I have been buying supplies from Cloth Doll Supply since 2008. Above are 2 that I like to use. The wool is braided so the 'hair' will have a wonderful curl. Just cut a length and unbraid to use.
There are so many things to use for doll hair. Above-rope, unbraided. String, paper, cloth ripped in strips, paperclay, papier mache-there's so many choices!
Above, some beautiful mohair purchased from an Etsy shop.
Here is some silk/merino blend from General Bailey Homestead Farm on Etsy. The rest of the fiber in this post was purchased from this shop.
Beautiful flax. I love using flax for doll hair.
Above is Llama fur. It's so soft.
Above, more flax-undyed. You can cover many doll heads with a small amount of flax. The fiber is fine in texture, unless you use the fiber before it is cleaned-and that stuff is Wonderful for very primitive dolls-it's many-textured and very earthy. I don't have any more of it. It's short fibered so it's a bit hard to apply to a doll head. The flax above is very long in length though and can be pushed into a cloth doll head with felting needles.
I'm interested in historical clothing-not that I've done much of that with with my dolls-yet-but I do love pouring through books on the subject. I was very lucky to buy a huge set of books on this subject on Ebay from a retired costume designer. He had worked for television costuming.
This is my all-time favorite costume book. It is a treasure. All of the clothing was painstakingly drawn by Nancy Bradfield, who wrote detailed descriptions for the clothing. I had borrowed this book from a local library so many times that the only thing for me to do was to buy it. Searching for this particular book was how I found the rest of my clothing books in this post.
My studio is a mess, but a happy mess. I like to work on lots of projects at once. I am not great at anything-my dolls are crude, my paintings are not very good. But I look at it this way: I will just keep plodding on, little bits of getting better here and there-lots of things won't work, but I'll just keep trying. I feel BLESSED to be able to play in my studio, and I will be pleased with that!
Thank you for your visit.
16 comments:
Wonderful post
I disagree. Your paintings are beautiful. You are a talented artist. And, you are an inspiration.
You are always good, don't be modest! Love all the fibres and materials you use. Have fun, hugs, Valerie
Interesting, thanks.
Agreed! You are a talented artist and an inspiration! I’m watching as you get back to doll-making! It feels like you are going into it with both feet, if not head first. Wonderful!
Good evening, thanks so much for sharing about the doll supplies-very interesting. I jump around with my crafts too-it used to bug my Mom when she was still with us. "why don't stick with one thing and get really good at that" cause that would be too boring I say.
I feel the same way-I do not excel any one form of craft-but I do love exploring new things-it's exciting and challenging for me
and I love your paintings too- "don't stop painting" giving your advice back at ya-hugs
Thank you my friend!!!
Kinda hard to have those prolonged artist blocks, so making things with my hands helps a lot!
You're welcome!
Well-you are an ispiration too. I think I look at my stuff pretty fairly and honestly. I think I could get better if I worked consistently. Right now it's just hard to get focused. Thank you for your encouragement!
Oh, this is going to be good! :)
A wonderful post. I am so glad to see your doll making. Your work area looks pretty organized compared to mine. I love happy messes. Have a great day.
hugs
You always have interesting posts. You are blessed.
So interesting to see all the different kinds of materials used for doll's hair. I love that collection of vintage fashion clothing. I have done a few paper dolls but haven't tried any clay dolls. Have you made papier mache dolls?
Oh sweet friend in my humble opinion all that you create is beautiful. Like each of us we are not good judges of our art. So glad to read that your studio is a mess because you are creating. :) Hugs!
The 2 dolls I'm working on now are covered with papier mache except for the heads and hands and feet. I used to always make cloth bodies and stuff them, but I wanted figures with a little more sturdiness to them, so I amde wire armatures and covered that with papier mache. It's along process though because I have to let parts dry before I can move on. But I am enjoying it.
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