These dolls started as a combination of fabrics rather than a clear idea of what they would end up looking like. I always wanted them to be a pair, one dyed with indigo, the other with onion and both using the pale grey Liberty print fabric and the dark grey antique kimono scraps.
I’ve got a massive hoard of Liberty scraps, I just can’t throw any of it away. The prints are so beautiful that I think it’s such a shame to not use even the tiniest wee bits of it. The same goes for kimono scraps. I’ve collected old kimonos since I was a teenager and once they inevitably fall apart after years of wear and tear, I salvage what bits I can and save them up for quilting or doll making.
I wanted these dolls to have long, skinny, floppy arms and legs and a sort of laziness about them. The fabrics are so soft and fine that the dolls flopped over naturally but I added elongated feet and ears just to exaggerate it a bit. I love the way the feet have turned out on both of them.
I’ll be adding Constace and Fifi to my new Etsy store in the next few weeks, along with other creatures and dolls. If you’d like to keep up to date you can find me on Facebook
