Many of you know that I am soooo not a seamstress and actually struggle in my attempts at making plushies /doll forms... anyone out there recall a tale of lopsided drunken critters? hehe ... anyway, I am determined to get better, so must practice, practice, practice.
I have been wanting to make some Goddess dolls for a while - the shape appeals to me. I found some great free patterns from Ronda Kivett a long, long while back (I've since looked and the free patterns are nowhere to be found). Her patterns were a great starting point, but I wanted bigger hips and rounder heads, so have been playing with the original pattern a little. Here are my first three attempts:
They make me smile.
All are about six inches tall and were hand sewn. The cotton fabric (two on the outside) is much easier to work with than the silky stuff (center - though that fabric really appeals to me as it is shiny and has sparklies). The corners (under and over the arms) seem a little wrong as the form sort of pulls in the bust area (not bad, just doesn't seem right to me) and I still don't get how to close the opening (once stuffed) to maintain the correct shape ... take a look - each one looks like it's sunken in or swaying just a little ... hmm ... let's just say they're dancing!
Anyway, I'm definitely open to comments, tricks, recommended reading and/or suggestions.
thank you & g'nite!
I have been wanting to make some Goddess dolls for a while - the shape appeals to me. I found some great free patterns from Ronda Kivett a long, long while back (I've since looked and the free patterns are nowhere to be found). Her patterns were a great starting point, but I wanted bigger hips and rounder heads, so have been playing with the original pattern a little. Here are my first three attempts:
They make me smile.
All are about six inches tall and were hand sewn. The cotton fabric (two on the outside) is much easier to work with than the silky stuff (center - though that fabric really appeals to me as it is shiny and has sparklies). The corners (under and over the arms) seem a little wrong as the form sort of pulls in the bust area (not bad, just doesn't seem right to me) and I still don't get how to close the opening (once stuffed) to maintain the correct shape ... take a look - each one looks like it's sunken in or swaying just a little ... hmm ... let's just say they're dancing!
Anyway, I'm definitely open to comments, tricks, recommended reading and/or suggestions.
thank you & g'nite!
30 comments:
I love the Goddess dolls!
I used to make Spirit dolls years ago, and some of them looked like yours.
The one in the center has a shimmer that I love!
What else are you going to do to them?
I used to bead around the outside with a peyote stitch.
Wild hair...
Let your imagination go wild!!!!
Pat
I really love them!
I love these dancing little goddesses! The middle fabric is really pretty--although I like the others a lot too:)
Keep playing--you're doing great, really!
Oh these are wonderful!
Well done, any you say you aren't a seamstress? you fooled me.
ha, that's funny coming on the tails of Aprils fools day.LOL
I am inspired to make a Goddess doll for a good friend of mine.
She just dropped by my flat, tonight and gave me a money charm bag, she handmade and embellished.
She filled it with many, sure fire bits. What a lucky girl I am.
And ohhhhh that would be so neato to fill up the Goddess with lavender or things of intention!
Ohhhh, coolieo.
Well done on making these ~
Cheers,
Bairbre Aine
Fantastic shape. I love the goddess design. I think the red one is my fav, but they are all cool. I've done this shape in felt but haven't tried to sew one. Can't help with sewing tips,sorry, I'm a guess and by golly sewer myself,lol, they look fine to me. Are you going to add any embellishments? Have fun
They make me smile too! ;-)
You are waaaay ahead of me......takes forever for me to thread a needle.Your girlies are so cute.... Can't wait to see the goddesses all dressed up:)
I think I'm part magpie...I'm so drawn to shiny, sparkly things and that one in the center is so pretty!
Oh boy...this look like fun...hmmm I see all kinds of things going on here, charms, wool for hair, clay, fabric, sticks, paper, I can't stop...these are screaming to be dressed and I'm sure you will make absolutely amazing and stunning as you always do my friend...Ok this would be a cool challenge for you to have all of your friends make one and then swap them...giggle, giggle, giggle....Have fun.
Cheers!
aRt dolls! yippee!
they look great so far. I love big hips, my recommendation is go for it and don't hold back, do whatever feels right and you have fun doing!
:) Nicole
They're lovely, fun, and wonderfully symbolic. I would be getting out the beads about now to start embellishing!
