Spirit Dolls

I have a new fascination with art dolls. Especially the small dolls that can fit into the palm our your hands. My first introduction to art dolls was in an art trading group. We exchanged "Dottie Dolls". Since then I have been reading art doll books trying to learn new techniques.

My friend Mary Jane Burton emailed me and said that they could also be considered to be "amulet" or "talisman" dolls. (If you Google amulet dolls or talisman dolls you can see lots of examples) Mary Jane said, "In the spirit of good will that the "pizzazz" group embodies, spirit dolls fit right in with how we are bonding. "

Spirit doll I made in the workshop

Painting spirit doll made from a recycled paint brush. She is all purple fabrics and fibers and is beaded with sequins.

How to make spirit dolls

Some things to consider before making your spirit doll. I like really textured looking dimensional dolls, so I add lots of layers of fabrics, netting, fibers- but that's up to you how you want your doll to look.

Do you want your doll to have a theme? Is she all one color? Is she a scrap doll? Is she a woodland doll, mermaid doll, etc.

Looking to make a muse? Are you "stuck" in your creative process. For example I want to do more fabric paining so I made a doll who's body was a recycled paint brush and I wrote a message that was wrapped around the dolls body before the padding was added.

Did you finish a big quilt or project? Make a doll from the scraps to go with the art quilt. This would be a really cool package topper if the quilt is a gift. You could put the doll attached to the quilt box.

Is your doll abstract or does it have a face?

Step One: Think about what is the "spirit" for your doll. This doll I am making is a creative writing doll so her body is a recycled mechanical pencil. You can use sticks from your yard, skewers, recycled paint brushes. Anything that is the length you want and is a sturdy base.

Step Two: How to make a spirit doll body- Wrap the body with either strips of leftover batting (if you have the fusible kind it's perfect, just a little sticky) or fiber fill. Keep in mind where the head or any other parts you might want to be fatter.

Step Three: Wrap the entire body (you can see that the doll's hips are wider) and pin to hold in place.

Step Four: wrap a fabric scrap around the body. I like to use three thin strips so you can see each fabric but it is totally up to you. I like the textured look.

Step Five: Continue wrapping strips until no more padding shows.

Step six: Doll completely wrapped with fabrics.

Step Seven: Once your doll is wrapped with fabric strips, wrap the doll with a strand of heavier textured yarn. If you want hair or a tail, be sure to leave some yarn coming off one end.

Step Eight: Wrap the doll body with a decorative strand of fiber or yarn for texture.

Step Nine: Wrap the dolls body with netting. This doll was wrapped with light blue. I was careful not to let my netting overlap too much, as I wanted her to have a very translucent fluid look. Her destiny is to be a water spirit doll.

Step Ten:

Wrap the dolls body that is covered in the netting with a pretty frilly or very textured fiber.

Step Eleven:

Wrap the dolls body with a sparkly or eye-catching fiber. I wrap in different directions with each fiber so they are not all built up in one direction or place on the doll.

Step Twelve:

If you want extra fibers hanging of the bottom or for hair- add the extra fibers now. I just choose ones that I liked and tied them across the doll making sure to catch the other fibers that were on the doll already and tied in a knot.

Step Thirteen:

Doll base is complete. Decide if you want the doll to have hanging fibers or if the fibers will be the hair. That will determine which end you want to add the face. Now you can add embellishments or leave her plain its all up to you!

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