Lizzie

Hello dear friends & readers,

This post is written especially for my good friend Leeanne

Several months ago Leeanne asked me "could you do a post about that doll thats up the top on your header"

That doll is called Lizzie . . . & she is a pattern by Chris Rook of "Raggedy-ole-britches"

My tatty copy has been torn out of an old Homespun magazine & (until now) I had only ever made the one

Hello there . . .  I'm Lizzie

My Lizzie sits on my dining room couch & watches the world go by, observing all the comings & goings of my rather odd threadbear life

When Leeanne asked me, I had already begun another body so this weekend - with cyclone Lusi whirling her way around us - I sat down & began to complete Lizzie No 2.

The photo above shows the before & after of the hands & feet which require some needle sculpting ... as I tend to stuff my dolls rather tightly, this was often a tiny bit tricky but we got there in the end.  Without sculpting, her feet would be quite misshapen I feel.

Now wouldn't you just adore a figure like this ???!!!

The above pic is the completed doll body - yes I know - rather odd looking isnt she ... but I am quite partial to these "hammer head style" dolls, especially the primitive ones

(I notice the pattern says to sew all the body pieces first & then dunk in parisian essence but I personally find it much easier to dye a large piece of calico first, dry it, then begin my body)

Dressing her is the fun part ... her dress is simple enough & she has pantaloons also 

 I just love the finished Lizzie ... I decided to embellish my "No 2 version" with some torn fabric ribbons in her hair

Its interesting to notice the fading of the calico body & cardy  in Lizzie 1 - although our diningroom is dark, it just shows how much the light can fade things

The pattern just used 3 single strands of wool for hair stiffened with PVA glue ... I preferred to add a bit more hair, but this is a personal choice

Although the pattern calls for an Op Shop baby cardigan (to be parisian essence dyed), she is equally as lovely without the cardy

Her eyes are black domes (or snaps/poppers as some countries call them)

The pattern also shows how to make her some primitive cakes with painted icing on but my Lizzie is quite content to just sit around observing, so I didnt make up the cakes.

Because I seem to have made rather a few Raggedies lately, I decided to do a small Raggedy Anne display in the Cottage to group them all together

I thought they could just enjoy each others company & share stories a little

Sometimes when I am in bed at night, I wonder to myself ... do they ever get up & move around & then get back into their rightful places by morning . . .  hmmm ... no wonder the Mr thinks I am "losing the plot somewhat" at times ...

I just love my Raggedies So VeRy MuCh  :-)

While Cyclone Lusi blew great gusts & gales around us all weekend (& unfortunately, did not rain a great deal) it was definately indoors weather but great for crafting & finishing some long overdue projects

This was a panel I had planned to make up into a table runner for my Mum - originally for a christmas gift but it ended up back in the "to finish basket" ... her birthday is next month so I had another go at completing it ...

(The panel was called A Stitchers Garden by Moda)

I am still undecided whether to attach the black bobbles to the ends of the runner or leave as it is ... what do you think readers - bobbles or left as it is  ??

Looking at my photos, I would like to stitch through the centre borders in red to make them sit a little better ... also a note to self... "give table runner a good iron!!!"

Another completion was this very old stitchery pulled out of the pile - it is a Country Friends design,  stitched on linen very many years ago (in fact, I think it was approx 8-9 years ago now!!)

I tossed up a few ideas but in the end, decided to cut out a blue wool felt border with my scallop scissors & then attach it to some blue ticking (from the Op Shop) & make into a cushion ... 
the linen on the stitchery is faintly tea-dyed but you can hardly tell.

Today the wind has died down, the sun is shining & it was lovely to sit & have lunch on the deck, to read a gorgeous magazine & drool over some new projects

The hanging baskets can be hung back up again now - they are little wind battered but survived none the less 

And I am sure . . . 

from Pinterest

 . . . that lurking in the back of the cupboard somewhere ... there are some more PHD's to be completed.

Have a wonderful week ahead dear friends & readers
May you keep safe from any "storms" out there - thanks so much for your visits
And Leeanne - perhaps you will be inspired now to make your own little Lizzie doll
much love & friendship to all of you,
Julie x0x0x