| Dollmakers Journey CUSTOMER CONNECTION
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Dollmakers Journey
CUSTOMER CONNECTION
January 2005 Issue 40
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Copyright 2005 by Dollmakers Journey
Dollmakers Journey Customer Connection newsletter is a free e-mail newsletter. Tell your friends, family and fellow dollmakers about us, and feel free to forward this newsletter to those who might be interested. You can visit our companion website at:
http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/
**Notice!**
You can read all the past issues online. Go to:
http://dollmakersjourney.com/newsletter/archives.html
The archives include an easy to follow index to all the past issues.
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Dear dollmaker friends,
Several months ago we had a terrific idea for creating a Doll for All Seasons that would be dressed differently each month of the year. The basic doll body pattern is free this month with a $25 purchase, and the January - Snow Queen costume was finished yesterday. You can buy the Snow Queen pattern for half price ( http://dollmakersjourney.com/dollforallseasons.html ) until next months pattern, February The Queen of Hearts, becomes available. The idea is to create a different doll ensemble for each major holiday/month. Some patterns may even include new body parts.
Although we know what each costume for this year will be, we are always open to ideas from you. Our accountant suggested that for January we have a doll lying on a chaise lounge with an ice bag on her head, worn out from all the celebrating the night before. Perhaps we will extend this challenge into 2006, with customer requests for each month. As you know, we love creating hats, shoes, and accessories, and each doll will have different shoes, something on her head, wig ideas, and at least two accessories along with a fabulous costume.
We are also introducing new techniques with each pattern. In January you learn to knit a feather boa (you can also crochet it) and make 3 different masks/crowns. You also learn how to make a basic fleece wig and very fancy Figure 8 shoe with stacked heel. Supplies featured in the pattern this month are Grrrip glue, Crystal Lacquer, ethnic fabric and Tibetan Lamb Fleece.
Wed like to ask a favor of you, our readers. Please let us know any costumes you would like to see, and tell us about unusual uses for the tools we carry. Also, if there are any supplies you cant readily find and would like us to add to our website, tell us and we will see what we can do. We have added Freezer Paper that can go through a printer because of customer requests. It will be on our site soon.
On a sadder note, we just wanted to let you know that Penny Maloney, a wonderful dollmaker, passed away December 10th. You can see some of the things she made at her website: http://www.pennysartdolls.com
Her husband Craig says, She loved making dolls, and all the trading and swapping. She will be missed.
Mary Ann and Bonnie
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SALE OF THE MONTH
Dollmakers Journey is excited to introduce a fabulous new project for the year 2005! For the month of January all orders over $25 of merchandise will receive ABSOLUTELY FREE our new $12.50 pattern for a 14 basic doll body A Doll for All Seasons. Starting now and continuing each month we will release a series of fashion ensembles that will transform her into an exciting array of characters. Each pattern will include hair styles, directions for making at least two accessories, shoes, and a complete outfit appropriate for the season. Januarys pattern, The Snow Queen, will be half price until the February pattern is released. Dont miss out on this wonderful opportunity. http://dollmakersjourney.com/dollforallseasons.html
*Please note that we will add the pattern to the order when we receive it you will not see it on the order form.
This month instead of a Designer of the Month we have taken 20% off everything on the Supply page. Nows the time to stock up on felting needles, stuffing tools, Crystal Lacquer and so much more! http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
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CHARITY PROJECT
Tsunami Relief
Noni Cely writes: While you might be tempted to make a doll or bear for the children who are victims of the recent tsunami, please take a moment to go to this UNICEF site and make a donation for Tsunami relief. Right now, drinking water and food are more important than dolls and bears.
https://www.unicefusa.org/
For other websites dealing with tsunami relief, go to:
http://www.google.com/tsunami_relief.html
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SUPPLY TIP
We are always looking for new ways to use the tools we carry at Dollmakers Journey. In February we will be using the cross action tweezers, hemostats, and Bo-Nash Bonding Agent for the Queen of Hearts pattern, so in case you need any of these, now is the time to order while they are 20% off.
Bo-Nash can be used for hems, basting quilts and zippers, mending, repairing moth and burn holes, creating collages, etc. However, my favorite use in dollmaking is to bond appliqus. Here is how I do it.
