Have you ever envisioned a fantastically embellished doll but just didn’t have “the right pattern” to kick it off with?  What’s the “right pattern” anyway?  And who says that you can’t alter what you’ve already got?   

We’ve all experienced it: the “in-the-beginning-slump.”  Essentially the doll itself (when it’s first been pieced together) is a palette.  Having just the right palette can really make all the difference.  “Logically,” I thought to myself one day, “If I create a stunning physique, something human-like, strong and attractive, then I can go ahead and embellish it to the max, in such surprising ways that it will all come together just perfectly!” 

Right? 

Well, why not? 

A challenge was born.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

I decided to make goblins.  Not just ordinary goblins- anatomically “humanly” correct goblins with striking physiques.  They would be the “Adam and Eve” of goblins!  Once their stunning bodies were completed, they would become the perfect open palettes for the most outrageous embellishment I could dream of!   Now how’s that for a wild imagination?

 

But I was limited in my stash of patterns- I didn’t have one with a muscular physique, let alone both a male and female.  And, I didn’t feel like designing a new one.  So, I answered the challenge by using a technique I like to call “skinning the doll.”  Or more appropriately- “skinning the goblin!”   It looks complex, but when the steps are broken down-

 anyone can do it!

 

As you go through this process, remember that when sculpting in cloth you should always be thinking of layering, spreading, stitching and the overall shape of the final piece.  You want your doll to have a “physique.”  That can mean muscles or even rolls of fat.  It doesn’t matter.  I find it very helpful to have a picture of a real person by my side, so I can see the way the body is shaped.  You can use an anatomy book too, or just do a search on the internet for a picture that “suits” you.

 

 

MATERIALS

  • An ordinary doll pattern of your choice, preferably one that you already are accustomed to

  • Fabric for the doll (any high-thread count cotton fabric will do.  Pimatex is my favorite)

  • Cotton lycra for the skin- about the same amount as original pattern (we’ll talk more about this type of fabric shortly)

  • Thread to match

  • Short and sharp needle for hand sewing (preferably a beading needle because those are quite thin and don’t leave holes)

  • Long darning needle for needle sculpting

  • Typical sewing tools  (sewing machine, scissors, etc)

  • Stuffing- choose a high quality stuffing that springs back and won’t “lump.”  Airtex or Fairfield work well.   I don’t have that luxury in Israel, but I would be fussy if I could!

  • Stuffing tool (stuffing fork or hemostat)

  • Finger turning tool (hemostat can work too)

  • Quilter’s batting

  • Thread to match

  • Short and sharp needle for hand sewing

  • Pipe cleaners for finger “bones” (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS

Begin with a pattern- any pattern.  

 

As long as it has a torso and limbs, that is all you need.  Forget about clothing and what not- we’ll be dressing our goblins in their birthday suits!   The pattern can be Plain Jane or complex- the choice is yours.  Just use what you’ve got and be sure it’s something you’ve used in the past and feel comfortable with.  Keep in mind that you’ll be altering the shape, not so much the height of the doll.  It will grow a little bit, but if you want a 25” doll, you should not be using an 18” pattern. 

 

Follow the directions, sew and stuff the doll, and assemble it according to the pattern instructions. 

 

NOTE:

·        Leave the hands off.  You’ll see why the skinning technique doesn’t apply later.

·        Make the rest of the body and limbs, but don’t do the head.  Goblins have really fun-looking heads and it’s fun to

       alter them and see what happens!  If you are not really interested in making a goblin you can just enlarge the original

       head pattern with computer software.  In any case, the head is always saved for last because its size depends on tfinal

       outcome of the rest of the body.  The head does NOT have to be made with skin fabric at all because you’ll be altering

       the pattern itself.

 

LET’S BEGIN to SKIN!

 

 Which fabric will I choose for the skin?

 First and foremost, the skin must be elastic so it can be stretched snugly over the doll.  That means the fabric needs to contain lycra.  Following are the different kinds of suitable skin fabrics I have used.  I’m sure there are more, but these are the ones I know and love.

