Krista Pattern

The talented Sandra Eggett sent me a picture of the doll she has just finished making and I am very proud to show her off on my blog!  This is what Sandra had to say;

Hi Sharon

Just had to send you a picture of "Firefly" . I created her from your Krista pattern that I downloaded a couple of weeks ago . I love her and have thoroughly enjoyed using your pattern . I am new to cloth doll making and need more practise but I am thrilled with my first interpretation of Krista. From all of us here in the UK a big thank you for allowing us to use your pattern.

Sandra obviously has a natural talent if she is new to dollmaking! This is delightful!  Well done Sandra!

This is to show how one-on-one instruction can work.  The one in the middle is the demonstration model I made for the workshop.  My student did the head on the right, with the curved smile and I did the one on the left.  Both dolls lack the white point in their eyes, but they were both done step by step together with very pleasing results!   Not even a clone!  My student was delighted to discover that anyone can make the same doll, but it will always look uniquely different!  She had never made a doll before!

Prince Ghastly was miserable. He wanted a  life of freedom - besides everybody thought he was ugly. 

He made a wish - "I wish I could be completely differnt from what I am now!"

 One day he was walking along

in his usual dopey way, not looking at anything in particular, when 'Whaow!'

He began to feel funny!  Actually he began to look funny too!  He opened his mouth and ............

GAHHH!  What's happening!

He turned into this particularly ugly Frog! 

 The moral of this story is: ALWAYS BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

HAH! So there you have it!  I know it's probably been done before somewhere, but in my research, I haven't found many.

This is my Frog Prince that I have been working on all week!  Finally finished and the pattern all but done! 

 I thought it was really different and interesting and sometimes I have to challenge myself because I'm not terribly good at this sort of thing and there was a few days there that I thought I wasn't going to work it out, but I persevered and here it is. 

 As you can see, the Frog and Prince are reversed through the mouth.  You could have a lot of fun with this doll - particularly good for story telling I would think.  Also a colourful and interesting novelty doll to add to anyone's collection, or for stalls! 

What do you think?  Comments always welcome!

New Pattern in the making!

The new pattern I’m working on is a real aberration for me!  It’s a variation of the Frog Prince that I saw, and was delighted with the concept!  I guess you could call it a puppet.  It would be great for storytelling!

 I haven’t seen much like it in my research, although I have seen a toymakers version - but not like this.  The original pattern was designed and made over 30 years ago, so I am reinventing it.  In any event, it is completely my own pattern, but the idea for it is not. 

This is such a classic I think we should all have access to how it’s made, so those of us who can, can replicate it for storytelling to our grandchildren.  So I have made a pattern. 

 The idea has all sorts of potential for many other things i.e. Red Riding Hood and the wolf, or grandma & the wolf – all those stories that turn into something else. 

Alternatively it could be an individual frog or a prince of the Muppet variety!  I’ve almost finished it, and the hardest part is putting on the mouth that joins them both together.  It’s all machine sewn but for a little sculpting on the princes nose, pop eyes on them both and partial hand sewing on the mouth.  It’s like putting a jigsaw puzzle together with all the different bits – quite quilt-like really!  The effect is rather stunning!  It could be made from scraps, or from good fabrics.  Intrigued?  I'll be posting a pic soon!



The Innkeeper 2012

I am delighted to present my newly finished Doll - the first for the year!  This is 'The Innkeeper' inspired by Les Miserables, to go with 'Jeanne - the Innkeepers Wife' that I made in 2010, so he's been a long time in the making!

 The Innkeeper will be a new class on Cloth Doll Artistry starting in February, so will not be available as a pattern for a while. I counted the hours and it has taken me over 45 hours to design and make the doll and put the pattern together at the same time! It is filled with drawings & photo's, so plenty to learn!  I am really keen to encourage people to upskill their talents with this art form, which is so gratifying!

 Another Class I will have on CDA will be about cobbling shoes for cloth dolls, so anyone who takes these classes should find them an interesting challenge!  I hope you will look out for them!

Now all I have to do is find a buyer for this chap!