Comments on: That’ll teach me not to brag

By: Karen Ryan

Karen Ryan — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:13:36 +0000

I knew what you meant, Kaye, and I imagine there were lots of others laughing too. It happens to all of us sometimes! Anyway, I got past it without pulling all my hair out only to fire the next kind of leg standing up and for the very first time the foot ended up sagging downward during the firing! Guess I must have been a really bad girl that week and it was pay-back time!

By: Kaye

Kaye — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:00:43 +0000

Oops, I meant not FUNNY…
:-O Kaye

By: Kaye

Kaye — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:00:01 +0000

OK, I admit it…I did sort of giggle, but more because I KNOW exactly what you were going through. When I was doing the same thing it was NOT fully.
Can you say “Third Time Lucky”???
Glad you got them done ok the third time. I just broke a tiny heel off a pair of miniature lady’s boots and they are back in the kiln firing my “fix”…do I think I’ll get lucky and it will work, heck no!! I already have pulled the molds and will repour them tomorrow, LOL
Have a great day!
Kaye @ Keepsakes

By: Nancy E.

Nancy E. — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:59:37 +0000

Hi Karen, Glad to hear you got your legs fired okay. I just fired two sets and they are fine too. As far as the body fabric goes, I get mine from Foust Textiles in North Carolina. It is craft velour and I use Doll Flesh Pink. They have other colors as well for your ethnic dolls. I talked to Jan there this morning and made sure that they still carry it. She said you can email her at jan@fousttextiles.com She will be happy to send you a bolt. You do have to buy a bolt as it is from the mill and they is the only way they sell it. There is usually 15 yards on the bolt and it is 60 inches wide, so you can get a lot of bodies from it. I have been buying from them for over 15 years. I have gotten a fine grade of 100% all cotton Batiste for doll clothes from them too. Hope this helps. Nancy @ Nancy’s Doll Shop and Hospital. Baltimore Ohio

By: Karen Ryan

Karen Ryan — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:41:47 +0000

Nancy,
thanks so much for your input on firing the legs. I finally got a good set, so hopefully that problem is over, for now anyway. I have been wondering about the body. Several people have told me they managed to make it work without stretch material, and one said she made the bands of stretchy fabric. You’ll have to tell me where to get the fabric you used. I’ll email you about that.

By: Nancy E.

Nancy E. — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:01:02 +0000

We have made that doll many times in my shop and the legs are never easy. Wait until you try to put her together. The body must be made out of a fabric that has a little stretch and you have to had more fabric to the part that attaches to the leg. The pattern as is will not work if you don’t make attaching piece to the leg just a little wider. I use craft velour in a flesh color that they call Doll Flesh Pick. You must use a study armature for the body. I use a wooden stick like you can buy in craft stores to support the armature in the main body part. Also the legs. Just use tie wraps to attach the wood to the armature. We have two in the mix right now and I am ready again to fire two sets of the legs. And what most people don’t know is, is doesn’t hurt one bit for the body part to touch the sides of the kiln, it will not adhere. I just put the top of the leg against the side of the kiln and carefully prop the rest of the leg with kiln prop. Never have any problems that way. Hope this helps and you can email me if you like at naengel@hotmail.com Good luck,,, Nancy E.