Flower Fairies

The summer challenge for the cloth/ art doll club that I belong to was to make a doll to go with a prop that you have at home. At a meeting late last year the person who set the challenge had all manner of interesting props, miniature shopping trolleys, bird cages, little chairs and sofas to inspire. Needless to say I did not have any of these things, I have a big stash of things but nothing that seemed to be right, so I put it off and then it was Christmas and then it was too hot. Excuses aside, I try to participate fully in the clubs that I belong to and was in a bind as it was too late to embark on a complicated doll. So I am sitting in my sewing room, eyes wandering in search of inspiration and there it was, an old cotton spool from India. Beside it, an artificial water plant that I thought might be useful - forget now why I thought it would be useful. Inspiration came and the decision was made in a flash - combine the two items and make a little doll to match.

The first part of the process involved stitching a simple doll shape, very small about the size of my little finger only curvier and attaching some wire and bead arms. To finish her off,  I needed to dress the body, a ribbon wrap and a few beads, then draw on the very simple face and give her a glam 'updo' for her hair. Once completed I could insert her into the artificial plant. Ta dah - Our Lady of the Water Weed. The cotton reel became the plinth that she was mounted on.

I have made lots of these dolls, mostly as little fairies to attach to a gift as a type of decoration and as Christmas decorations. Usually they have an artificial flower for the skirt  and a ribbon bodice, some twisted beading wire for arms and legs and a bit of glitz with seed beads. Gel pens for the face and some mohair fleece for hair. When making them I adopt a factory mentality and sew up bodies in batches of ten and then just work on them whenever I feel like it, mostly on a hot day. I store them up to use throughout the year. They are fun to make. Unfortunately I have not kept any but have a few photos.

These two belong to my friend Dianne, she loves pink so hers are nearly always pink

these are my daughter in law Rachel's, she likes purple

These two are a another version, bigger with a larger body shaped like an icy pole/popsicle.

I think of this one as the pink 'punk', not that Dianne is a punk

and this is yellow orchid
Rachel also likes yellow, it was probably tied to purple ribbon and gift wrap 

The Christmas versions had skirts made with poinsettia flowers and usually green chiffon ribbons - in keeping with the red and green of Christmas. I have recently come across more red velvet poinsettias in a discount shop and purchased them all, so will be able to make them again.