Doll

1. Here is the basic pattern. Circle, Fold in half, point A goes to point D, point B goes to point C. Stitch in place.

2. Start out by making a knot at the end of your thread. Pull the needle and thread through the center point of the fabric towards the back.

3. Fold the circle in half, covering up your knot.

4. Imagine your half-circle in thirds and fold as shown-

5. Your half circle is folded into thirds-

6. Now to stitch it into place. Slip your needle and thread up the inside of the outer petal-

7. Stitch back into the fabric at the tip of the outer point. Slide your needle and thread back down to the bottom- you’ve done one stitch.

8. Now slide your needle up into the center of your rose.

9. Bring your thread around and stitch back down into the center. This will catch the inner fold and pull it down into the center.

10. Ta- da!

11. Take a stitch or two in the bottom to anchor everything.

12. You can add a leaf or two and then sew it where ever it needs to be!

I needed to make an ornament for a holiday swap. This was quick and easy and you could use the same basic idea to make tags, valentines, bookmarks… I don’t know- tons of other stuff!

Supplies needed-

-fabric with decorative image

-iron-on adhesive like Wonder-Under

-Felt- I used wool blend

-nylon net, tulle and/or any sheer or glittery fabric.
-I used gold thread, but you could use anything

-hanging cord or ribbon- 2 inches or more per ornament

1. Collect fabrics that have images you’d like to use- faces, birds, flowers, whatever. I used some commercially printed fabric with an asian design and also some of the fabric I made last summer with carved stamps. You could use commercially available rubber stamps to stamp fabric.

2. Iron iron-on adhesive onto to the back of your images.

3. Trim your images to shape.

4. Iron onto felt.

5. Cut out the felt, making a frame around the image. Use all those decorative scissors you own but never get around to using. I used pinking shears and scallop shears.

6. Do a bunch!

7.Fold up the net so that there are 6 - 8 layers of the net. Make a pile with your little image on top, the layers of net in the middle, and then some other decorative fabric on the bottom (optional). Pin everything together.

7 continued- this photo shows the layers-

8. Move your “sandwich” over to your sewing machine. (I sewed mine with free motion embroidery, but you could use zigzag, hand embroidery, or whatever else you are comfortable with.)

Fold your hanging cord/ribbon in half and place at the top of the ornament. Make sure you put it far enough down so that your stitches will catch it. Start sewing by going back and forth a few times over the hanger.

… this photo does not show that though, because I forgot to put the hanger in EVERY TIME I made one!!! Mostly I remember to stick it in before it was too late, bit if you don’t, no problem. You can see that some of mine have a cord strung in the top of the ornament afterward. Easy!

9. Now sew around the edge of the image. Since I did mine with free motion embroidery, I went around the edge enough times so that the gold thread showed up and everything was well stitched down.

10. Here is a view of the back- I used red thread in the bobbin-

11. When you are finished with the stitching, clip the threads. Trim the net into a nice circle around the edge of your ornament. You can cut the net separately from the bottom fabric.

12. If you want to be even fancier, you can cut the net in decorative ways-

-clip it all the way around for a fringe effect

-cut out wedges and it looks more like a star

Here are some more photos for information and inspiration-

I’d love any feedback on this. Are the written directions and the photos clear enough? Have I left anything out? I can never quite figure out the fine line between too little information and too much. Have fun!

I have needle issues.  I am picky about what I use- some I like to use for wool embroidery, different ones when I am using cotton floss.  I always seems to be dropping or misplacing them and then can’t find them again.  I get so distracted if I have to go looking for more needles or threading and unthreading them constantly.  In the middle of working on one of the babies this morning, I’d had it.  I needed a better system.

My idea was to have a strip pincushion.  I could stick all the right type of needles into it at the beginning of a project.  I could pre-thread several so I wouldn’t be starting and stopping the flow.  I’d have a place to store my needles that were threaded with a color I was finished with, until next time I needed it.

A while ago, I bought a piece of 100% wool felt at Joanns fabric, but it is really too soft and I hadn’t figured out how to use it for anything.  I cut a strip, 18″ long and 2 inches wide.  I cut that into pieces 6 inches x 1 inch and piled them up.

I stitched them together with a fairly heavy pearl cotton- very tightly.  I wanted it to be dense.  And here we go-

phew!  Success!   It is about 3/4 of an inch thick.  You could make this out of any scrap wool and I think scrap pieces of felted sweaters would be perfect.  This way of storing the needles has an added benefit-  the needles won’t get lost into it like they often do in standard pin cushions.  Now back to work!

