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Tips & Tutorials |
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Need Help? Send any questions on our
patterns or general doll making and we will post the answers here as a
helpful guide for all.
Laminating the pattern pages before cutting them out is a great idea. Join pattern pieces if needed with sticky tape. You will have nice firm pattern pieces to trace around and will help keep them in shape. I use an orange gel pen when tracing around pattern pieces as it makes following the line a lot easier when sewing and visibility is poor. It also doesn't show after sewing.... much better than a darker pen. When turning small pattern pieces such as arms & legs, always start from the hand or foot end. Wet your thumb & index fingers, rub the two layers of fabric to separate them & gently push the turning tool ( narrow brass tubing) into the loose fabric. Allow the fabric to roll over the turning tool until right side out. Much easier than starting at the open end. The stuffing I prefer to use is a coarser type available in large packs (sometimes by weight) at fabric & craft shops and even mattress factory outlets. You can buy doll stuffing that is very light & silky but it is too slippery to use with the turning tool. It's always helpful to run some Fray Stop (or similar) around the outside of the seams before cutting out. Seams are extra strong as a result and sealed well, especially when using sand as a filling. Don't let the Fray Stop drip onto areas yet to be tea-stained as it will prevent the stain from entering the fabric. It is also great to use on the ends of ribbon, lace and cut edges of doileys. eg. Spice Angel pattern. You can use tea, coffee or Parisian Essence ( found in supermarket near vanilla etc) to give your dolls a lovely aged patina. I like to use a spray bottle to apply the tea-stain as I can spray extra where needed and it is easier to apply to doll bodies after sewing. Experiment with your choice. Steep 3 tea-bags (cheapest) in a cup of boiling water, leave for 15 min then strain into spray bottle. Check the strength on a scrap of calico. Add 2 tspns of coffee approx. to a cup of boiling water until dissolved or a few drops of Parisian Essence to a cup of boiling water. I use Parisian Essence a lot as it gives a rich colour. If you are dying fabric for clothes.. after spraying or soaking fabric in dye of choice, a nice touch is to sprinkle tea-leaves directly onto the fabric, scrunch up and allow to dry. Lately I have been experimenting with rubbing cinnamon into the finished dolls....a little more primitive, and what a lovely smell! They take a little longer to dry though. A doll with 'rosey' blushed cheeks is the perfect finish. I use an artist's pastel chalk and apply it with a dry brush in a circular manner. This gives a soft blush with no hard lines. Step by step instructions for sewing the facing onto the top worn by Bathing Beauty -
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