The Scoop, Score and Deal

A Wardrobe Basic for Ellowyne...

2009-07-19T19:01:00.004-04:00

For quite some time, I have wanted to make a lined, modified pencil skirt to fit my Ellowyne doll, but didn’t have a pattern. Adapting elements from two commercial patterns for smaller dolls, I made up a pattern from paper toweling, cut and sewn to fit her proportions. This is Ellowyne’s friend, Prudence, modeling her custom fitted skirt. Since it’s made in denim, I lined it with thin white cotton to avoid the possibility of staining. Prudence is so happy with it; she wants another in khaki...

Violet Waters "Glissando" Wearing "Gold Sensation"

2009-07-03T23:02:00.003-04:00

Here’s the newest addition to my doll collection, Gene Marshall’s BFF and famous jazz chanteuse, Violet Waters. She was very inexpensive on EBay but I bought her an articulated replacement body (see previous post to see what I’m doing with her old body).

Recycling Old Vinyl Doll Bodies

2009-07-03T18:14:00.006-04:00

There are new articulated replacement bodies available for Gene Marshall doll collectors to upgrade their old beloved Gene dolls for more pose-ability. I just performed that easy operation on one of my dolls and was wondering what people do with the old bodies. I belong to a Yahoo group for Gene dolls and someone in the group suggested adding Styrofoam or wooden eggs to the necks and turning them into mannequins to display extra outfits. I found an abandoned needlesculpted cloth cat head (from a pattern in an old dollmaking magazine) and placed it on the neck of the old body. Perfect fit! Now, I have to figure out how to finish it. I will either add cloth ears and then paint it or I will add paperclay on top of the cloth and refine the sculpture a little more before painting.

Anyway, here are a few photos of the muslin-sculpted head. Check out that overbite!

Hope everyone is having a safe and happy holiday!

Nature Journal: Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicas)

2009-06-18T23:18:00.005-04:00

Beach pea plants grow with wild abandon all over the yard. I love these flowers!

Interwoven Diagonal Cross Stitch

2009-06-17T23:09:00.005-04:00

I found this cross stitch flower in Judith Baker Montano’s lovely book, Elegant Stitches (page 41). It’s very easy and fun to do. As you can see, it starts as a simple cross stitch. Subsequent cross stitches are added into the same holes, making sure to weave the thread through the stitches.

Geeky Star Trek Fun...

2009-06-07T02:00:00.006-04:00

Here's Binky.

Here's Binky as a Vulcan cat. Turn up volume. Click arrow to play.

You can upload any portrait, here, to create your very own Vulcan - and even put words in his mouth.

Needleweaving

2009-06-01T02:10:00.003-04:00

I finally got a chance to work on this month’s Stitch Explorer challenge. I had a great time learning these woven stitches! I used raised needle weaving for the flower petals. For the leaves, I followed Sharon B’s wonderful tutorial on the closed needlewoven picot leaf stitch. These stitches are simple and quick and substantial. I will definitely be using them in the future! The background is a piece of upholstery fabric with wool roving felted onto the surface. Free machine stitching was added with variegated thread. Underneath, I used Peltex for support – no need to hoop!

Backyard Trail

2009-05-28T18:21:00.001-04:00

Woven Picots and Wheels from TAST

2009-05-28T18:06:00.006-04:00

Other than just searching for inspiration on the web and in embroidery books, I haven’t begun this month’s Stitch Explorer (needle weaving) challenge, so I thought I’d post my woven picots and wheels from 2007’s TAST challenge.

“Feed Me, Seymour!”

2009-05-12T23:19:00.001-04:00

I just keep picking this darned thing up and adding stitches… It’s beginning to remind me of Audrey II, the man-eating plant in “The Little Shop of Horrors.”

Beatrix and Bridget

2009-05-07T18:58:00.004-04:00

It has been cool and rainy all week. Today, the temperature is in the 70s with intermittent thunderstorms. I love the yard this time of year when the trees are just leafing out. Here are two of my little girls, Beatrix and Bridget, having a confab while enjoying the view from our bedroom window. Note the lovely “distressing” on the windowsill...

Still Playin...

2009-05-05T21:38:00.003-04:00

Just Playing Around…

2009-04-30T23:22:00.002-04:00

I’m not quite sure where I’m going with this. I’m letting it sort of evolve. The fabric on the leaf is silk (recycled from an old blouse). I will be adding a flower head to the top of my Casalguidi stem – and some stitching to the background.

What the Dickens???

