Gave myself a little challenge today.  There's a Victorian Mannequin at TOTE where I sell my dolls.  I thought it could do with a head, as they are going to change it's dress for the coming season.  This head is made from rolled up newspaper, calico and wadding, overlaid with thick ballet tight fabric.  It is coloured with gesso, watercolour paint, gel pen and prismacolour pencils.

Add a little hair and a hat - yes I know the eye is offcentre, but  I will fix that.  I just wanted to see if I could make a lifesize head.  Actually, it's a bit larger than life, but that might be ok.  Now I know I can make one, I could easily do another.  She looks a bit static, but not too bad for a first attempt.  The theme might be Steam Punk, so I can do something with the wonky eye to make it fit the  theme!  We're going for drama here as the Manniquin is set at the entrance, to attract the gadding crowds!  LOL!

Meet Quardle-oodle-ardle! He's an alarmist, attached to the Hedgrow Emergency Team, always on the alert for intruders in the Magpie Territorials!  He takes his job very seriously, ever ready to ward off low-flying, maurdering hawks or unsuspecting passers by, who hear his triumphant Quardle-oodle-ardle battle cry as they start to run!

This is a pattern designed by Susan Barmore, of Frowning Francis Patterns.  I really admire her work.  I love her octopus and walrus design and it was a toss-up between that and the crow!  I chose this one because I prefer not to use clay, but these dolls are great fun to make.  I used an old handbag a friend gave me for most of the embellishments.  The badge on his back pack is from the Red Cross that I found in my button box.

This is a free Retro Dress Pattern I designed to fit 'Krista'. Please e-mail me for a PDF copy, if you have bought my 'Krista' pattern - or would like to!

  The dress has a basque waist with panels inset in the skirt to make it plain or coloured.  The dress can be any length and would look good with beading, buttons a shawl, or fine scarf. 

 It also comes with a half petticoat pattern.

Jodi arrived early tonight so we got stuck in so she could finish off two of her dolls.  To the right of her, you can see my latest creation in the making - no, not the frog - the one behind it!

Julie has a few dolls to attend to, with Eddie overlooking things!

Wow look at those brows!  This is Jodi's completed Troll!  she is very pleased with herself - considering she's a real newbie to dollmaking!  I think she's got the knack! 

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong." Joseph chilton Pearce

Thanks Colleen!  I like it!

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!

Sustainable Oamaru Workshop 2012

I have just had a very satisfying weekend workshop - with one participant!  I am very happy because Helen completed her doll in exactly the right amount of time I had set out.


 It was an interesting experience for me watching someone following my pattern 'Krista', but also seeing how the sessions just flowed, in this one-on-one experience - although we did have some visitors and even had time to go for a quick walk!

 

Here the stuffing is all done and the shoes are drying from their undercoat of Gesso.  Preparations are underway for attaching the legs to the body.

At last  - attached after two attempts and getting the legs in the right position - just anything won't do, you know!  Long leggity lady is this doll!  We needle sculpted and coloured the body, arms & legs as we went, so it was all ready to go when it was time to attach.

Ahh!  She stands - well almost!

 

The head - we decided on a small modification.

Three heads are better than one!  We decided to do one together for some really good tuition.  Worked quite well wouldn't you say?  We were delighted with the results and had trouble deciding which was which!

At last the head is sewn on and she is all but finished!  We only had time then to play around with wigs and Helen decided which one she liked best.  She has promised to send me a picture of her doll dressed and finished, which I will post when I get it.

Helen was an excellent student and said she thoroughly enjoyed the experience and is seriously thinking of coming to our weekly OCDC next year! (She's doing embroidery this year)  She will be a welcome asset to our group!

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!

Joanne is putting together an elf.  Not bad considering she is new to dollmaking, and also that pattern had no instructions with it!  She is quite talented in the way of sewing!  I'm dying to know what it will look like in the end!

Well here's the heads!  Would you believe they are the same doll head?  It's all in the sculpting and colouring!

Julie has many dolls on the go.  Some are UFO's that she is wanting to tackle - as well as doing the monthly mini workshop we do!

Olive is enjoying Jean's antics of avoiding the camera!  She is making a baby Troll and getting her head around how it all goes together!  nhext week she's going to Lacemaking!  She's very talented too!

