I have had a lifelong obsession with sewing doll clothes. It started when I was a child, and my grandmother let me have her fabric scraps and the use of her sewing machine to make Barbie clothes. It's been more or less appealing to me at different stages of my life since then. Craftster has been a major force (some would say, a bad influence) in my sewing impulse, especially lately. I have been exploring types of projects that I never would have undertaken without seeing others' work. Call it a disease if you like.
Last week, it was felt food. Apparently there are tons of people who enjoy making tiny stuffed replicas of... just about everything. Most of the Japanese books published on the subject (it must be really big over there) feature little desserts, like doughnuts and cakes. Not kidding. I thought it was nutso, the first 500 ones posted on Craftster, and not just because I hate cute. But then I saw these, and I was intrigued. The last straw was when Jax begged for plastic toy food, and I caught myself wondering exactly how you'd shape a clove of garlic.. So I bought a few sheets of felt and got started. 
Carrots, tomato slices, pop-tarts, pancakes, an orange slice, and Newman-Os.
This week it's been doll clothes. Jax has a baby doll, appropriately named "Baby", that he loves and which I use to encourage Jax in good behavior. Jax is so used to me saying, "You and Baby get in the bath, start brushing your teeth, pick up your toys" or whatever. Two nights ago Jax was putting on his pajamas and realized that Baby doesn't have pjs. So I made some little pants, and today Jax requested a matching shirt. This is not the easiest baby to sew for as it's a non-standard size and shape, but Jax doesn't care if Baby's clothes don't hang right.
Also I have started a primitive rag doll. It was my intention for her to be an ethnic doll made of tea-dyed muslin. When I dyed the fabric yesterday, it just didn't come out dark enough, so today I am dyeing it again in a stronger tea solution, 12 bags to a gallon. I am going to let it sit overnight this time and see if that makes a difference in the color.
Originally when I started this project I had intended to give it to my SILs foster baby for her first birthday. Now I don't know. She's not a baby doll kind of kid (though Jax wasn't at 12 months either), and I don't know if I will have time to finish in time anyway given my dyeing difficulties. My biggest fear is that I'll put a lot of effort into the doll and it will end up at Goodwill when this placement ends and they move to a new foster family (or worse, back with the birth mother.) In the end I may just save it for another child.
Regardless, I intend for the doll to look like this baby. Destiny kind of puts me in mind of Olivia from the Cosby Show. They had my former coworker Marreo's mom put braids in her hair; sooo cute. Last night I took a sketch of her hair and face with the intent of copying her as closely as possible. I hope it turns out well.
Jax requested another baby doll, a Waldorf doll to be exact. So if this baby doll turns out ok, that's my next doll making adventure.
I say all this by way of saying one other thing. I really want a Tyler Wentworth doll. This one, to be exact:
I can't find it for sale anywhere, because I don't know the model name or anything about it. And I probably wouldn't spend that kind of money on it anyway. But I want it. The 16" size is small enough to be cute but large enough to be easy to sew for. And this particular model looks somewhat like me, but a better form of me. One that gets plenty of rest and travels with her own lighting director. I like her.
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wakeful dreamer