The Magic Bean

Wordless Wednesday - A Spot of Christmas Shopping in York

Freebie Friday - Handmade Christmas Gift Tutorials

Multiple Choice Question:

Making your own Christmas gifts means:

a|) avoiding the crowds out shopping

b) giving more personal gifts 

c) saving money

d) all of the above

Well, I think we can safely say the answer is D, so whatever your reasons for crafting your own Christmas gifts, here's some tutorials to help you out in your quest for a handmade holiday season. Just click the links to see the projects in question.

Gifts for Kids

Steph of the blog, The Silly Pearl has a great gift idea for little people who are learning about time, a fabric clock pillow moveable clock hands to help with learning.  Educational AND cute as heck.

Create Baby Stuff, an aptly named site, shared a tutorial to make a soft stacking toy from felt.  Great for babies. 

Zakka Life shared a cool tutorial to make a moving ballerina toy, that pirouettes her way around a tiny candy tin.  You could replace the ballerina with a monster to make this project more boy friendly. 

Gifts for Gals

Ornamentea shared a tutorial using simple silhouette printables and bevelled frames that can be converted into so many things such as jewellery or magnets, perhaps.  Visit the Ornamentea site to download the free printable silhouettes and get the how to with the video below:

 

If you love silhouettes, don't forget my Regency Silhouette Christmas Ornaments tutorial. 

Sara at Craft Snob made a lovely rosette embellished headband from an old t-shirt and then, bless her, shared the tutorial. 

Alicia DiRago of the blog Dismount Creative created a super cool tutorial to make a jewellery tree from doll house chairs.  This jewellery rack is so cool looking, it could pass for modern sculpture. 

Ayumi from the blog Pink Penguin shared a beautifully pieced quilt block pattern for a toaster with someone's name on it.  Perfect for a peronalised gift.

Elizabeth at Don't Call Me Betsey made a mini bookshelf quilt pattern that would be perfect for the bibliophiles on your Christmas list. 

Make a great little gift for a hostess, this little apron to put over the washing up liquid, as designed by Camille Roskelley of the blog Simplifiy.  Add a little note offering your help with the dishes and this gift would be even more appreciated by your hostess. 

Gifts for Guys

Make cosy pillows with a hint of formality to them with these flannel tuxedo pillows, using a tutorial from Sew4Home. 

Jax Avery of the blog Aly and Ash, designed this amazing custom checker board that would really impress the men on your list. 

Jax also designed this key tag tutorial, which would be a great stocking stuffer. 

Personalise a clock with my Babclock, clocking making tutorial.  Just substitute the comic strip with something near and dear to the recipient's heart - a map, a photo, whatever you've got that's paper will do. 

Gifts for Anyone

For anyone who needs a cosy place to read, this tutorial was written by Bonnie of Wonderfully Awkward as a guest blog post at Sew Happy Geek for a Reading/Knitting pillow tutorial.

For a smaller gift (Secret Santa gift for a work colleague perhaps?), this fabric key fob tutorial featured on the Sew4Home website is a real keeper.  Of keys, that is. 

Don't forget to visit my free tutorials page for more gift worthy tutorials.  Now you've got the inspiration and the impetus, you just need the time. The clock starts now.  Go!

Wordless Wednesday - I Capture the Castle

Window from the castle where the film, I Capture the Castle was shot.

 

Eyes and Fingers and Toes, Oh My!

I always start off my classes by asking each person what it is they want to get out of the class.  Some people say that just want to have fun (which I'm all for) and others say they want to learn anything new while others say that want to learn a very specific technique. 

I try to make sure that I concentrate on the things that people want to learn most.  In my two day Ascending class at Blue Hazein Chesham, Buckinghamshire November 11-12th, we concentrated on face, fingers and toes.

I think that there were some wonderful faces that came out of that class.  And I'm not talking about the faces we all pull while concentrating really hard.  I mean doll faces.  All the faces below are shown before having their eyelashes added.  Even sans eyelashes they are looking pretty good, me thinks. 

I didn't get a photo of Jo's doll face, but I did get a photo of Jo holding her very first cloth doll hand with articulated fingers.  This was Jo's third cloth doll ever, having discovered cloth dolls only 3 months ago.

