Tuesday, 29 April 2008

Scraps to doll #2

Meet Maria Giaconda. The Tai chi queen.



One scrap doll every week? Once every 3 months more like it.
Perhaps if I'd aimed at once every 3 months I'd have achieved once a year.
Who knows.

The original challenge was to make a doll in 30 minutes from reused pieces of cloth. I allowed myself 60 mins this time as I'd overrun on the first. Of course I had to break that deadline too. Though only by a margin. She just needed arms and nose stitched to the body. Oh, yeah, and the dress came outside of the 60 mins too.















Ingredients: A black sock, two old t-shirts and some scraps (excuse poor photo). I forgot the stuffing in the "pre photo" but it's the same noodle tangle as before.

I like the weight and feel of real rag stuffing. Combined with jersey fabric the limbs can move and flop and sit in a very animated fashion; they breath a little life.
She was so nearly a bat. Wings, claws and all. But she already had the cloth plaits so they dictated. I looked at her empty face for a long time to discover she had glasses, the nose jumped on immediately after.


The result reminded me of a cartoon/illustrated story about a short plump cleaning lady who works in a gym. One day whilst sweeping she observes a Tai chi class. Soon she joins in, finds her inner self, radiates beauty and I think ends up floating off. Can't really remember the end. The book is in a friend's attic in Lisbon, to be plundered one day.
I'll have to make up an ending with this doll/puppet. Miss Maria Giaconda Curiosidade.

7 comments:

isabel said...

your doll is very stylish...:D

jude said...

with attitude.

meg said...

she is all attitude. the doll has some amazing movement. I love the hands and the hair the best. She does look a little chickeny with that yellow nose of hers!

Unknown said...

wowowowow!

Luciano Lema said...

uau!
from those pieces of scrap? amazing!
I think she's a natural stop motion animation starlet!

Alix said...

Hey everybody, thanks for comments. Giaconda said to say "OMM". There is definitely a little chicken stock in her heritage somewhere :-)

Unknown said...

ohh adoro a maria giaconda