Fleur Blog Hop

Hello!!!! I've returned from an unscheduled blog break to tell you about the sweet doll I made.  Making a doll has been on my craft wish list for some time.   Right before Thanksgiving I saw that Lisa from the wonderful blog Big Little was asking for pattern testers to make a Fleur.  Even though it was right before I was going away for Thanksgiving and had lots of other stuff to do, I jumped at the chance.  I thought (and still do) that it was such a special looking doll and that it would get me to check this off my list.  I was thrilled to be selected to be a pattern tester.  

Little did I know that this was the kind of pattern I needed to make my first doll.  It is very detailed for every part of the doll making - clothes (where I was most confident), embroidery, sewing the actual doll, and hair (the rest of the doll process I was less confident initially).  I really had no idea how to make a doll and the details in the pattern really answered most of my questions. 

Because I wanted to start right away and had the materials needed to make the clothes and shoes,  I sewed them first.  It was so fun. I used some liberty lifestyle for the dress and and some other unknown quilting cotton for the bloomers.  I love the little bow on the bloomers.   I couldn't wait to make the doll after I made the clothes. 

Sewing the doll was easier than I thought it would be.  Lisa gives really good instructions for stuffing the doll too which is so important.  I was very nervous to do the embroidery for the face.  But again the instructions are great and I loved how it came out.  Making the hair was so much fun too.

This project did take some time but I truly enjoyed every step.  Something I really like about the doll making process is the variety of the steps and the different skills it uses.  I am definitely hooked on making dolls.

I actually made another doll since this one.  It was a different kind of pattern.  I made a cute doll but the instructions were for someone who I think knew how to make dolls.  And the one I made came out really well.  I don't think it would have come out that well,  if I hadn't sewn the Fleur doll first.  I do plan on making more Fleur's too.  She is just so special.

If you want to purchase this pattern be sure to go to the Big Little shop here.  If you purchase before December 20th, you will receive 15% off using the code Fleur15. 

There is also a very generous giveaway where another pattern tester is generously giving away a doll she made with the Fleur pattern to a deserving child.  To get the details and enter the giveaway you can go here.

Before I go I just need to mention how much my kids love this doll.  I am always finding her all over the house because the kids are always playing with her.  Here is Stella giving her a kiss.