Reflecting on Foxes

 

I have been reflecting on foxes this week. Several new foxes are ready but I have not taken photographs yet as we all have succumbed to Covid, again! It never makes any of us really ill it is just a real nuisance. This is my fifth time!
The original foxes were huge, around two foot tall and first made in 2010. Over the years I have changed the pattern several times and radically reduced the size to be more fitting. I like smaller, smaller is better.
Big black nose and blue eyes is where they started but now their eyes are rich orange brown. For years I used Oakshott plains for bodies. Wonderfully rich colours in a sturdy shot dyed cotton and then the owner retired and I had to rethink. I moved on to Moda Grunge, with a wonderful textured pattern and now use little else for foxes.
Another change was moving away from crocheted flower bags to my familiar counted thread sampler bags. I enjoy making them more and find my hands ache if I do too much fiddly crochet work. I try to make each doll, fox or no, a three dimensional texture illustration. Bringing together all the myriad of components and materials. Embroidery thread, stitch, cotton, lace and leather all work to achieve this for me. Including herbs and a crystal in each doll is important to me and I love soursing them. Many of my dried herbs are from my own garden and each means something to me.
So new foxes are on the way if we can just shake this darn cold! Have a lovely weekend xx