Since 2019, I’ve been making small dolls. I’m never really quite sure what to call them – they are like rag-dolls I suppose.
Let’s look back through the years!
You can see my latest dolls in the dollmaking category of my art blog.
2022
Summer
In the Summer, I continued to learn more about different materials and techniques. I made a Headless Horseman with a spear clay-soled shoes and a button-on felted pumpkin head. I made two Witches, one with a snail-shell bodice, and two miniature besoms from thyme twigs and a stick of driftwood. Finally, I made a rose-themed doll with a tiny basket woven of wire and thread.
Spring
For Spring, I tried incorporating more materials – in addition to the embroidery and felting, they have clay feet to help stand up, and tiny knitted clothing. The first doll of this season is a Hyacinth fairy, the second is a Wood Blewit, and the third is a Pink Waxcap.
Winter
In January and February, I made two free-standing dolls – Granny and Koschei. They are both a combination of sewing and needle-felting.
2021
Winter
In late Autumn/Winter 2021 I opened up the Olde Krampus Factory. For accessories, I used jewelry chains and birch twigs collected while hiking.
Autumn
In the Summer and Autumn of 2021, I made tiny dolls with an autumnal/sylvan/Harlequin theme. I enjoyed making more costume elements than I previously tried – pants, hats, and shoes!
Here’s an overview of the pattern I used for these dolls (short slideshow made for Instagram).
The first version of Mr. Muscaria (above) has his cap hot-glued to his head. For a second version, I figured out how to make a removable one that actually stays on.
Finally, come the most fancily-dressed friends.
2020
In 2020, I made most of my dolls for the Halloween season. I chose some of my favorite designs of the previous year to redo, and experimented with some very basic costumes and embellishments. I tried to get ambitious with the Jersey Devil and just ended up stabbing myself constantly while trying to make the wings.
I also made a little tree for these ornaments out of some fallen branches from an August hurricane. Taped together, cemented into a broken flower-pot, painted black, and decorated with painted Halloween characters.
2019
This was the year I first started making the little dolls! They look kind of rough – I was sewing the faces to the outsides of the body at this point, and their hands and feet were just pieces of felt. But they still (mostly) live in my house!