It was hard to say who was more excited about Jo's first attempt at fingers, me or Jo.  I don't know about you Jo, but I felt like doing a victory lap. That's probably why I love teaching so much, doll making feels new to me every time someone discovers some little technique that makes them have an "aha moment".

For June, her "aha moment" came when we attached the head of her doll to the neck and the neck to the body.

So satisfying when a thing comes together.

Kim was most concerned about making feet and had a minor panic moment when she thought she'd made two left feet.  But she hadn't.  Panic mode over.  You have to stay on your toes while doll making as it is easy to do something like make two left feet.  Or even to just think you had. 

Not everyone in the class wanted their picture taken, so some parts of the class will have to remain shrouded in mystery.  I am liking the idea of being mysterious.  I don't get to be mysterious very often.  I almost feel like an International Woman of Mystery.  I need to buy a cool pair of shades to go with my new image.

On my third day at Blue Haze, I taught my Dive Into a Book bookmark doll class. 

Part flat doll and part 3D with little needle-sculpted toes, this class is perfect for beginners like friends (from left) Christine, Jenny and Carol.

And for friends Doris and June who are experienced doll makers, the Dive Into a Book class represented a way to practice their toe-sculpting, after having made their first stab at cloth doll toes in the Ascending class the two days previous.

So whether you bring your friends with you to class...

Or make them while you are there, cloth doll classes are a great way to spend your time.  Of course, I would say that, as I teach cloth doll classes.  I'll admit that I am a bit biased.  But you can see for yourself that making little people from cloth really brings people together.

Freebie Friday - The Newest Free Cloth Doll Patterns

I've come across some great free cloth doll patterns across the net lately. Here are some of my favourites:

Rag Dolls and Play Dolls

If you are looking for a simple rag doll that a child can play with, download the free PDF pattern for this Babyville Boutique Doll found on the Fairfiled website. Hint: click the link and then click Download PDF to the left of the screen.

These little fabric gnomes from Whimsical Whimsies would be great for kids.

Winter and Christmas Dolls

If you want a doll that is a bit more involved than a rag doll, but with major cute factor and a wintery theme, download the free pattern for Jennifer Carson's Yuki Frostfooton the Fairfield website. Hint: click the link and then click Download PDF to the left of the screen.

Make a simple gift, ornament or stocking stuffer with a girlie twist using this free tutorial from Intimate Weddings for a Flower Girl Fairy using a clothes pin and fibres to make a lush tu-tu.

Gingerbread Snowflakes has a number of angel ornament tutorials using Yarnia yarn cones. There's a folk art angel tutorial, a beaded snowflake angel, a quilted angel, and lastly a harvest wheat angel.

Over on Lazy Basset there is a tutorial for some felt Christmas Angels to decorate your tree.

Art Dolls

Kris and Kim from The DIY Dish shared how to make a gorgeous fabric mannequin pin cushion. It is beautiful as is, but if you added a head, she would also make a great Art Doll Pin cushion. Download the mannequin pin cushion pattern on the DIY Dish and watch the video below to learn how to do it:

If you do want to add a head to the mannequin, why not try this Lucky Penny pin doll head pattern as designed by Judy Skeel- you'll need to size it to make it fit proportionately, but wouldn't it look great?

Jodie Carlton at Ric-Rac has a really cute free little robot softie pattern. Not exactly a doll per-se, but seeing as this is my blog and I make the rules, I'm including it. So there.

Nellie of Nellie's Needles shared a nice and simple Spirit doll free pattern. Fans of goddess dolls will love this one. Thanks to Shashi for sharing that link.

Shashi herself has a free Ladybird pin doll pattern over on her blog Sewing with Moonbeams.

Marla Lee Nierderer designed these great pin dolls and shares the needle sculpting techniques that she used in a tutorial on her blog Orsini's Angels.

Break out the needle and thread, there are lots of ways to create little people in cloth in these links!

