The Queen Of Hearts Marionette

Just completed this Queen of Hearts Marionette in time for the Victorian Fete, here in Oamaru, where the theme this year is Alice in Wonderland!  If she's good, she might even make it to the Strawberry Fare later in December!

She has just been strun with a very simple controller and only five strings - three on her head and one on each hand 

Off with her head!  The Staff is made from gold aluminium wire wrapped around a red glass bead, threaded with fine copper wire, and wound down the stem. 

Based on the Character played by Helen Bonham -Carter, in Tim Burton's movie, Alice in Wonderland, I have made six video's of making this head on my Facebook page, if you want to check them out!  Just put in SFM Cloth Dolls With Attitude and you will find it!

I made the skirt in three panels made form curtain fabric.  The hearts were cut from black calico frames over gold fabric and pressed on with Steam a Seam.

Putting the body together.  Here she is strung from an anchor in the shoulders and up through the head.  I kept her legs and feet simple as they will not be seen.  I quite like the shape of them.

I made simple little shoes.  The feet are weighted.

Pantaloon petticoat!

Simple arms attached to shoulders so they will move well.  Padded shoulders for the puffed sleeve.

the sleeves finished.

All finished with Lace crown, Bodice and other embellishments. 

White Rabbit Herald

Inspiration comes from different sources, in this case, the cover of the Victorian Week Celebrations booklet!  I was really attracted to the avocado green of the tunic, but ended up with the only colour I had on hand!    I stripped a yellow ribbon for the edge of the banner. melted a crayon for the seal on the scroll, used a bamboo skewer and card for the trumpet.  Found some fuse-able tape and discovered no sew glue!  A purple piece of satin ribbon I have had for years and Vialene for the ruffle.  

The Rabbit is made from ancient baby stretch-n-grow terry-towelling and has a wire armature going up through the stand!

I used Paint on the Computer to print the paper for the stand, which is backed with faux leather. 

The whole thing is only 8 inches tall and is quite light!  

An enjoyable project, but I would have liked that avocado colour!

A Medieval Family - St Dominic De Guzman

I was given a brief - to design and make St Dominic's family to celebrate 800 years if the Dominican Order of Preachers & Teachers. 

The only picture of the family I was given was a Mosaic!  Various other pictures of St Dominic are also other artists versions of how he looked, but there has been  a reconstruction of his face - reference here. https://thepracticingcatholic.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/portrait-of-st-dominic/

So I began to make some heads and was delighted to accidentally design a new head shape! 

I used the same head shape for all the figures

This is Dominic's mother Joanna of Aza.

Her husband Felix DeGuzman was a knight and they were an influential Spanish family in the 13th Century. "According to tradition, Jane had a dream before her son’s conception in which she saw a hound racing through the world igniting everything with a flaming torch. Troubled by this dream, she went to pray at the Benedictine abbey of San Domingo de Silos, located in a pleasant valley about twenty miles north of Caleruega. This dream was indeed prophetic. Dominic did ignite the world with sacred truth through preaching and teaching born from a life of dedicated prayer, love for the Word of God, and a burning desire to gain souls for Christ. It is widely believed that Dominic’s keen sensitivity to the sufferings of others, which he displayed from childhood on, was acquired from his mother, who, although from a noble family, was known for her compassion toward the poor and needy. From her Dominic also acquired the habit of prayer."

 Dominics two older brothers were also Priests.  Antonio was a Canon and Manes later became a Fominican Friar.

I have tried to portray them as close to an ordinary family as possible.

As usual, the robes took longer to make than the figures, which are stump dolls.

I have kept the bodies to a very simple style, as the focus is mostly on their individuality as a group of people.

Felix has raw wool needlefelted hair and drawn features.  he has a beaten Earring collar!

More Wonderland characters!

I finished my Mad Hatter Marionette and have got the strings working well now.  There is a video on my Facebook page SFM Cloth Dolls with Attitude, if you want to see it!

This is another attempt to capture the cuteness of the Cheshire Cat!  I am finding it hard to capture something that keeps disappearing! LOL! The hat works!

ANZAC Commemorations.

 My ANZAC tribute to all people who have been captured, fallen, wounded or sick, alone, despairing, 

 that they will find the offer of comfort, of human touch, aid, 

 a care parcel from someone in the world who cares and a letter from home!

 Lest we forget.

The Mad Hatter Marionette!

Here he stands - all  34 inches of him!

 Costuming all finished!

 Details, like scissors, odd socks, hat pin, ribbons and reels!  Not a bad profile either, considering I didn't like his face at first and didn't know how it would go.

 The jacket took longer to make than the hat, believe it or not!  I broke all the sewing rules with this one and felt I had almost moved into abstract art!

Because he is so tall, he is also quite heavy, so it will be interesting to see how it goes when he is strung and working!

What do you think?

Pink Flamingo Marionette

Along with my Alice Series, I decided to have a break and make something Pink and Fluffy!

I was supprised at how quickly this Pink Flamingo went together!

This little two year old has just learned how to say Flamingo!  She gives it cuddles and it's just her size!

Making Batgirl!

Batgirl

I found a leftover head and bust from my Marie Antoinette doll Busts, so though it would work ok for  a marionette.  Then I was commissioned to make Batgirl!  So I began.

All put together/

She looks like a BJD!  Well almost!

Ready to make the boots.  Measuring the card for pointy toe.

Stiletto's of course!

The foot is weighted with garnet grains.  Foot is glued on to the sole.

Fabric fitted to the shoe was not long enough, so a design feature on the toe!

Lashes put on after the mask is in place prevents wear and tear.  The mask is made from soft leather and stitched to shape the head.  Quite pleased with it.  

All ready for the strings now!

Very posable

Hmmmm! Next step now!

Strung up!

Ready to take on the world!

Alice In Wonderland Series for Exhibition March 2015

I have been busy since January, making this series of Alice In Wonderland dolls.  These ones are for an Exhibition to be held here in March, where others will be exhibiting textiles like weaving and wool art, but as this years celebrations are all about Wonderland, I thought to begin this way, and carry on throughout the year making characters, to see how it all looks by the end of the year!

  The hardest thing to make was the chequered path, as I am no quilter!  So this is a compromise.  It LOOKS like it's quilted, but it's just woven! 

 My idea with this lot is that we are all on this chequered path, with some weird characters, trying to discover who we are and to find our way in life. We have to run the gamut of criticism from nay-sayers, like the snooty flowers in the night garden, 

Sometimes we are all anxious and jumpy, like the rabbit. 

We meet bully boys, like the Tweedle Boys on the way.

And we often have to deal with autocratic Queens!

  I wanted to make the Cheshire cat, because he was the only friendly character Alice met in Wonderland and always left her with a smile!  I will get it done at some stage.  meanwhile, I'm redoing Alice a little bigger, because people don't notice her when she's so small!  That's like life too! LOL!