I like my crafting experiments to be low risk. Dying fabric with natural ingredients fits that bill. I’m not going to accidentally stain my counters, no gloves needed, I can use my regular cookware for most of it. And I don’t need dramatic results or for my fabric to be colorfast. I never wash doll clothes because my samples are not getting played with and if it fades thats ok. There’s really no risk of the dyed fabric coming off … More
Happy Saturday people. How are your Saturdays? Mine are a little stressful honestly. I am a “it’s the weekend let’s get things done” person and the rest of my Langs are “it’s the weekend what’s the least productive thing I can do” people. Hm. Sigh. Eyeroll. I shall ignore them and persist with my list. First thing up, a little bit more craft room reorganization. I’ve decided to tackle one area at a time. It’s sorta working. I still hit … More
Back to work! The kids went back to work on Monday which was also my birthday and that was a great present, just getting back to a normal routine and starting to dig into some new projects. I spent the first half of the day writing out a bunch of ideas and plans in my bullet journal (I’m using that term very loosely – more just like a book of lists)
So the first thing on my list for 2020 … More
Even though we have our design for the new Bear Make-Along doll all picked out, Goldilocks was having fun looking through the teddy bear books and picking out her favorites.
(Goldilocks is the Elsa doll in the Make-Along pom pom sweater btw)
Most of these are vintage Steiff bears and some are from Japanese craft books. The Make-Along Bear will be more of a bear doll than a teddy bear so that he can wear all the make-along outfits. But … More
I stumbled upon something fun on instagram last week, a tiny pincushion sewing challenge #teenytinypinnieparade, over at tinkerellen. After spending a good hour or so down that rabbit hole of tiny quilted pincushions, leading me to all sorts of wonderful quilting and sewing sites, I ordered some crushed walnut shells from amazon and started plotting. First I tried something a little too ambitious, trying to incorporate this neat trick with a magnetized needleminder button as a tiny teddy bear’s … More
I love making art dolls based on literary heroines. I’ve made Laura Ingalls Wilder, Jo March, Anne of Green Gables, the three friends – Betsy, Tacy & Tib, and Jane Austen heroines Elizabeth Bennet & Emma. I really enjoy the challenge of capturing not only their look and spirit but also tackling the historical costumes. I think in a parallel universe I am a costume designer. And in that reality I know all the historically accurate details of every era. … More
A captivating gang of 24 huggable, lovable creatures to sew—from classics like Margot, a topsy-turvy doll, and the button-jointed teddy bear Bjorn Bjornson, to irresistible Evelyn, a wool felt inchworm decked out in mod glasses and a kerchief, and Koji, a fiercely cute spiked softie monster. There’s something for everyone here—from kids to grown-ups and from beginning sewers to advanced dollmakers. Published by STC Craft, August, 2010.
