I have finished making up most of the backlog of partially finished dolls. So, time to start making new ones! I am starting in on a group of tattooed men. The first step to making the tattooed people is dyeing the toile. I decided to try something new this time. Instead of dyeing whole pieces of fabric, I decided to try cutting out the pieces first and dyeing these smaller pieces of fabric. It worked really well!
I have had trouble getting the larger fabric pieces to dye consistently- in other words, I’d end up with a lot of blotchy fabric. (I’m really not all that good at the dyeing part.) This time I cut out all the toile pieces for each doll and also the parts of the doll that are made of plain fabric- the head, hands, and ears. I safety-pinned the parts together at an edge. I did a test group and they turned out well enough to give me the confidence to cut out a whole lot more. I now have 20 men cut out! That photo is a pile of parts, dyed, washed and dried and still pinned together.
Next, I unpinned them and ironed each piece flat, then marked the pattern onto the back sides. I keep the individual doll pieces together in zip lock bags.
I now have a lot of fabric that looks like this-
And I still have to make the pants/tights and boots for the fellows. I’ve pulled out all the fabric possibilities.
I seem to be in the mood for cutting. I’m not sure if I will go forward with sewing these guys or keep cutting out more dolls and piling up the zip lock bags!
You’re making little kits for yourself! When the energy strikes, you’ll be set to go. Yay!
That George Washington fabric is blowing my mind.
How fun to see the early stages of these wonderful fellows! Fantastic pictures.
I am so often unhappy with the available shades of kona cotton for flesh tones, maybe dyeing would be a good solution for me.
I do the same thing. I cut them up and pop them in ziplock bags. Twenty is so many, surely that would be months of sewing.
What a treat to see how you work. (and to see a mess of creativity). Thank you for explaining your method!
Thanks so much for sharing. It’s great!
My dear Mimi, men are ALWAYS a work in progress! Which reminds me of this cartoon: http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/I-love-what-you-ve-done-with-him-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Prints_i8543728_.htm
Now, the dyeing after cutting out is too clever: saves on dye and stops the blotchy result too. Win-win! Love your WIPs, Mimi. Hope the men all come together smoothly and almost make themselves!
Rich!
Finding better ways to do things makes me happy too!
Che bello vedere dove lavori!!!!
LILIANA
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