I have loved Waldorf/Steiner dolls for a long time. I can’t remember when I first saw one or when I learned they had a name but I absolutely love these little guys and gals. So, as I celebrate the new year, I decided to take on making my first doll as a project. Nothing like starting off the year with a totally new craft! Here are some process shots of where I am at present. I’ve made the head and have needle felted some of the wool which will be stuffed into the arms, legs, and body to make the body form.
Thoughts so far – this is not a project for the faint of heart! It’s crazy how I’m using so many different craft skills in one project! The body is machine sewn, the stuffing is needle felted, the face will be embroidered, and the hair will be crocheted! I’m planning on making this little lady Asian with hair that looks like my sweet pea. I like the idea of children having dolls of all races to play with and I haven’t found an Asian doll so it seemed as good an excuse as any to try my hand at doll making. This fabric is a ” light medium” color to match my daughter’s complexion and was purchased from a lovely Waldorf doll materials seller on Etsy along with the wool stuffing and gauze tubing I needed to make the doll.
While my doll is not yet finished, have a peak over at this Flickr group of Steiner doll photos if you really want to be inspired! There are some amazing doll artists out there! It was on Flickr I first found a visual tutorial for making Waldorf dolls which inspired me to try. I’m using this tutorial along with a Waldorf doll making tutorial I found for free on Craftsy and a book on sewing Waldorf dolls to bring this doll to life. We’ll see if that’s enough counsel to make it work for me!
I’m also attempting my first lace crochet project. I bought a pattern off Etsy a few years ago and when I tried it back then I just couldn’t master it. It wasn’t really complicated, I just was a self-taught lefty crocheter and I couldn’t figure out the directions! It’s such a beautiful pattern that I picked it up again and decided it was time to give it another try. I’m using a Paton lace yarn with tiny sequins throughout. I thought that would make it a “special” scarf for dressy occasions. I’ve finally gotten the hang of the pattern and am loving the result! I can’t wait to finish it and block it!
Sharing these projects with the crafty gang at Tami’s and Lydia’s.
Does anyone have tips on how to block a scarf and/or other tips for finishing my doll and making her some cute clothes? Yet again…something I’ve never done – welcome new year!!!
I admire you for being brave and just jumping right into such a complex project! I can’t wait to see this progress!
Thanks Emily! I’m trying to push myself…I can be a perfectionist which makes it difficult to try new things but how else can you learn?!
In my apartment, I would block lace on my living room carpet. I would soak in the sink for 20 min with a little no-rinse wool wash, then I would drain the sink, squoosh out the water (no wringing! only pushing down) Then I would lay it out on a towel, fold the towel over and walk around on the towel. This helps remove excess water.
From there I would lay out dry towels the size of what my blocked item would be, and I would pin it out. I just used stainless steel pins from Walmart.
Now that I own a home with almost entirely wood floors, I block on foam exercise mats, and for straight edges I use stainless welding rod as blocking wires (7 bucks a pound!) along with the stainless pins. For your first time, pins and towels on carpet should be fine. Better to wait until you really like lace before you invest in specialized tools.
Molly : )
Molly – Thanks sooooo much! The towels and carpet should work for us for now
I tried blocking snowflakes last Christmas and I rusted a bunch of pins so I’m all about the pins from Walmart! Thanks so much for the tips!
Love your idea of dolls of different races etc, good way to teach children they world is bigger then what they see. Good luck on lace, it’s looking quite nice.