Making of Penny Olive doll

Making a doll from your illustration:

Before you start.....

1. Measure your sewing abilities- be honest! Handmade dolls are more sewing work, but very lovely in the end. I have a lot of experience sewing, but none following a pattern! If you feel very unqualified, try felt and embroidery floss! Search "softies"!

2. Decide whether you want to go handmade dolls or pillow doll printed (this depends heavily on time, budget and sewing skills). Both are very nice, but handmade will cost your consumer a lot more, consider this. I use my printed dolls for a lower price point for casual collectors of my work.

3. If you want to market to children, make sure to prewash all fabrics to ensure that it can be washed in the future.

Handmade doll option:

*Research patterns online for dolls that are similar to your illustration

*Purchase supplies (I used canvas or 100% cotton so that I can use a medium to make it easier to draw and ink on the doll)

*Print an image of your illustration to use as a pattern/ create stencil if desired. Divert from the illustration a little- it's ok!

*Leave some serious space around your illustration to compensation for the stuffing and avoid distortion.

CUT SEW STUFF!

*I always do the face last, and damar vanish it after wards to keep it intact.

Printed/pillow doll option:

*Design your doll using your illustration and expanding it all the way around to compensate for stuffing distortion. (I expanded her hair, legs, arms and neck width, etc.)

*Use the lab (print or canvas or cotton with taped method) MAKE SURE TO SPRAY WITH DAMAR OR WORKABLE FIX AFTER PRINTING

*Upload to Spoonflower to print( I use their canvas because it hold her odd form best but also has more texture)

*CUT SEW STUFF!

HAVE FUN!