkerchief ornaments, and we have information, instructions, along with their history to get you started making both the dolls and the angels.

These church handkerchief dolls and vintage handkerchief angels involve no sewing and are very simple to create with stunning results. You will need to find vintage handkerchiefs or even use store-bought white men’s handkerchiefs to begin this project.

Along with your hankie, you will need ribbon, and something to form the head, such as cotton balls or a small styrofoam ball.  Optional materials such as lace, charms or beads as embellishments, a string of beads or sparkly ribbon to make a halo, all can be added to create your hankie angel. If you are using plain white men’s handkerchiefs, you may want to add some pretty embroidery to them and will need embroidery materials.

History Of The Handkerchief

Amazingly, the history of the handkerchief itself can be traced back to Early Greece and The Roman Empire. A perfumed piece of cloth was often carried by wealthy  Greek individuals, and these were known as mouth cloths used to protect against germs, or perspiration cloths used by men to wipe perspiration from their faces.

Handkerchiefs had various uses throughout the Roman Empire.  In ancient Rome, women would carry silk or cotton squares, the signal to begin Roman games was the dropping of the handkerchief, and a handkerchief was used by the crowds watching the games to be waved to show their approval.

In the Middle Ages, the handkerchief was also used to show wealth and was carried in plain view for all to see.  A knight of the Middle Ages would often publicly wear a handkerchief of the lady who was his fair maiden.

In 16th century Europe, handkerchiefs were exquisitely decorated with threads and lace. These were used strictly as a fashion accessory.

Marie Antoinette thought that this fashion statement was more pleasing in the form of a square, so King Louis XIV decreed that the dimensions of a handkerchief must be equal on all sides, making it a square as Marie desired.

During Victorian times, handkerchiefs were very common and became known as “hankies”.  Ladies carried the hankies in their hands and might use them as a flirtatious way to signal across the room to a gentleman in whom she was interested.

History Of The Dolls and Angels

In the late 17th century, children were given dolls known as church dolls, pew babies, prayer dolls or poppets, made of a handkerchief to play with during long church services.

These dolls were simply made of the handkerchief gathered around a ball of cotton or sugar cubes that would be the head, and the corners of the handkerchief would be tied to form arms.

Cathryn made this handkerchief angel.  The crown was her wedding ring with pearl beads glued to it. The hair was her own hair.

The dolls were safe for little ones and if dropped, they made no sound that would be a disruption to the church service. The sugar cube heads made for a nice treat for the young child to taste.

During the Civil War, dolls were made from the handkerchiefs of men in the family such as fathers, brothers, or uncles and given to children when the men went to fight in the war. The dolls would be a comforting reminder of the loved ones who were away for so long.

Let's get started!

These old-fashioned dolls have become a popular craft project often made from vintage hankies or delicately embroidered plain white men’s handkerchiefs.  They make a lovely gift for a new baby.

Even more popular than the dolls, angels can be made using the same vintage or modern men's handkerchiefs. They are beautiful and most often used as Christmas decorations or tree ornaments.

Handkerchief Angel Christmas Tree Ornament by C. Sabath for Chris

If you would like to use vintage handkerchiefs, they can easily be found in antique shops and are usually inexpensive.  Of course, Amazon, specialty stores, and big box stores are other places where you can find replicas of the vintage hankies, though these are usually more expensive.

Please take a look at the links below for directions to make various forms of the dolls and angels.  We have Christmas projects galore on our site if you enjoy making a handkerchief angel for the holidays!