Tuesday Talent - Annie Montgomerie

 Annie Montgomerie is a wonderful doll maker from Dorchester in the south of England.  She is well known for her animal dolls, little anthropomorphic characters with stunning detail and intriguing personalities.  She upcycles lots of materials and her dolls are choc full of individual quirks and details.

Recently however I came across her rather lovely cloth dolls featuring lots of embroidery, applique and hand stitching.  Annie has a website at anniemontgomerie.co.uk, she has a Facebook page also, but to find these stunning fabric dolls you need to go to Pinterest.  There you will find so many different versions of these long ladies you won't be able to stop pinning.  I love these dolls.

You will find the whole world in these dolls - there are seaside dolls, piggy dolls or pastoral field - so many variations.  Sadly she does not seem to make them anymore, even her Esty shop does not stock them but I wanted to share them for the sheer joy they bring - really lovely.

The Fabric I Use - Part 3

I love all things William Morris and collect Morris prints and reproduction Morris inspired prints for my stash.

Original Morris fabric tends to be expensive and heavy weight but Moda, for the last few years, have run a series of quilting cottons inspired by Morris and designed by Barbara Brackman. They include most recently Earthly Paradise, as well Morris Tapestry, Morris Jewels, Best of Morris and Morris Apprentice which looked at the patterns of CFA Voysey

They are a lovely weight and a pleasure to work with. They deviate from my buy British thing but they are originally English prints and Moda make quality fabric. The earlier prints are now hard to find but the more recent ones are readily available and being from 2016 are quite often discounted.  Moda are producing a new range of Morris inspired prints this October 2017 in association with the V&A, so they will be worth a look.

I find I like them best teamed with black and grey stripy fabric and antique lace to give a doll that weighty Victorian feel.  My cats are all in William Morris by Moda and the fabric works well.
 

A Grand Day Out, Flora at Ruthin

Jan Beaney

 A lovely day at Ruthin on friday, my first trip out in quite a while so a real treat.  The current exhibition, Narratives in Making, covers a truly beautiful collection of work by Irish craftsmen and women, with wood, metal and ceramics being shown.  The second gallery features the third in the series of Language in Clay and here Anne Gibbs shows her eclectic ceramic pieces.

Flora, in Gallery 3, was wonderful.  All the work was inspired by flowers and contained prints, jewellery, stitch, clay and glass, as well the textile treasure of Jan Beaney. The work of Alison Stockmarr was a real find, her books are just so appealing and delicate.

The exhibition runs until the 24th September and makes for an enjoyable afternoon if you are in the area.

Alison Stockmarr

Vanessa Hogge

Vanessa Hogge

Tamaris, A Tabby Cat all in William Morris

 This is another little tabby cat, she is called Tamaris.  She is a pretty puss all dressed in a William Morris fabric 'Pimpernel' that has been edited by Barbara Brackman for Moda 'Best of Morris'.  This is an ongoing series of designs that varies year by year from 2010 to last year with Moda 'Earthly Paradise'.  They are lovely fabrics, rich in colour and a delight to use.  The older series of fabrics are not easy to find in the UK but worth it if you like Morris prints.

Tamaris sports stripy legs with tonal underskirts in lace and cotton. She is stuffed with lavender in her stuffing and has a rose quartz heart for love. She is finished with organza ribbon, beads and buttons with a little lavender sachet to complete her outfit.  Lovely girls that are all going to my first craft stall in November.

Tuesday Talent - Cloth +Thread

Cloth + Thread is the business name of Jenni from Melbourne who has been making dolls since 2011.  She has always had a strong Pinterest presence and there you can see how her dolls have changed over that time. Look for dolls Made by Jenni for more variety.

I really enjoy her style of dolls, they are quite unusual and unique, using delicate fabrics and subtle colours they make a most sophisticated play doll.  Jenni makes her dolls with children in mind, for gentle play and all their clothes can be changed with a range of outfits also available. Lovely dresses and little jackets with the odd scarf, very pretty.

For a closer look at Jenni's dolls visit her website at clothandthread.com where there are nearly always dolls for sale. Cats, mice and even the odd elephant grace her pages, well worth a peep.  A lovely touch is that for every sale she makes she donates to Save the Children - the tally runs at the top of the site.

Book Recommendation - Sew Your Own Dolls by Louise Kelly

Had this little gem about a fortnight and was so impressed have decided to share.  The book title is Sew Your Own Dolls by a bonnie Irish lass called Louise Kelly.  The ISBN number is 978-1782494249. Louise also has a blog at loulovesthis.blogspot.co.uk for further information about her and her work.

I must admit I don't make dolls from other people's books I just look at the pictures and enjoy, however the patterns are easy to follow and straightforward.  There are three styles of doll to make with endless combinations of genuinely attractive outfits to choose from.  The book has good photographs that are clear and show the dolls to the best possible effect.

Have a peep, I think this is a must for any dollaholic's library. It is currently selling on Amazon Marketplace for just over £5, a real bargain.

My favourite is below, a little lilac witch called Maeve with a super outfit and the best lilac hair.

The Fabric I Use - Part 2

 In 1875 Arthur Lazenby Liberty opened his unique shop in Regent Street in London, selling up market products for discerning clients.

By 1884 Liberty was working with Costume Society founder Edward William Godwin designing apparel and fabric to rival the dominance of Paris couture.

In the 1920's Liberty introduced their classic cotton fabric Liberty Tana Lawn and it is still a best seller today.  Predominantly small floral prints, Liberty Tana Lawn is a tight woven light cotton fabric that is a delight to use.

Much finer than standard quilting cotton often with tiny prints it is often my fabric of choice when making my dolls.  You have to be careful with tiny seams but take you time and the results speak for themselves.  A little more expensive than quilting cotton running at around £5 per fat quarter but the seemingly never ending pattern choices more than make up for that.  I would recommend AliceCaroline.co.uk for online purchase, she has a very good range and a fast turn around, she also has a shop on Etsy.

There is something quintessentially English about a Liberty print, that long English summer we are always chasing.  You will find that patterns from the 20's are still available as well as prints from every decade since.  They have guest designers and a new range spring/summer, autumn/winter but I must warn you they can become addictive for any fabric lover!