 

There is a wonderful fabric called “stretch lycra,” and another similar fabric called “dollskin.”  These “skins” are quite realistic looking, and are very thin.  Not as thin as nylon, of course, but thin nonetheless.  I would choose this type of skin for a delicate doll that I want to look as realistic as possible.  Since it is so thin, it is also significantly more difficult to stuff and sculpt.   If you ever tried to sew a pattern with stretch lycra and stuff it like an ordinary doll pattern (as I once did), you would know that it doesn’t work so well.  The result is a lot of lumps!  So, skinning is really the only thing you CAN use these fabrics for! 

 

Another consideration is that the fabric is sleek and moves around a lot, so it’s more difficult to control and manipulate.  The thin/stretchy combination makes it harder to sew on the machine, as well.  You must reduce your stitch length to at least 1.5.

 

 I also find it challenging to color on these fabrics because they are not as absorbent and don’t accept colored pencils the way cotton does. Despite the sleekness, if you look closely you’ll see a lot of texture in the weave.  I’d need to apply a good textile medium to prep the surface because of this.   If you do choose to use this skin, the result will be gorgeous and well worth the PATIENCE !

 

There’s another stretch fabric in my stash that is a combination of 80% cotton and 20% lycra.  It’s a perfect combination and this is why:

 

Ø      The cotton is perfect for coloring on.

Ø      It’s got just the right balance of lycra and cotton for a stretch that is not too stiff or loose. 

Ø      “Thick skin”- This fabric a bit on the thicker side.  This is to my advantage because I can have more control and ability to create body contours without the doll looking lumpy.  Just take note that if you’re making a small doll or delicate faery, you would want the other fabric.

 

If you find some other fabrics that have stretch in them, take a good close up look at them before you “skin” with them.  Ask yourself a few questions:

1)      Does the fabric stretch two ways?  (it should)

2)       How well can it take color?  (if you’re using paint and not colored pencils then it doesn’t matter)

3)      How thin/thick is it?  

 

These factors should help you decide what is compatible for your project.

 

GETTING STARTED

  1. Using the original pattern, add an extra 1/2” seam allowance for all pieces, excluding the head.  It’s really that simple.  Use photo software or just redraw it by hand.  DO include the hands.

  2. Change your sewing machine needle to stretch, and make the appropriate tension and stitch length adjustments.  Rule of thumb-  2.0.  Re-sew the skin as you did for the original doll, but do not stuff it.  Sew, turn and stuff the hands as you would ordinarily, but don’t skin them.  It’s too difficult and the double seam allowance will make the fingers way too bulky.  Besides, why make four hands?

  3. Carefully put the skins on the doll.  

 

SHAPING

 

     4. Using a stuffing fork, begin stuffing the body cautiously: torso, arms, and legs.  Plan to spend some time on this step-         work slowly and stuff firmly.  Take care to maintain and build on the batting if necessary.   Add small bits of 

        stuffing  at   a time to avoid lumps.  When you are close to being done, remove the pins and add stuffing if needed.

 

Important:  There is a useful tool called a “smoother.” It gets right under the skin and does the job without pushing anything around the way a stuffing fork would.  If you can’t find one, try using a popsicle stick or some similar shape. 

 

 Here is the smoothing tool:

( This is where I found mine in case you are interested in one! )

 

At this point, your doll should look something like this:

 

TIP:  If your doll does not have a bust, you can make the addition easily. 

 Here's how:   Cut out two circles on stretch fabric that seem about the right size.  You'll have to rely on your eye.  Sew a dart on the bottom of each breast and hand-baste them onto the torso.  Be sure to leave a small space and stuff the breasts full.  The breasts will be under the skin.

 

 

 

5.  Using a thin sharp needle and matching thread, neatly attach the skin-limbs to the body.  Use a ladder stitch and conceal the stitching as best as possible.  

 

 TIP: To get a really shapely buttocks, this is what to do:

 

Stretch the topmost seams for the legs right over the surface and into the “crack.”  Manipulate this until it looks right- maybe add some more batting or stuffing.  Put pins in a line right in the crack and just stitch it carefully, removing one pin at a time.  You can make the starting point be right between the legs in the “private area.”  This will help pull the fabric inward and form the “cheeks.”  (sorry for the descriptiveness!)  This is the most difficult part of sculpting, but if you are patient and take your time, your doll will have beautiful buns!

