Embroidered Dolls

I've been communicating with Ana, my wonderful new dollmaking friend in London. If you love doll blogs you must check hers out. Her list of dollmaking links is exactly what mine would be if I had a list! Click here to visit her blog. Anyway, we've been talking about embroidered doll faces so I thought I'd share some of the dolls I've done this way. (For a closer view click on photos)

Here's Anne Elliot (I have an Austen thing going with some of my dolls) and little Bettina in brown. (Thank you, Judi Ward for the small doll pattern!) They're both made basically the same way. I sewed the skin fabric to the dress fabric before I cut out thier bodies. Then I just took some more dress fabric and gathered it round and sewed it on to make a skirt. I'm not a good seamstress and hate following patterns so this is how I get around it.

Here's a close up of their faces. Anne was the first doll face I ever embroidered and I like her wistful look very much. I love Bettina too. The blush on their cheeks is from Rembrandt chalk pastels. I've stained enough clothes with those things, I figured it would last on their faces.

To the left is a little doll in pink I made for a little friend's birthday yesterday. I think I tried too hard with her face and I'm not too crazy about it. She looks too sophisticated or something. It seems the harder I try the less I like the results. If I just wing it without caring too much about the results things seem to work out better! I'm sure this will all improve with experience. Anyway, she has painted ballet shoes. She's made from the same pattern as Bettina.

Below her is a gaggle of cuddly wool-stuffed velour gnomes I made for a Christmas sale last year. They are made in the Waldorf doll tradition with little noses, simple faces and pointed hats. They're very sweet. Sorry the photo is so dark.