Variety is the spice of life

Posted in dolls by Climbing Vine Clothing

Well, I’m pretty excited to share this next set of dolls with y’all. I just had so much fun with them. I am leaning more and more towards focusing entirely on doll making at this point since there seems to be a lot more interest there than in the clothing. It’s actually less stressful as well, since I don’t have to worry about sizing or finding models- hah.
If I can find the time, I also want to purchase my own blog domain and change it to Climbing Vine Creations or something like that. And I would like to set up some pages on my shop or facebook for custom designing your own doll or ordering extra clothing. But one step at a time, and time is something I seem to be short on most days.
Well, without further ado, I’d like to introduce three new young ladies. Anyone want to name them?

I have had a few people express interest in dolls of different ethnicities, so these are my prototypes, if you will.

I went with lots of rainbow-y colors for this girl.

And this one just needed a red dress- there was no other color that would have worked.

And for this one, well, I thought it was time for a nice sunny yellow dress, with plenty of ruffles thrown in for good measure.

Here they all are, having a good time and letting their hair down.

I have had a lot of fun figuring out how to make their hair, by the way. I like it better than yarn because it won’t unravel or get frizzy, and you can style it in so many ways. I have always liked doing doll hair which is why I am sticking to long hair at this point. And maybe I’m still recovering from my childhood when we got imitation Cabbage Patch dolls for Christmas one year and mine was the one with the short brown hair I couldn’t do anything with. But I loved her anyways and never let her see when I would sneak off to braid the long blond hair on my sister’s doll.

So long hair it is, unless someone would like me to try a cute little bob or something.

Aaaand one last group shot, just ’cause they like to show off their shoes.

18Sep2013

Bunnies and boxes

Posted in dolls by Climbing Vine Clothing

As soon as I finished my first bunny order I got another one, but I was out of grey cotton. So I went for a nice chocolatey brown rabbit with a pink ribbon since it is for someone’s niece.

Here they are, looking inquisitive.

I can’t decide which I like better.

Here’s a few close ups of brownie, including a back view so you can see her cute little tail.

I finally found a box that I think will work for packaging. I found them on ebay, they are just the right size, and very reasonably priced. So yay! I am working on a design for the top of the box so it can look professional, like I know what I am doing here. I freehanded a few vine motifs with a basic alphabet stencil.

I love this stencil. My mom gave me a set of these stencils when I was eight. I think she won them as a door prize at a tupperware party or something, and they still work great! My kids use them all the time. Anywhoo…

Here’s the first attempt-

I thought it needed a little something, and then remembered the stencil I had designed for my original blog motif so I tried that.

I didn’t like the colors, and I wanted to have the lettering cover the entire box, so I went back to my original letters.

I think I like the last one best. Any opinions?

At any rate, I am finally able to start packing these guys up and shipping them off. Fun!

12Sep2013

Twinsies

Posted in dolls by Climbing Vine Clothing

Well, two more dolls and a bunny sold. I’m on a roll! Thanks for your support folks. These two girls are almost twins, except for their eye color- brown and blue. Do identical twins always have the same eye color? That’s something I’ve never thought of before.
Anyhow, I had two slightly different shades of lavender cotton, so I made them almost matching dresses with a big white ruffle on the bottom and green trim. They each have black felt shoes with tiny green buttons.

Here is brown eyed girl,

Here is blue

And here they are together!

As this new venture expands, I have lots of ideas rolling around in my head, but not enough time! I would like to do more doll clothes- hats, coats, you know, lots of cuteness. But first I want to do as many different varieties of hair, eye, skin color as I can, so people can pick and choose on my shop.
The funny thing is, I’m having the hardest time figuring out how to package them for shipping. I’d like to send them in a cute little box, but can’t find any with the right dimensions that aren’t really expensive, and I’m trying not to add to my expenses. Any ideas?

10Sep2013

Bunny Love

Posted in dolls by Climbing Vine Clothing

Thought I would do a quick post on this since I just added it to my etsy shop. My sweet little nephew had some pretty scary surgery last week, so I thought I would take the opportunity to try my hand at stuffed animals and send him a little get well gift. I sent it in a box with cards from my boys. My oldest boy loves making cards, and he was intently working on some pictures, when he stopped to ask me a question.
“Hey mom, look. I drew a hospital bed, an oxygen mask and a stethoscope, but what else should I draw? Oh, I know. Should I draw a picture of a big knife?”
“Well son, maybe not a big knife. How ’bout we stick with some nice flowers or hearts or something.”

Anyways, thankfully the surgery went well and I liked how the gift turned out, so I am putting another one up for sale if anyone is interested.

