Embellishing
Posted Thursday 27 May 2010 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,embellishment, eyes, softie, tip
I enjoyed this recent blog post by Larissa of mmmcrafts because it highlights an important little part of softie-making that can be easily overlooked:
{image credit: mmmcrafts}
Choosing eyes for your softie creation! Have a look through the different options Larissa provides and you’ll see that each choice alters the overall personality and expression of the bunny. For the most part, you could try different kinds of eyes after the softie has been sewn up and stuffed - the only exception is when using the plastic safety eyes as these need to be inserted before these steps.
Just a tip to try out on your next softie!
Details here: Ideas for Bunny Eyes by mmmcrafts
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Posted Tuesday 23 March 2010 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,doll face, draw, felt, paint, technique, template, tip
Ellen Lumpkin Brown is an extremely talented doll-maker. Not only does she create an amazing range of dolls of different ethnicities, she also makes their outfits, and hand draws/paints on their faces.
{image credit: Burdastyle/Ellen Lumpkin Brown}
In this guest article on the Burdastyle blog, she provides an insight into how she goes about creating her doll faces.
Find it here: Super Simple Way to Create a Cute Face for Your Doll by Ellen Lumpkin Brown (on Burdastyle)
Ellen has also published a book - “Doll Fashionistas” - that provides step-by-step instructions on how to make her dolls including excellent tips on stuffing, materials, and construction. The book also provides further detail on creating the doll face and how-to’s on an excellent range of doll outfits.
You can find her book in the Softie-Making bookshop: “Doll Fashionistas” by Ellen Lumpkin Brown
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Posted Tuesday 6 October 2009 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,attach, doll's hair, tip, tutorial, wig, yarn
Tantehilde makes extremely cute rag dolls. She shares a very helpful and clear tutorial on how to make a doll’s wig from knitting yarn, and how to attach it to a doll’s head to get this kind of hair style:
{image credit: Tantehilde}
Find the tutorial here: How to Make Doll’s Hair by Tantehilde
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Posted Tuesday 1 September 2009 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,basic, cloth, hair, shoes, simple, synthetic hair, tip, wig
Elise of Zippypops recently contacted me to let me know that she had some tutorials up on her blog. Elise is a very talented doll-maker and you can view and purchase her beautiful creations from her shop.
In this tutorial she shares how to make a doll’s wig using synthetic hair (purchased from a craft shop or costume store) and how to attach it securely to a doll’s head creating this two-bun hair-do:
{image credit: Zippypops}
Find the tutorial here: How to make and attach a doll’s wig by Zippypops
Elise also shares how you can make these basic doll shoes, which you can then embellish to your heart’s content or keep sweet and simple:
{image credit: Zippypops}
Find the tutorial here: How to make basic doll shoes by Zippypops
Both tutorials are very clearly written with excellent pictures for each step.
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Posted Wednesday 20 May 2009 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,doll, hair, tip, yarn
Here is an excellent tutorial by Crafty Sheep on how to create a gorgeous thick head of hair for a doll (not just for Waldorfs - you could do the same for any kind of handmade doll):
{image credit: Crafty Sheep}
The photos and step-by-step instructions make this tutorial a real winner - it also helps that the doll being worked is just so darn adorable! 
Detail here: Waldorf Doll Hair Tutorial by Crafty Sheep
Related posts:
>> Basic Instructions for Making a Waldorf Doll by Simmy
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Posted Wednesday 20 May 2009 and filed under: Designing, Embellishing, Sewing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,doll, process, softie making
Following on from the previous post on process, Holly from Two Cheese Please (a talented softie-maker from Melbourne, Australia too!) recently challenged herself to start and finish a doll (from sketch to finished product) in 24 hours.
Due to other priorities, she didn’t quite meet her deadline but this is the final doll (how CUTE is she?!):
{image credit: Two Cheese Please}
Holly shares the process/behind-the-scenes (decisions, obstacles, frustration, rework - who said softie-making was a walk in the park? ) here (listed in order):
>> 1. Now Taking All Bets - A Craft Challenge
>> 2. Extreme Craft Challenge! 3, 2, 1, Go!
