New little Troll Girl named Olley

Meet "Olley" my newest little Troll Girl!  She was a lot of fun to make.  Even her pumpkin and skeleton are hand made.  She has needle sulpted features including her eyes.  Eyes are hand painted using acrylic paints.  Her little pumpkin is made from T-shirt fabric with sculpted bumps. 

This is another version of my Oggie Pattern.  Which is available at my Etsy Shop.

Troll progress

I love this part of creating.  You have to listen very carefully.......try on things and listen some more.  Which was the case here.  I'm getting very close to being done.  She'll needs some earrings.  Finish stitching her little dress.  Maybe a couple spiders on her pumpkin?!?

Oh' yeah, some color on her hands and who know what other little adornments I find to add.

Continuing on, after a little break

Slow and steady, seems to be the way I work these days!  Yesterday I sewed on ears, thumbs, stuffed a little more closed openings, sculpted some toes and added button joints to the arms and legs.  Oh' yeah and started this pumpkin.  

Then got interrupted and that's where this little dude or dudette was left sitting on my work table.  While laying in bed last night it occurred to me how I should have cut the pumpkin.  So today I might make another.  And why does it need to be organge?!?

Scrappy, the Pincushion Troll

This little guy was so much fun!  I picked out bits and pieces of fabric to make this 6" Troll.  He has steel BB's to give him a little weight, so he won't move around too much.  

Needle sculpted features, opposable thumbs, inset eyes  and a little tail ornament that I took off a vintage pincushion.  Must keep those needles sharp. 

Oh' I almost forgot.  I needle felted the circle on his belly.  Feeling very happy with how he turned out.

Time to make a Troll

Summer has come to an end, even though the temps are still up there.  The night are finally cooling down which helps.  I've been doing more painting these days. But a couple of days ago I decided I needed a new pincushion.  I had sold the one that used to sit next to the sewing machine a couple of years ago.

It's funny I forgot how much I love my little characters.  This is the miniature version of Mopsy.  Which by the way is available at my Etsy Store.  I have invited my FB friends to play along and have posted the pattern page.

Anyways, here are some pics of my "Scrappy" Pincushion Troll as of yesterday.

When the Troll speaks to you

I know you have probably heard this and think?!?  But my Troll Santa asked for Bunny Warmers.  And I have learned over the years not to fight those requests.  So I got out my sketchpad and then put on my thinking cap.  How could I do this with out making parts that you have to sew on.

I also know that just cause you can envision something in your head, doesn't always mean it comes out that way in cloth.  So here's my idea.

It took some finagling, but I like it.  Yesterday I spent the day making Bunny warmers and absolutely love how they turned out.  It's a lot of hand stitching and fiddly work.  But so worth it in the end.

Happy Accidents

I know I'm moving very slowly with my Troll Santa, but you know all good things take time.  This piece of art is no exception.  Besides I want to make sure everything looks good and fits like it should.

Love happy accidents. Gave this guy a tail that rotates back and forth. Button was kinda loose feeling. Fixed that by adding a belly button.

We ARE our worst critic!  And that is not a bad thing.

Slow and Steady

Slow and steady, it goes! I love taking pics as I go, because it is all about the process.  Today was no exception!  It's still pretty cool temperature wise in my studio, so I'm taking advantage and doing a little work on my troll.  

Sewed on the ears, colored the face, cut out and pin on the Santa bear.  Love how it looks.  Was covered in hair after cutting the Mohair. 

Hand stitching has begun

I absolutely love this part.  I'm using an applied method for the clothes.  Yup, it's just what it sounds like.  Hold the fabric to the body, adjust to your liking, pin, cut and sew.  

8 inches tall

Can you stand it?!?  I totally am loving how this little girl is turning out.  The clothing and accessories are always the fun part for me.  This is when cloth becomes a little character of sorts.

This is a Christmas troll, sitting on a large package.  Is he entangled in ribbon or Christmas lights???  Guess we'll find out soon.

Goal for the week

Well my goal for the week is to finally finish my Forest Troll Girl.  Gosh the poor thing has been waiting for ......oh' I don't know how long?!?  Yesterday I attached her hair and made her a cane with mushrooms.  Can't wait to see what else she wants.

The Journey continues on............

Doing a lot of hand sewing on this little lady!  Yesterday I started the forest. Not sure quite how to begin?!?  But then it just happened.

I love how where this is going!  Trees are made from a recycled T-shirt, as is the little mushroom. I think its time to give her shoes and hair and then maybe a few more forest things.

Slow and steady

Been working on my Troll.  Letting the ideas come as they may, going at a slow and steady pace.  I really love this process.  I'm using a paper towel to create the dress.  I don't have a whole lot of this fabric and need to make sure that I don't waste it.  It's an over dyed piece of linen that I have used several time on other pieces.  Guess I like the way it drapes.  

I'll post more pics soon.

Troll King

Today I put the finishing touches on my "Troll King".  I don't ever think, that I've been so hooked on a Troll.  Kind of like reading a good book and you just can't put it down.  That was the case here.  I would go to bed at night thinking how to make something.

And then the next day I'd go to work.  I'm very pleased with his out come. 

And he now has a head.

It was time to do the head, so this afternoon that is exactly what I did.  I'm trying on this beard, to see if I like it.  This is where I leave it for today.  Tomorrow, ears and face coloring, some more hair, earring and who knows what else. 

Now I must think about his crown.

Photo bombed, by z Kitty Cat

Look who photo bombed my pic.  LOL  My O'mally hangs out in the studio most days and some days he has to get in on the action.  Today I made the second shoe, added a pocket and filled it with trinkets.  

I think it might be time to start thinking about making the head.  Never in all my years of Troll making was the head the last thing to be created..

It was actually kind of a unique experience, because nothing was dictating the direction.  I was free to use the sketch and my imagination.  Very freeing!

Worked on "one" shoe

Totally lost track of time today.  I worked on "one shoe" today.  Now I will let it sit and ferment a bit and next week.......or tomorrow I will make the other shoe.

Ending the week with .................

Feeling very please with the direction this little Troll is going in.  I'm using some of my Eco dyed fabrics and I think that makes that much more special.  

Next I think I either need to make shoes or the head.  Hmmmm.....guess I have the weekend to think about it.  

Two hind legs

My brown toad is beginning to look like a Toad!  I'm really enjoying using this old Eco dyed T-shirt for this project.  I been sewing I don't know for how many hours?!?  A lot!  Am calling it a day, because my fingers hurt and I'm at a good place to stop.  

He now has two eyes, some needle sculpting done to his head and has two hind legs.  He almost looks like he could hop away or ribbit and tell me this fantastic tale, of an adventure he has just been on.

Front legs coming soon.

New listings on my Etsy Shop

Well, I'm back home from Washington DC.  It always takes me a few days to get back in the creative groove, whether it be sewing, painting or just creating something.  This morning I listed several of my finished dolls on my Etsy shop.  I hope you go have a look.