A Day In The A Blue Mountains.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I welcome you to take your time and browse , visiting my bush garden and discovering the wonders of my city within a national park; Blue Mountains National Park. Via my blog you will travel with me through the successes, trials and tribulations of gardening on a bush block. I share with you my patchwork & quilting, knitting, paper crafts, cooking and life in general.
Showing posts with label Gwen Merrill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gwen Merrill. Show all posts

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Baby Doll - Upcycling.

Vest and booties made from recently purchased Patons baby wool.(New.)
Pilchers made from left over teddy bear fur donated to my stash by my Youngest Sister about five years ago.
Velcro(new).

Carry basket fabric purchased at garage sale many moons ago.  It is curtain fabric.
I purchased Vilene (new) to reinforce the walls.
Coreflute was used to make basket base insert. This was salvaged from an obsolete sign I had made years ago when working as a consultant.
Mattress fabric was purchased at Reverse Garbage...one hundred percent Italian cotton.
Mattress insert was made from left-over quilt batting.
Broderie Anglaise lace, purchased new.
Ribbon salvaged from old baby clothing.
Gathering elastic (new).
Quilt and pillow fabric also from Reverse Garbage, as is basket liner (three types of fabric used here).
Lace on quilt and pillow is Kaiser Crafts scrap booking lace.(New).

Bouclé wool purchased for $1 a ball from St Vinnies.
Believe it or not, the doll herself is made from calico that I had purchased and cut out in the late nineties and never completed.
I found it when I went searching for the pattern I'd also cut out back then!

I had intended to buy some fabric markers to add features to the dolly's face but I found some permanent overhead projector pens from my teacher training days and used these instead.
I asked the assistance of my Angel while drawing on the face as I've had lots of stuff ups in the past when it came to free hand drawing. I insisted that she watch over my shoulder the whole time I was drawing and I'm happy with the results.
Decorating chalks (from my card making/scrap booking supplies)were used to add colour to Dolly's cheeks.

Nightie fabric also from Reverse Garbage...this fabric is divine.
I imagine voluminous folds of this fabric fashioned into a wedding gown fit for royalty!  The nightie is made from three different weights of the same fabric as there was not enough of one weight to make the entire nightie.

Dress and bonnet are made from cotton patchwork fabric left over from previous quilt projects.
Vintage lace purchased at St Vinnies was used to trim the dress.
Ain't she sweet?

Initially, I intended to use left over patchwork fabric, picking out bright colours to clothe the doll and for the basket and bedding.
But instead, I decided because in today's world a child's life is bombarded with bright colours and lights in every aspect of life from food, to toys to clothing that this dolly would be clothed and coddled in soothing, subdued, colours.
Dolly has been gifted.
Her reception has been cool.
After all she has to compete with a brand new bike (with training wheels), Dora the Explorer Doll, a brightly coloured jewellery box, sparkling jewellery, and on and on.
But today GD requested a swirly skirt for dolly. 





Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Taxing Times.

Tax deadline, two hour wait to have car towed, heavy showers of rain with piles of laundry waiting to be hung out and a little doll that I so need to have complete before the weekend.
She's looking very Amish at the moment. I do intend to add facial features but not sure if I'll follow pattern instructions for felt features or use fabric pens.
What do you think?


Behind the dolly's head you can see the carry basket for her. Have had so much trouble adding base to basket but got some help at my sewing class yesterday (and then got stranded when my car immobilizer immobilized me)  and now well on its way to being complete.
To the right you can see bouclĂ© wool which I will use for hair. (Purchased at St. Vinnies).




Here's dolly with vest, pilchers, booties, quilt and pillow.
  Remember my trip to Reverse Garbage and the beautiful fabric samples I purchased?  I have used as many of this as I could to make dolly's clothes.  The fabrics are one hundred percent fine cottons from Italy.
Do you think dolly will be able to compete with Dora the Explorer Doll?
I hope so.
Dolly's pattern comes from Family Circle Treasury of Dolls & Cuddly Toys and is designed by Gwen Merrill.
Darcy The Sheep also originated from one of Gwen's designs.

Above are some fabrics I've cut out for making a HST quilt for the guest bedroom, hopefully this will be my next sewing project.

No Progress with: The long hexagons or 

French General quilt top.


Cat in a Hat #2 is (almost) ready for sandwicheding, basteding and machine quilteding. Binding is machine stitched and waiting for hand blind hemming.
Finished: English paper pieced scrappy quilt.  Waiting for label. Saving photographs until labelled.
So many projects, so little time!
Happy sewing.

I'm linking to
WIP Wednesday


WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

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