The Patroness of TOTE - The Oamaru Textile exchange in the Victorian Precinct!

Remember this Mannequin?

The neck was too stiff and unsatisfactory, so............off with her head!  Abit of paint to the base - it's already looking more like it!

I decided to see if I could just make a cloth one that didn't have anything hard in it, so I tried this out - Just like any ordinary doll head, and needlesculped it with a BIG needle. She's a big gawky, but hey - she's eyecatching! 

 

 I changed her wig and made a false dress front that looks like a shirt dress with a high collar.  She's wearing the toile I've made for her coat, which I hope to get together shortly.  It's not the finished length, but you get the drift?

She's looking quite excited at having a makeover don't you think?  The coat will be interesting..............I hope.  Certainly a different colour - or two!  Had to work some magic with the neck to hold it all up, but Colleen Babcock gave me a great idea with her new mystery pattern that has worked a treat!

I bought a big picture hat and have tried to make it kind of victorian.  Eventually it will have colour on it to 'doll' it up a bit!

All I hope is that it will weather well enough this summer!  It will be outside most of the time as advertising.  I can just see tourists standing beside her for a photo opportunity!  LOL!  She's over six feet tall!  I'll keep you posted about the next step!

Check out these little treasures that Adrianne's been busy making fior her grandchildren's family heirlooms!  Aren't they just amazing!  She's not able to come each week and does night shift, so hand sewing works for her.  They are lined with good fabric too! I love the 3D effect!

Steam Punk Exhibition 2012

I've been working on my entry for this years Steam Punk Exhibition.  I'm putting in three pieces this year, because for various reason's my students are unable to and I wanted a representative from the textile group to have a part to play in this genre of artistry where it's mostly metal.

I will enter my Steam Punk Magpie which I made from
made from Susan Barmore - aka Frowning Frances, fantastic Steam Punk Crow pattern, and made from bits of my friend's old handbag!

Each piece has to have a story of it's history, so here's what I've put together.

“Quardle-oodle-ardle ”

An Alarmist, attached to the Hedgerows Emergency Team in the Magpie Territorial’s, Quardle-oodle-ardle is always on the alert for intruders!  He takes his job very seriously, ever ready to ward off low-flying, marurdering hawks or unsuspecting passersby, who hear his warning Quardle-oodle-ardle battle cry as they make a hasty retreat!

I think people will be amazed and delighted to see that Steam Punk has hit the doll world and what can be made.


Next I will have my version of a Steam Punk Vehicle - driven by MORTIMER CROSS-ETHERINGTON, Inventor of the NZR Aeronautalis     

The Aeronautilis was the prototype for the first Steam powered jet hover craft. Built by genius inventor, Mortimer Cross-Etherington, in whatever year was required.  This fine machine was fitted with the latest technology and therefore able to be used for purposes where stealth and deliverance was necessary, because no-one could guess where it would appear next!

 Last but not least is:

Veritas Seeker – In the second half of life, VERITAS seeks to discover what truth she can about gender, race, creed, sexuality, intelligence and all the restrictions of the time she is stepping away from. She walks through this long dark time with the dim lamp of the past and the Staff of Enlightenment that helps her stand firm in her quest for Accountability, Truth and Justice in an ever-changing world!

I had trouble getting this doll to come together for some reason that doesn;t happen very often. I used dark fabric for a change.  I've had it undone so many times, added and subtracted and I didn't know if I liked the face enough. Still not sure if it works.  I liked the idea of the coloured dreads and a helpful granddaughter who is into the Playstation3 game of The Final Fantasy, so got some ideas from that.  She's got a slightly Gurnge look and is definitely alternative!  Not as Steam Punk as last years I think.  Still, it's done and it's going in!

My last years efforts of three pieces have been invited back to the Art Gallery for the summer, so that's good - I don't have to store them at my place!  LOL!

These pieces will go in the Custom House Gallery here in Oamaru, where this years Exhibition is being held.

So what do you think? 

I've signed up for Colleen Babcocks Mystery Doll Pattern - which seems to have taken off into the worlds biggest cloth doll class!  I think she'll hardly have tiome to do anything for weeks while she answers all her emails!  And here's me thinking I might hold a mystery doll Online class...........I'll have to think about that one.  It's a pretty massive undertaking.

