Here are the arm holes that I had difficulty with. You can also see the smooth transition from arm to the body. It looks like one piece doesn’t it? Well it is!
Here is the body before and after the stuffing. The kidney beans in the hands and feet worked out nicely. Also, the hands and feet were added by picking up stitches and it all looks like one piece! Awesome!
Okay. I am having a good time with this project. The cotton yarn is proving to be a bit tricky, but the feel of the doll is delicious. It is very clever the way the pattern is set up. You will not have to sew arms and legs onto this doll. With the arms on stitch holders, you will be picking the stitches and continuing on with the body at the same time. I struggled with the arms, but I think it was because of the cotton. I think if you use the acrylic, like the pattern calls for, then it should be a breeze. I had a hard time stretching the yarn once the arm became attached to the body. All of the seaming is in the back of the doll. I used a mattress stitch because I like the cleanness of the seam. If done correct, all of the stripes should match up nicely. Because of the stripes, there will be a lot of hangers to take care of. I really can’t be bothered to spend the time there myself though. I figure they will all be on the inside anyway, I just loosely knotted them together and they gave me no problems at all. I currently have legs, arms, and body sewn up and stuffed. Just the head left to do now. I chose to put kidney beans in the feet and hands. I like the way it feels and the hang is better. Soon, I will have some photos of different stages and the finished product. Tune in!
This doll is my current project. I liked the striping concept and the funky braided hair that really grabs your attention. My interest has been recently brought to toys and animals as my dearest friend from high school has just had her first baby. He just turned a year old and what a great age to appreciate (and chew on) colors and oddities. The designer of this funky dude is Barbara Venishnick. The pattern came from Family Circle, Easy Toys. Copyright 2005 by Sixth&Spring Books. The pattern calls for acrylic yarn. However, I just love the feel of cotton for the little people. So cotton it is that I am using, with worn colors. I would never worry about how the item washes up or how long it would last. To me, the feel and the look of the finished project matters most. Once gifted, the young man can drag it through the mud or chew to his heart content. In a phrase, make it his own. I am “in the works” with this at the moment, so I will keep you posted…..