Our doll club has had a Secret Pal exchange going since last December. Everyone made a doll anonymously for their secret pal. Then tonight we were supposed to give another doll and reveal our identity. This little peach of a doll is the second doll that I made for Mary. Of course being the procrastinator that I am ... even though I had from December to make her, I didn't really get a move on until last week. I like to say that it was in the incubator stage prior to that.
She's a fairly small doll compared to what I usually do (around 8" seated). Her body is made of various body parts from Patti Culea's books (here) but reduced by 60%. The majority of her costume is made directly into her body. Her underskirt was draped with paper towels and then made into a pattern. The top skirt was draped directly on the body then cut and stitched in place. The fabrics were a mix: batik for the skin, cottons for the body costumes, and some luscious fabric from Treasures of the Gypsy for her skirts. Overall I'm extremely pleased with how she turned out. It was freeing not working from a pattern per se. I'll definitely have to do more dolls in this way.
Oh, by the way, I was voted in as the new president of our doll club tonight! I was humming "Hail to the Chief" all the way home. Hee hee.
