14 posts tagged “handmade doll”

So it's obvious I like making dolls. I like making girly, girl dolls. They seem so much more interesting and fun to make with all their lace, ribbons, bows and other frilly things. I know why I like dolls and, yes, it goes back to my childhood. I used to make dolls for my daughters but they're all grown up and so I try not to foist the dolls I make on them any more. After all, even I don't have the space to display all of the dolls I've made for myself!! LOL  But I still make dolls for myself even if I don't have space, it's become a form of therapy I suppose. 


 
In any event, girls dolls are my thing. However, I actually made a boy doll and completed him on Monday!! This is the companion doll to the Lulu Olivia doll that I recently finished. I haven't figure out if he's the instigator of the pair or not. His expression indicates he's rather amused by letting events unfold as they may and going with the flow. His name is Roy Archie, named after DH's grandfather and the name of the pattern given by Hillary Lang, who created the Wee Wonderfuls Make-a-long dolls and accessories.



He wanted to try out his new skills by doing a headstand.




Lulu can't resist trying to get in on the action but Roy doesn't seem to mind, it's nice have have a pal to share the adventures.

I think my newest doll has fallen over and gone into a catatonic state from the knowledge that I've finally made another doll!  I admit it was an uphill battle, not because it was a difficult doll to make, but from a chronic lack of motivation on my part. But these Wee Wonderfuls dolls are so happy and fun loving that I really wanted to see how mine would turn out.  So, here is Lulu Olivia!! Her first name is from a long distant great aunt and her second name is from the name given the pattern created by Hillary Lang at her Wee Wonderfuls site. This one is Hillary Lang's "Make-a-long Story" Olive pattern. I'll be making Hillary's, Archie, boy doll soon although I don't know yet what I'll call him.
Lulu is made from leftover scraps of cotton fabric but while the pattern calls for wool felt for the hair, I used a micro fibre suede-like type of material. I found some wool felt at the fabric store, however, I didn't like what that store had to offer so it was only one color of off white and quite expensive. That's what happens when a person lives in a tropical-like weather zone so I opted to use the (easier for me to manipulate) faux suede instead. Her eyes are cotton batik fabric. I also added a small pouch of pellets in Lulu's bum before sewing it up to help keep her balanced when she is sitting up.
Here's a close up of her face.

Here is Hitty Mae in her set of Undieloons(word I just made up) that I made for her out of white cotton lawn material with a touch of cream lace. I wanted to figure out a way to reduce the bulk of material at her waist once she is fully dressed so I adapted a pattern that combines a chemise and pantaloons. The waist is elasticized with stretchy thread used for making jewelry and seems to work great!

There are 1/4 inch white double faced satin shoulder straps and an opening in the back so the whole thing is removeable.

I haven't decided if I want to stitch "Hitty" in red cross stitching on the upper area yet. I sort of like it the way it is now, truth be told.

Oh my, I almost forgot!
Her full official name is Hitty Mae!!

Usually, when I have not posted in a day or two it's because I've been working a project or something.  So, what have I been doing? The cloth body for a hand carved (not by me) Hitty doll.  I noticed that some of the cloth doll people also have a bit of a passion for a little wooden doll by the name of Hitty. 

My doll collection includes dolls made in lots of different media and some of my dolls are made from wood. My wood dolls are just small little things but I'd never heard of "Hitty". I started doing some searching and good heavens the web sites devoted to her is astounding!  She's a small doll measuring in at 6 1/4 inches tall and handcarved. Lots more info on her can be found here at:
Hitty.org


Okay, so I thought I'd see if I could hunt up a doll and buy one. Uh, NOT!  My pockets are not quite as deep as that. LOL

Thankfully, Hitty can be made from different kinds of material other than wood. I compromised.  I found someone who carves whole Hitty's and her friends and also carves the Hitty head/shoulder pieces that can be attached to a cloth body.  Hooray, something I can manage! I think I'm going to have to get a nice vintage hardback copy of the Hitty book but I suppose that'll have to wait until I can swing the $$ for that though.

Thought you'd like to see my Hitty in progress.  I've sewn her arms and her legs, painted her little black boots with white stockings and red garters. They all have to be attached to the body now and a dress made.  Hope I don't mess anything up now just when I'm getting close to completing my own little Hitty!

                       I am having a hard time deciding what to  do next. I'm happy making the EFA dolls but, at the same time, I don't want to stop making other types of dolls either.

I've discovered a vintage book on making what would be termed in modern times as ethnic dolls. They are cloth dolls about fourteen inches tall. The torso/head/neck are one piece and the arms and legs are sewed on separately. Hair is made of yarn and can be done in a few styles and the facial features are embroidered. There are simple patterns for the costumes, mostly it's the embellishments and such that make the difference in how they look. In a case or two, though, there are even knitting instructions for making the outfits. I love that! All the colorful outfits and different ways that the various cultures of each doll is depicted, once a doll is finished, are wonderful to me.

Interestingly enough, there are also patterns for making six and eight inch dolls for some of the dolls. They are strikingly similar to the EFA patterns.

So now I waffle back and forth about which doll I want to do and which size, ad infinitum.

Dollie in Waiting, waits no more and she has a name, Beth!! She's all done and we are both relieved that there weren't any more mishaps in the making of Beth. She is tall for her age, I must say. But I think that has to do with the fabric I used for her body. Her clothes are sewed to her body so they can't be removed.

Truthfully, I can't say that I like that in the long run. If she should last any length of time, and needed sprucing up just how would a person do that?  I dunno.
She also has a cape and bonnet and as soon as I get the chance I'll photograph her in those too.

It seems to me like I take a long time in making them, and quite a few, oh what's the phrase...oh yeah, man hours. :)
 
The time put into them almost makes me want to shut them away where the sunlight won't damage or fade the fabric and such. But then, if I did that I couldn't enjoy them. And I get much enjoyment from these little dolls being all around.

And just think, there can never be another made exactly like it. They can look similar but there can only be one because each face is sewn individually and can't be replicated again so there are no manufactured carbon copy any where else in existance. I think that's sort of awsome!

Here's a close look at her.

Didn't think I'd take so long for something so small (only one and a half inches long) and easy to make but real life things need to get done too. But I've got my first pair of little suede leather doll shoes done and I'm happy with the way they turned out.
I didn't sew them they way the way described but the way I did it, I only had to sew through one layer of leather at a time which was much easier on my hands and fingers. 
They are tied with some black DMC Baroque Crochet Cotton which is a heavier colorfast cotton thread.

Little Miss Dollie In Waiting has had a complete facial today.  It took much of the day what with being very careful at removing the stitching from the first try and making sure I didn't snip through any of the fabric threads.  Then adjusting where I wanted the features to be this time around. I think she made it through surgery okay though.