 

 

Some Extras:

You can needle sculpt the body to give the doll further detail and definition.  I didn't use these techniques on my example here because I knew I wanted to dress this doll (this is actually Niamh).  However I did it on Pagaz.   

 

NEEDLE SCULPTING THE BODY

  1.  Using an air erasable fabric marker, draw an outline around the bust / chest area.  The outlines should be semi-circles.  This step is optional for a female figure, but looks really good on a male because it really aids in definition.

  2. Thread up a long darning needle with 18” of strong thread.  The thread should be in a single strand, not doubled.   Knot and anchor it in the doll’s back.

  3.  Push the needle through the back, and come out on the left side, at the beginning of the outline.

  4. Take one small stitch, and bring the needle back to the starting point in the doll’s back. Continue this way until you’ve sculpted the whole chest area.  Knot off in the back and you’re done.  Don’t worry that the sculpting will leave a “dent” in the doll’s back, because it will be covered with wings!

 You can use this technique to sculpt the “seat” as well, provided that you’ve got lots of “padding” there.  Starting point would be right between the legs.  This area will be covered later.

 

DEFINE THE BREAST

Ø      Put two pins in the nipple, forming an “X”

Ø      Knot and thread a needle with approximately 12” of sewing thread.  Leave a tail of about 2” after the knot.

Ø      From behind the pins, enter the nipple and wrap the thread around the pins 2 or 3 times.  Pull tightly.  Sometimes the sculpting unravels.  The best way to prevent this is to just stitch around the nipple now, entering at one point and exiting directly opposite, like an “X”. This will reinforce the wrapped thread.   Do this about 3 times, so you should have gone all the way around.  When you are done, exit needle at the 2” thread tail.

Ø      Tie a double knot, pulling taut.  Remove the pins.

 

Add Color

Sponge on or mist the nipple with water.

Use your watercolor pencils to color in the nipple.  Pink and terra cotta work well.  The colors will blend together because of the water.

If you have Krylon Fixative, spray onto your coloring following the manufacturer’s instructions.  Do this in a ventilated area.

 

 Sculpt the Belly Button

    1.  Knot and thread a long doll makers’ needle with approximately 12” of button thread. 

         Leave a tail behind the knot 2” long.

2.  Enter needle fromn behind her neck, where the head will be.

3.  Gently guide the needle through torso until it exits at belly button.

4.  Re-enter needle a scant drop from the spot it just exited.  Guide the needle back to starting point at back of neck.

5.  Gently pull on thread until the belly button indents.  Tie a double know to hold belly button shape in place, cut off excess.

6.  Using a colored pencil, add a touch of color to the belly button.  Terra cotta and burnt umber are good colors to try.

 

GOBLIN HEADS

 

      Pagaz’s head was altered for fun.  It’s a regular cloth head.  Niamh’s head is not altered; it’s cloth over paperclay.  If you’re making a goblin like Pagaz, try this technique for making his head extra wild:

 

When you feel your body is complete, go ahead and alter the head pattern.  For my goblins, I just elongated the nose and

chin on a regular pattern.   I also made elf ears for that special touch.  Try this- just redraw a head pattern and have fun…

you might be pleasantly surprised with the results!  Use batting under the skin to add cheekbones, whatever! 

Remember, this is a goblin- the odder the better!

Just remember to enlarge the pattern before you alter it. 

 

TIP:  For still more fun, try this:  don’t use skin fabric at all.  Use some wild fabric that would make your goblin look really intriguing.  Pagaz’s head was created with a green fabric and skin-colored paint dabbled on with bubble wrap.  His eyes are made from fimo.  If you use this method, you’ll want to enlarge the pattern more than ½” seam allowance because the head is not going to be stretching.

 

EMBELLISHING

 The fun begins!  Go into your stash and pull out lots of earthy stuff that you can use to make your goblin come to life:

feathers, beads, yarn, paint, willow leaves, napkins and decoupage glue, found objects- the possibilities are endless. 

Stretch your imagination and do the unthinkable.

 

 Go out for a stroll in the autumn leaves.  If you can, find a secluded spot.  Be very quiet and still, and listen for the sound of

rustling in the wind.  It might just be goblins!  If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse……

or maybe you’ll be lucky enough to invite them to pose.  But be careful- this could be dangerous!! 

 

 This is your creation and your imagination.  Have fun!