I am not the kind of person who starts projects one at a time… you know those people- starts a doll and works on that one doll until it is all done? Not me, no definately not. I have too many ideas racing around in my brain ( ADD I think!) and if I don’t let these out, they block all forward motion- That is why right now I am actively working on the dark-haired girl and also these doll pattern revisions. I also have many, many UFO’s (unfinished objects) all waiting patiently for me. Maybe I’ll get to them- deadlines help.

So these are 4 of the 8 bodies I’ve been working on. I am using head and body patterns I developed last year and am considering what it means to attach the head to the body in a different way (seam at the neck). My biggest challenge is to keep track of what I am doing so that I can repeat something when it works. I tend to snip here and there and the next thing I know, I have changed everything- once the doll it stuffed it is very hard to get an accurate paper copy. I always think I will remember what I did- but rarely do.
I had fun with the ears. They are sewn and attached after the doll head and body are stuffed. I goofed on one though- I haven’t been feeling that great- a bad summer cold NO FAIR!- I seem to be able to sew and also to stuff, but my thinking isn’t all clear. I finished stuffing one of the dolls and did the nose and I was so pleased with how it looked that I thought I’d gesso it right up- after I had it all painted I realised I’d forgotten to put on the ears! There is one coat of gesso so far, so I will probably give it a light sanding and the sew through the paint- not impossible.
I am very pleased with the needle-sculpted nose on the second doll on the left. I am trying to do more like it.
I am thinking of these as babies or toddlers- that is the head shape I am working for. Some come a lot closer to my idea then others, but so much can change when they are painted…