Duduza (Comfort) Doll Pattern – Free Knit Pattern
Monday, May 31, 2010
If you know of any other free online Dolly patterns or have one you’d like to share with Dolly Donations, please let me know!!
Thanks, and Happy Knitting!
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Sewing Dolls: How to Make Curves Pop!
If you snip around your curves, e.g. arms, head and feet, either just a few spaced out cuts or some mini triangles, it helps ‘pop’ out the curve when you turn the fabric the right way for stuffing! Be careful though …… don’t snip through your stitches ;)
Give it a try next time!
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A Little Bit About Free The Kids in Haiti: Project Hope
Monday, May 24, 2010
Free The Kids - Project Hope is a non-profit organization founded by Father Marc Boisvert in 1998 to support humanitarian efforts in southern Haiti.
“The primary focus …. is to alleviate the devastating effects of poverty on children in Haiti. The children suggested Pwoje Espwa as a name for the (non-sectarian) project, which is Haitian Creole for Project Hope.”
What makes Hope Village different from other orphanages is that they strive to teach the children that they can be self-sufficient as adults. Therefore the children learn skills to help build their own dormitories such as masonry, and carpentry. They are taught about farming and agriculture in the fields that surround them in their sustainable village, so that they will be able to provide, one day, for their own children.
Over 800 children are currently living in Hope Village, with more turning up daily, ranging from birth to teenagers. More than 1,700 children are provided with academic and vocational education from the surrounding villages .
“Hope Village provides hundreds of children with shelter, food, clothing, education, basic medical care and a family. But what we really offer the children of southern Haiti is HOPE.”
Although the video is out of date (March 2007) and much more has been done to help the children of Haiti by Free The Kids, the wonderful message of Hope is still relevant.
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This Weeks Dollies! Wow you have been busy!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Four very happy boys waiting for their new friends! Amanda, USA, told me this was her first batch, I can’t wait to see the next!
Kimberley is shipping this beautiful box of girls off as we speak! I love the Spring colors she’s used, so pretty.
Pippa’s (UK) trying her hand at a new pattern, she’s made two sweet little softie boy dolls already, and look, they have soccer/football shirts on to boot! (Don’t forget we need more boys than girls this time!)
Meet Kathy, made by Amelia, USA, She’s already been shipped off to our collection place in the US! How exciting! “The doll is entirely recycled, made from things that I had in the cupboard”
Last Drive Dolls
Here are some photos I didn’t have time to share!
By Ms Pesky, Scotland (UK) made these two fun friends. Don’t you just love their little feet and the wonderful bowtie!
Kylie, Australia, made these two adorable dolls!
Thanks Everyone, have a Wonderful Weekend ....
and.... Happy Sewing!
Cute & Quick Hand Stitched Doll Faces
I get a lot of questions about doll faces. So instead of painting them, why not try this easy embroidery pattern. There is a fabulous Split Stitch Tutorial by Mary Corbet on her site, Needle n Thread that even a beginner can do with their eyes shut. The Tutorial can be found Here.
Download The Boy and Girl Face Pattern!
Don’t forget to split stitch the faces on before you sew the doll together!
Here’s a fab photo of the method by the wonderful Michelle, the owner of Modern Spool, from our last doll drive!
Thanks, and Happy Sewing!
Mother’s Providing for their Children: Scheilla’s Story.
18 year old Scheilla (pronounced Sheila) was found unconscious on the side of the road, five months pregnant, and with nowhere to go. I am very proud to say that Dolly Donations has, in some small way, helped her get back on her feet.
Do you remember I told you about Rita, the wonderful woman who contacted me last month before her trip to Haiti to see if I would be willing to allow Haitian woman to sell dolls made from my pattern?
Well of course I said yes! The whole point of creating the doll patterns was to help the children of Haiti, so if a mother needs money to buy food for her children, how wonderful that she make a doll for another child. Granted the small amount of money she can collect from this is not much in Haiti’s broken economy, but it helps.
Rita has returned with the very good news that she has taught Scheilla, now recovered and safely being looked after at Hope Village, to make dolls. And here is her fist doll!
Well done Scheilla, she is beautiful.
Father Marc is helping her sell the dolls she makes so that she can provide for her unborn child.
“She will have an income. Truly amazing. Thanks so much for what you are doing.
............ Work and a way to make a living gives the gift of dignity to one's life.” Rita Hunter.
I am so happy we could help in a small way ….. Right back to sewing I go!!
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New Rounded Doll Leg Pattern & Free Doll Shoe Pattern!
