Marionette!

I've been playing around lately, making this Marionette.  She is certainly not perfect and easy to self critique. I was never happy with her face - didn't really like the shape of it to start with, but I followed the pattern to see what it would look like.

 I needle sculpted and coloured it, but I still didn't like it, so I recovered the face and tried again - Nooo!  The eyes are different sizes, too big and I can't change them! By now I was in danger of ditching it, so I thought I would just plow on and finish it off and see how it looked.

Well, it looks like this!


I made the wig by unstitching a dress-up wig and stitching it on the head.  I used stuffing to keep it raised up and stitched the style in place. (Have to do it again - not right!)  By now I had the general idea of what it could look like, so carried on!

I decided to dress it in Victorian style because I had this lovely taffeta and someone gave me an old brooch and old pearls, and I have heaps of lace I want to get rid of! Funnily enough, I don't use lace much in dollmaking. Well, I liked the dress, so that helped.

I'll know what not to do if I ever make another one of these!  LOL!

I'll post a pic of the controls later.  That was a mission too! OK for a first attempt I think.

I made the control from this diagram I found in an old marionette book I have that cost 10/3 (10 shillings and threepence!)

  Not that easy to make if you don't know what you're doing. (I didn't) I can make it work, but it seems cumbersome to me.  For someone more familiar with marionettes it's probably fine.  

Anyway, feel free to have a go at making one!

Timaru Workshop 2

I've just got home after spending a weekend in Timaru with a lovely group of doll makers, where I had the best time!  I amazed myself by teaching two different dolls at once! Krista and Jeanne - the Innkeepers Wife!

Everyone was so patient and there was lots of fun and laughter.  Some ladies were experienced doll makers, but some had never made a doll before and didn't know how they would go.  I was just delighted that we finished all the dolls!  A bonus was that Linda (Timaru Sewing Centre owner), sourced some fur fabric just right for the hair! I'm hoping someone will send in a pic of their finished dolls for me to show here. (Notice the lovely quilt art on the wall!)

OCDC Update

We've been very busy lately finishing off projects!

Heather - always with something on the go started off the show and tell with this version of Jill Maas's Maggie, holding one of her dogs! 

Next she pulled out this stunning version of Jill's Mermaid!  I just love the colours she's used and the eyelashes are so effective!  This is a great pattern and lovely to make up!

Here is Jo's gorgeous cuddly little bear she made at our workshop.  Real fur from an old fur coat.  So lovely to hold.

 This little cutie - not not Raelene, although she is cute - was made by Raelene, also from a Rabbit fur cape which is over 100 years old!  It was a real mission to make, with the skin tearing easily.  She made it for a friend in memory of her grandma, who belonged the cape.  It's so lusciously cuddly with it's big floppy legs and ears!  Raelene persevered and is pleased with it.  She did so well and made a very creative mess cutting it out I might add!  All worth it now though!

This little bunny was my effort, also made from real fur.  I think it is a free pattern from Soggybottom Bunny.  First real furry creature I've ever made.

This doll was created from various UFO bits I had lying around!  I wanted something to sit on the couch I'd made so I could put it up for sale.  Her hair is a combination of furs for a modern look and her dress is made up from scraps of beaded lace for someone's wedding gown.  The necklace beads were made by a friend who lives beading - lucky me!

  Lastly, Judy bought two heads she wanted to learn how to sculpt, so we did one each together!  They are from my latest pattern - Old Friends Keep you Sane.

Hope you enjoy looking at our creative efforts!

Krista by Irina

Irina sent this picture of Krista in.  Check out those shoes!  She looks great!  Well done Irina!

Cuddlys

I have been making Cuddlys and Pillow Pets for a friend.  I made five and they were so successful with the littlies!  Here's one I made. The cuddly is made from polar fleece and lined with Disney fabric.  The puss is called "Tabby" by her new owner!  LOL!  these were made especially for car and plane travel, but the littlies like to take them to bed!  My five year old grandson wrapped a Toy Story Fawn one around him and said - Hey Nan - this would be good for camping!  Guess I'll have to make some more!  LOL!

UFO workshop & up-cycling!

OCDC group had a busy time of it today when we had a UFO Workshop.  Initially we were going to make a bunny each, but then it became a free-for-all when we found we had all bought things to finish!  Except Raelene - who had a fur wrap over a hundred years old that she wanted to make a special bunny out of for her friend, so she got stuck in and looked like she was grooming her dog!

 Lovely fur!  Can't wait to see the finished bunny!  Even I had a go at a small bunny, made from real fur!

Then we all got into it!

 Jo's Bunny is made from Faux fur and looks fabulous!

We made a creative mess!

 Here are a few of our UFO's in progress!  Love Jo's bear!

 These are Raelene's Tiny Trolls she's making to go on her cruise!  They will feature on photo's of the holiday!  Heather is finishing off her Jill Maas Santa!  Not much more to do now!  She's already on to the next thing!  LOL!

   Good company, good energy and good food! We declared it a very fast, satisfying day and completed a lot of work that we were happy with.  We hope to do it again in August!

