A Christmas Waldorf Doll Finish

There doesn't seem to be anywhere near as much blogging these days and I keep wondering whether to bother, but I will for now ..... for the record at least. Really, I favour Instagram now, but anyways!!

I finally finished the Waldorf doll I started several months ago, but was awaiting for her clothing! I think I’m making a bit of progress with each doll I make, but still want to improve. I love the pink tights I’ve made for her, but can’t decide on the head wear ..... knitted headband or knitted bonnet (photos of both)?
Do you see her peeking through the stairs at the Christmas tree 😀

Happy Christmas everyone 🎄🎅🤶

Lucy - Waldorf Doll

I will get faster eventually at making Waldorf Dolls, but for now, they take me an age – there is so much involved!!!! And I still have plenty to learn, but I think this one is better than the last, so I must be getting there. 

Her dungarees are made from cotton velvet, lined with a Tilda cotton fabric ………. note to self: DO NOT sew with velvet again – it moves!!!! 😊

 

You’ll see in the first photo that she’s being very sensible and wearing her mask ….. sorry, just had to do it 😊

 

She loves her boots!!

I hope you're all happy and keeping well.

Getting there ................

Well, my next Waldorf style doll is finished, BUT she's a little bit bare at the moment!! and so needs something nice to wear. She's thinking she would like some velvet dungarees (see beautiful cotton velvet draped to protect her modesty 😉) - mind you, sewing velvet ……….. ?? enough said! She I may yet have a change of mind 😄
We have the time though ………….. did I mention I'm now retired??!!
She needs a name too!

I've recently celebrated turning 60 (hence retirement) and thought you might enjoy seeing some of the balloons my darling!! eldest nephew organised for me ……… he does love a laugh (at my expense). I think they're brilliant! The 'Hip Hip Replacement' is referring to the knee replacement I had about 18 months ago. You can't get knee, knee replacement, because clearly that wouldn't be funny, so 'Hip' was the next best thing. I keep on trying to explain to this 33-year old nephew that he too will, one day, become old and decrepit 😄

So, I hope everyone is managing to keep well and safe and enjoying plenty of crafty time.

Allsorts!

Well, I've not been as regular as I planned with my (Corona) blogging! But I have been busy crafting.

A year or more ago, I bought the pattern to make this rather quirky earflap knitted hat …….. it just appealed to me!😕 Then I bought the yarn to knit it; and as I do not want to waste what I've bought, I was determined I would knit it. So, in the midst of sunny Spring weather, I finally got around to it. It involves a bit of fairisle knitting, but it's a nice chunky yarn and wasn't too onerous. And I'm sure I'll appreciate it in the depths of chilling winter walks!

The photo is only of the finished hat and the pattern - there's no way you're going to see me modelling it!! 😉 The girl in the pattern photo is young and pretty ….. I am not 😏

Last Friday, I made this birthday card for a friend. I had nothing suitable in to send and I really do hate going out to the shops at the moment ….. I, like many others, find it all very scary. And as I have a small supply of card making 'stuff' and a Gemini die cutting machine, I thought I'd take the time to make a card. This is a die called (not surprisingly) 'Afternoon Tea'

I know why I never really got into card making though, because one card took me probably half a day!! It's pretty, but so much time for something that will probably eventually be thrown away?!

Next, is a knitted dishcloth. Some years ago when I noticed that many ladies were knitting/crocheting dishcloths, I didn't really get it - what's the point in going to so much trouble for a dishcloth I thought??!! I even, much to my embarrassment, said as much to another crafter, who promptly told me that her mother made them …….. that was a rather red face moment!! 😳 This looks grey on my laptop screen, but is in fact a nice dusty pale blue.

I know it's only a dishcloth, but it's part of an increasing interest in homemade, recycling, minimalizing etc. I have developed over the last 4 - 5 years. Like many others, I have developed a deeper sense of the damage we humans are doing to our planet, so I won't start on how much I now hate plastic - and yes, I also have plenty of the stuff in my home - who does not; however, I plan to buy no more wherever possible. Grocery shopping often makes it very difficult, particularly when you have to run a very tight ship (financially) as I do. And I know also that it has its place, such as in hospitals. But, we have to start somewhere and I shall do whatever I can from now on. By the way, the dishcloth is knitted with a 100% cotton yarn. I will never buy acrylic yarn again!! Rant over!

Lastly, just to show I have not forgotten about my Waldorf dolls, I have also spent considerable time on my next one. I actually started on two at the same time, but the other one isn't working for me at the moment, so I'll need to back peddle a bit and try to put right what's wrong. But this one is working for me. The doll is finished, but now she needs some hair - that may get started today. And then the task of making clothes …… always my favourite part 😊

For now, I need to psych myself up for tomorrow when I shall be 60 years old ….. eeeek!! I don't complain though about getting older …. it really is just a number. And as a favourite saying has it " aging is a privilege denied to many". This always makes me think about my wonderful brother who died tragically 10 years ago at the age of 53 - he ought to still be here and aged 63, but he's not!

It won't of course, be terribly exciting - the fun has to be postponed for now, but I hope to be having video calls with friends and family. I may even receive some cards in the post if I'm lucky (a few have already arrived actually). And I've decided I shall bake myself a cake and put a candle on it. Then those at the other end of the video call can sing 'Happy Birthday' to me and I'll blow out the candle. That's the best we can do for now. There are tons of others having to put their celebrations on hold too. I feel really sorry for those who have had to postpone their weddings!! 😞

Anyway, that's it for now. Stay safe everybody 💓

Clemie (I think!)