Wordless Wednesday - Wheeling Along

Freebie Friday - Free Bird Patterns and Tutorials

Let your creativity take wing with some feathered friends.  Birds make great decorations on Christmas trees or wreaths, but you'd be bird-witted if you didn't realise that birds can look equally good all year round.  Here are some great bird tutorials:

 
Martha Stewart broke out the glitter to make these birds and their nests ready for Christmas.  Get the glittering how-to here.

 
Or top the tree with fabric birds and gold leafed eggs with the step by step instructions from Martha Stewart.

 
Martha suggests making this beautiful nest as an Easter centrepiece, but as a doll maker, I just picture this as the perfect perch for a cloth doll.  Or make it in different colours for a Christmas centrepiece.

Karen Bailey who writes the Todolwen blog has several bird themed tutorials to offer:

This tutorial which repurposes a wool jumper (sweater to North Americans) to create a nest. by cleverly felting the sweater into shape.

This simple fabric and paper bird tutorial was created by Karen to accompany her felted nest.

Or for another way to feather your nest, Karen offers a doily and wooden egg nest tutorial which really has some vintage charm.

Kata at Petite Purls shared an adorable felt egg-shaped chick pattern  that throws the whole "chicken or the egg" debate right out the window.

Make a bird plushie with a tutorial from Vivianna Agostinho.

 
Make a funky fat bird softie with a design by Patti Melazzo on the Fiskars site.

Abigail Patner Glassenberg, as author of The Artful Bird: Feathered Friends to Make and Sew, can be considered somewhat of an expert on sewing wee birds, gives us this Little Bird in Flight sewing tutorial on her blog While She Naps.

Rebecca at Heartfelt Mama shared a tutorial for making a felted birds nest out of an old wool jumper/sweater. 

This stuffed softie bird rattle pattern and instructions are free on the Lark Books blog.  The project is taken from the book, Sweet Booties!: And Blankets, Bonnets, Bibs & More and will have you all a flutter with its ingenious design.

 

If you need to feather your nest with a few more free bird tutorials and patterns, take a look at this round-up that I collected in anticipation of spring a while back.

Remember, birds aren't just for Christmas - they're for life.  But seriously, they really are a very good symbol of life aren't they?

Wordless Wednesday - Follow Your Nose

Ascending to New Heights in a Doll Making Class in Chesham, Bucks, UK

If you've ever wanted to learn to sculpt bare toes.

If you've ever wanted to learn to make a dynamic body shape.

If you've ever wanted to learn to stuff a cloth body that is "cellulite" free.

If you've ever wanted to make an applied eyelid on a cloth doll face.

If you've ever wanted to learn to turn and wire articulated cloth doll fingers.

If you've ever wanted to learn to make a stand that says something about the doll.

Than this class is for you.

The class: "Ascending"

Where: Blue Haze Arts and Crafts, Chesham, Bucks, UK

When: Friday 11th & Saturday 12th November 2011 - 10am to 4pm

How: You can find more information about this doll making course in the UK by clicking the link - you can even sign up online. Or call and speak to Hazel at the shop on Tel: 01494 782030 or email: info@blue-haze.co.uk.

What if you just want to dip your toes into some cloth doll making? Or what if you can't do a 2 day course?

No problem, you can learn how to make a bookmark fairy, called Dive Into a Book.

If you ever wanted to try cloth doll making but feel a bit intimidated by a full doll.

If you only have one day free.

If you are an experienced doll maker but have not sculpted bare toes in cloth before.

If you want to make a perfect Christmas present.

If you are a bit intimidated by drawing your own doll face and would really just enjoy some colouring in.

Then this course is for you.

The class: Dive Into a Book

Where: Blue Haze Arts and Crafts, Chesham, Bucks, UK

When: Sunday 13th November 2011 - 10am to 4pm

How: You can find more information about this doll making course in the UK by clicking the link - you can even sign up online. Or call and speak to Hazel at the shop on Tel: 01494 782030 or email: info@blue-haze.co.uk.

Don't miss out on either of these courses. Can't wait to see you there!

Freebie Friday - Ball Jointed Doll Tutorials

Even though I design and make cloth dolls, I haven't really gotten into the world of doll collecting.  My joy is in the creation, not the collection of dolls.  So, I wasn't really that aware of the whole world surrounding ball jointed dolls (known as BJDs).  I first became aware of these pose-able dolls, mostly originating in Japan, China and Korea when Patti Culea created a cloth version of a ball jointed doll. 

