Thursday 10 May 2012

Dolls 10, Stitching 0

Hello!
 My pelvis is finally good enough to allow me to sit and write a post at  last. Thank you so much for all your kind wishes which  mean a lot.  Well, I'm  getting there, still stiff and sore; but it is becoming easier to move. Sadly, the one thing I can't do is embroidery, as I get far too engrossed and I can only sit for 20 mins max at a time, so I have had to put all stitching projects on hold. I have taught myself to do a lot of tasks standing up, but that's one thing it's just not at all comfy or easy to do!

So - very slowly, I have been concentrating on dolls - if there is one good thing from having this  problem it's teaching me patience.

Here's my new stump doll - Jofranka, the Romany dancer. Jofranka  is a Romany version of Frances, and means 'free'.  Her name is also a little thank you to my student Frances, who  helped me get my Singer machine sorted out.

Jofranka is in her best clothes for a Romany wedding. She is dressed in a silk blouse and wool felt bolero with picot bead edging, and a taffeta skirt which  billows out as she dances  around the campfire with her beaded scarves.

I gave her a Frida-Kaloesque sort of face ( can I even say that?)

She wears an assortment of beads and bracelets which flash in the firelight .

I need to design 2 new dolls for workshops in the autumn so I've been drawing up some new patterns for their construction. This pattern is the most complicated design I've attempted to date, and has been challenging! Odd looking body parts have been strewn around a lot!


And I 've been making heads for practice, using some new shapes.(Well, it makes a change from putting flowers in this vase!)





 I've also been experimenting dyeing fleece in the microwave with food dyes. More of this later.

Here's a sneaky peek of the next doll.

Now it's off to the chiropractor for my weekly dose of saying 'ouch' and 'aargh'! x

9 comments:

  1. Love the heads in a vase...hey we don't have to worry about them wilting or having to be watered!

    Funny, but I've been beading standing up as my hip has been bothering me, and it is HARD TO DO! Hope you get feeling better soon. Love the Romany doll

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  2. Best of luck with the "ouch" and "argh" - I hope soon you will be dancing like Jofranka!

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  3. Good work, and hope the chiro wasn't too excruciating, (although I know it can be....)

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  4. So glad you're starting to feel better Jules. I looooooove your new doll. Your talent always brings smiles to my face.
    xx

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  5. So glad to know that you are feeling a bit better. The Romany dancer is wonderful. Keep going with the patterns and head practice you are doing a wonderful job.

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  6. Very cool Jules. Loved seeing your studio with little heads popping out of glass jars and fantastical creations of all sorts. Your dolls have evolved to the state of 'supreme.' Wonderful.

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  7. I'm glad to hear you're feeling a bit better! :)

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  8. Hi Jules, it is such a shame that you can't embroider on the move! I hope you continue to improve.

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  9. I'm glad to hear you're starting to recover. All best wishes x

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