Best in Show

It's so rewarding when you get feedback on one your cloth doll patterns. This time was even more exciting, because it was from family. My sister-in-law, Marie, is part of the Women's Institute in Wales (UK). Every year they have a competition at local, regional and national levels to showcase all aspects of member's skills.

The Milford Haven chapter chose a Japanese them and created floral, food, crafts and a doll with the Japanese theme. The group won First Place at the County level and Second place at the National level! They only came second place because someone made a mistake and cut the cake!

Here's a closer look at Marie's geisha. Isn't she lovely? I'm so proud of her!

Cloth doll class now a pattern!

Colleen Babcock has taken one of her live classes and made it into a cloth doll pattern for us. This is Ascending. The cloth doll has amazing posture and reaches up for joy.

 Now available on Doll Street. Click the image to order your downloadable pattern. That means you get  it today, folks! A whole class in a pattern - $15! What value!

Paper doll costuming

Paper costuming concepts, or making it up as I go... 

Today I though I'd take a look at the costume of this doll. I call her Origami. A few people have asked me about it. If you read my post last week, you'll know this figure won Best Overall Doll in the Doll Street Re-imagine History challenge. woo hoo! I was so excited! I won some great prizes!

My first thought, once I'd come up with the concept, was to focus on the kimono. Then colour came into it. I decided, along with the temple devotee idea, that white was the way to go. I've been wanting to make an all white doll for some time. So, the time arrived!!

Then there was the decision to use crepe paper. My mother sewed up miles of crepe paper as Easter bonnets when I was a kid. If she could do it, so could I! Not too much sewing though, I glued most of it! It's an advantage of working with paper!

The kimono

I'm familiar with the kimono shape, since I designed my Geisha cloth doll costume pattern. It's simple, yet effective. Rectangles of paper, folded over at the edges, became the kimono. For the sleeves, I took inspiration from the pagoda. Crepe paper spreads nicely, so I exploited this to create the slight ruffle at the cuffs. It gathers nicely too, so the pagoda shapes were a combination of the two effects.

Looking at the back, I supported the skirt with an under bustle , then the underskirt was pinned on. The idea of a bustle on the outside grew out of the pagoda sleeve effect. I just rolled up more paper to give it some ooompf!

An obi completes the connection and hides all the gathers of the skirt and ruffles. The braid could have been done with hair, but I was in love with the white motif by now, so braided paper fit the bill.

Heads up!

The hat was an origami fold, called the Lilly box, I think!! I'm terrible at keeping notes!! I used this fold years ago for another doll, but did not write  the name of the fold down. It took me ages to find it again!! A little glue was required to hold the folds, as the paper is too soft for true origami.

The costume is fragile and having toted it around from the studio to home and then to doll club, there are a few tears. So, the next step is to re-do the costume in white fabric. So stay tuned!!

Memories light the corners of my mind

I've done an antique looking photo, to capture her forever in the past. Once I redo the costume, this doll will be gone. So photos are all I will have as a memory, just like when I sell a piece, I still have to photos. So photograph your work, people!!

Making Faces

Sometimes you look at a doll you made ages ago and see it with new eyes. This is Catherine. She was created using my Emmeline cloth doll pattern. I am having a bookmark designed (because I'll be featured at the Vogue Knitting show in Chicago this October!!) and hers will be one of the faces featured on it. I needed to take a new photo, so took her down from the shelf. I was pleased with the pictures and sent them off to my friend, Choleena.

What struck me as new about this figure was her expression. She really has an attitude! She's dressed in 1812 costume and was based on a portrait I found. Don't ask me which one, it was a long time ago! The woman in the portrait had a faraway look of longing. Longing to escape her dull life, I thought. That's why I called her Catherine, thinking of Cathy from Wuthering Heights. Longing to run across the moors in search of freedom.

 Have you ever taken a second look and found something new? Have you ever run away in search of freedom?

By the way, please check out Choleena DiTullio's work. She's a fabulous artist!

If you want to create a Catherine yourself, the pattern is on my site: Emmeline Pattern

Free gifts

After much work with my fabulous web designer, Louise Ingram, I am pleased to announce the brand new look for my web site http://www.edwinadolls.com/

Felting fiber

Louise, who also creates fabulous glass beads, gave it a new look, new colours and a new shopping cart which makes it all so easy for you to order from. There are new sections for kits and needle felting supplies and of course, my cloth doll patterns.

Annabella cloth doll pattern

 You can tell I am excited, can't you? So what's the free gift, you are probably  wondering? Until June 15, I will include a free gift with every order! For those of you who belong to my e-newsletter list, an extra free gift will come your way. All you have to do is shoot me an email saying "I'm on your list Send me a present!" and I will do it.

So please come by for a visit and tell me what you think, won't you?

New doll pattern ready!

Here's Tilly! No longer silly.

I dressed her in 1812 style, to test out my online class once more.

I've had some great comments from those who have taken the class.

Tilly as a doll pattern has been sent off to Cyndy Sieving at AFIC. Cyndy is preparing a booklet of designer's patterns for those attending this event. I'm honoured to be included in this collection.

Once I get my new website ready, I'll be offering Tilly as a free pattern.

My next project with Tilly is to dress her in modern clothing or maybe convert her to boy figure. The pattern works either way! It's a juvenile figure, do can easily be a 10-12 year old boy or girl.

My Edwina Dolls web site is still up and running, so orders will not be delayed in any way by the re-do of the site. I'm pretty excited with what my designer has come up with. Louise Ingram

also creates fabulous glass beads, under her Fireseed name.

Me and Facebook are now friends

So I decided to join the 21st Century. I joined Facebook. I've been thinking about it for ages and finally got around to doing it. My son has coached me through the basics, especially when I saw the ENORMOUS amount of email landing in my mailbox from Facebook. Settings have been adjusted.

I'm looking forward to connecting with people in a whole new way. I'm still trying to work out how to post video, but all in good time, my friends, all in good time. What's that about old dogs and new tricks?

Now to figure out the links for it...

Pattern update

Tilly now has clothes to wear and the pattern has been drafted. Now for some instructions. Friday is always devoted to dolls, so off I go!

Not Carved In Stone

Today is also the day to list some things in my Etsy store. I am getting better at doing that, too. Check it out later today.

Leslie Baily coming to town

All Dolled Up, our Ottawa doll club, had Leslie Bailey, polymer artist, coming to town. She'll be here March 26 and 27 to teach us how to make her Woodland Elf. All are welcome to register. Send me an email to get details, or check the blog.