You might ask yourself, "Why should I bother doing a cloth doll class?".
You might tell yourself that it costs money or takes too much time. Admittedly, an in-person class with a teacher live and in the flesh does cost some money and as it requires your presence it does take some time, but have you counted the cost of missing that class?
Here's the top 5 reasons to sign up for a live cloth doll class:
1. You'll save time in the long run
When I first started doll making, I learned by reading books and patterns and doing my best. But when I finally took an in-person class from Barbara Willis I learned some tricks that saved me huge amounts of time. Before taking Barbara's class I would waste an hour and a half trying to turn a single doll's fingers. After Barbara's class it took me only seconds. Now think of the many, many dolls I've made over the 8 or so years since I took that class. That is a lot of saved time.
2. Your finished doll can become a gift
Use the doll you've created in class as a gift for birthdays or Christmas. That way, not only are you getting the tuition to make a doll, but you are also getting a very personal, one of a kind gift for a loved one. If you want to make your doll even more personal to the recipient, ask me in class to give you a few ideas on how to make your doll more personalised.
3. Make extra money and sell your finished doll
Not all doll designers will allow you to sell dolls that you've made in their class, so be sure to check before committing to a class. However, as with all my designs you can make up to 12 dolls of any given design to sell per year. That means you could make one of each and every one of my designs a month and sell them on. Sell them on Etsy, at crafts fairs or via galleries to make some extra money.
4. Make the most of your money by making more than one doll
I always give a complete pattern and instructions for the entire doll in my doll classes, so you can make more than one doll of that design to sell or give as gifts. Be warned though that not all doll designers give you complete patterns and instructions for every class they teach so make sure to clarify that point before committing to a course.
5. Guaranteed Me-time
Women are notoriously bad at spending time and money on ourselves. There area always other things clamouring for our attention - laundry, shopping, ironing, work, kids, grand-kids. But ask yourself, if you took two days to have some me-time would the world come crashing down? I always find that if I take a wee bit of a time-out just for me, afterwards I feel better able to focus on the everyday things that need to get done. Sometimes you just need to re-charge your batteries.
If you want to get a charge out of doll classes I'm teaching my Oops-a-Daisy Christmas Tree Ornament Elves class in the UK and in Canada this November 2012. This trio of dolls is simple and fun. You should leave the class with at least one doll complete - so that will be one Christmas gift that can be checked off the list!
In the UK: If you are interested in a class in the UK, my class at Blue Haze in Chesham, Bucks filled so quickly that we had to add a second set of dates. The two day class on Thurs Nov 1- Fri Nov 2, 2012 still has available spots. You can book a spot in this cloth doll class online by clicking the link. Alternatively, call Blue Haze now on Tel: 01494 782030 or email: info@blue-haze.co.uk to reserve your spot.
In Canada: If you live close to Southwestern Ontario I will be teaching the Oops-a-Daisy Elves in Ingersoll, Ontario Canada on Saturday November 17th – Sunday November 18th, 2012. The price for this class is extremely good value and includes a hot lunch on both days! For out of town students we also have an extremely good deal available on hotel rooms at Ingersoll Comfort Inn and Suites. Click the link to read more about this cloth doll class in Ontario. E-mail me if you have any questions or if you want to sign up.
So the question is can you afford to miss a cloth doll class?