1. Be sure and order the starter kit which includes the special pressing sheet. Later you can get the refill kit, but to begin you MUST have the pressing sheet.
2. Use a wet paintbrush or spray bottle of water to dampen the wrong side of your appliqu.
3. Place appliqu wrong side up on a piece of paper which has been folded in half and then reopened. Sprinkle on powder until surface is covered. Shake off excess onto paper.
4. You can now pour excess powder back into the container for future use. The crease in the paper acts like a funnel to guide the powder into the hole. I use this same method for glitter.
5. The powder will cling to the moisture while you maneuver the appliqu onto the garment powder side down.
6. Hold the appliqu in place and gently blow away excess powder from around any surrounding area. You may need to do this several times.
7. Place Ironing Sheet over appliqu or motif. Place hot iron (cotton/linen setting without steam) on Ironing Sheet over appliqu for a few seconds to fuse.
8. Remove Ironing Sheet, dust off ironing board (in case any powder remains), turn garment to wrong side, and apply heat again using the Ironing Sheet.
This is a fantastic way to apply motifs, trims and lace to delicate fabrics so that no sewing marks show. For small/fine areas, use a wet paintbrush to apply the powder. Best of all, you can sew through Bo-Nash with no problem. It does not harden, stiffen the fabric, or gum up hand or machine needles. It is perfect for delicate lace, because it stays soft.
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CHALLENGES
To see the winners of the All Dolled Up Beaded Art Doll Competition for 2004 go to:
www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup2004contest.htm
Fantasy Guardian Angel for Quilting Arts Magazine Challenge
Deadline: March 1, 2005
Information appeared in their Winter 2004 magazine, including possible pattern.
For more information email them at: info@quiltingartsllc.com
CC23 CostumeCon Doll Costume Competition 2005
Convention dates: April 29 May 2, 2005 in Ogden, Utah
For general information about CostumeCon visit their website at:
http://www.costume-con.org
For information about the doll competition, go to: http://www.crossroadsutah.org/doll.html
Color Challenge dolls MUST pre-register. They will give you two colors to use in costuming your doll.
Challenges In Time: Japonism
Deadline: June 30, 2005
For details go to: http://kukulla.tripod.com/cit2004/japonism.htm
2005 Second Annual All Dolled Up: Beaded Art Doll Competition
Deadline: August 15, 2005
Theme: Over the Rainbow
For more information go to: www.landofodds.com/store/alldolledup.htm
Through the Looking Glass Doll Challenge (Fairfield Poly-fil Challenge)
Deadline: December 31, 2005
For details and entry form, go to: http://www.poly-fil.com/contests.asp
Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on Through the Looking Glass Challenge to print out an entry form and get rules.
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NEW DESIGNERS AT DOLLMAKERS JOURNEY
Just in BRENDA BRIGHTMORES beautiful new book Cloth Dolls. 10 richly detailed projects guide you expertly through the dollmaking process. A delightful addition to you reference library! http://dollmakersjourney.com/books.html
At long last, the classic, much-loved patterns of the renowned JULIE McCULLOUGH have come to Dollmakers Journey! We are starting out with a wonderful mix of favorites from Super Zoey and The Fisherman to Garth Gargoyle and the delightful Fairy Houses and well be adding more on a regular basis. Stop by and take a peek at this wonderful array of patterns from this popular designer. http://dollmakersjourney.com/mccullough.html
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UPCOMING EVENTS YOU WONT WANT TO MISS
April 16, 2005 Cloth-A-Dollics of Victoria BC Spring Luncheon
Princess Mary Restaurant in Victoria, BC
All Northwest Cloth Dollmakers invited. For more information email:
Barb Swain blswain@shaw.ca or Michle Ashmore mashmore@shaw.ca
April 28 May 1, 2005 Santa Fe International Figurative Art is Cancelled
April 28 May 1, 2005 - 6th Annual Canadian Doll Artists Association Conference
Holiday Inn, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
Call 519-539-7598 or visit their website at: http://www.dollartists.ca
April 28 - May 1, 2005 Artistic Figures in Cloth (AFIC)
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.cyndysdolls.com/AFIC/AFIC.htm
September 17-18, 2005 Magic Doll Exposition
Las Vegas, Nevada
For more information email Lee Bryant at dollbryant@aol.com
To save yourself time and energy, get all the details on upcoming doll related events at CLOTH DOLL CONNECTION: http://clothdollconnection.com/
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SPECIAL GIFTS FOR YOU
We have a fabulous new FREE PROJECT from designer KATHIE BRIGGS - a Fabric Postcard - a quick, easy, artistically satisfying project! http://dollmakersjourney.com/fabricpostcards.html
For a great free class on making your own hang tags check out: www.sandspurpatch.com/tags.htm
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A Doll Makers Journal
By Diane Evdokimoff
If I could share one thing that has helped me over the years it would beinvest in a colour wheel and a good journal and write down and draw your ideas, sometimes they can be pretty overwhelming.
