Some more photos of the little pink-haired girl I made this weekend using this pattern. The pattern is fantastic. The instructions are very thorough. I will definitely be making one addition to the construction of the doll though with the next one I make. Her head is pretty floppy, being so top heavy and it's hard to get her to sit up. Her arms and legs are poseable (she has pipe cleaners inside, so they are bendable!), but I'm going to add some thick gage wire inside that connects her head to her body, so that her head will stay up easier. Other than that, I loved this pattern!
I enlarged her by 20%, so she would've been smaller than this. I love her larger! She's around 11-12" tall, I would say (I'm too lazy to go measure her, ha). I used wool felt that I purchased from here, but there are lots of stores on Etsy that offer felt. I love, love working with felt. It's so user friendly and forgiving and as I've mentioned before, no need for lugging a sewing machine around with you to make her. She's 100% handstitched, so you can make her on the go. I actually love the fact that she's 100% handmade this way.
I used the freezer paper method of cutting out the pattern pieces (OMG-SO-EASY! This stuff is a life changer!) and I also used the freezer paper to do the face embroidering. I was nervous about that part because I was wondering how the heck you'd transfer the design. I did some googling, and basically you iron on the freezer paper, embroider straight through the paper, and then pull the paper away once done. There's still some paper underneath the pupils of her eyes, but you can' see it, so it doesn't matter. Freezer paper makes this doll making stuff such a faster process.
I made her over two nights. Fast right? I love that these dolls LOOK like you put weeks of time into them, without actually having to. They are so satisfying to make. I've already cut out the pattern pieces to make another of these.
I had to really practice and get used to making those stitches super tiny and consistently even, but once you get going, it's easy. You only use one thread of the six strands that come on an embroidery thread skein, and it looks really nice. For the embroidery (the eyes and mouth) I used 2 strands and for the french knots, I used 4. I used "sharps" needles because they are really skinny and don't make huge holes in the felt. Although, felt is easy to kind of rub out any holes you put into it.
Another piece of advice I'd give is to REALLY stuff those parts. I stuffed the head and body within an inch of their lives. You don't want saggy, deflated looking body parts (haha).
I really admire doll-makers. It's such a wonderful art form. I'm going to put together a post of my favorite doll-stuffie-makers soon. They are my doll-making heros.
If you missed my post I published earlier this evening, you can see that here.
she's such a cutie! i can't believe its your first foray into toy making - i hope you keep going. if you can get your hands on some pure wool fibre stuffing its what i use at work and its AWESOME for making sturdy pieces.
Posted by: pilgrim | December 16, 2012 at 06:18 PM
Girl can you do nothing wrong? Seriously you rock! So cute :)
Posted by: Chelsea Ann | December 16, 2012 at 08:05 PM
cutest ever! omg!
Posted by: robbie | December 16, 2012 at 09:04 PM
eeek!!! I have to make one now! Great job - love your edits as well.
Posted by: Missy5ft2 | December 17, 2012 at 06:48 AM
I DIED when I saw this on instagram! SO CUTE.
Posted by: Pansy Lane | December 17, 2012 at 01:58 PM
i LOVE her. i think her head would be adorable as a brooch. hmmmm i might need to get this pattern!
Posted by: heather | December 18, 2012 at 12:47 PM