Jean has been recuperating from a motorbile accident, so coming to OCDC keeps her connected - and she's a tremendous help to me, which is most important!  Here's Raelene showing us the beautiful book she made at scrapbooking!  I love it!  Raelene is multitalented too!  I'm so grateful to be surrounded by these women who share their skills and talents with me! 

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Another little doll about to get it's head!  Jodie has been learning how to needlesculpt the head on one of my patterns I called Jessie.  She's calling it Gabby because her little girl has the same colour hair!  Jodie is working on three Trolls as well - Easter presents for her children!

I'm making a new 'Krista' doll as i sold my last one and I need another one for the workshop I am giving in April.  I thought I'd do a Retro style dress for her as the original doll didn't have a dress pattern.

The dress pattern took longer to design and make than the whole doll!  The main thing is I had great fun making it from panels of plain and spot quilting fabric.  She also has a half petticoat with cotton lace of course, and lacy knickers.  Painted shoes and an appropriate wig to finish her off and  -'Voila'!

Think the ladies will enjoy making this one?

SFM Cloth Dolls With Attitude!#links

http://www.utes-trolls.com/index.htm
SFM Cloth Dolls With Attitude!#links

A very happy little Troll!

 Troll for Tree

Baby Troll

A day alone today!  Yay!  The last week I have made three baby Trolls, and when I got one finished, my granddaughter grabbed that one and then my sister Tree the next, so I’ve just about finished my third!  I wanted to complete one for my doll class to see if they wanted to make one for Easter.  They turn out different each time I make one!  So cute!  These are Ute's Trolls of course, and don;t take long to make.  You could make them crawling, sleeping, hiding - anything!  They are delightful fun!  Thanks Ute!

Started the year with a mini workshop, making faces!  Two new students, Joanne getting help from Adrianne who is an old hand now, and Jodie, who is doing everything all at once!  Not one, but two Trolls on the go, as well as the head she's making for the workshop!  Raelene is in the background sewing.  Luckily Joanne is sewing machine savvy and got the old machine to work properly tonight!  In the background are some completed dolls.

Aqua Blue 2012

Aqua Blue!

Here's a little mermaid I've been playing with the last few days. I've called her 'Aqua Blue'!Think she'd make a wee pattern? She looks good on a shelf, but equally soft & cuddly for a wee tot! Her arms move and I could make her top removable as children like dressing & undressing. She has no armature and is about ten inches from head to tail. One arm is bent and the other a tad straighter and she has a belly button and the beginnings of little buttocks drawn in. I think she'd cope ok if she happenbed to fall in the bath! Her hair is made from one of those interesting yarns with something shiney in it that lends itself well to a mermaid!



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!

Here is a prototype of the doll I intend to make as a pattern this year! I call it travelling light! The pattern doll will be different of course, as I made this in muslin, but I just loved the movement and attitude she presents. I hope you will make some cvomments on it and klet me know what you think, or if i should make any changes? Always interested to hear!

New Year 2012 - New Pattern!

It's been wonderful to have time to design a doll and make a new pattern, which I have spent 25.85 hours doing so far and it's not finished yet! I've been counting up my hours of progress this time, as it's a question I am often asked.
It's taken me 10.55 hours of that to write up 10 pages!  I have to make the doll as I write, draw and scan - and often redraw, then photoshop, take photo's,download  and insert, so it does take a little concentration.  Putting the doll together is like doing a puzzle.  Checking that all the parts are correctly scaled to the overall figure.

Of course the dog distracts me often, which reminds me I need to get some exercise, so it all takes longer and then, for some reason, we all have to eat! 

The new pattern is the long awaited Thenardier, The Innkeeper inspired by the theatrical show Les Misrables. He will go with his wife Jeanne, one of my other patterns. They should make a good pair! Currently Jeanne is a class with CDA.  Thenardier is such a cocky character and I am depicting him in a pose that shows this attitude.

All I have to do now is make his jacket apron pad & pencil, then sew on his arms, hair & Phyrgian Cap and that's the doll done.  For the pattern, I have to write up the construction notes for all the clothes, shoes cap etc and photoshop all the pattern pieces, then insert them.  Lastly - take a great picture  and design the cover.  So still a bit of work, but it helps to tick them off!  I really wanted to have it all done by last night, but I'm an old lady now - I must remember this!  LOL!

I have given this porcelain doll a modern makeover!  She was one of those dolls that flooded the market and then gathered dust and was neglected!