With a journal you can keep a good record of what inspires your doll making. Whether it is a movie you watched, a book you read (did the characters leap out at you screaming Make me), or possibly a person you watched in the street? There is inspiration to be found everywhere you look. I find inspiration in lots of things from a piece of fabric to a comic bookwhat ever takes your fancy there are NO RULES
The colour wheel allows you to see the colour scheme before cutting into your stash especially if you are colour challenged like me.
Whenever I get an idea I always sketch it out first and then add colour swatches of the fabrics that may work with this design. Any extras like a magazine article or whatever drew me to the idea in the first place is included with the sketch. This way I can see the whole picture before it is put into practice.
When starting a new design I always flip through my journal and look thru the drawings I have placed there, sometimes two or three ideas will meld together and become a whole.
Several things to ask yourself when starting your journal are
What is my theme? Fantasy or contemporary?
What is it I am trying to portray?
How far can I take this idea?
What colours will it take?
Can it be embellished further?
Inspiration?
Dreams?
Male or Female?
Never be afraid to Play with ideas. This is where we learn new techniques and find neat ways of manipulating fabrics and textures. Try your hand at melting, painting, stretching and draping etc. Keep a record of what processes you did and a swatch of the sample so you can see the results later.. You may find that some of these playtimes result in the most fantastic costuming and embellishment ideas for your dolls.
*Check out her Dweedle the Clown, a new pattern at http://dollmakersjourney.com/friends.html#evdokimoff
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NEW PATTERNS
MARY TRESSLER has begun to bundle her patterns together into Limited Edition Sets at a terrific price. Set 1 has four of her most popular designs The Snow Queen Creola Esmerelda and Marcel. Be sure to take advantage of this savings opportunity! She also has just released her amazing Real Women Have Bellies. You have to check it out! http://dollmakersjourney.com/tressler.html
Weve just added Art Deco Fairy one of PATTI CULEAs most popular beaded projects. Youre going to love it! http://dollmakersjourney.com/culea.html
From GEORGIA MANNING LEWIS of Buckets Gone Wild we have her great new Jitter Bucket that transforms 5 quart pails into carryalls for an endless variety of items. A super project for your own gear and an even better gift! http://dollmakersjourney.com/friends.html
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CUSTOMER QUERIES
Q: I had a hard time finding the #7 and #9 darners.
A: The John James Long Darners are available at most bead shops, as well as a lot of fabric shops. The thing that makes them darners is that they measure 2-1/4 long, and are a real bargain with 25 needles in a package. They are my favorite needle for sculpting. If you have a problem finding them, we carry them at Dollmakers Journey, along with our latest 7 Piecemaker doll jointing needle, which is perfect for button jointed arms and legs. Just for your information, the #7 needle has a larger eye than the #9 and is easier to thread, although the #9 is probably better for sculpting nylon stockings. I would probably use the #7 to sculpt most fabrics including cotton, knits such as buck suede and dolskin. You can order these needles at http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
Q: Do you have any stockinette? I need 3" medium weight if I can find it.
A: We do not carry any stockinette would this be the same as cotton knit? If so there are several flesh tones available on the following site http://www.rootie.com/ or better yet http://magiccabin.com/ has stockinette under Arts &Crafts/ Doll Supplies.
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JUST FOR FUN
One of our customers, Drusilla, writes: My great-grandmother wrote a short autobiography, Drusilla and Her Dolls, about her childhood in Boston in the 1860's. She was an only child, so her dolls became her playmates. It's such a charming, gentle story that I recently had it re-published. It's perfect for mother/daughter book clubs because it's one of those rare books that appeals to doll lovers of all ages.
