From Concept to Finish - Designing A Doll

    I started this year off really wanting to try my hand at something new on the doll making front so I started poking around the studio looking into boxes of materials I've saved for that semi-mythical "someday" (you know that day, the one where you'll actually use that bag of corks or those gorgeous vintage handkerchiefs, making something wonderful that you've pinned on Pinterest. We all have them, right? Or is it just me?) and I came across this -

 This is a box full of weaving yarn ends that a friend gave me several years ago. They're the part of the warp that's left over after the weaving is finished and removed from the loom. My friend Carol, along with her partner Mac, make gorgeous wool and cotton throws  and she was looking for someone who might be able to reuse these yarn pieces. How could I say no to such woolly gorgeousness? So I took them home and put them in a box and, even though I've used pieces here and there over the years, I still have an overflowing amount. But...suddenly...inspiration struck. Wouldn't these make the most lovely rag doll hair? Why, yes they would! See?

    So now I just had to make a pattern. I wanted these dolls to be as simple as possible so I could keep the costs down and I had a general idea of how I wanted them to look so I started graphing and drawing.

 As you can see there were lots of notes and redos and crossing outs but after much trial and error I had something I could try. This little lady was my first attempt.

 I actually loved pretty much everything about her. But I did decide on a few changes for the next dolls. Mostly just process changes but I did go with prints for the legs this time.

        And I turned the yarn bundles into wefts so I could sew them on. Though this wasn't quite as easy as I expected, those flatter heads are a surprisingly challenging to cover. I'm used to round ones I guess.

 Once they were all done, and of course given lace trimmed drawers since people ALWAYS look up a doll's dress, I was so happy with how they turned out. And being me, I had to make a little darkling as well.

 I love her little raised eyebrow!

    Though I'm super in love with this one too 

Heck, I think they're ALL pretty wonderful...but I'm definitely biased. You'll have to judge for yourself. 

     You can find all five girls in my shop!