I’m Moving so I’m having a Sale!

Posted on February 26, 2023 by mimik

I am living in chaos right now- so many boxes and bins!

This was last week maybe? There is a lot less recognizable stuff and more taped up boxes.

I have no idea when I will be back to work. We will be out of the house by the beginning of April and into some kind of temporary situation. Then we wait for things to happen.

Anyway, all that said, I don’t want to put my finished work into storage for who knows how long. I am post here first for my blog friends- a 25% off code at my Etsy shop. MOVING25

The sale will include all the dolls and the Tiny Worlds, but not the patterns. The sale will go on until I am too busy to ship anything else out- sometime towards the end of March. Help me lighten my load!

What’s Going on Mimi?

Posted on August 5, 2022 by mimik

It’s summer and it is hot here in Boston. Time for an update.

Things are slow in my studio these days and there is a reason for that. Husband and I will be moving to Chicago next Spring (tentative schedule) now that my 3 kids are all there. It is time for us to sort through all the stuff. We have lived in this house for 34 years and there is a LOT. I am spending less time in my studio and more time culling. Even when I am sewing, my brain is busy thinking about this near future. It has been very distracting. I will be doing the November Paradise City Show, but there is nothing else on the schedule. When the New Year starts, I will probably being packing up my studio. I have no idea at this point when I will be getting back to work but obviously will let everyone know.

Of course now that we will be leaving Boston, I have a bunch of someday items that I want to check off my list. The first one happened this week! We took the ferry to Provincetown and spent a few days. It was so much fun!

Now it’s time to get these kitties dressed. It is very hot here and my studio has got the AC so that will help inspire me 😁

What’s been going on

Posted on May 21, 2021 by mimik

Yes I have been working but doing the (kinda) boring stuff. I pulled out all the man skin parts (wow- that sounds REALLY weird) that I dyed way back in January and got to work cutting out all the other pieces needed to sew them together. Then, stitching them up. This is what I’ve got so far-

A pile of fellows in old-fashioned bathing suits, some ready to get kilts, some farmers, and some greenmen. I think that pile is about 20 future tattooed men. Today I started sewing up a group of mermen. After the mermen are sewed up, I will put them all aside for a bit. I’m going away at the beginning of June and I will wait until I return to get back to work on them. Lots and lots of steps…

I have also been putting time into my garden because of course, it is May! It has been a beautiful Spring so far and the garden is bursting. I’ve gotten started planting my dahlias, all my potted plants have moved outside, and I am sprinkling some annual flower seeds around the yard. I love this time of year.

And this week, it’s mermen

Posted on July 23, 2020 by mimik

Well, I got frustrated with the ornaments and not finishing anything and not enough time sewing and too much computer work and the state of the world… so, I’m taking a break on the ornament patterns. It’ll get done eventually but I need to be in a better/different head space.

Summer seems like the perfect time to make Mermen. I had body parts dyed so I’ve spent this last week putting them together. First, I pulled out a BIG pile of possible Merman colors and prints. Yeah, that’s not the half of it!

Sewing up some fins.

Also- OMG I got my scissors sharpened today- Bliss!!!

The fins, sewed and turned.

A little bit of stuffing before I top-stitch. Everything is organized in zip-lock bags.

All the fins finished.

Then, a Merman sandwich. All pinned up and ready to sew the tail side seams.

A pile, all sewed up. Now is time to clip the seams and turn right side out. I love that part!

And, tada! All the machine sewing is finished and now they are ready to be brought to life. I am really excited about the African wax print textiles I came into recently. As always I am very excited to find out who they will turn out to be.

Here is a pic from my desk- all the thread colors piling up as I was sewing.

Yes, I am all over the place these days. It has been rough . I hope I can get back to posting more because that’ll mean I’m making more so fingers crossed.

What have I been doing!

Posted on July 8, 2020 by mimik

Sheesh, I had to put something up since it’s been a month of no posts. What have I been doing? Well, not too terribly much. I’ve been working in the garden quite a bit. Besides that though, nothing that has added up to much. I am working on making patterns for ornaments/little felt creatures. I decided to start with the ornaments I designed for West Elm back at least 5 years ago now? I thought that would be an easy place to start- silly me! Everything takes forever these days. Anyway, this is what I’ve been working on-

I’ve been playing with sizes and adjusting patterns pieces. Slowly I will get them done… There is a boy and girl fox, a boy and girl raccoon, a lady squirrel, a moose fellow, and a bear fellow.

As always, I have been a little more active on Instagram but it has mostly been pics of my garden. I hope you all are stay healthy, safe, and sane.

What Day is it again?

Posted on May 5, 2020 by mimik

I don’t know about you but I have been feeling like I stepped into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Life is very strange these days. What has been happening here? Spring has arrived and the garden is happy.

My seeds are beginning to grow.

I made a baby blanket gift.