Introducing the Cotton Jersey Rabbit.

He, or she I guess, is real soft and snuggly and stands about ten inches tall.

4Sep2013

His ‘n Hers

Posted in dolls by Climbing Vine Clothing

Well folks, here’s another custom order. I had a request for a light-brown haired doll with green eyes, so here she is, with green dress to match. I had so much fun with the green eyes. I would love to do another one, although next I think I will try one with red hair. The dress is a little different this time- a higher collar with a bow and different button detail. It’s fun designing dresses! She has brown shoes to match her buttons and hair ribbon.

After she was done, I decided to listen to my sons and try a little something for them. No, it’s not a pirate doll, but I thought it was time for an attempt at a boy doll. He turned out to be a little newsboy. I was inspired by the hat I guess. I am putting him up for sale, but if no one buys him, he will probably be a Christmas gift for someone around here. Speaking of Christmas, I have this dream of selling enough stuff to get us six plane tickets to my folk’s house for the holidays. Hmmmm, that would be an awful lot of sewing……

Here’s a couple of shots of them together, laughin’ it up, and having a good old time during our photoshoot.

Like I said, greeny is already sold, but I am happy to duplicate!

28Aug2013

Brown-eyed girl

Posted in dolls by Climbing Vine Clothing

Just a quick post as I continue on this doll making journey. This is a commissioned order for a friend, and I made the body out of a different kind of cotton. I couldn’t believe the difference it made. It is the same size pattern, but this doll is a good deal smaller and more dainty. The jersey is so stretchy that you can just keep stuffing!

I like this fabric better because it allows for better detail and definition.

I also experimented with the hair, giving it two shades of brown and braiding it in a fish tail style.

She is borrowing the red shoes from blondie because I am waiting for an order of blue wool felt to go with her blue dress, but I kind of like the red on her. What do you think?

23Aug2013

The twice baked doll

Posted in dolls by Climbing Vine Clothing

I have found that the greatest challenge in doll making is walking the fine line between cute and cuddly or downright scary. I have been looking for a pattern I really like, and found one online last week. It seemed like a simple enough doll, but I ended up redoing every part of her at least twice.
The first problem was the cotton jersey. It’s really stretchy and can wreak havoc with a straight seam. If you don’t cut it right on the grain, the limbs and torso start twisting into grotesque positions. I had to resew one of the legs not just twice, but four times until it would point forward. And don’t get me started on the face shape! The cheeks were impossible. One minute she looked like a chipmunk preparing for winter, the next a miserable girl who just had her tonsils out. I pulled out the stuffing, took a few more stitches, and restuffed her.
And then there were the facial features. I sketched an idea, looked at some patterns, traced the proportions and started in. I worked on her face until way past bedtime. She wasn’t exactly how I wanted, but I was tired and figured she would do. I couldn’t find her the next morning, and went to ask the boys. They were playing with her in the bedroom, and I overheard one of them saying,

“Hey guys, make way for the scary alien doll!”

Naturally I was offended. I went in to retrieve her and asked them if they really thought she was scary looking. With great gusto they replied,

” Oh yah mom, she’s super scary. But she’s cool.”

I almost gave up in disgust at that point, but then I figured I would at least give the poor girl some hair. I made her a wig out of yellow cotton jersey, and sewed it in place. I then asked the hubby if she didn’t look better with some hair on. He only said,

“Why did you part her hair in the middle?”

Now I was mad and determined. Off came the hair, off came the face, I did a side part and a bit more plastic surgery.

Next came the clothing. I thought purple would be nice, so I made a little purple dress with button trim. I put it on, and I just didn’t like it. I don’t know why, but I figured if I was going to all this trouble, I might as well dress her nicely. So I picked my favorite color- cherry red, and started in again. I liked this one better.

And then came the shoes. They were the only thing I didn’t do twice, and the only thing on this doll not made from upcycled cotton jersey. Maybe that’s a sign? They are made from wool felt left over from the short period my hubby built billiard tables as a side business. Did you know my hubby is a jack of all trades? I am so glad I saved it in my bottomless pit of a fabric chest all these years, because it is the very best quality felt you can find. So rest assured, this girl is well shod.

So there she is. I have looked at her so long that I can’t tell what I think about her anymore, but she is finished and up for adoption if anyone is interested…

Climbing Vine

Bloom where you are planted

Category Archives: dolls

Variety is the spice of life

Bunnies and boxes

Twinsies

Bunny Love

His ‘n Hers

Brown-eyed girl

The twice baked doll

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