bird progress

Posted on July 16, 2004 by mimik

The basic elements of the costume are cut out and assembled- here are the leggings and shirt…

The shirt needs something more at the neck. I am thinking about this lace. I will dye it.

This is the tunic. I am really pleased with the bottom hem- the ruffly look. That was just what I wanted. I feathered stitched around the arm holes and neck opening- seemed appropriate. Maybe I’ll do more… still considering. I have to find the right buttons.

This is the cape. I made a hood for it, but I didn’t like how it looked. I think I will make some kind of hat instead. I am trying to figure out the feather trim placement. I wish I had more of it… hmmm. Also how and where to attach the bird beads for the “flock” element. I have 800 of these bird beads so it can be a large flock if I want!

bodywork 2

Posted on July 14, 2004 by mimik

I have 8 head and bodies done. Most are tagged with my pattern codes- so hard to keep things straight. I think I matched them up correctly. I have put the first coat of gesso on 5 of them.
These feel like money in the bank!

body (and head) work

Posted on June 30, 2004 by mimik

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…

wig report

Posted on June 28, 2004 by mimik

wig making

Posted on June 24, 2004 by mimik

I am working on getting this poor thing some hair. I have described wig-making before but I will have to experiment with this project. I have an odd shaped piece of tibetan lambs wool left over from doing another doll. I am going to try to make it work. I never throw anything away!

pattern work

Posted on June 24, 2004 by mimik

I am working on a design change in my doll pattern- most of the dolls I’ve done so far have had what I think of as a shoulder plate- I was originally inspired by china head dolls. I hand-stitched the head and shoulders onto the body (after stuffing and needle-sculpting the head), adjusting the angle of the head which gave the doll some of it’s attitude.

I am now trying to machine stitch the head to the body at the point that the body and the neck meet.

Lots of other doll patterns do this. I tried it with Agnes. After the neck is sewed onto the body, I stuff everything- it seems harder so far. I guess I am trying it to see if I think it gives me more control and predictability. I am trying to make a baby right now- so pretty much no neck!

Itchy at Dress rehearsal

Posted on June 8, 2004 by mimik

Today was dress rehearsal- all 72 kids had costumes on their bodies so I feel it was a real success! I brought my digital camera to take some photos, but totally forgot- it was very hectic.
I have an itchy rash on my face. I am suffering from an allergic reaction to mangos- actually it is the skin of the mango… it has an oil in it that can cause a poison ivy-like rash in some people. Lucky me. My face is itchy, itchy, itchy! Today it was especially itchy all around my left eye- which was puffed up all morning- boy do I feel great! I peeled and ate the mangos last Wednesday, so I am hoping that the rash will soon go away. The itching leaves me feeling not completely well, and I’ve been needing lots of energy, focus and creativity to get the costumes done. It has been a distraction.
Just one more day of work on the costumes- the first show is Thursday morning- a performance for the school. Things looked really good today- my list of what is left to be done is much shorter then I was expecting. Tonight I’ll go to bed early!

costume progress- crowns

Posted on June 4, 2004 by mimik

I am making the crowns out of pipe cleaners and beads and craft foam. The first thing I did was play with the pipe cleaners and beads, putting them together with floral tape. I am thinking this will be the evil queen, step-mother crown.

Here are all 5 crowns- I put some designs on them with dimensional fabric paint. This is my “spray booth”- outside in a cardboard box. Only one has the beads and wire attached at this point.