GLORIOUS CREATIONS: September 2019

It's been quite a while since I have written a blog. Inspiration has been at a low. Lately I have been having fun playing with dolls. Not Barbies which I used to adore designing for but 18 inch dolls and I have been making dolls too. These are two blogs about some of my doll endeavors:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2012/02/wedding-dress-for-barbie.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2012/02/for-love-of-dolls.html

The doll on the left is a cloth doll.

I have made small soft dolls from baby socks and lots of dolls from fabric, like the one on the left. I ran across this how to for sock dolls:

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Sock-Doll The tutorial is very good and you can make a very squishy nice soft doll with the tutorial. While working on my first one I am finding how to make little improvements which make the doll lovable for the 3 year old and up. (Wiki's version is a great first doll for bed time if you don't use the button eyes they suggest.

This is the Doll we will be making (Or close to it). As you can see she is still under improvement..or should we say construction. Except for the skirt and Hair this doll is made totally from socks.

Her Sweater and Hat are also from socks. This doll will require less than 5 dollars of expenditure. Some of the things you will have at home. If you are making them for your own child it is not necessary to buy new. You can use socks you already have. If you are particular and want this to be a special gift then buy new.

The one thing you can get by with out is a sewing machine. The only thing needing a machine is the skirt.

EQUIPMENT:

1. Needles with a large eye and ball tips. a long one is easier for me to use. It is easier for people to use what is comfortable not what is advised. I use a large eye because I never know what size thread I will be using. The ball tip is because you don't want the point snagging the knit in the sock.

2. Scissors. Large shears for cutting the socks and a pair of small scissors for cutting the thread.

THREAD:
a spool of white thread to use on the body, a spool of black thread (both of these can be all purpose thread, even cheap polyester thread.

Button twist thread in white. This is used in construction . You can also take four strands of all purpose thread to achieve the same result. Some Dental flosses will work.

Yarn: Regular size Yarn How much. It is according to how you style the hair. On the sock doll I used embroidery floss. On the mini me doll I used yarn. The instructions for making hair on wiki dolls are good for making a wig for your doll. (you need some yarn or embroidery floss for the pompom on the hat. or you can buy pompoms at the craft stores.)

SOCKS: I mentioned you can use worn socks. For the above doll I am using socks from Dollar Tree. They are $1.00 a pair. The ones on the right are the perfect ones. They are extremely soft and are easy to hand sew. They are a diabetic sock which comes 3 lengths (crew, short top and dress length tops) and two sizes (10-13 and 9-12). You will need three matching socks. Two pair will be needed (if you buy 3 pair you can make two dolls.) If your child has a friend you can surprise both of them with twins.

When using these socks you will have the tops left over. I have at least One project you can use one top for. Your 18" doll can have a ski cap from the cuff. The hat is made from one cuff and a a homemade embroidery floss pompom.

If you would like to make a sock hat and sweater like my sock doll has you will need to also buy 2 pairs of socks adult short cuff socks. I bought the black diabetic socks from Dollar Tree. You will only be using the cuffs on these.

THE DENIM SKIRT:

It is the bottom of one jean pant leg. I will try to learn how to make a PDF file by the time of the publication of the directions so I can present you a Pattern for it. To construct the skirt you will need thread, denim, sewing machine and either Velcro or snaps (Velcro is easiest to use) . Or if you are sewing by hand use a heavy cotton that will be easy to sew or find and old wool skirt and make a doll skirt with it. Wool is a cinch to hand sew. (Denim is almost impossible to hand sew.)

STUFFING:
I bought a bag of polyester "fiber fill" from Walmart. It was a 1 lb bag. How much? I don't remember. Cheapest is fine. These dolls made with the diabetic socks are the softest most squeezable dolls.

I hope I have whetted your appetite to join me for the Tutorial for this Doll. The probable date for publishing it will be October 5, 2019. The title will be: "How to make a Sock Doll, Tutorial"
(If I am able to write it sooner I will post the date change here.)

Have fun, Hope to see you then.

Also on this blog site:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-mystery-in-making.html

"A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"

A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind

Other blog sites by me:

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/