This baby is finished now, but it is wet and rainy outside today, so I will take more photos tomorrow.

I mentioned at the end of the last post that I was starting to work on my pieces for the printed fabric swap over at Bitter Betty Blogs. I signed up because I have been wanting to try it forever and this is the push I need.

I decided to go with stamping as opposed to silk screen or something. I wanted to try it with the least possible capital outlay and the fewest new skills to learn. I was already feeling totally over my head and have had a very hard time finding any information. The first confusion was over the Speedball Speedy-Cut block- pink or white? What is the difference? The people in my local art store couldn’t enlighten me. Later I found this on Alma Stoller site, so now I know. I ended up buying the white because it cost less and I had no idea what else to base the choice on! Carving was easy and fun! I was having so much fun with the carving part, I was very reluctant to transition to the next step…

printing. I REALLY didn’t want to go out and buy printing inks- I know, I’m cheap. But I have so many types of color mediums already- I just couldn’t imagine bringing something new into the house. I was thinking about oil paints, oil bars, acrylic paints, to start the list. I found this article and it helped me settle on acrylic paints. This is another page of useful links and information. I wanted something that would be washable and have a good feel, not stiff- I want to be able to actually use this fabric!

The first step was to try out my stamps on paper. I used inexpensive craft type acrylic paint- the kind that comes in the little bottles. I sponged the paint onto my stamps using pieces of make-up sponges- those things are a great art tool! Here’s what I got-

The brown stamp on white was my first attempt on fabric.

Based on the various bits of information I could find, this is what I have figured out so far.

-Acrylic paints work very well, but don’t try using a brayer or a brush of any kind- I couldn’t manage anything that wasn’t very streaky. Daubing the paint onto the stamp works very well- I used the make-up sponges and also some wads of felt.

-adding drying retardant was helpful both in slowing the drying and also making the paint a bit gummier.

-one article suggested dampening the fabric first. I had no better results when I tried that. Actually I had some color bleeding so I’d say forget that idea.

-after I finished printing/stamping, I let the fabric dry for a bit (1/2 hour?). Then I ironed the fabric on both sides with steam on a cotton setting. I have no idea if this was necessary. I then threw them all into the washer at a regular warm wash. I noticed no change in the color at all, after the wash. Yeah!

Here are my test pieces after washing-

detail-

Now I have to think about doing my bigger pieces- yikes! This is actually a lot harder then I ever thought. I am nervous about the 1/2 yard pieces with no major screw-ups. Also, choosing the colors turns out to be a lot harder then I thought it would be. I will be coming out of this project with a new respect for fabric designers!

another little thing I was working on this week-

Here’s the problem. I am going to participate in an open studio event in Boston with a group of other Etsy sellers- details on that in a week or so, but in case you want know, it is May 4. I needed to figure out some kind of give-away to add to a promo pack… stuff from all of the exhibitors. Some of the others in the group were already doing this and had buttons made up. Hmm. I knew I didn’t want to spend much money, I wanted a clear image of my work and I didn’t want it to involve a lot of labor. Here is what I came up with-

ta da! Refrigerator magnets!

They are made from photos of Mosaics on Flickr. First, I made up a variety of mosaics. I picked out photos that worked well in the square format and in a 2″ x 2″ photo. I made the mosaics 2 photos by 3 photos since that translates perfectly to a 4 x 6 photo. The most important thing is to upload your images in the large size- spoken from experience. My first batch of photos was too grainy to use. I printed out my info- name and etsy site address- nothing fancy. Then it was just putting them together onto the self adhesive magnetic sheet. The paper doll project brought this stuff into my life and I’m loving it! This project involved no special tools- the photos were printed at Target, I got the magnetic sheets at AC Moore, you can cut the magnetic sheeting with regular scissors, I printed out my info on regular paper with my very low end printer. Yes- meets all criteria!

I thought I’d show you how I do the hip joints since people commented on them. First of all though, I have to give credit. I learned this technique from a Judi Ward pattern. Judi Ward’s patterns are about the best way to learn dollmaking that I’ve come across. Her directions are clear, the pieces fit together, she invents techniques that are so useful, they become part of your design thinking. I would highly recommend her patterns as a learning tool, although she also teaches online classes, another excellent way to learn new skills. I think her babies are especially endearing. Here is a doll I made from her Emma Rose pattern. **Disclaimer- this is my way of doing this technique- it might not be exactly the way Judi described it originally, but how it works for me.

