We have some great friends who are moving to St. Louis soon, despite our repeated begging, and they going to be greatly missed. Kev and Jess have four little girls, ranging in age from five on down to two mos. I thought I'd make each wee girl a little modified Black Apple doll to remember us by. Jess, if you are at your mom's looking at these pics, surprise! They're done. (I had already shown Jess the WIPs)
I was originally going to make them all blonde, like the real little lasses, but realized they'd be more fun in different colors and easier to tell apart. Ahem. Also I didn't have enough yellow felt.
I redrew my disastrous body pattern from before and made the arms thicker and longer, so this time it worked ok. I also remembered to sew the legs up before I cut them out (this works great!) so the legs aren't as skinny.
I stuffed the arms first and then I stitched a joint at the shoulder and stuffed the rest. I also sewed the girls' initial on the dolls so there would be no mistaking who is who's. Growing up with four sisters I learned early to mark my stuff. However all our names begin with L, so I had to spell it out.
On an unrelated but much sweeter note, Bake It Pretty is having a gift certificate giveaway to celebrate the Vintage Village cupcake decorating kits she's selling for the holidays. Check it out!
Shopkeeping note: I'll be out of town this weekend for Thanksgiving, so if you purchase a Katy pattern from the shop, it will be a few days until you get it via email. I'll be gone Nov 27-Dec 1.
thanks!
They turned out so cute! I'm sure the girls will love them. Have a great holiday!
ReplyDeletethey are SO cute...i HAVE to make one. have a happy thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThese look great! I've seen the black apple doll pattern but didn't have much motivation to try it, but I think you've changed my mind. "g" is my favorite. Love the buttons on the pigtails, so stinkin' cute. Oh how I wish my daughter liked dolls. I loved dolls as a child and she doesn't care one bit about them so far. She LOVES animals though so I'm making (finishing) her a molly monkey for Christmas. Thanks again for the wonderful pattern!
ReplyDeletethanks, y'all. Katie, I have one who has never been interested in the least in human dolls (which is why the Molly pattern came about), but she is now four and has gone absolutely bonkers for these Black Apple dolls. So you might save it for later! Glad you are enjoying the Molly pattern!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, how do you find the time? You must be super organized! I'm still catching up on lesson plans and grading papers. I love these dolls. They are so cute. The monogram is genius!
ReplyDeleteI love your about me section. I think that you sound like a well rounded person. I love your dolls and I wish I were brave enough to be a home school mom. I hope that you have a wonderful thanksgiving.
ReplyDeletePugslet, seriously, have a look at the dust bunnies residing under my furniture. :-) I craft instead of sleep a lot of times.
ReplyDeleteKate, thank you! What a sweet thing to say! Sometimes I think I must be insane, but it all works out. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
I love them! Their hair is just too cute. All of that hard work and details. they will be cherished!
ReplyDeleteEeekkk! They're so excruciatingly cute! The girls will adore them !
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely ADORABLE. What lucky girls! The fabrics you have chosen are perfect.
ReplyDeleteThey are so sweet. What a great thoughtful gift. I'm sure they will adore them.
ReplyDeleteSo inspiring. I'm making these for my own three girls for Christmas. Yours are so much cuter than the "real thing".
ReplyDeleteyour dolls are so amazing and those hairs.... so sweet :)
ReplyDeleteMust feel wonderful to cuddle them
These dolls are ADORABLE!! I made one last night-- I'm definitely a novice crafter, but my daughter will still enjoy it... she loves dolls :) She's Ethiopian and there just aren't many cute brown baby dolls out there. So, thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI'm just going thru all your blogs and ran across these goregeous dolls! Did you know you are awesome? The colors are unbelievable! I love the monogram and pigtails... I'd love to make one with pigtails too...is it easy to describe here? Thanks. Look forward to seeing more of your stuff...
ReplyDeletePunkmom, did you know you are too kind? The pigtails are super easy to add. Cut the shape you want them to be out of felt, and layer it inside the head before you sew. I tack mine down with glue on the very edge so they don't shift around during sewing. Ta da!
ReplyDeleteim not quite sure how i found your blog but i love your black apple dolls - do you have a pattern for the way you modifies their hair. my daughter loves them and i love to make them but i really love the pig tails. i am still a beginer so i can make my own patterns yet. thanks!!
ReplyDeletecorijanetyler@hotmail.com
Cori, I don't have a pattern for the pigtails to share online. But you can make your own so easily. Start with a triangle that is about the size you would like the pigtails. Snip out some small triangles in the ends to simulate hair. Curve the sides a bit if you like. Then layer those triangles inside the head as you sew the body together.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE these black apple dolls! I'm going to make a Princess and the Pea set for my daughter with a bunch of "mattresses" and am trying to figure out a color scheme for the doll. I LOVE the Pipi doll you made, especially because my daughter has crazy red hair. Did you paint these dolls' faces or are they embroidered, too? Which do you think is easiest? I would hate to make a lovely doll and then mess up the face!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karlamcurry! These faces were done with fabric markers. Definitely more easy and quick, but yes, a risk if you mess up while drawing it on. You can't erase it! I drew the face on lightly with pencil or disappearing marker before going permanent with the fabric ink.
ReplyDelete