Tag: original-one-of-a-kind

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Embroidery Beginnings

I used a zig zag stitch to finish some of the raw edges on my “Huggy Bunny” doll, and then I put my newly acquired hoop to use and tried a couple of hand embroidery stitches. I chose a chain stitch for the mouth, and a satin stitch for the eyes, because they seemed simple and appropriate for the task of stitching the face. I only sewed the whole thing to my pants once. So, so far so good. I’m going to try something decorative as soon as my new-to-me book, Elegant Stitches: An Illustrated Stitch Guide and Source Book of Inspiration by Judith Baker Montano, arrives. I bought a copy on eBay last week.

I’ll try to get some close-up photos of how to do a chain stitch and a satin stitch, to post on this site, when it brightens up around here. It is finally raining, really raining. NC has had a very bad drought this year. So this is good news, just not good for photographing.

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“Huggy Bunny” Doll and Quilt in Progress

I’ve got my new doll patterns ready for a test run. This is my “Huggy Bunny” ready for some machine appliquéing. I am also going to try my hand at hand embroidery, a new craft for me, partly in honor of the Etsy for Animals January challenge, “New Year, New Craft” (although I’m not sure I can meet the January 1st deadline), and partly to tie in with a new idea I have for some embroidery designs. I was thinking a sort of “stitch-along” might be fun. I’m working on an original design to post on my website so that anyone who wants to join in, can learn along with me.

My “Huggy Bunny” is part of a series of designs I’ve been working on since this past summer. This is the quilt variation. I had taken step-by-step photos of the whole machine appliqué process, and even the basic assembly of the quilt top, meaning to put together a tutorial, but, unfortunately, I got distracted by other things. This year I hope to get more organized and fill out this site a bit more. I’ve got plenty of ideas for new projects that I think will be lots of fun.
Happy Christmas Eve!
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Plodding along/hopping along?

My repair job is done, my next doll face it painted, and I have a few “Rabbit Dances” cards to finish up. I still have more bunny and snow scene cards in my shop. Thanks for all the compliments on them 🙂

I am also refining a new doll pattern done in machine appliqué style like “Lovely Lucy“. There are three variations so far and I think they are going to be really cute. I can’t wait to get the first ones together. I hope they come off without needing too many, no, any adjustments to their patterns. I’ll give you one hint: they are of the animal variety. The possibilities are multiplying in my mind right now…

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Doll Surgery

I hope everyone is having a pleasant holiday weekend. I sneaked a little work time in yesterday and started on some doll surgery. I am glad to say the crack turned out to be a surface wound and not something deeper. I removed the papier mâché and the paperclay in the neck area using a battery-operated manicure gizmo, er, um…”power file” I found at Target. I got it as a cheapo alternative to a Dremel kit, which I still hope to have one day. It works just fine at chipping off the above aforementioned materials.

Once I got down to the fabric of the neck area, I sanded it smooth. I then reinforced it with acrylic molding paste, which is somewhat flexible, as opposed to the papier mâché and the paperclay, which are strong, but not flexible. I even repeated the procedure on a second doll-in-progress, just as a precaution. The dolls are still not meant to be poked, prodded, or picked at, but I’m hoping this will make the area where their cloth necks meet their papier mâché and paperclay heads a little more resilient under accidental pressure.

I also decided that my repaired doll is going to be given away and not sold. I know just the ninety-two year old doll-lover with whom she will be going to stay. In light of the fact that both my doll and my grandmother have suffered recent injuries, and that they are both, thankfully, on the mend, I think they will make a good match. I hope they will bring each other some good cheer.