I’ve got the legs lined up, ready to finish. They are sewn and mostly stuffed with an opening at the top. The buttons used are the metal shank buttons - the kind you can cover with cloth, but not for this project. I buy them online from Joanns, because I can never find them locally when I need them. And, I like to have them on hand. You can use either the flat or domed style. I usually use 7/8 inch or 1 1/8 inch size.

-Snap the 2 parts of the button together- the top and the back. Slip the button into the opening at the top of the leg and safety pin into place. I don’t worry about the direction of the shank when I pin it- it can shift around a bit. The green legs on the right show the finished leg with the button sewed inside.

-finish stuffing around the button/hip area and sew shut. I use a ladder stitch to close the leg.

-I use nylon upholstery thread to make this hip joint- it is super strong and is available at my local sewing stores. I’ve switched doll legs here, because the thread shows up better on the green. Measure off a long piece of thread- at least 36″. Double it up (I cut it into 2 pieces at this point) and stitch through the shank of the button. Center the thread and then stitch around the shank one more time. Even up the 4 ends of the thread. I am using a doll needle here- it is about 3 inches long.

-Take the four ends and thread them through the eye of the needle-

-Pull the 4 threads through the hip.

-Remove 2 of the 4 threads from the needle. Stitch through the shank. Unthread the needle and rethread with the other 2 ends. Sew through the shank going in the opposite direction. Hopefully the picture makes it clear.

Now this is the really hard part because I couldn’t take a photo! Pull the threads tight. This is one of the reasons you wanted a long piece to start with- you might want to wrap the thread around your hand for leverage. When you think it is tight enough, wrap one side of thread around the joint once or twice and then tie a solid knot. Clip off the excess thread, leaving about an inch. I usually just leave it like that, although I suppose you could sew it back into the body where the thread came out at the hip.

If you get it right, and it is usually a matter of getting the thread tied tight enough, your doll should be able to sit up, very nicely, all by itself. It takes me 2 tries about half the time.

In case you can’t figure out what the heck I’m trying to say, I found another description of this technique here.

I wrote up this article for my doll club’s newsletter, so I thought I might as well put it up here too.

materials-

-cups, glasses, anything with an opening to put a pin cushion in or a shaft to put a pin cushion around.
-wool fabric
-embroidery threads
-wool for stuffing

I have had fun making pin cushions by recycling chipped and broken decorative glasses. I have used crystal and pressed glass, wine glasses, ice cream glasses and parfait glasses. I have been using ones that I found at my parents’ house when we were clearing out, and now I keep an eye out for anything special at Yard Sales.

The first one I made was inspired by my daughter. When we picked her up at the end of her first year at college, she handed me a broken wine glass - just a stem with some jagged glass of the bowl. She said to me “I kept it for you mom. I knew you’d want to do something with it!” She knows me so well!

My pin cushions have all been essentially the same- a fabric ball sitting in or on top of and enclosing part of the recycled object. I looked at other peoples’ work on the internet and this is the most common design. I have used wool fabrics for mine. I like wool for several reasons- firstly, I have a ton of it, secondly it has a nice “country” look, and thirdly it seems to hold up well to sticking pins in it all the time. I have not had such good luck when I have used tightly woven cottons, velvets or velveteen’s. The fabric seems to disintegrate sooner then I’d like.

CAUTION- MATH AHEAD! Two easy shapes for making the pin cushions are triangles (or diamonds which are just 2 triangles put together) and a half circle which make a strawberry shape. You need to know the measurement for the circumference of the ball you will make. If you are making an “over a stem” pincushion, that measuement can be approximate. If you are making an “in a glass” make-do, you will need to measure the top edge of your glass.

To figure out what size to cut your shapes- For Triangles- the pin cushion will be 4 triangles around. Divide your circumference measurement by 4. That measurement is the size of each of the 3 sides of your triangle. For strawberry- The circumference measurement is the length of the curved edge of the half circle. Don’t forget to add seam allowance to your pattern pieces.

Putting the pin cushion together-
for all pincushions- Sew up the seams. Stuff firmly. Decorate with embroidery or appliques if you’d like. I put some cut-out leaves around some of mine to make them look like flowers. I also stitch a small second pincushion on the top as a place to hold my needles. It looks like a cherry on top!

