Doll design - cracked!
A good part of the last week has been spent tinkering away with my doll prototypes. Tinkering is a nice word for it really. It’s been more like CUT and HACK, RIP and CURSE. But I have finally made a doll that I can look at and think “yep, that’s where I was trying to get to.”
Here’s the final little sketch which I went from on Friday:
(I had to reconstruct it before I scanned it because it ended up being cut up as a pattern piece in the general frenzy).
And here she is:
All I wanted to make was something appealing, something easy and something that I could look at and see that I have left my mark on. Designing a new toy is not something I do very often. I don’t think I have done anything really new in years so it was pretty hard work for me. It was a completely creative pursuit but not entirely enjoyable.
Now I can play with the pattern - switching fabrics and giving her different hair… the fun stuff. I think I am going to change her legs a little and give her some feet, but apart from that it’s pretty much just trace and cut from now.
And just for fun, here’s the line up of rejects:
My main sources of inspiration in this project:
Rosa’s Ermelinda and Florinda (the reason I wanted to try dolls again in the first place), Fanja’s beautiful Lumi dolls, and everything Mimi’s ever made.
Thank you to the kind people who left really helpful and encouraging things in my comments or in emails last week. It helped a huge amount.
Responses
16th June 2008 at 1:57 pm
She’s gorgeous! I also love the colours on the “reject” with the orange legs.
16th June 2008 at 2:27 pm
Just beautiful. Let’s compare “reject” piles some day - you’ll feel a whole lot better.
16th June 2008 at 3:23 pm
She’s wonderful! Perfectly friendly and fun. 
I love the hair on the orange legged one too.
16th June 2008 at 3:53 pm
She’s great! I love her face - very Loobylu.
I like the old style of doll too, though. Hope you’re not giving up on those!
On another note, here’s a photo of two of your prints (plus three others) I put up in my sewing room this morning. I think they look just fantastic. Thank you for selling them to me!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quiltingmick/2582046195/
Cheers
Michelle
16th June 2008 at 4:52 pm
What a cute doll. I agree with Jodie - she looks like she has a secret just waiting to be told.
16th June 2008 at 4:53 pm
She is so sweet and definitely has the distinct “Loobylu” look and appeal I also really like the fabric you used on the ‘rejects’ and I think the one in the reddish hair is super sweet too.
16th June 2008 at 5:27 pm
Gosh, beautiful. I love the reject line up too.
You are very inspiring for me.
16th June 2008 at 5:37 pm
Oh,she is so adorable! You’ve definitely left your mark. All of the hard work and cursing was worth it! Please please please don’t throw away your rejects, they’re super cute too! The hair and the dresses… Oh!
16th June 2008 at 5:52 pm
I think she’s super cute - and I see a couple in the rejects pile that I’d be proud to own, too……
Those Lumi dolls are so freaking gorgeous - I think they are the pinnacle of doll design for me - I am so insanely jealous of them! Yum!
Looking forward to seeing the new ones in different outfits - the wee leggings! So cute!
Leah xxx
16th June 2008 at 5:53 pm
I am also all about the rejected orange-legged lass - but the finished product is ridiculously cute. Congratulations on what must have been a draining, but hopefully rewarding weekend. New ideas take time, but this one looks like it was worth waiting for!
16th June 2008 at 8:44 pm
my goodness - what fantastic sewing and equally inspiring was your pile orf rejects. Will your pattern be on sale?
16th June 2008 at 8:59 pm
So pretty! The doll is great. I also like the little chair she is sitting on.
16th June 2008 at 9:31 pm
I’m going to sound like a complete parrot, but she is GORGEOUS and I too love the red-head reject.
16th June 2008 at 11:27 pm
she’s beautiful! i adore her mischievious eyes and that little nose and the groovy striped dress! gigi
17th June 2008 at 2:34 am
She’s gorgeous. And by the way I love the red haired reject and apparently I’m not the only one who does, maybe a rejected giveaway? lol
17th June 2008 at 6:21 am
Claire, this is perfect! What a lovely doll. I love the wool hair. Congratulations on the new design.
17th June 2008 at 6:22 am
She´s so beautiful!
I love the photo of the “line up of rejects”:)
17th June 2008 at 6:40 am
I love the redheaded reject! WOWEE. Inspiring stuff all round!