>> 3. A Prototype is Born
>> 4. An End in Sight
>> 5. A New Week and Time for a New Do
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Posted Friday 9 January 2009 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,doll, hair, tip, yarn
(How’s that for a lengthy post title ?!)
Here’s a great tutorial on how to make and attach yarn hair to your doll - not just any yarn hair mind you, but awesomely luxurious yarn hair
{image credit: Page 63 of Your Manual}
The steps and accompanying pictures are very helpful. In my almost obsessive search for good yarn hair how-tos, I think this is one of the easier methods and actually seems very do-able - still time-consuming but at least you don’t need to know how to crochet or knit to make it. I also like the idea of using different types/colours of yarn.
Find it here: Awesomely Luxurious Doll Hair by Page 63 of Your Manual
Thanks to Fern Treacy for the link.
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Posted Thursday 30 October 2008 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,amigurumi, attach, crochet, hair, softie, tutorial
This is a comprehensive article providing different ways of making hair for amigurumi (i.e. crocheted softies). I suspect that you could also adapt some of the ideas in the article to knitted or sewn softies.
{image credit: My Gurumi}>
Find it here: How to: Amigurumi Hair by My Gurumi
Further reading:
>> An exceptionally written and detailed amigurumi hair tutorial by Owlishly
Found via Whip Up.
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Posted Wednesday 29 October 2008 and filed under: 4-Legged Creatures, Animal Softies, Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks, Tutorials/Free Patterns
Tags: ,amigurumi, baby, beads, bunny, infant, method, pattern, rattle, softie, squeakers
I recently received an email from Karyn regarding rattles, bells, and squeakers for handmade infant softies. Her question was more about suppliers and in my limited experience, it has been rather hit and miss. I have found rattles and bells at my local Spotlight but no squeakers. If you have any recommendations for suppliers (online or in your local area) of rattles, bells and squeakers that you can insert into soft toys, please do leave them in the comments!
Her email did trigger a related subject in my mind and that is: what is the best method of inserting rattles and bells into soft toys? This is especially important when making softies for infants but safety is key no matter what age the recipient is.
I found this excellent method on Origami Snail’s website for rattles/bells. She uses either a bell or some beads, fishing wire, and a small plastic egg-shaped container.
{image credit: Origami Snail}
She writes:
“To make the rattle you will need a small light hollow plastic container that can be separated into halves (I used the toy container from a Kinder Egg although I am sure that you could get some kind of purpose made thing), a bell or some beads (I re-purposed a few links from a jingly anklet I had around), 8 inches of strong gauge fishing line, and a needle.
Take your bell or beads or what ever and string them on the fishing line such that they hang in the middle of the length. You will have two lengths of line either side.
Poke two holes at the top of one half of your container. Thread each length of line through a hole from the inside and tie a tight knot on the outside of the container so that your beads or whatever hang down.
Make sure that when they hang down on the inside that they have room to move and won’t touch the other end of your container when you put it back together. If they do then it won’t make as nice a noise, especially if you use a bell.
Put the container back together and your rattle is done.”
I would add that the final step is to tape around the plastic container to ensure that it stays shut.
By the way, she also has a free pattern for a very cute amigurumi bunny baby rattle, which incorporates the rattle described above, available here.
If you’ve got any tips on inserting rattles, bells and squeakers, please feel free to leave those in the comments too.
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Posted Friday 24 October 2008 and filed under: Embellishing, Tips-n-Tricks
Tags: ,attach, beads, buttons, method, noses, plastic, softie, types of eyes
Related to the previous post, Planet June has an article on the different options available for eyes and noses for your softies.
{image credit: Planet June}
Her article is based on her experience with amigurumi softies but the options are also very relevant for sewn softies. She also provides good tips on attaching each type of eye/nose and links to additional resources.
Full article here: Eyes and Noses by Planet June
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