It's interesting how often the name Drusilla is associated with dolls.
I've written a book, Celebrating Drusilla, about people, places and things (real and fictitious) named Drusilla. Most of the images are of dolls handcrafted by Drusilla Esslinger. (You can see Dru Esslinger's dolls at www.drusilla.com.)
A lady named Anne crafts beaded dolls; she called her first Drusilla.
La Collection's Artisan Collection issued 1000 dolls named Drusilla - she plays Greensleeves.
In the 1950s McCall's magazine featured a paper doll named Betsy - her best friend was Drusilla. In 2001 Toner introduced Tiny Betsy McCall and in 2004 they introduced her best friend, Drusilla.
At Hailsham Community College in Sussex, England, you can make a cloth doll named Drusilla.
In 1912, my great-grandmother whose name was Isabella published her auto-biographical story Drusilla and Her Dolls (the one I've re-published).
In 1937, Emma Brock wrote a book called Drusilla about a cornhusk doll.
In 1951, Abbie Phillips Walker wrote Sandman's Stories of Drusilla Doll.
The book is currently for sale on Drusillas website at: http://www.drusilla.net/
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SUPPLY NEWS
Beading Needles Curved and straight
http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
Freezer Paper Sheets perfect for copying doll pattern templates (50 sheets 8-1/2 X 11 in box) Developed especially for use in craft work, it has a special coating giving it better adhesiveness to fabrics than conventional freezer paper and with lower heat. It is a 1 lb. paper which is more than twice the weight of standard freezer paper, so it prevents rolling and curling when used in a printer.
http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
Gelly Roll Pen Set Archival quality in red, blue, purple, brown, and black
Acid free, water proof, fade resistant, fine tip, doesnt bleed, perfect for doll faces
http://dollmakersjourney.com/supplies.html
Silk Remnant Grab Bag special! Perfect for Doll Artists
25 cuts of all kinds of silk Duponi, taffeta, beaded silk, etc. for just $25 http://www.hyenaproductions.com/store+remnant.htm
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TIP FOR PRINTING OUT PATTERNS
Create your own printer freezer paper - Use a dry iron and press a sheet of printer paper to freezer paper and then cut the freezer paper to the 8-1/2x11 size of the printer paper. Put into printer tray so it will print out on the freezer paper side. Then put pattern into copier or scanner and use the copy feature to print it out. Carefully pull the freezer paper off the typing paper and voila - the template can be cut out, ironed onto fabric, and is ready to stitch. Glenna Williams (from Cloth Doll Making list)
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NEWS FROM THE HOME FRONT
Bonnie has been busy with her new grandson born January 8, 2005. His name is Caden Banker Morgan, he weighed 6# 5 oz., and is only 18-1/2 long. She makes dolls bigger than him. She is also busy creating costumes for their newest pattern, Doll for All Seasons. She just finished the Snow Queen and is now working on the Queen of Heartsand you ought to see what she is planning for April!
Meanwhile Mary Ann has promised to make 50 Bereavement Dolls for an upcoming Rachels Vineyard retreat in February so she needs to get busy. Now that she has hired an old friend to help her keep the orders filled, she might have some time to get the project done! ( http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/charitycorner.html) She also went to her first Yoga class this week and just LOVED it!
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OTHER SITES TO SEE
Sue in Maine shares some of her favorite snowflake sites:
http://www.quiltmaker.com/webextras/patt79/index.html
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dstredulinsky/home.html
Don't miss the links to other snowflake sites from this main page.
Debbie Mumm has some fusible snowflake ornaments and a template at:
http://www.debbiemumm.com/potm/02/october/crafts/printoctoberpotmcrafts.asp
Just for fun for you and any kids you know
http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm
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Wed love to hear your thoughts about our Customer Connection newsletter.
Contact the editor Bonnie B. Lewis at
enchantedR@aol.com with any comments, suggestions, address changes, etc.
Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to any of your friends. Help us spread the word about Dollmakers Journey! All we ask is that you forward it intact, with all the subscription information included.
Thanks! (By the way, you might want to print this out and put it into a binder to keep for reference.)
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Copyright 2005 Dollmakers Journey
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