Anyway, here's my effort at making the delicious little head. Lovely skull shape and the neck looks promising, but not on yet. I think I'm way behind the others.

The fabric is Hoffman Watercolour Batik and lovely to work with and gives the skin an iteresting tone.

 I've never done the eyelids like this before either and what I found most interesting was following someone else's process after doing my own thing for so long!  Always something new to learn as a dollmaker and Colleen knows her craft so well!

Good Dog! Mutilated the head for I doll I'm making for an Auction!  Luckily (for her) I didn't really like that head and was in two minds about redoing it, so it was easy enough to rescue the ears off it (untouched) and make another head!  She ripped the eyelashes off too - pest! 

Here's the windswept culprit - talk about Hairy McClary! This is Pip the Pillager! It's the paint she's after - loves the smells! She can't resist anything that smells like glue, so sellotape, masking tape - you name it - she'll grab it if she can!

 

 

And here's the dear lady herself - restored and thankfully finished - looking for all the world like Barry Humphries dressed up as Dame Edna............ Darlings! 

What do you think Possums?  Where are those gorgous spectacles?  She's actually being auctioned as a fundraiser on Melbourne Cup day, so she's dressed for the races!  I modified a Jill Maas pattern to make her.

Here are some faces Raelene & I have made.  We did one each together so she could get the hang of sculpting the face.  She hated it until she put the whiskers on, and - what a transformation!  I did the one on the left, using a finer Pigma pen, and she did the other using a thicker pigma pen, which is noticable on the eyes and look so much more dramatic!  Not exactly cheerful looking, but a step on the way!  More like a couple of the Dwarfs escaped from a Snow White story!  LOL!

Here's another bigger Santa face - practicing! 

The other smaller ones I have used in my new Class on fabric Addictions, available very soon.

What a great idea - a

green Troll!

These other dolls are all Adrianne's.  She's been very busy and loves making dolls for other people.  She can only join us infrequently, but is enjoying her dollmaking.

This cheeky chappy is a Jill Maas made by Adrianne   So cute!

OCDC

July/August has been cold and extremely wet, so two classes were cancelled and only the odd one turning up to work on projects, but they've been staying in touch, telling me they're all working away at home on their projects.

Seems a bit creepy this time!  LOL!  I've been playing around with Steam Punk Softies - great fun to make, but takes longer than you would think!  My grandsons think they are way cool!

Joanne has had her pixie in body parts for weeks, and was pleased to finally get them together and have him actually stand!  Clothing will make all the difference.  She did all that without any instructions - pretty darn good for a new doll maker!

Now this cute face belongs to a Troll out of a magazine, that Jo has had on the go, also for months!  She learned a lot about sculpting making this!  Love the hair!  Could be a male or female!  The name Fabiano comes to mind!  LOL!  Can't wait to see him finished.

Meantime, I'm busy enough making patterns flat out, setting up for a new workshop with Fabric Addictions, starting soon.  I'm also making dolls for the Steam Punk Exhibition, making a dress for the Massive Mannequin - earlier posts, and preparing some bits and pieces for the Strawberry Fare in November. I'm on the hop, so to speak!

I was unsatisfied with the mouth, so I changed it to an open mouth which gave her a more engaging look, as there was plenty of room on the lower face. 

This is an example of how you can critique your own work and make improvements.  If I had botched it up, I would just have had to make another head, so it wasn't a biggie.  However, I think I am happier with this now.

Of course then I had to add all the other bits to finish her off and make her live up to her name, which is "Practical Pindora!"  She is to be my new pattern, which I am in the process of finishing off as we speak!  What do you think?

I've been experimenting with needlefelting on fabric.  What fun! I made a pincushion doll!

Remembering our youth!

 A friend asked me to make a doll for a 50th birthday.  She said her friend had a horse that they never saw - it had either just died, or was at her grandad's, so they never saw it.  A mythical horse - so I made a unicorn hobby horse!  She had been a professional marching girl, a follower of fashion in the 60's, loves the Races and at school, always shouted for Wales - hence the Welsh flag!

The hat for the races!  She is an out-there sort of person - an events organiser!

Ready to challenge the odds!