I learned something new. I had never heard about stack wound vs cross wound threads. I read/learned about it here. After reading this, I set up my sewing machine like this for when I use Gutermann threads-

I used the water cup for my iron because that was the closest thing at hand in my studio that worked. I will be keeping my eye out for something a bit more practical/permanent since I’ll have to use the water cup soon for it’s intended purpose! And here is the clip as suggested in the article.

So far it has been working great! At least half the thread I use is Coats & Clark which is stack wound so I don’t have to use this method for all my thread.

And lastly, I have been working on pugs. I haven’t made them for a long time! I don’t have any idea why all the sewing seems to be going at glacier speed, but little by little, hopefully I will get something finished. As of today, I have 8 sewed up and turned so hurray for that!

January Update

Posted on January 17, 2020 by mimik

January is flying by and I haven’t finished a single doll yet! I’ve been working on another quilt; one that I started way back in August 2017. I had actually gotten most of the blocks done but couldn’t focus on how to put it together so I set it aside. I got in the mood to finish it once the kiddos had all gone back to their homes and Christmas was put away. So here is where I started up again, spreading it all out on the guest bed.

This time I kept telling myself, Don’t over-think everything! Finish up the blocks and it will all come together. Sewing away.

And the top is all finished!

Next, figure out the backing. I had a bin in the attic with red and white toile items from my Mom’s house. There was a fabric sample, a sofa slipcover, and drapes. The slipcover was on our living room sofa from the mid-60’s to mid-70’s (?). It had worn spots, faded areas, and some holes, but there was still a ton of usable fabric. I took the slipcover apart and washed all the pieces. I used it to piece together the backing along with the fabric sample. I didn’t use any of the drapes so I still have loads left!

And here we are, the quilt top is sandwiched with it’s batting and backing with a million safety pins and I’ve started to quilt.

I’ve discovered that I love hand-quilting, now that I am over being worried about making it “perfect”. I’m in no rush, I can spend time here and there, listening to an audio book or podcast. It is very relaxing. I love how the stitching gives the blocks an added dimension.

And now that the quilt is all set up for me to stitch when I feel like it, I have gone back to some doll work although I haven’t gotten very far yet. Kitties are waiting for their clothes.

They will have to wait a little longer though. I am off on a trip to NYC this next week. I am looking forward to spending lots of time looking at art, eating good food, window shopping, people watching, and all the other fun vacation things. Got any recommendations for my trip? I’d love to hear!

Girl Time

Posted on October 4, 2019 by mimik

What have I been doing? Working on some girls! I am putting together 8 but plan to get 4 finished up for now- and by that I mean before my next show. Next show you ask? I will be returning to the Arts Providence Show this November 8- 10.

Working on faces-

Baldies!

And 4 with hair-dos.

While I work towards a show, I don’t usually put new things into my etsy shop. If you see something go by that you are interested in, email me and I can give you all the details.

It is really Autumn here now and I took the air conditioner out of my studio window today. There are frost warnings in the outer suburbs but it is unlikely to reach me. I hope to have lots more weeks of dahlias to enjoy!

And now it’s March

Posted on March 6, 2019 by mimik

It is March and I am surrounded by piles. Piles and piles of materials and dolls in progress. I have been benefiting from everyone doing their New Years clear out. I found tons of goodies at the thrift store and several friends have donated beautiful fabrics to my supply pile. Here are the thrift store goodies, deconstructed and washed, waiting to get put away.

I now have a whole pack of dogs waiting to get dressed. Here they are, stuffed and their noses and arms sewed on.

Now with faces-

And finally some are getting dressed. I am having to make all new patterns for their clothing which ends up being time consuming.

On my desk this morning-

Piles of fabrics (everywhere!) to audition.

Besides the dogs, I’ve also cut out and sewed up a lot of kitties.

Kitty pile-

And foxes-

Both of which will be coming after I get the puppies finished. So busy times around here but no finished pieces yet although soon I hope.

February News

Posted on February 5, 2019 by mimik

I haven’t had any finished pieces in a while but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been working. I have spent so much time cutting and more cutting. I have cut out girls, lady pillow dolls, kitties, dogs, owls, and I can’t remember what else! Finally I am moving forward to sewing and finishing. First up, lady pillow dolls.

And then I’m excited to make some dogs in removable clothing.

The main event that I am planning and working for is the Smithsonian Craft Show, April 24 – 28. I am so excited to be going back to Washington DC! I had such an amazing time last year.

I don’t have any other shows on the schedule as of now, but I’ve applied to several so hopefully I will have some in the Fall.

I have no teaching scheduled but if you’d like to organize something, let me know. My schedule is mostly open. I am happy to teach to small groups (4 minimum) at my house in the Boston area.

That’s all the news for now and hopefully I’ll be back soon with finished ladies!

Doll

the art and craft of Mimi Kirchner

Category Archives: progress report