Phoebe is off to join her baby sister Egg in Indiana. She wishes they could have travelled together, but that just didn't happen.
Off to Indiana
Egg is off to her new home in Indiana. Her older sister Phoebe is not far behind.
Debut
Two new pink-haired dolls. In my studio and on Etsy.
DIY Knitted Babes Kit: Easy to Do and Easy to Win
The dolls in the "Knitted Babes" book are so easy and fun to make, you will soon be addicted, which is fine, because there are enough materials in this kit to make at least four.
The book "Knitted Babes--Five Dolls and Their Wardrobes" by Claire Garland (see my interview in the earlier post), amazing photos and easy instructions
- Two skeins of skin colored of Merino Yarn
- Two skeins of hair yarn (blond and black
- Felt for Eyes
- Floss for their eyelashes (important)
- Four fresh fun fabrics like the ones in the book
- Two cotton yarns for knitted clothing
- Three fun trims
How to Win?
Comment under this post before January 30, 2014. I'll pick a comment from the random number generator. I need to know how to contact you, you can contact me privately.
And if you win, this will be coming your way, soon in the mail.
The book and materials for the babes clothes.
Hair, eyelashes, skin and eyes.
Two of my Knitted Babes.
The Art of Doll-Making: An interview with Claire Garland
I first heard of Claire Garland when a pattern for a "Knitted Babe" appeared in Rowan Magazine, a knitting magazine with a focus on knitted clothing, not toys, or dolls. I was immediately smitten, the doll was different, funky, adorable and easy to knit. A few months later her book--Knitted Babes; Five Dolls and their Wardrobes-- came out, and I was knitting babes in the car pool line, while waiting at gymnastics and when I was supposed to be cooking dinner. They were addicting. Since then Claire redesigned the dolls to be knitted in the round, written another book and developed a following on Ravelry, Facebook and Pinterest. Here's a bit more about Claire in her own words:
A spread from the book "Knitted Babes"
Have you always made dolls?
Ironically, I started actually making dolls for something to do when my son was a toddler, about 14 years ago, and I was expecting my second child! - I know it sounds like I should have had my hands tied with a two year old (hence the exclamation) but he was always content to sit and watch or play with whatever I was doing at the time be it gardening, baking or sewing.
My first handmade doll was a fabric rag doll, in fact a forerunner to the doll in my first published book Embroidered Treasures. The Knitted Babe dolls soon followed when I asked my mum to re-teach me how to knit and from that I knitted a similar shape to the fabric doll to develop a basic knitted doll with a seam running all around the outside.
Before all that however I concocted simple shiny space outfits from sweet wrappers, sellotape and foil for my Pippa dolls when I was about 9!
Clothes for Knitted babes from Claire's Ravelry page.
How did the idea for "Knitted Babes" came about?
After that first doll, prototype if you like, was born/ created (looking slightly alien-like I must admit) I added hair and knitted a simple hat which I thought looked like a swimming hat - and then a swimming costume - then came her name: Dot Pebbles and then a notion that I could create a range of dolls and clothes and shoes - like the packets of little outfits and shoes I used to love to receive at Christmas for my Pippa dolls - and perhaps compile the whole lot into a catalogue or book which I eventually did. The title Knitted Babes came at the end - Bathing Belles was my first collective name.
How has your toy-making career dove-tailed with parenting?
As I mentioned it was because of my children that I first started to make dolls - I don't know why dolls and not other toys or bears, perhaps my childhood had some hand in that? -My daughter has the whole collection of all the dolls and the clothes that I have ever made (two suitcases full!) and the two boys have enjoyed the knitted bears I eventually got round to - but they don't make their own except my daughter who loves to dress peg dolls in her own eclectic style.
One of Claire's newer styled Babes.
What are you up to now?
Not that I feel I've exhausted the knitted doll which got bigger and easier to knit (if you like knitting in the round!) as the dolls progressed - and the doll eyes as opposed to the embroidered eyes I felt appealed more widely (- the embroidered eyes - although much more character giving - are a little tricky) but now I'm crocheting for the time being! And loving it! I'm in the process of adding a crochet doll to my collection… and also crochet letters with numbers to follow.
Any advice for amateur doll-makers or inspirational thoughts?
It's the faces that make the doll so don't just finish your doll off quickly. All, bar none, of my dolls have eyes and mouths removed many, many times before I am satisfied with the finished look!
It's that expressive look you're after!
You can find Claire at:
On her blog, which is very inspiring,
on Etsy,
and on Ravelry, where you will find all of her knitting patterns.
And stay tuned for a giveaway of A Knitted Babes kit that will include the book and all of the supplies to make several knitted babes. Details in my next post.
The Giveaway, details in my next post.
Two new dolls
They took a bit longer than most dolls, not sure why, but here they are.
A new pink-haired Phoebe and pink-haired Egg. Neither have clothes yet, but clothing design is the fun part. Hoping to have them on Etsy by Saturday. I think pink-haired Egg may be spoken for.
Things I love: Perle Cotton
Finca, size 12 Perle Cotton.
This is the first post in a series, which I will call: "Things I Love".
Each week, I am going to post about something I love and why. Most often it will be about something I use in the doll-making process. I'll explain its virtues,, how I use it and where you can find it. There's no shortage of things I love and I hope some of these things will eventually become things you love as well.
I thought I'd start with perle cotton. Also called, pearl cotton.
Aquarelle from Paraguay and available on eBay.
What is perle cotton?
Perle cotton is a high sheen twisted cotton embroidery thread. It is very similar to a very fine crochet thread. It comes in sizes 3, 5, 8, 12, 16 and 20. And to make it confusing 3 is the largest size. There are a handful of brands--Finca, Valdini, DMC and Aquarelle.
Sizes three and five are thicker and nice for decorative embroidery. I own and use mostly size twelve balls, but a few eights. I prefer the balls to the skeins, since they don't tangle and are easy to store and reuse.
I am obsessed with details and like to use a fun element in a detail that others might treat as mundane. I tend to use this thread when my stitches will show since it looks neater brighter and shinier than plain thread. I always use it for sewing on buttons, snaps and labels.
Click on image to see a close-up of button thread.
It's strong, you only need a few passes through to secure a button, snap or label and the color pops. I especially like it for sewing in snaps (another post on this) because they look so much neater and are more pleasant to sew on. Prior to switching to this method snaps were my least favorite task.
Perle Cotton can be bought in many colors from the following sources:
Woolfelt Central sells a nice selection of size 8
Herrschners sells Size 8 and 12
Valdani sells balls and sets, a bit more expensive
Ebay has many sellers. I've bought pearl cotton from the UK and Paraguay on Ebay and been happy
I stay away from the variegated, not sure how this type can be used.
Perle cotton is not an essential ingredient in sewing doll clothing, but it does make details pop and the more mundane tasks fun.
Some new stuff, including new dolls and a discount
Although it may seem like nothing has been happening, I've been working hard behind the scenes. Hopefully, it's all good and hopefully it all works.
1. I added the ability to subscribe by email. There is a box in at the top of the right hand column.
2. New dolls will be on Etsy this weekend.
3. I am looking for input on my blog, I want to know what people would like to see. There is a brief survey for you below. At the end you will get a discount code for 20% off in my Etsy store. It is good through the end of March.
Thank you! I look forward to hearing from you.
Missouri Bound
Phoebe is leaving us for a new family in Missouri. We are almost as excited as she is.
You can still be a winner...
The Subscribe by email plug-in apparently is not working.
Sorry, stay tuned...
There will still be contests and winners.
