Monday, October 22, 2012

The Katie Doll

Besides finding out how to download pictures from the camera to the computer the other frustrating thing about posting to the blog is trying to line things up and put pictures in where I want them. That is why I don't post very often. I want to have wonderful pictures in my blog like others but I don't know how to do it.
I just thought I'd post pictures of the trees that have changed colours.


















Then I thought, I'll post pictures of the Katie Doll.


I've not finished her yet. She needs bells or decorations on her shoes.


She needs a wand in her left hand. But for the most part she is finished.

In this picture you will notice the lopsided wings. My choice to do that. She's a fairie/angel and she has struggled getting here so I figure a little bent wing isn't too bad. 

My frustrations with technical difficulties is because I've never learned properly how to do it. I need to have someone instruct me as I do the steps and take notes. I haven't had that opportunity yet. Maybe I just have to plug away at things and hope that I don't delete everything like I did twice this morning as I'm learning.

I found the same frustrations with the dolls using other people's patterns. If I have a question - who do I ask? It's hard to find the people when you need them to ask them. I need to see the finished pieces - step by step or to work with someone who knows what they are doing.
Otherwise I have to do my own dolls my own way and make progress little by little. I can then correct things as I make the mistakes or as some say - happy accidents.

So after three failed attempts at posting today I'm trying this. Type the words and leave spaces for pictures. If this doesn't work, I'll sit and whine and have a piece of chocolate and go for another walk. I've already been for one walk this morning but it doesn't hurt to do a couple more - while the sun is still around.

Okay my idea worked. The pictures are there. I did have the chocolate while downloading the pictures and now I'm going for another walk. Clear my head of technical difficulties so I can go back to sewing. Oh, did I tell you that I sew these dolls by hand and sometimes that can be frustrating too.
Well, time marches on and more will be revealed. Have a good one.

Monday, October 8, 2012

The Dolls

It is almost finished. I've got to make a wand, put some metal washers for weight on the toes of the shoes and she's done. No pictures until I'm finished. What am I talking about? The doll that someone asked me to make from seeing a picture in a magazine. I purchased the pattern and got started. Well, there is the challenge.
I might have mentioned before in another post that I make my own dolls from the ideas in my head. I've only made one doll from a pattern before and it was soft sculpture. This is a challenge because it has wood for arms and part of the body. I've been learning new things. She needs a few more things and it's a holiday here in Canada and so the hardware stores are closed as is everything else, hence no metal washers and other things. I can go shopping tomorrow.
In the meantime I've been washing and ironing some plain muslin/cotton material to make some new stuffed dolls. Kay, the leader of our embroidery group gave us a doll pattern to use to challenge us all to make dolls. It will be interesting to see what the end of the year will bring and the wonderful show of dolls because we will of course make the same doll but dress them differently. Now remember this is embroidery so I expect I'll see all kinds of fancy dresses and Kay has already said she's using silk.And we all said "well of course you are, we wouldn't expect anything else" because Kay does most of her work on silk.
She said she thought I could make an Indian Dress for my doll and I just said "or not" as she held up a picture of a dress from the Souix Nation. I am not of the Souix Nation or any of the nations out west. I'm from the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Nation as the French called us. I'm thinking of a ball gown, or something fancy like that. I have some books with patterns as well as pictures so I'll spend some time looking through those.
I'm excited to get started but ... I have this other doll to finish.