Stitch in Time–part 1

Am getting together on Friday with a friend from the doll club so I had to choose something to work on. Like I don’t have enough projects on hand to work on, I could line them up along the wall and out the door I’m pretty sure. I decided that Stitch in Time was the easiest to carry around. These are the fabrics I chose to use for this doll. Included with these fat quarters, is some pale yellow Dupioni silk to bring lightness to the finished look.

I worked on her base last night and today I’ll get the other hand and arm put together. The bodice will get done before Friday as well, then I can concentrate on hand sewing to put her altogether.

Because I have made all of Colleen’s designs, the one thing in her Stitch in Time workshop that was my “AH HA” moment, has to be attaching the opposable thumb to the hand. While I can easily follow along with her instructions because they are so complete and I have been able to do the thumbs before, there is nothing better than having those things demonstrated by the designer herself. Now I “get it” and won’t be so hesitant to do them again.

They aren’t hard, I just like to get that same lovely pose to the fingers, so now I feel more confident. All it took was seeing it done. One of things besides the face that will attract people to your dolls is the pose. If they look like their movements are fluid they are far more interesting, than the stiff soldier like stance. If you’re able to attend workshops in your area, you really do learn so much from them.

Start now putting those pennies away, a little each month, and by the time a designer is scheduled to come to your area, you’ll be able to pay the fee, every dollar is well spent. If you come away with understanding how to do that one thing that has troubled you in your doll making, then you have accomplished what the whole experience was meant to be. One thing to keep in mind, always, no matter how silly you think your questions are, ASK THEM. Don’t struggle trying to understand something if your teacher is standing right there, you  may be helping another doll maker who may not feel confident enough to ask questions.

More to follow soon, come back and see what’s next with this little lady..