In order to get the best shape I think you should close the opening at the lower "leg" area. Maybe that is what you did. It helps to go with the straightest area so you don't have to figure out the curves.
I love those they make me smile too. Have you seen the fairies Deb Wood does! They are amzing, check them out. That's what I really wish I could do!
Misty
I love the blue swirly one!
Those are pretty and I love the shape! I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the sewing machine...I love the creating part, hate the actual sewing.
ditto here....they make me smile!! Love their beautiful Goddess shapes!
I've given you an AWARD.
Happy weekend.
Cheers~
Bairbe Aine
How very very cute! Would a burlap one be cute or would it look too much like a voodoo doll? LOL. Maybe a muslin one with a lot of stitching and buttons and ribbon for hair? IDK...they are very cute just as they are! :D
-c
Hi Michelle,
I meant to get by and visit sooner than this, but life has gotten in the way lately!
Your spirit dolls look wonderful! I made my first dolls from her pattern and adjusted the patterns to suit what shape I wanted to make too. When I hand stitched mine, I used wool felt. Remember, I am no seamstress...but one idea you can try is to clip the seam allowance on inner and outer curves being careful not to clip the stitching. Clip the inner curves every 1/4" or so with little straight clips and notch the outer curves so they look like little trees "^" every 1/4" or so. This sometimes helps to free it from puckers and bulges. Sometimes it's just not enough stuffing. You could try to make it a bit more rounded under the arm...that may help. After the stuffing is in, I whip stitch it closed. I fold and tuck the edges back in so that it is lined up with the seam and sometimes I can squeeze and hold the fabric with my fingers and sometimes I use a straight pin to hold it in place until I start whip stitching across the opening. Does this make any sense? I hope it will maybe help. Can't wait to see how you are going to embellish them...beads? ;-)
Maggie's postcard is beautiful! Dot's Amelia is adorable and so full of charm! Both of these gals stitch beautifully and with such love! I love all your mail from friends...you lucky girl! The love you share always returns. Your flower photos are beautiful and that pelican is so cool! Is he/she still around? Your frog is absolutely adorable! I hope you'll share when you embellish it too!
I LOVE the three ATC's that you doodled at work? (LUCKY!!!-LOL)...they are wonderful!
Keep stitching and have a great weekend... ~Lisa ;-)
Yes they do make you smile, don't they :)
Nice job!! The red one's my fave...
Kate
WOW!! These are amazing! How lovely - I have no recommendations, so I'll just be an inspired admirer!
they are definitely dancing and dont get hung up on the perfection..that is the essence of hand made.. one of a kind..quirks and all.
Your Godesses look pretty good to me. I do agree with Grrl about getting hung up on perfection....the essence of handmade. I tend to practice wabi sabi when it comes to finding the beautifully imperfect touches for my home.
Your Goddess dolls are great! Wouldn't that be great to make a bunch and stitch them together at the hands and they could all dance together strung across a wall...
They are Happy Dolls...
I am not keen on dolls as they always give me the creeps as if they are staring at me but I love the sculptural futuristic forms of your dolls --remind me of an arp sculpture
they are wonderful! my thoughts would be to connect them in some way/ maybe a ribbon winding around them? and i love someone's idea above to add hair and beads. what if each one represented the goddess of love, peace, hope, etc.?
What lovely, smile-inducing goddesses.
When Sara was small, she encountered a stoneware sculpture of the same basic shape; she called it the bum goddess. ;)
I'd forgotten about that, but the moment I looked at yours found myself thinking, "ooh, what colorful bum goddesses."....
Michelle--WOW! These are SO cute... I love them.
You are a brave woman. I am afraid to get out my sewing machine. These look like a lot of fun, though. Maybe...
These are so wonderful!! The blue one is my favorite!! I'm tempted, since I have been on quite a roll in the sewing department, to try to make one of these.....will go anc check out the site to see what I can inspire myself to do!!
You are just too cool for words, my dear...I know that if I'm ever feeling down or blue I can come here and will be made to feel happy and springy with just one post!! You're like coming "home".
They are great! Will be interesting to see what you do with them.
OOO yes that green/aqua sparkly one is fab- you have been busy
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