Pansy Eyes: A Maid of Japan
by Besse Toulouse Sprague
illus. Bess Devine Jewell
1922 Chicago: Reilley & Lee


 
In this book, the Japanese doll does not come from Japan but is imagined by a little American girl, "Sick-a-bed Betty," and then made for her from cloth and "olive and black paints" by her parents. The purchasers of the book could make Pansy Eyes for themselves, using printed linen sheets bound in the front of the book, to be cut out, sewn together,  and stuffed. (These have been used in my copy of the book, though the remaining items--a large "coolie hat" and a few other accessories--are brightly colored and good-looking).

Pansy Eyes's purpose in the story is to amuse poor Betty by taking her on an imaginary trip to Japan. The first thing the doll tells Betty about is the Dolls' Festival, which is however illustrated (as is often the case) as doll-play with ichimatsu type dolls.

I have included the three drawings which illustrate dolls (in others, e.g. on the cover, Pansy Eyes appears as the little Japanese girl Betty first imagined, rather than as a doll).

1. Ex libris
2. Betty and the doll.
3. The Japanese Festival of Dolls.

The book was to be the first of a series in which Betty would "visit" other countries with a doll which could be recreated by the reader. I don't know if more books were issued.
Another make-your-own Japanese doll, a baby, can be found in an advertisement for Cloth Dolls.