17th June 2008 at 7:00 am
She’s great… and it’s a shame to call the others rejects!!
17th June 2008 at 7:36 am
I’m pretty fond of that redhead in the reject pile…
Making a pattern for a soft toy is really frustrating and so time consuming, but you’ve done well. I can’t wait to see all the variations that come out of this simple rag doll.
17th June 2008 at 9:02 am
Congratulations!! Love some of those reject colour combinations. Gotta luurve playing with colour and yummy textures!
17th June 2008 at 9:32 am
I love her. The discard pile has some really cute ones, too.
I need to come up with a new doll design for my daughter who wants a doll “with hair I can braid!”
17th June 2008 at 10:03 am
i love her dress!! can i have one of your rejects? the one with the red hair?
17th June 2008 at 10:33 am
It’s an overwhelming response for the poor rejected red head - she is beautiful. Congratulations on persisting and finishing - your final is a treat.
17th June 2008 at 3:32 pm
She’s adorable but I actually like the drawing better, as opposed to the finished doll, possibly because when I saw the drawing I assumed she had light hair. I think calico rag hair would be cute!
17th June 2008 at 4:21 pm
She’s very sweet! And very loobylu-ish. I need to figure out how to make dolly’s arms lay nicely like yours.
Did you give her a name?
17th June 2008 at 4:52 pm
I love your doll. It makes me want to sew one up, and I have boys, so I guess I’d have to find a girl to give it to as a present.
17th June 2008 at 11:04 pm
She’s very, very cute…Makes me want to run to my sewing machine!
18th June 2008 at 8:25 am
Great doll and don’t let the reject pile go to waste!! I am sure there are some more cute dolls in there somewhere!!
18th June 2008 at 4:36 pm
Oh wow. She is wonderful! Unique and Oh-So-Very Loobylu!. Instantly with the eyes and legs it looks like something “Claire-Robertson” like. Congratulations on creating something new! … not an easy feat.
18th June 2008 at 5:39 pm
So cute! I especially like how you’ve done her hair. I’d love to see the version with feet too!
Well done, Claire.
19th June 2008 at 1:33 am
Super Cute. I love seeing the process for creating a new doll!
19th June 2008 at 7:02 am
Very sweet and tres Loobylu. But the one in the reject pile with the red hair is adorable, can we see more of her?
19th June 2008 at 9:55 am
i love the rejects too!
And i super love the final doll.
Because superloving is the best kind of love, dontcha think!
19th June 2008 at 1:25 pm
That doll is so cute, my daughters would go crazy for it!!! I just added you to my blog roll today. Thanks for the inspiration!
19th June 2008 at 2:03 pm
Now you are encouraging me! I had great visions of a doll, that now sits headless and abandoned in my studio. I think I’ll give her a second chance. (I like the red legged reject!)
19th June 2008 at 11:31 pm
these dolls are amazing i want one
1
20th June 2008 at 3:39 am
adorable!! thanks for including the description of the struggles to get to the finished doll… knowing others are courageously overcoming the obstacles is powerfully inspiring
20th June 2008 at 5:39 am
i love your dolls..wish i had one of your rejects, they are beautiful..
21st June 2008 at 11:44 pm
I love the little dolly! and she sits on a little Russian chair! how cute! do you have a russian baby?(I do thats why I asked)
25th June 2008 at 10:56 pm
My daughter says it is wonderful, and I also think so!
I was wondering if you’ll be selling some like these… please let me know.
26th June 2008 at 8:41 am
I love her! I think the pile of rejects is gorgeous,too. Don’t forget them.
29th June 2008 at 5:27 am
Absolutely gorgeous!
Your persistence (or what I’ve seen of it) is inspirational! And the dolls look amazing.
1st July 2008 at 5:29 pm
Very sweet - my elder daughter was very concerned about the prototypes “she isn’t going to throw them away is she mummy?”
27th July 2008 at 10:19 pm
She’s lovely!
That is so funny, though- Mimi is a friend of my mother’s, and it was funny to see one of my favorite blogs link to her!
16th June 2008 at 1:47 pm
She’s so gorgeous Claire & the “dis” pile is pretty cute too.