Finally I have managed to claw my way back to the blog to say hello…..Hello Lovelies 🙂

As any of you ‘hand makers’ know the Christmas build up starts early, and despite my plans, my copious notes and my many lists entitled ‘To-do’…. I always seem to get to this point in the year, with a feeling of being chased!

The pressure is of course, of my own making. For years, I have enjoyed the Christmas Market atmosphere.  Crafting can be a relatively solitary pursuit, and craft markets, are a great opportunity to meet buyers, other makers and people simply intrigued by what you have made.  This year, I have taken a step back from that, and instead, concentrated on creating a limited number of Waldorf inspired Dolls…..and it has been these 5 Fuzzpotlings…. Poppy, Rose Hip, Tabitha Thimbleberry, Strawberry Skye and Queenie, that have been keeping me busy…well, that and ‘life’ really.

Each of these dolls, takes around 3 weeks to make.  The heads are made using traditional techniques, the bodies and limbs are hand crocheted, the wigs are hand crafted and the clothing all hand knitted.

I love each step of the process, but to be honest, when I see them in their completed form…..oozing with individual personality, it makes my heart sing.  Even when they are packed into their little suitcases, with it’s window into the world, it makes me smile, because I can imagine the adventures that they are about to go on.

I had a very special little soft doll when I was very small, called Pinky, and my wish for each of the Fuzzpotling dolls, is quite simple……they mean as much to someone somewhere, as that little doll meant to me.

Tabitha Thimbleberry is one of my most recent dolls.  The colours simply sing to me, in there softness, and she strikes me as quite shy, yet incredibly cheeky.  I love her naturally white blonde hair, especially when her beret comes off on a windy day !

 

Her dress, like that of Rose Hip, her little friend, are knitted using a 4 ply extra fine merino yarn.  I love the softness of this yarn, but I always think that it creates a lovely stitch definition too.  Rose Hip, like Tabitha, has that super fuzzy hair, that if untethered, can whoosh into a little halo of fluff….

Each of the girls dresses have little cotton crochet flowers decorating them, and these are carried on to their matching hats.  Playing with colours is a huge part of the enjoyments for me and I always love the tiny little bits of extra detail. Rose Hip is wearing denim sneakers, and of course denim sneakers look best with blue gingham bloomers.

Poppy, who you met a little last time in my previous post, was again, drawn on similar lines…..her colours were bright and vibrant to match that gorgeous red hair…

Queenie, is a little girl with curly brown hair and space buns. As my daughters both know, hats are a little tricky with buns, so her hair has been decorated with pretty pink crochet flowers…..

This little one was a bit tricky to photograph.  The low morning sunlight, played havoc with her complexion, and I can honestly say, I am not sure that the pictures really did this pretty one justice.  She has just started her long journey to the U.S. where I hope she will enjoy making lots of happy memories.

Now Strawberry Skye, has a mass of of bright pink/red curls made from hand dyed Teeswater Locks sourced locally.  Her style is more Boho chic, deep bright colours, and of course flowers in her her…..there is no way a beret will sit on top of those curls!

Being a little different to the others, meant a little something individual and her boots really suited her……to be honest, I’d like a pair of those myself !!

And so, that is my round up of what I’ve been up to.  I am really pleased to say, that all of the Fuzzpotlings, packed into their Unicorn suitcases,  have now found their new homes, and are ready to settle in and have some fun.

I am currently working on some outfits, which will become available in the next few weeks. These will fit all of my little dolls ( both cloth and waldorf inspired)  Their proportions don’t conform to standard doll sizings, so I thought it might be nice to create some add on outfits and package them up into smaller suitcases, making them available before Christmas.  I will of course post regular updates on Facebook, when these become available…… I am knitting up a storm as we speak….so keep your peepers peeled.

Next year I will be offering a few more free patterns….designs for which are underway.

Hope you are all enjoying a relaxing Festive build up…..I am off to do a little speedy housework, establish a base camp half way up my ironing mountain, and then disappear into the shed for a little bit of cosy knitting.

Have a great day xxx