Round eyes of a little rascal - challages of creating doll face for natural dolls

Two little dollies forming in my hands in the same time, a boy for my son and a girl for my nice. Finishing the eyes of a doll is a key movement of dollmaking for me. When the facial features are created, the little personality reveals itself. This is a precious moment, when somehow a doll comes to life. That is my favorite moment of creating cloth-dolls. So intimate, so touching moment...

But if the features doesn't work out, the eyes remain cold, that is everything, but my favorite. Sometimes it happens, and my beloved moments change into the most annoying and frustrating ones. And it happened again, of course when I'm making the first doll for my little son. It seems, when working for someone real close, dolls make me to take a roundabout way.

Eye-embroidery was always a mystery for me. I could plan the position of the eyes, the color and the approximate size, but the exact shape, it was determined by someone or something else, maybe by the doll herself. Embroidering on such an elastic, and unforgetting fabric is no picnic, but it belongs to the magic of these handmade natural dolls, I think.

While creating the face of my son's doll, after the long-long eye-positioning procedure, I pulled in the fabric, to create little pits for the eyes. I wasn't happy with the pits, but I couldn't tell what was wrong, since I liked the positioning, so I went on. I embroidered the eyes, and I couldn't see the personality. Such a frustrating thing to happen. I decided to re-do the eyes. And I realized, I accidentally cut the fabric with the threads. So I had to cover the head again. Since the tubing also broke, I decided to restart it from the very beginning, I was completely finished with a head, but I had just a big pile of clean, soft wool before me again.

So I was struggling with eyes, when something marvelous happened, the help came from Fabiola Perez, who is a gifted dollmaker (Fig and Me), in form of this great blog post. She shares sometimes here experience in great mini tutorials, which I'm really thankful for. This time the idea of embroidering the two eyes simultaneously meant the breakthrough for me. I tried two follow her method when creating the doll for my niece, and it worked! I love her eyes! I also found super little, and flexible embroidery needles, with which these satin stitches are much easier. 

However, the little boy triked me again. I tried this method when redoing his eyes, but he insisted on me to add one more layer embroidering since he wants to have round eyes. But working with to needles, creating the two eyes simultaneously gives me much greater control forming them.

These two little dolls are being created based on a brand new pattern. They are going to be approx. 20 cm high, and will have simpler body-structure and hairstyles, to fit better in the hands of the smallest. Wish me luck, so I can find more time to sew, to be able to finish these dollies soon.

Have playful days!

p.s.: Besides eye-embroidery, as you can see, I tried out myself in hair-embroidery for the first time, and I love it!

The First Noel

The First Noel, the Angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
Born is the King of Israel!

 

The time has come to share some moments of our wonderful and cozy Christmas Eve. This was Lonka's and Simon's first Christmas with us, and for me it ment such a heart-warming gift, to be a witness of their awaiting. 24...23...22... they were counting the days from the beginning of December. 

When Christmas Eve arrived....

- Shh! Can you here it! Some bell was tinkling!- whispered Lonka

All lights, but the ones on the Christmas tree were blind, when she and Simon came into the room. The red-golden tree bewitched them. For minutes they were just pore upon it. 

Singing Christmas Carols before opening the gifts is a tradition in our little family, and  their duo were happy to join us! One of their favorites was The First Noel.

There were two similar small packages, wrapped in carmine paper, tied up with white strings, with little cards on the top. Of course, in a second, they found their presents. Lonka was the faster, the little itchy hearted girl, she opened her package, and found out, that whatever she got, it must be something just for her. Something very special, since her favorite flower peeped out of the carmine cover. Simon, the always calm little fellow, found a little red boat on his present. But he also realized, besides these little personal details their presents are matching! 

- Cloaks! - exulted Lonka.

With a great hush, she tried her brand new winter cloak on. Simon seemed to be more touched, and I was wondering why.

- The red boat - he said - I didn't want to wear anything warm, because my boat on my dungarees won't be visible, but this cloak has a replica! I love this cloak!

He also tried on his new favorite piece of clothes. This smart boy pointed out, that it is great to have so similar cloaks, since everyone will know, that they belong to each other, but it is also great to have their personal details, which makes it easier to find out which cloak belongs to whom. He turned to Lonka, and the two little dolly started to plan, what winter adventures they will make wearing these comfy, warm cloaks. I'm pretty sure, you will hear about some of these wanderings. 

Simon's and Lonka's cloaks are made of tweed, base on a self-prepared pattern. Their hoods in lined with fabrics matching their outfits, I used the fabric of Lonka's trousers and Simon's shirts. They closing with little black loops and large unfinished wooden buttons. The flower petals and the little boat are made of wool-felts.

Have playful days!

ps.: The lower branches of our Christmas tree are lacking decoration, to avoid any damage, that a far-too-curious little bunny can cause.