Full of energy, encouragment for her friends - able to string them along and hold their interest in a vibrant, but gracious way!  Her birthday's in August - does she look like a Leo! 

So far, so good!  this will give you an idea of the size of this Manniquin.  I'm quite pleased with the arms - thank goodness for lycra gloves!  I think she's ready to go to The Oamaru Textile Exchange now, to be dressed!  I'll have to dismantle the top from the base, to get it in my car, so that will be a mission!  At least a seat belt will hold her up!  I have no idea what she will be dressed in yet.  The women at TOTE will help me design something.  I think it will include some painted cloth and some wool!  Not sure about the hair yet either, but time will tell.

So tall I had to lay it down to put the face on!  Used a two way stretch, but if I did this again, I would make a two piece face, so the nose would protrude better.  As it is, it's not too bad, but the profile is a little flat.

Dramatic eyebrows and lashes of fur!  Got a wig too, but not sure yet how I will do her hair.Can't do much about the wrinkles under her chin, but upright, it's hardly noticable.  Talk about irregular features!

Looking so self possessed now but she won't be wearing that hat!  She's got one arm (so far) that can be posed.  I made a joint in the elbow so it can easily be bent into any position, which will be good for dressing too!  She's wearing long black gloves and my mothers old corset!  I'm just amazed how well she is coming together!  She's nearly ready for a name!  Any ideas?

 I'm making a BIG Doll!  I have an opportunity to make a figure for Spring season.  This is the old Dressmakers dummy and I am giving it 'bones' and fleshing it out.

 Lots of padding............

 Now a Toile..........

 A fitting..........

 Back view......

She's a buxom lass - 44 - 30 - 44!  She's got a bra on under there to give her a more definitive shape. Not bad eh?  Can you see the face waiting in the background?  I didn't use it in the end. This will be a Victorian woman, possibly Steam Punk.  It's for The Oamaru Textile Exchange - an entrance eyecatcher!  Hope it all works!

My old granny is nearly finished.  Her shoes turned into boots and I might have to put buttons on them now.  I didn't know about a hat.  What do you think?  She might need a cat or a book or something.  Yes I am making a pattern of this and may even have it as a class.  Not sure just yet.

Still playing!  Not finished by any means yet, but had to get it this far so the Art Gallery director can check it out for the exhibition for the concept.  Only one shoe partially done!  She's trying to decide on the pearls or not, and probably won't have that hat on.  She's a comfy old gal though she looks a little staid here - but that'll change!

Trying on a 'look'.  Nice draping fabric here - an old skirt, with a small pattern.  This is the front of the piece I cut out, just draped over to see if it all 'goes'.  The hair and head are just perched on the body just now.  Trying out is very important in the process.  This small print in the dark colour will be good to embellish with some other detail.

I'm working on another doll.  Here she is in all her glory, patiently waiting for me to decide what she will be dressed in.  She is the basis of another pattern I am working on, but will also feature in an exhibition for next year.  She has the look of a gardner to me, but might just judge Roses!  Who knows?

This pretty pink Ballerina is the second doll made by a new member of our group, Heather!  She is a Sarnie pattern and just looks lovely!  Heather has made  good job of her and her wee shoes look so cute!  Love those eyes!  AShe used Tibettan lambswool for the hair - good choice!

I've had a lovely Queen's Birthday weekend at The Oamaru Textile Exchange, with the crafting ladies, and where I sell my dolls.  It's in the Victorian Precinct of Oamaru and members of the Co-operative that run the shop, make and sell traditional articles of clothing. 

I was there to demonstrate needle sculpting and others were demonstrating what they do.  If you doubleclick on the pictures, you will just see my doll display in the back and in the foreground, examples of needlesculpting and a rug made from Spindle Spinning!  So thick & warm!

The other picture is the old traditional craft of Lacemaking.  I'm told that families had their own patterns that they always made and was known as theirs.  Even the children would learn their family pattern.  Maybe the same was said for those that wove family tartans?  I don't know.  A piece of lace like this now adorns my Miss Kate doll's dress!  It was a horseshoe design, that fitted around the neck of her bolero and just set it off!

I tried my hand at needlefelting, and I think it's something I could like.  I have some ideas!