2009-04-27T00:00:00.002-04:00

DH and I just finished watching the final episode of “Little Dorrit” on PBS and, although we loved every minute of the series, are completely clueless as to the connection between Arthur and Amy. And what did Miss Wade have to do with anything? Can anyone shed some light, please?

A Little More Casalguidi...

2009-04-22T17:23:00.002-04:00

I wanted to try stitching a deep curve, still using a felt strip as the base. I basted the felt down, covered it with satin stitches, pulling them a little tight to create some dimension. Then I proceeded in the traditional way, adding foundation stitches and working the stem stitches over those.

I really like the organic nature of this stitch.

Snake!

2009-04-18T20:47:00.003-04:00

This is my first stab at the Casalguidi stitch… what fun! For the base, I used a narrow scrap of felt instead of bundled thread. And for the stem stitches, I used variegated rayon thread.

I haven’t done much stitching in the past week or so. I have a ganglion cyst on the index finger of my left hand (I’m left-handed) and it broke open while I was gardening. It was looking pretty nasty and I wanted to keep it clean and bandaged for awhile so it wouldn’t open up again. It just about drove me nuts not to be able to draw or play with a needle and thread…

Happy Passover & Easter!

2009-04-10T19:58:00.001-04:00

This pretty little card is postmarked 1911. If you have a spare minute or two, please visit the Vintage Holiday Greetings Postcards group on Flickr to see lots of wonderful old Easter postcards. I started the group back in April of 2006 and blogged about how self-conscious I felt being the only member. I’m happy to report that we are now 236 strong (and growing!) with over 5,300 postcards uploaded, representing the major holidays. Anyway, it’s a fun place to spend time browsing if you enjoy vintage graphics. Everyone is welcome to join!

A New Dress for Gene

2009-04-07T21:22:00.002-04:00

I just made this sheath for one of my favorite Gene Marshall dolls. The pattern was in the April issue of Haute Doll magazine. I had made this type of dress before from another pattern, but it called for lots of darts to make it fit perfectly. And it wasn’t lined. This dress, designed by Randall Craig, is very simply constructed and has a full lining. And Gene and I are both very happy with the way it fits!

I Love Dryer Lint!

2009-04-05T19:06:00.002-04:00

Here is the start of what will probably be finished as a postcard. I used the embellisher machine to felt together dryer lint and novelty yarn on a dark green commercial felt base. Then, I added some tulle and machine stitched over that. All the blue you see is dryer lint from the preliminary washing of two fleece “Snuggle” blankets. I couldn’t bear to throw out all that lovely, clean lint! I added simple floral and leaf shapes cut from leftover scraps of wool felt. I will be adding embroidered details to finish.

Canned Pumpkin for Cat Diarrhea

2009-04-01T22:31:00.003-04:00

We have been very concerned lately about little Briar. He has had runny diarrhea for the past couple of weeks. He’s had all kinds of tests plus a fecal culture. We tried giving him organic yogurt to add good bacteria to his tummy as per the vet’s instructions. It didn’t work for him. In desperation, I searched the web and found this wonderful group for cats with inflammatory bowel disease. Their first recommendation was to start adding Libby’s canned pumpkin (not pie filling) to his diet. He loves it, especially if we spoon feed him. I think he really enjoys the extra attention. Anyway, he’s been eating it for three days and his poopies are nearly normal! YAY!

Assisi Embroidery: A Simple Rose

2009-03-24T12:15:00.005-04:00

Here is my current sample for Assisi embroidery. I traced a rose from my sketchbook and outlined it with black back stitches; then added variegated back stitches to the background.

Another TAST Blast from the Past

2009-03-23T20:41:00.005-04:00

I found another 2007 embroidery sample that is (kind of) Assisi-esque. Here, rows of linked double chain stitches were used to fill the negative space.

Assisi Stitch, Sorta...

2009-03-18T23:59:00.002-04:00

I was wondering how to approach this month’s stitch and remembered that I had made up (during the TAST challenge in 2007) a quick little sample of an oak leaf with the shape voided and the background filled with twisted satin stitches.

Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris)

2009-03-11T12:18:00.002-04:00

This is the first time we ever saw wild turkeys in the backyard. They seemed pretty oblivious to being watched. Years ago, when we were really struggling to make ends meet, DH was offered a lucrative photography assignment at a turkey processing plant. As an ethical vegetarian, he couldn’t accept the job… That’s one of the reasons why I love him so much!

Jeepers Creepers!

2009-03-04T23:42:00.004-05:00

Here is another combination of felt and trellis stitch. I lightly needle felted the eye shape, iris and pupil to the felt background; then worked several rows of trellis stitch over the top to create the dimensional eyelids.