Re: Work In Progress--Deryni Action Figure Project (was Duncan Action Figure)

[Jerusha]

I also like the first Sophie better (doll on the left under green fabric.)  The other doll looks too "worldly wise" for Sophie, who always struck me as a more innocent type, though innocent is not exactly the word I want.  Sophie would never be a coronet chaser, while the other doll might think about it.

[Evie]

I almost forgot....


New girl by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I also found this incense burner this weekend!  I'm sure Kelson enjoys a well cooked meal even when he's in a war camp, so that will go into his camping gear.  Unless for some reason I end up having a kitchen diorama at some point, in which case it would work for that as well.  Or maybe some of our castle ladies enjoy a bit of hearth cooking on occasion rather than always taking meals in the Great Hall?  If not, then you never know when our intrepid heroes might be visiting an inn or a tavern.  All sorts of uses for a good kettle!

Today's progress:


Tedt fit by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I haven't done any sewing since the Christmas holidays,  when I discovered that my tendonitis made hand sewing too painful.  Since the hand and arm pain has subsided a bit since then,  I thought I'd try again.  Cut out this gown last night and added a neck facing at lunch today.  So far,  so good. The arm is only mildly achy this afternoon,  so I may give it another go tonight.. Otherwise I'll give it another try tomorrow once the arm has rested a bit.

[Evie]

Slow progress by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I started hemming one of the sleeves at lunch today.  It was slow going, especially since I was trying to keep the stitches small enough to avoid them showing through on the outside, and closely spaced enough to keep tiny fingers from getting caught in the hem.  But this is about half an hour of stitching.  My wrist finally started getting tired, so I've put it away for the day. I'd guess I'm about 1/3 of the way through with this hem.

And in today's mail:


Nail art microbeads by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

My new source of miniature beads for use in 1:6 scale costuming.   

[Aerlys]

No luck with the sewing machine, eh?

[Evie]

I haven't had a chance to try the machine yet, but in any case, it's much too heavy for me to carry to work with me every day, and my lunch break is when I tend to have the most free time to sew.

[Jerusha]

No luck in having that Transfer Portal installed beside you desk at work? 

I like that collection of beads that arrived.  Lots of potential there.

[Evie]

They'll have to be glued on with Fabri-Tac or some other sort of adhesive, since each bead is only about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.  But I've seen some doll costuming where the beads were used to great advantage, since they can take on the appearance of seed beads at a much smaller than real-life scale.  They could also work for small gemstones, especially since the camera makes them look a little bit larger in close-up photos.  I'd love to find some just a little bit larger, about halfway between this size and seed bead size, but I don't have a source for anything like that yet.

[Shiral]

They'll have to be glued on with Fabri-Tac or some other sort of adhesive, since each bead is only about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.  But I've seen some doll costuming where the beads were used to great advantage, since they can take on the appearance of seed beads at a much smaller than real-life scale.  They could also work for small gemstones, especially since the camera makes them look a little bit larger in close-up photos.  I'd love to find some just a little bit larger, about halfway between this size and seed bead size, but I don't have a source for anything like that yet.

Whatever you do, Evie....just don't sneeze while working with the itty bitty beads. I've got a bit more familiar with my new sewing machine, and it will probably really help  your sore arm and shoulder to use yours, when you can find the time. If the stitches show too much, you can always use contrasting threads and claim you meant to do it as a decorative touch.

Melissa

[Laurna]

Evie, I love the itty bitty beads.   I am thinking that you could get a small stencil, like one used for dry-brush painting in the shape of a fleur de lis  or vine or something small. You could paint the glue on the fabric  using the stencil and then sprinkle the beads over the glue areas and wait for it all to set. Then shake the unglued beads back into the jar.   Those are so tiny I'm in agreement with Shiral, 'Don't Sneeze!'

I also love the dress you started. After you finish hand stitching the sleeve hems, do try the side seams on the machine. What I like to do for the small dolls is zigzag along the raw edges first to keep them from unraveling and then sew a  nice 1/4" seam allowance. For the two gowns I did, I slit the back down the center to the dolls rump and then hand whipped the fabric back a  1/2" on each side for a closure. I used snaps for ease of dressing, but you can lace the closure with embroidery thread for more authentic look.

Sophie's on her way to joining the party.

[Evie]

Here's my newest mini-Deryni, on a new jointed body that will let her pose better than her old, stiff Barbie body:


Replacement Ailidh by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I wanted to find a figure for Ailidh who would look better alongside her friends Sophie and Celsie than the one I originally bought to represent her.  Here is a Barbie head (with her body recently replaced with a better Liv body) that already comes with the right hair color,  eye color,  and freckles.  She needs curly hair,  but that can be done with a boil perm.


Replacement Ailidh by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

She'll need a new wardrobe, of course, but one thing at a time....     Her curled hair will end up being rather short for a medieval lady's usual hairstyle, but probably just the right length for the period when she lopped it all off in order to try to pass herself off as "one of the lads" when sneaking off to follow Dhugal's men.  So that should work.

[Jerusha]

A very nice find.  I'm looking forward to seeing the final "look" after her boil torture perm.   

I hope Bishop Arilan hasn't gone into total shock seeing her in her current outfit.  He'll be doing penance forever at this rate. 

[Evie]

Liv bodies are just a smidge less curvy than Barbie bodies, although close enough in size to wear each other's clothing.  If Bishop Arilan thinks this swimsuit looks scandalous on Ailidh's current body, it's just as well he never saw it on her original body, where it hugged her form to the point of looking spray painted on.   

The chemise I made for the original Ailidh ought to fit this body as well (chemises are pretty "one size fits most" in that regard, as long as the height is pretty much the same), so it's really just an outer gown that she'll be needing.  I think I've got some mini-tartan fabric in my stash in the right colors to pass as Transha plaid if you don't inspect it too closely.  Or I could just make her a shirt and trews and then hang her upside down from a tree branch for Kelson and Dhugal to discover....   

[Laurna]

Or I could just make her a shirt and trews and then hang her upside down from a tree branch for Kelson and Dhugal to discover.... 

"snicker"
Jass was with Dhugal that day was he not?  Now I'm wondering what Jass was thinking when he saw this red headed girl hanging upside down. Hmm any ideas? I'm sure it wasn't- "I think I'll marry that lass." Then again maybe it was.

[Evie]

Jass knew her from her younger years, so his first thought was probably, "Jesu, she hasn't changed a bit...except that she's a fair bit curvier now than she was when she was 11!  Hmmm...." 

[AnnieUK]

Did someone mention Jass?