It's No Mystery That These Doll Makers are Talented

Back in August of 2012 I took a risk.  I introduced something new - the Mystery Pattern.  I offered a pattern at a bargain price but the catch was that to get that price you had to pre-order the pattern before it was released and with only minimal information about what the pattern would be.

The brave participants who took the risk with me knew that the doll was an advanced level doll.  They knew that she was freestanding and female.  They knew her costume was period and that she could be used as a holiday doll or as an everyday themed doll.

They didn't know that the finished doll looked like this and was called Counting Down the Days:

Each participant signed up for a Yahoo Group through which the pattern was released in sections over a 5 week period.

And just look what just some of the participants came up with:

This is Christine Chumley's version of my Mystery Pattern/Counting Down the Days pattern.

Carmela Anjos' version of the Mystery Doll/Couting Down the Days pattern.

Kate Erbach created this lovely version of the Mystery Pattern.

Leanne Martin combined two different patterns that I designed to come up with this doll - Leanne used the torso, head, arms and hands from my Treasures of the Deep pattern.  The doll's jacket and hat came from my Counting Down the Days pattern, though it was tweaked a little bit to give it the length that Leanne wanted. Leanne added other custom touches with inserted Fimo eyes and a plastic bottle for the lower body!

Although I made my Counting Down the Days doll into an Advent Calendar, this pattern works well for all times of year as Suzanne Page proved when she made her version of the doll into an Easter beauty.

If you want to try making this doll, visit my Etsy shop to purchase the pattern or download it instantly at my Craftsy shop.

I think this Mystery Doll idea was a risk worth taking - just look at what wonderful work it inspired.  What risks are you going to take creatively or personally this year?

 

Comments

[Shashi]

Beautiful dolls Coleen they did you proud

[Leanne Martin]

Thank you for showing Lady Mary Victoria (as I call her). She has since gone on to my sister's in Ottawa as a Christmas gift. Your pattern is absolutely wonderful and I've used it twice more- once completely as you intended and the second with a solid bodice instead of the jacket, a fuller skirt and the "date" pieces all gathered in the back to create a bustle. It's such a versatile pattern that I'm sure to come up with all sorts of new things! Thanks Colleen!

[Mary Ann]

Thank you for showing some of the dolls from the Yahoo group. It's really amazing to see what everyone has done with your pattern. Wonderful creations:)