Saturday, May 14, 2011

Introducing Margot

Lately I've been on a toymaking kick and today's post runs true to form.  My Goddaughter is having her First Communion on Sunday and, unfortunately gas prices have prevented me from making the trip home to celebrate with her, but they have not stopped me from making her a special doll.

Once again, I've turned to Hillary Lang's book Wee Wonderfuls and once again, it does not disappoint.


I decided to make Margot, Hillary's version of a topsy-turvy doll.  On one side, I made a dress that looks like a pretty little first communion-type dress.  White eyelet cotton is the perfect dressed-up material for this half of the Margot doll.  White satin ribbon to make a bow at the back finishes the whole outfit.


On Margot's dressed-for-everyday side, I used a favorite scrap I've been hoarding for months for her skirt and paired it up with a basic polka-dot top.  My Goddaughter is very girly, so I know she'll like all the pink on this side.


All of Margot's facial features are hand-embroidered and her clothes are only minimally machine sewn, meaning most of the stitiching on this doll is done by hand.  Hopefully no one looks too closely at the hand stitching since I am not particularly patient and by the end my fingers were really starting to hurt.


All of the doll's hair is attached by hand as well.  Basically, it's a modified satin stitch with yarn, then the braids and buns are attached separately.  I really hope that Maddie likes her.  She's a big fan of American Girl dolls (which I totally coveted when I was her age), so I hope something handmade seems half as cool.

I have a bunch of other stuff all waiting for a little attention, so I'm going to try my hardest to tackle the stacks of half-started and unfinished projects stacked up on my sewing table.  My goal is to get most of them squared away by the end of the month.  Wish me luck!