When I used the broken glass, I wrapped the broken top of the glass with some quilt batting so I would not cut myself and the sharp edges would not cut the fabric. When doing an “over a stem” make-do, you will have to leave the bottom open enough to fit in your base. The ball or strawbery is gather up around the base with strong (nylon) thread and tied as firmly as possible. You can put a ribbon or something to hide your stitches.

To attach the “in a glass” make-dos, I used Goop glue and pushed the pin cushion into the opening as firmly as possible. I then clamped it by using many rubber bands and string to hold everything in place until the glue
dried.

Little Red Ridinghood is done-

her face-

and body applique-

When I was in New York a few weeks ago, I went to Purl Patchwork. While I was browsing around and drooling on the Liberty of London fabric, the sales person was talking to someone who must have been a beginning quilter. She was showing her how to cut curves and sew them together and then got onto applique. I was listening to it all- not much of a challenge since the store is tiny. She described an applique technique that I’d never heard of before- so obvious and yet brilliant! I don’t think the person she was talking to understood what she was trying to describe, but I got really excited! I just did a 2 minute Google search to see if I could find a good description, but could not so I’ll try to explain.

You have your chosen fabric and then something like a very light not iron-on interfacing for backing. I had some used dryer sheets and thats what I used- they worked perfectly. You put your fabric face down on the backing. You sew the outline of your shape. Clip the curves and trim the seam. Cut a slit in the backing. Turn the little shape right-side out. Now, all your edges are turned in for you- iron it flat. Sew the shape in place.

I knew I had to try it and I did on this doll- on her basket, arms and the lower edge of her hood. It works beautifully. Thanks, whoever it was at Purl Patchwork that day!

in body anyway… I am recovering from a week of running around. It always takes me some time to get back to work.

Right before I left for New York I ended up doing a quick project that I was really pleased with. I needed a bag to hold all my neccessary junk for the train. I found a bag that was just right, but it was a conference giveaway- my husband gets a lot of these. It had the name of the conference and the date in big, bright white letters stamped across the front. I tried painting over them with black acrylic paint- that didn’t work at all. And, then the bag looked worse. So, I did a total cover-up.

I found a piece of fabric I liked and cut it to cover the front. I cut out and ironed on some “Wonder-Under” -(2 sided iron-on adhesive) so that the adhesive was about 1/2 inch from the edge of the fabric. Oh, and also, I ironed down the edges about 1/2 inch- no raw edges showing. Then I ironed it in place onto the bag. Next, I put a little glue around the edge (I could have skipped this step if I was more careful in cutting and planning the wonder-under. Last, I stitched all the way around. Then, pack it up and off to NY!

I’ve been thinking for a long time that I want to put up a free pattern on my blog. Then, I get overwhelmed at the idea. So, I’ve decided to try doing it in baby steps. First I will post about the tools I use. Let’s see how far I get with this- ha!

The first tool is my camera- I just got a new one, a Canon A610. So far I am very happy with it. I had a Nikon 5400 before and was never able to get it to take photos the way I wanted- I thought I was inept until I read all the reviews on Amazon and realized a lot of other people had the same focus issues that I did- phew. This new camera makes this project seem a lot more doable.

This is my light box- my newest favorite tool-

it is one of the many things I picked up from my parents house in the big clear out. It is an old x-ray viewing unit. I use it to make patterns which always seem to involve a lot of tracing. And here is what I am often tracing onto- freezer paper-

This is an old roll that I also got from the parents house, but it is available in supermarkets in the US. I have heard it is called deli paper in other parts of the world. It is paper on one side and plastic on the other.

What I love about freezer paper-
-It sticks to your fabric by ironing it on- Any fabric from bulky felted sweaters to slippery light silky stuff.
-You don’t have to worry about seam allowances.
-You can reuse the same piece several times- I usually ruin the paper before it gets to the point where it won’t stick to the fabric anymore.
-It is cheap so it’s not precious.

Freezer paper saves a lot of frustration from patterns slipping around. I always use it for my wool dolls. The photo of the hands show another tool I use a lot- the darning foot for my sewing machine. When I make the hands for my wool dolls, I do a free-motion embroidered outline on the machine. Then cut close to the stitching, around the edge.

That’s all for today- any questions?