But I later started to appreciate ball jointed dolls for the delicious costuming and the expressive poses that their jointed bodies allow.

I wanted to do a round-up of free BJD tutorials, but in looking around the web, I found that I hadn't the least idea of what BJDs are actually about.  Here's what I learned:

- when you buy a BJD they usually come to you bald and undressed and you have to dress them yourself

- people regularly completely take apart their BJDs, repaint the faces, put in new eyes, re-wig and dress them

Who knew!  Well maybe you did, but I didn't.

I don't think that I'll be getting into BJDs in a major way.  I have too much love for cloth dolls, but I found a number of these tutorials really inspiring and most of these tutorials will easily apply to cloth dolls. 

General Information

If you want some more general information about ball jointed dolls, read this article.  I found this article illuminating. 

Sculpting

Ball jointed dolls can be very expensive, so one option is to sculpt your own.  Dolly Daydream shares how to sculpt a BJD doll with this tutorial.

This tutorial takes you step by step through the creation of a BJD doll in air-dry clay.  The tutorial is in Russian, but if you use Google Translate you can translate the instructions.  Having said that, the photos are so good and so plentiful, that you almost don't need the words.

Moulding - Note:  You can use these techniques to make moulds for clay faces to be put onto fabric doll bodies as well and even cover the cast face with fabric.

You can make moulds of your sculpted BJD doll, here's a tutorial to show you how.  I love the idea of using lego as a mould boxes.

Smooth On has got a great PDF document on the various ways to create moulds and casts, plus several how-to guides for casting.  Just follow the link to download the PDF or see the complete list of tips.

Eyes

Read this article on BJD Collectasy on how to make eyes for BJDs (or clay or cloth dolls for that matter) out of air dry clay.

Wigs and Hats

Make a woodland fairy crown with this video tutorial from Nankatts as featured on BJD Collectasy (the actual intro is quite long, but stick with it as there is a tutorial that follows):

 

Learn how to make a moss wig or hat for any type of doll with this tutorial on BJD Collectasy.  Is that not the cutest thing for a fairy?

Another hat perfect for elves, is this simple elf hat tutorial from Gracefaerie Designs. 

Nancie of Nakatts designed a Spring Hat tutorial in two parts and shared it on BJD Collectasy. Get Part 1 and Part 2.

Since BJDs are meant to have their wigs changed regularly, most BJD wig tutorials are for a proper removeable wigs (not something we often see in cloth doll making), so this tutorial by Martha Boers shows how to crochet a wig cap and then apply mohair to it.  The finished wig is size 6 and adorable.

Use a crocheted wig cap to create a synthetic hair wig, in a variation on the mohair wig with Martha Boers.

Martha Boers give us a tutorial and pattern for making a fully fitted Tibetan goat hair wig.  Sometiems Tibetan goat hair can be difficult to get to fit to the head properly but this method would work wonders.

Wings

Make woodland fairy wings with this video tutorial from Nankatts as featured on BJJ Collectasy (the actual intro is quite long, but stick with it as there is a tutorial that follows):

 

Martha Boers shared a tutorial to make some simple, but darling fairy wings on BJD Collectasy. 

Martha also has a variation on the simple fairy wings with this gorgeous stitched and painted wing tutorial.

Martha Boers also shared a tutorial for making textured fairy wings on her own BJD site Antique Lilac.

Costumes

Learn how to distress fabric to create a tattered fairy skirt with Martha Boers on BJD Collectasy.

Martha Boers even has two free patterns for complete BJD costumes including her Country Ruffles pattern and Cute and Colourful.

Make a simple no-pattern doll dress from a hankerchief with this tutorial from Grace Faerie Designs.

Make a Mardi Gras Mask with a video tutorial from Martha Boers as shared by BJD Collectasy:

 

I've only just scratched the surface of looking at tutorials for BJD dolls and as you can see, there are plenty.  Some of the techniques are quite different from what you see in cloth doll making, but most are completely applicable to any style of doll making.  I can see myself haunting a few BJD sites from now on.