Eye spy

I made this doll a while ago, months ago in fact. I never liked the spacing of her eyes, they were un-naturally wide apart, like having eyes on your cheeks. You can see the original here.

Today I couldn't stand that wide eyed stare any longer. I got my seam ripper and sliced through the stitching. Yes, I cut out her eyes, just like that. I even plucked her eyelashes right out!

I sewed some mighty fine new eyes in a more acceptable eye location, put on new eyelashes (a little mascara), and gave her some little pink cheeks (blush, blush). I even made her a sweet pink apron to make up for the radical eye surgery.

Now she is finished, months after being "finished". A softie for Mirabel perhaps?

Something more I have finished

I finished my second doll the other day. My friend called her Miss Dotty after the dots on her dress. That fabric was old and a very thin cotton so I had to bolster it up a bit with some interfacing. That trick worked quite well.

I had a fiddly time fiddling with my original pattern to give her wider arms and legs, a more triangular body, more of a neck and better hair. I think I succeeded on a lot of levels and am very happy with the result. The only think I want to do better is her face. What did I do her eyes so wide apart for? I don't know, I guess because I did all the face details before the final construction that the result came out different than I expected after she was all done and stuffed. I do like her little felt collar though.

My sewing machine had a lot of trouble with sewing through the thickest parts, the tension cracked it (had that trouble before) and it had to go in for a service. I will be updating to a more serious sewing machine soon.

Off with her head!

I am trying a new version of my doll pattern, expanding her here, taking in a bit there...basically just making it up as I go along and having a jolly old time with it all. Here's me cutting out her head pattern piece today. Results to follow, of course.

Miss Jemima

Here is my very rough very first attempt at doll making. I already knew what my boy was going to say when he first saw it, and I was right..."It's Jemima, Mummy!". So, Miss Jemima it is.

This picture hides 1000 faults. Things I like about her are her decent body and head size, so she is easily cuddled under one arm, and she sits up well, no saggy bits. I don't like her too skinny legs, her lack of a neck, the way her hair grows mullet like down into the back of her dress and her pigtails look like her Mickey Mouse Club ears have slipped down to an odd place.

Some improvements to be made to be sure.

Next to her is the original Jemima doll, from the ABC Playschool program (Australian children's television for those not in the know), just for a little comparison fun.

Pieces of Person

I haven't really shown any of my creative processes because I tend to work at night, limiting nice photo opportunities.

I am working on a pattern for a little doll, based upon a few different existing patterns, taking a bit of this and a bit of that, have had to try doing the head myself, I kind of fear that it might turn out too big for relatively small looking arms and legs, but am going to give it a go.

Stay tuned for the finished product.