This one has been completely dismantled, unstuffed, rewired, had eyes replaced, face painted, hair cut & restyled. Her body has been relpaced with new cloth, restuffed and embellished.

Now she looks lovely and is just waiting to be collected and enjoyed!

Finally Olive's finished her lovely fairy!  We've had great fun playing with it tonight.  These jointed dolls are so posable!

Little Bit 2011 Free Pattern

A Little Bit!

By Sharon Mitchell 2011

Little Bit is easy to put together in the usual way. The whole body is calico, but I used a strip of two-way stretch fabric to make the tail and it worked really well for turning.  Trace the pattern on to freezer paper, press piece s on fabric and stitch around the paper shape leaving the marked openings.  Cut out leaving a small seam allowance.  Clip curves and peel off freezer paper, which can be used several times. Only the hands and feet have Chenille stems in them to stand and pose.

 Colour the inner ears, toes and paws with light strokes of crimson red Prismacolour pencil, before you hand sew them on with a fine needle & matching thread.

Fold the openings of the ears in and run a gathering stitch over the edge before sewing them on, to make them curve inwards.

Mark the eyes with Prismacolour pencil crimson red before sculpting in two 3mm black beads  from one side of the face to the other side, to indent them in.  Not too loose that will make them stick out.

‘Pink’ up the nose with Prismacolour pencil red and outline with tan pigma pen, or copper gel pen (if using the gel pen, spray first to seal, with hairspray).

Sculpt in a little mouth from the eyes, to pull up the cheeks a little and give a cheerful face! 

 Make a little scarf from a small scrap of gauze, soaked in blue & red cochineal and dry with hair dryer so it’s nice & wrinkly.  (Wear gloves so you will not stain your hands!)

Find a sheaf of lavender or other fine stalk flowers and cut to size – hold with string and pose arms around them for effect!

And there you have your own... Little Bit!

 

Clicking on the pattern should open it to print off

At last we had the Victorian Fete today and here is our stall all set up with three of us selling things.  Olive & Jean's dolls were on display and very popular!  No one bought any, but it was more an advertising exercise for our group and we managed to give away a few flyers, so here's hoping!  Raelene's table in the front was a good drawcard and there were plenty of people she knew. The rain held off until about 2pm - similar to last year!  We had plenty of street entertainment and between us all we made enough to make it worthwhile.

Here I am in my silly hat I threw together, with lots of clothes on to keep warm!  I look like a pitiful little flower seller!  Like the sign?  Applique using florals on black!  We drew a bit of attention from a wide range of the public, so it was good!  Going to bed now though!

Before restoration

This is my accidental buy on Trademe!  I didn;t intend to win it because I was sure someone else would place a higher bid, but I was wrong!  I had a problenm then - how to restore a plastic 1950's Pedigree Walkie Talkie Doll!  I started with the head - Used my expensive hair shampoo & conditioner!  Then drilled a hole in the iron stem to attach it to the mechanism it had broken off from.  Restrung the arms and tackled the broken foot with Selleys Knead it putty to seal the hollow so I could make a clay foot.That was surprisingly successful, so I painted it with acrylic and matt Mod Podge  to hold it in place and it looks reasonable enough!

After restoration

I'm feeling Rather pleased with my efforts to restore this doll that's close to may age!  wish I could do as well for myself!  LOL!  I was delighted to find she has real hair, so could do something with it.  My friend Kris made the machine embroidered shoes which fit beautifully!  Some leftover dress fabric made the dress, embellished with dupion silk collar and silk ribbon roses with satin leaves.

 I've been trying my hand at restoring a couple of dolls.  This one is 36 years old and has had a rough life.  Many children have played with her and a dog chewed off one foot! For years she has been discarded in various toy boxes and I retrieved it a while ago  - don't ask me why!   Anyway, I've made another foot with clay and painted it with acrylic paint and a matt Mod Podge, so hopefully it will stay in place!  I recoloured the lips and Mod podged them.  I replaced the blinking eyes with plastic ones backed up with clay, and to take the staring look off them, the glasses did the trick!  I made her a gymfrock so she could look like a little student!  She's waiting for new shoes and I'm about to make her a little suitcase for her schoolbooks!  My daughter, who was the original owner, named her Lesley, and now she wants her back! 

Little Bit!

Here is a little bit of a mouse I put together to see what it would look like.  It didn't look too bad, so I carried on and now I am very happy with it!  My friend Jeanne liked it and named it 'Little Bit'!