This doll combines many techniques. Her hair is made from hand spun wool. I have lots of unspun fiber and was able to get a spinning wheel. I learned to spin from videos on UTube (!) and this was one of my first efforts. Note the uneveness of the spin! Not good for knitting but great for hair!

I chose a Chrysanthum motif from the challenge fabric to use on the bodice. Each petal is beaded on the front and back and the collar is upturned and beaded against the neck. The sleeves are two rows of piping and the arms use the green and gold parts of the motif, gold
embroidery and beads. The bottom of the bodice is beaded as well as the leaves.

Each yellow petal uses the complementary fabric for the challenge and is further embellished with paint and beads. There is a freshwater pearl at the end of each row of beading and a crystal at the end of each petal.

The balloon skirt combines hand felted silk fiber, angelina fiber and silk hankies with freemotion machine embroidery, pearls and beads.

Her pantaloons use a pleating technique that involves gathering the fabric, securing it into a gathered roll and boiling it for 5 minutes in water on the stove to set the pleats.

Her shoes are beaded. The base is wooden with modeling paste carved squares and colored with acrylic paint, and gold wax. The staff uses a rod covered with the challenge fabric and more beaded petals and leaves.

She was a joy to make and I am honored that she won first place!
Blossom
2011 Hoffman Challenge
First Place Cloth Dolls
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