It’s only taken me getting on for 5 months to produce a follow-up Waldorf Style Doll. What with Christmas, a personal matter and work as usual getting in the way, it’s taken a while!

If you’ve already read the following text on Facebook recently, I apologise for not being original. 
So, here are some photos of my newest doll. She is made (I think her name is Clemie) from the same pattern we used at Ildiko’s workshop in September last year. That said, there are plenty of differences to the end result, which just proves the benefits of having a teacher on hand! I’m reasonably pleased with her, but she’s far from being as good as the original. And why is that? Here’s what I think:

1.     I used a different doll jersey (what I had in at the time)

2.     Her arms and legs, for some reason, are too skinny

3.     Her cheeks aren’t chubby enough and her forehead looks a bit too wide

4.     The shade of fabric is lighter that the original and next to the white hair, she looks a bit anaemic – a darker skin would have looked better!

5.     Having mentioned the hair though, that is the part I am really pleased with. I had a go at a crocheted wig using mohair yarn especially designed for doll hair. It’s called Wild Brushable Mohair. I found various tutorials showing the method of making them, but then you just have to work it out as you go along adjusting the ‘wig’ to your doll’s head. I then washed it gently (before sewing it on her head) and let it dry into the lovely curls you see in the picture. There is a downside to this type of doll wig though. As lovely as it looks with all those curls, it soon becomes quite matted when handled, so I can’t imagine it staying looking so nice after being loved, cuddled and played with by a child. Maybe, in time, I will discover a way of keeping those curls! For now though, as seen in the other pictures, I’ve re-styled her hair into little bunches in the hope they will stay in place easier than pretty curls – still quite cute though!

I hope you’ll enjoy my new journey along with me as I learn the process of making good quality Waldorf ‘style’ dolls!

Waldorf Doll making

Just over a week ago, I attended a weekend Waldorf Doll Making workshop in Hereford! It was run and hosted by the very talented Ildiko of Waldorf Doll Shop. It was a very intensive 2 days ………….. and with ‘homework’ to be done on the Saturday evening too! That was to start crocheting the wig cap. Ildiko had us working hard, because there’s a lot to do to complete a doll in a weekend – she’s a very good and thorough teacher; and the ‘proof of the pudding’ is in the dolls we produced. And that didn’t include making the clothes either – they were already made for us. During the weekend, Ildiko also fed and watered us with plenty of delicious homemade food, biscuits and refreshments.

I’ve had a go at making a couple of Waldorf dolls over the last year, but with little success. It’s the head and face that’s the key – get that wrong and you’ll have a weird looking doll, so that’s what the majority of the workshop concentrates on. My interest in these dolls has been growing over the last couple of years – and at the same time, my interest in the teddy bears has been diminishing. The elephant I showed in the last post was the first bear I’d made in over 12 months and I didn’t particularly enjoy making it, so I see myself going down the Waldorf Doll route from now on so long as I can repeat the technique next time. I like that they’re made totally organically of all natural products, which is part of the Steiner principals. I also approve of the fact they are likely to be played with by children, which is why they are made so well. There are collectors out there too, but they are really designed to be played with.

Anyway, the little lady in green is the one I made - note, every bit is handmade! There were five of us making dolls and the next picture shows all the dolls together made by Sue, Alice, Manuela, Siobhan and me.

Now I don’t wish to offend anyone, but I just have to show you her cute little bum :0) 

If you're not familiar with Waldorf dolls, their origins are in the Steiner education system, although the original doll was of a much simpler design.

Get the violins out please!!

So, in chronological order, the following photos show what I’ve been up to since the beginning of last weekend.

First, I finished off a set of underwear for my little Waldorf doll (now named Annie – thank you Vivi). This is part of the Facebook MAL I’m following with Astrid. And as it’s getting a bit chilly, I thought I’d better knit her a little bonnet too :0)

Then on Thursday, I went into hospital for my knee replacement surgery – see before and after photos. All sympathy very welcome as it’s still quite painful ……. Ouch! I was so brave ….. NOT!

(I've edited the last one a bit by the way, because I didn't think you'd want to see the bit of blood oozing through the plaster!)

As soon as I could show the Physiotherapists at the hospital that I could climb the stairs, I was discharged yesterday afternoon ….. they don’t waste any time I can tell you – plenty of other patients lined up for my bed.

The next image shows just some of the exercises I must endure at least a few times a day for the next 6 weeks or so – and I’d be a fool not to follow them. But I do HATE exercise!!

And so to reward myself for all that hard work, I have started my ‘Mr Frosty’ cross-stitch by Brenda Gervais. There’s not much to show I grant you. It didn’t help that I started with the Eggshell colour in a very dull electric light, but I’ve started it and will soon get on with it.

So, that's been my very exciting week!!

.... and with a beanie hat!

I decided to knit my nameless Waldorf doll a beanie hat to match her hooded coat - I rather like it.

Any ideas anyone of a name? I was thinking of starting to name through the alphabet (for no particular reason), so maybe something with 'A'. All suggestions gratefully received :0)

EDIT: Well that didn't take long! Thanks to my lovely and talented friend Vivi (a brilliant card maker), my doll is now called Annie - and doesn't it suit her very well? Thank you Vivi :0) xx