Marilla, A Rag Doll in Liberty Lawn

Marilla is a dainty doll made to my Milly Doll Pattern, she stands just nine inches tall.  Her hair is a soft fawn wool tops with a hand painted face and hand embroidered brows and lashes.

She is dressed in a vintage Liberty Lawn called Mrs Monroe designed by Alex Monroe.  Alex Monroe is an established designer who has 25 years experience making traditional handmade jewellery from original sketches, inspired by nature and British eccentricity. It is a delicate pretty pattern in soft pinks and greens inspired by Alice in Wonderland.  Her dress has a full skirt finished with organza ribbon, tiny buttons and sporting a lavender sachet in sampler style.

She has lavender and rose buds in her stuffing with a piece of rose quartz for love.

Tuesday Talent - Upper Dhali

Upper Dhali are beautiful dolls made by Louise in Australia.  The story of the unusual name for her dolls is enchanting and I won't spoil it, you will find it at www.upperdhali.com.au in the about section.

Her girls are not too big for small hands and the detailing of the embroidered faces are exquisite. In fact all the detailing is very lovely.  There are a series of collections and she is available for bespoke pieces and commissions.

Reading her website she comes from a long line of crafty ladies, all of whom have contributed to her becoming a doll maker.  She is a spiritual lady who puts more than just stuffing into her girls, they are individuals with characters all there own.  Have a look round the website for lovely stories and beautiful dolls.  Well worth a look.

The Stuffing I Use

 Until quite recently I only used Mountain Mist Fiberloft.  It is an American stuffing and quite robust but it does tend to ball, forming little pockets of stiffness that I do not want.  So I started to investigate other stuffing.

Poor quality stuffing can ruin your dolls, they don't stuff easily or smoothly and leave your dolls lumpy - so avoid them.  One of the worst is Hobbycraft's own, a truly dreadful filling. Having tried several different brands I have settled on using both Mountain Mist with Supersoft Toy Filling by The Craft Factory.  It isn't hard to come by and is not too expensive but is very soft and does not ball.  I stuff the heads of my dolls with this for smoothness and the body, legs and arms with Mountain Mist for a greater firmness.

You really do need to experiment to find what suits you and your doll style but if I was going to buy only one type of stuffing it would be The Craft Factory one for the best in versatility.  Stuff firmly but not over so, this will give your dolls their very best line and show your pattern off to its best.

There are plenty of other stuffing materials available and I know some doll makers, particularly who make for children, talk about natural fillings.  There are those who use corn stuffing or wool or even bamboo.  Be aware that these are great if you are making a large piece but fall down when making small dolls because again they ball.  They are also more difficult to use, I have used wool and bamboo, I like the feel and the weight but not the appearance of the doll so again it comes down to personal choice and the size of your pattern. Finding the right stuffing for your doll is as important as using the right fabric for the body.  So happy stuffing!

Norma, A Rag Doll in Liberty Lawn

This is Norma, she is a lovely girl made to my Nora doll pattern.  She has a hand painted face with embroidered eyelashes and eyebrows.  Her hair is a black wool tops which has been hand styled into pleasing shape.

She is dressed in Liberty Lawn fabric 'Lola Weisselberg', which is a beautiful English floral if it is eccentrically named.  The pattern is warm oranges, rich russet and shades of olive and grey. Her dress is co-ordinated with russet silk underwear finished with a tulle lace petticoat. Her outfit is detailed with tiny buttons, organza ribbon and a lavender scented sachet in sampler style. Her stuffing contains lavender for gentle scent with dried rose buds.  At her core is a piece of amethyst for tranquillity.

As with all my dolls she has a brass ring to her back so she can hang or she can sit quietly on the bed as a peaceful companion. She has a gentle face with a warm smile, I find I like her very much.

Tuesday Talent - Katy Livings

Katy Livings is a very talented young mum of two who trained in embroidery while studying textiles at university.  She tells us that she has been sewing and stitching since she was four years old and that her grandma gave her her love of all things stitched.

Having worked for many large named companies she is using her obvious design skills to create a series of heirloom dolls.  She makes very pretty little ladies but it is her rabbits that have grabbed my attention and make me smile.  Many of her rabbits both boys and girls feature Liberty fabrics and a host of tiny accessories that just make these little creatures even more appealing.

She trades under the name Stitch and Sprig, with a website at http://www.stitchandsprig.com.  She also sells her work through Folksy and offers a commission service with them. There is a gentle Pinterest presence and work to be seen on Instagram but her website offers more details and a chance to view her blog.  Her photographs are lovely and shows you just how well work can be presented.  Have a peep at her work and enjoy, her dolls are beautiful.