Doll Makers Muse

End of the year sale!$5 off all e-patterns in my Etsy shop.Each one is over 50 pages long with tons and tons of pictures.Have you been thinking about making a beautiful doll ?Please do!

Betty's HEAD is without a doubt the most interesting part of the vintage doll pattern I have been working on. The head is made of a butterfly-shaped "pillow" which constitutes the face, and a completely separate "head back" which is sewn on separately by hand. Tha...t way, the face is flat and...

I finally began working on the Betty Boop Pattern, and I have one thing to say so far... she's got MAN HANDS! They are not the dainty little hands that I imagine Betty should have.I could probably manage by using a ladder stitch to manipulate the size after the hands are stuffed, but I decided ...

Remember Big Bird's imaginary friend, Alyosius Snuffleupagus? What an amazing fur coat he had! It looks like part ostrich feather strands, part something else. I think it would be incredible fur... if I could figure out exactly what it is and where to procure the "ingredients." Does anybody o...

I've been working on the Tikvah pattern endlessly, it seems. This one is turning out to have so many details, it's becoming a 40 or 50 pager. That is a lot of doll! Too much for a basic pattern- but I can't bring myself to *not* elaborate. So much went into creating the doll, and there are so...

I am now working on a new pattern: Tikvah.Most of the text and illustrations are ready. I am shooting for this to be ready and available in the Doll Shop by the end of the week, or at the worst, next week. I am a slowpoke! After the pattern is done, I am going to stop writing patterns for a ...

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Chanukkah is coming! This year, I was inspired to create a doll to bring a little light and love to my home.Here she is: The Draidel Maidel.The Draidel Maidel is a 14" cloth doll whose body is- you guessed it- a draidel. She holds a candle and she is ready to light the menorah and dance the hora...

BETTY BOOP CHALLENGEWhat would Betty look like if she were booping around in 2010?Let's find out!This challenge is intended to make us stretch our imagination. Take an old familiar cartoon character and find out what she will look like when you make her. Who is the 'Real Betty' anyway? Will s...

I am blessed to live about two blocks from a beautiful lake. Early just about every morning, rain or shine, I walk there . The best part is, since the time of year is right and I go so early, it isn't unusual for me to have the entire place to myself. I often let my imagination go complete...

I sometimes take pictures of my dolls in my bathtub!The background is perfectly white with no wrinkles (which usually happens when I drape fabric in the background.)No "seams lines" between the floor and the wall, either.Using a floor lamp, I direct light on the opposite side of the tub for refle...

I came across a very wise and helpful article about "quitting your day job" for full time artistry. This past September, I quit my job. It wasn't because I was such a successful artist (at least not financially successful). I was miserable at my job for a long time and I have a supporting husb...

Would you like a custom doll to give yourself or a friend as a gift?Send me a photo and I will make something real cute for you for a great price. Order now for the holidays! Please visit my Etsy Shop for more information!

I recently came across a quote that I love:"Doll Artists aim to produce dolls which are the mirror of their souls. A doll produced with this intention is never a cold and lifeless object. It may show mistakes and defects in proportion and workmanship, but it "lives."~ Hildegard Gunzel

Here is a sneak peek at a new doll pattern that's almost at the finish line.It's a map of how to shade the iris of the eye......