Adrianne sent me this pic of her latest doll she calls Miranda. She has such a way with colour!  I think this is Jill Maas's doll 'Lola.'  Just fabulous!  Adrianne makes her dolls and shows them to rest home residents, who are just delighted to see her creations and look forward to her weekly visits!  Now that's sharing your talent!  LOL!

Playing with dolls!

And so at the end of a successful night of being the Hostess with the mostest, Krista hung up her apron after doing all the dishes, can now relax beside her pet dog Chi, on the new Chaise Lounge with a glass of bubbly for her reward!

The nightmare before Christmas - or how to make a creative mess!

 Prim dolls aren't for sissies as I found out today!  Talk about The Nightmare before Christmas!  It was the wire that was the problem.  Too strong!  I'll do it differently next time.

I Puddled my way through it, making it up as I went.

 His head swivels so he can be posed.  He is wearing a belt but hardly seen under his long whiskers.

 A close up of the needlesculpted face, with the slight winking of the eye!

I made him a  bag of scary toys to prop him up with, but they're hard to see here.   In the end - not so bad!  

What do you think?  

OCDC

Adrianne bought along her creations to finish off on Tuesday.  There's another Jill Maas Lola, on her knee getting finishing touches and Something that looks suspiciously like Rod Stewart lurking in the background.

 The scruffy dog has found the sofa!  Isn't it great? Adrianne is having so much fun with these patterns and she shares her creative work with people in a rest home, who look forward to what she'll be bringing in each week!  What a way to share your talents and bring some fun and laughter into someone's life!

 And look!  Here's Tilly - or is it Tess in her bikini and the spotty dog is getting in on the act!

 Awww!  Dog hugs - and Rod's looking on!

Meantime, one of the Old Friends is getting her hair on!  Judy will have her all together by next week.
Jean pops in every week when she can to share her magazines with us and try to inspire us to join some of the challenges.  Raelene is working on some Trolls, so hopefully we'll have pics of them next week.

I'm working on several things - a mermaid pattern that has to be different to keep up with all the other excellent mermaids out there, and two Santa's.  Busy as!

Ritualizing change in our life.

 I am proud to show you two dolls made by Jean Bousfield, originally from South Africa, now living in NZ and a devoted member of our Oamaru Cloth Doll Crafters, (OCDC) group.

Jean was feeling homesick and grieving.  Making these dolls helped her to acknowledge her country of origin and the people she recognized and admired from the region she lived in.  The experience, the time she took and the thought that went into presenting the dolls, Jean found to be a therapeutic process in helping her to settle in to a new country and to find a place to belong.

Jean used Michelle Munzone's Afri Coco pattern as a base for her mother figure.  The child figure came from Jill Maas 'Annie' pattern - a wonderful fit!  I think they are delightful!

Making a doll is a very creative way to ritualise change and we have talked a lot about it as a means of getting a sense of our place in the world.  I think it is age old!

More from the Timaru Workshop

 Here I am all businesslike with tools in hand - that's Joy and Barbara in the background diligently working away!

Teaching  the finer points about stuffing with Joyce!

Getting  intently involved now........

At last - a bevy of smiling beauties - most are hairless - not you Joyce - and some can even stand, considering I forgot to bring wire for their armatures!  Still, this was always more about learning how to needle-sculpt and I think that was very successful!  

You'll notice the bodies are all different?  That's due to different fabrics used and stuffing methods.

I think I have caused a lot of people to become addicted to cloth doll-making and I'm not even sorry! 

 I had such a great time sharing my passion and cloth doll artistry with people who certainly seemed to appreciate learning how to do it.  Can't wait to go back to Timaru!

Timaru Workshop March 2013

I've just had a wonderful time in Timaru this weekend, teaching how to make my doll "Krista" to a lovely group of women who had hardly ever made dolls before!  A lot had done quilting and other sewing and crafts, so it was a bit of a challenge for them.  They were willing and intent - a bit frustrated and sometimes daunted by the vagaries of this  new challenge - and they all came through with flying colours which made me so proud of them and their efforts!

 We had some fun with bits and pieces!

 Some intense work going on down there with Joy and Barbara

 There's Krista overseeing all the odd shaped heads in production - body parts waiting to be  coloured and assembled!

 A platter of heads - all shapes, sizes and personalities coming through.  Great variety of eye colour.  some heads made form quilters muslin, and homespun cotton. I think everyone was amazed at how well they all turned out and how each doll shows it's character.

 Trying on hair and hats and being comfortable in her skin is Krista - having a rest!

I hope to have more pics to show soon!  Id' love to see these dolls dressed.  Everyone went away with plans about how they would make them and what hair colour they would use.  Lyn was keen to make another one right away!  Hope she does!

Dolls made from my patterns

I am proud to present Laurel - made from my "Krista" pattern, by Allison Ward! Isn't she wonderful?

This next one was made from my Jessie & Jack pattern - so cute!  They were made by Beth Duncan and called - Facing the inevitable!  Just amazingly talented dollmakers!  It gives me a real kick to see what people make!

Doll makeover

Once again, this poor old fella has had to have a make over.  Some dolls are just like that.  You can't get the 'look' right first off so from time to time, you play around with it to see what will work.  I think I'm getting there, but at the end of the day, not many people like buying men dolls, unless they look like Santa!  This might be Santa in the 'off season'!  LOL!