Monday, May 17, 2010
They are adorable! And so much fun for older children!
If you don’t fancy adding the laces to the boy shoes, why not paint them on like Melinda, Peppermint Grove did for her dollies from our last DD drive!
It’s easy, just cut out 4 shoe soles instead of two, and use one for the top and one for the bottom of the shoe…. Use a fabric pen, or a fine paintbrush with acrylic paint for your laces!
Have fun and Happy Sewing!
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Make that 132 dolls needed – One Mother’s Difficult Choice.
Friday, May 14, 2010
This pretty much sums up how desperate mothers are in Haiti. This poor mother felt she had no choice but to leave her two 11 month old twin girls at Hope Village. This struck a chord with me, as my daughter just turned 12 months and I cannot imagine the pain and desperation she must feel leaving them. You see her husband died in the earthquake leaving her to care for the twins and her three other children. 5 mouths to feed and no job. At least now she believes she will be able to find work and will return for her daughters when “she has some stability in her life.” But there is no set date …..
Thankfully they are in Father Marc’s care amongst new friends and caregivers in the Free The Kids Hope Village.
Sending them a doll each will mean so much! So the new total is 132 ….. but I don’t think anyone will mind making more! There is no doubt in my mind that every extra doll we send will find a very grateful new home!
Sending all my love to the children of Haiti…..
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How to Sew Yarn Hair onto Your Doll
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
No problem! I found these two very informative tutorials which show you how to add yarn hair to your rag doll. Wool hair would be great for both boy and girl dolls. Remember to make sure the hair is securely attached especially when using the first method as we have no way of knowing how old the dolly’s new owner will be ;)
The fist method is used for making Waldorf doll hair by Mieke on their fab blog Crafty Sheep.
She uses a CD case for the length of ‘hair’ needed, you will need less for our little doll heads …. But then again, if it’s a girl dolly you can always braid them, and for a boy … well that’s what scissors are for ;)
A Waldorf Doll Hair Tutorial
The second tutorial is for knotting yarn directly on to your dolls head, your typical Raggedy Ann and Andy doll’s hair styles by Susan Kramer.
How to Knot on Yarn Doll Wigs Tutorial
Have fun experimenting! And Happy Sewing!
Adorable Free Crochet Doll Pattern!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Beansieleigh (USA) made these beautiful crochet dolls for the last Dolly Donations drive using the Crochet Me free doll crochet pattern! They are so sweet I had to share the pattern!!!
If you know of any other free online Dolly patterns or have one you’d like to share with Dolly Donations, please let me know!!
Thanks and Happy Crocheting!
Active Dolly Drive: Free The Kids - Dolls for Haiti Orphans
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Free The Kids Dolly Donation Drive 2010 has been completed!
Please follow this link for a list of Active Doll Drives
Please follow this link for a list of Active Doll Drives
Free The Kids (Theo’s Work inc.) is a wonderful organization that was founded by Father Marc to help orphaned and vulnerable children in Haiti. His orphanage situated in Southern Haiti was set up to care for young children and teenage boys from the streets, however since the earth quake there has been an ever growing population of girls who have found a new home at ‘Hope Village’.
“ At Free The Kids/Espwa we have seen significant suffering as well. As many of you know, before the earthquake, we had 650 children in our care at Pwoje Espwa Sud in Les Cayes, Haiti. We now have just over 800. Our food, housing, clothing, sanitation, and schools are stretched to their limit. Many of our children are sleeping 4 to a bed.”
With the success of our last drive, I know we will be able to provide a little extra comfort to these children.
Dee Orlowski, West Region Director for Free The Kids, has asked if we can provide their younger children with 132 dolls. All extra dolls will be given out to those children that are admitted after the start date of this drive and to the younger ones that attend the school and vocational training classes (over 1,100 children) in Hope Village from the poor surrounding neighborhoods.
Completed! Well Done Everyone!!!
Remember boy dolls can wear Hawaiian shirts (flower/girly print fabric scraps!)! Soccer is a huge sport in Haiti, why not appliqué a number to the back of a doll’s shirt and put a pair of shorts on him? (click here for a great free boy shorts pattern) He’ll be ready to hit the soccer pitch with his new best friend in no time!
Click here for my free doll patterns!
The Free The Kids Dolly Donation Drive has been completed!
Stanley & Moustafa, Hope Village 2010 Source
Thank You So Much Everyone! Don’t forget to tell all your friends!!
Take Care and Happy Sewing!
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