I didn't post last week as it was quite difficult to get myself off the sofa and out from under my blanket. I've been so full of a nasty cold that last weekend I could hardly lift my tea cup, so I'm afraid that not a lot of doll making got done. I get so frustrated when things build up but there was nothing I could do. And last week was very much the same - getting home worn out and just managing to get little bits done to stop me going mad :)
This weekend I made up for it.
Nothing can be better for me in cold weather than to cwtch up with my cat and sew. And that's just what I've been doing. I've had a few orders to make for peg dolls, which is always so much fun. Working so small can be a challenge, but they just come out so cute it's worth it.
First I was asked for a little Victorian asylum peg doll in a tiny straight jacket with pink hair. And the nice lady Sarah that asked for her mentioned too that she'd like an Elizabeth I at some point too. These little ladies come together so fast I thought I'd make them both at the same time while also working on the Jan and Feb calender dolls ordered by my Bestie for her Christmas tree next year. So in front of me I also had a snow queen in white lace and a very Gothic cupid underway :)
I was then asked by the very lovely Neiau Shie to make her an Anne Boleyn peg doll. So of course I could hardly resist making Beth's Mam after making Beth herself so small. And Anne is now sitting pretty in her satin gown trimmed with gold and lace collar and cuffs. All she needs now is her hair and the head piece that you always picture her wearing. I'm looking forward to working that one out :)
Next to her in this pic is my friends March doll, a little Welsh lady wrapped in a shawl who's going to need some extra figuring out on her hat too. I think next month is a Greek Goddess...
Mina is coming along, but I'm afraid I've not been able to get a lot done to her lately. I had a bit of a fuss around trying to work out the over-pieces for her skirts and finally worked out the drape and gather needed for it. Here you can see how the front piece hangs off to one side and drapes across her tummy to sit on the opposite hip, although I still need to set in the creases properly.
The back piece joins from here on her hip in the same pleats and then falls and tucks in soft ruffles and puffs down the back of her skirts. She looks really pretty from the back angle as there's so much detail in the bustle of her gown. It still needs a bit of fussing and fiddling to get it perfect, but I'm so happy with how she's coming out. Due to the weight of the back and all the extra trimming still to be added Mina is going to need some extra support so I'm planning to use buckram as a Crinoline fabric substitute to hang a gathered bustle from her waist at the back to help hold things in the right place.
I've had a little trouble trying to figure out the best way of adding the ruffles to Miss Murray's (Mrs Harker's) dress as they need to be of the same dress fabric in a very tight gather. In this photo I have my two best options - On the right is a sewn and turned tube that has then be gathered and pinned in place, and on the left is a pinked and gathered strip. Although the turned tube has a lovely neat finish I think I'll be going with the more dramatic pinked and gathered version. It seems to look closer to the original dress which is after all what I'm trying to make. But the original has a trimming of small sewn leaves creating the ruffle, which at this scale won't be possible for me to do. But it has a fuller more irregular look that is recreated nicely by the pinked edge of the gather I've made. I'm still thinking on it...
I may change my mind yet :)
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