I didn't put in the ruler for perspective, but I promise it's small. Far from perfect. eh.
I contacted the local lace club and was invited on a field trip to a town about an hour and a half from here. Of course I went. We went to a Czech museum, a quilt museum, a Wendish museum, and a great yarn store. I didn't get home until 6:30! I also found out about a weekly lace class for $3 a class. Doesn't seem like enough money! I went on Tuesday and had a great time. I'm so happy I have a place to go to work on lace.
I'm not happy with my doll right now and I'm still thinking about sewing for Kish dolls. Now I fret over whether I should sew for my favorite Kish, which isn't the popular one, or for the jointed popular doll that everyone loves right now. There could be a market for the older Kish, but there's definitely one for the newer Kish. I need to make some money and it doesn't look like it's coming from my doll making efforts.
Right now I think it's enough to make doll clothes. Before I felt this horrible longing to make my own dolls, and hopefully sell them. I've tried this for six months and I still don't have a finished doll. It's been a very painful process as well. I'm just about ready to pack it up.
I can't imagine having the patience it would take to make this. Oh my.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jan! One thing I have plenty of is patience, at least for this. Lacemaking for me is so rewarding. I'm always looking forward to getting to the end so I can take the pins out and see what I've got.
DeleteThat is just beautiful. So very delicate.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary Ann. I use the finest thread because I want that delicate look. I especially like this pattern.
DeleteWell, I put on my glasses and looked really closely at the lace and it still looks wonderful. I think what you do is a kind of magic and I'm really in awe of it. I'm glad you've found a lace making class, too.
ReplyDeleteBut please, please, don't give up on the doll! Put it aside, leave it alone until you feel ready to start again but don't give up. The doll doesn't care how long it waits. I've really enjoyed following your progress and I'm full of admiration for the dedicated way you work.I'm really looking forward to seeing your first doll.
On another note, I've got my little AG Kish doll. She's very cute and is about to get some lovely new hair and maybe, just maybe, a little white pintucked dress. Like I don't have a dozen other little dolls to sew for.
I really liked this lace pattern, and I love the one I'm working on right now. It seems like magic to me, too, even though I've worked from lesson one up to this point. It's been very sequential, and I've learned one thing at a time, but still it amazes me.
DeleteCharles thinks my dolls are special and really likes the way I've colored the last one. He thinks I should keep going. But then he says that if I'm in pain and having to force this, maybe it's not the thing to do, since what we love should come effortlessly. I'm in love with the coloring on the last one, too, and that makes me think I should keep going. Maybe after the first, the others will come more easily. Who knows. I'll do something next week, too, and slowly I will get there. Or not. We'll see.
Think of the dolls like the pieces of lace and each one will teach you something. Some of the doll making process is a tedious chore (maybe that's just me.) but I find as soon as they have eyes, they're a personality and as soon as they have hair, they actually look like a doll. And a doll is a finished achievement, you can see what you like about it, and what's not how you wanted, and try again. Your dolls looked like they were going to be wonderful! I loved the body shape and their child-like posture, so I'm encouraging you for purely selfish reasons. I really want to see that doll!
DeleteYou have good points. I will try to put the head together next week. That's really the only thing keeping me from making the clothes, which is my favorite part.
DeleteOh, and the mistakes in the lace are the tallies. I have trouble getting them even, but I'm getting better at the general shape. More square.
i think you did a fabulous job on the lace.
ReplyDeleteThank you, fellow lacemaker!
DeleteYou are so brave to make lace. When I found it was a richly rewarding process but also very tedious, I decided I would just have to admire those who make it, and view it as a very lovely art form. And have fun making you dolls too!
ReplyDeleteNow THAT is one thing I do, is make dolls.
Have a lovely weekend!
Teresa in California
http://amagicalwhimsy.blogspot.com/
Did you make bobbin lace, too? I love it, but it isn't exactly a quick process, lol. But you're right: it's very rewarding!
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