Yep, I'm back with another crochet dolls installment.
Now last time featured the blonde girl doll I made for my granddaughter. Well her brother, who is only a year older, wanted something of his own to play with, so I made a couple of boy dolls per his request. That kept him busy for a few months until he got into reading, Legos, and gaming. I don't have any hangups about boys playing with dolls, he's a little kid and a toy is meant to entertain and sometimes teach things. Zack has some fine motor skills issues (that runs in my family) so dressing and undressing a doll is very helpful for that sort of hand-eye coordination. The dolls still get played with regardless.I don't have as many in-progress pictures of these, but let's start with at least some doll sections.
This is the head and torso sewn together and one leg made. The safety eyes go in before completely stuffing the doll, and I embroider the mouth afterward. Yes, I stink at embroidery, but at least it resembles a smile.
Once I had it all assembled, it looked more like a doll. You stuff parts with fiberfill as you go along. There is sewing involved, and you use the same yarn the body is crocheted from. The head has a sewn on 'wig cap' and the open base of the head gets sewn to the neck of the torso. The arms and legs are sewn to the body. Nothing turned out perfectly straight but it's sturdy enough for play and the kids don't care how crooked it appears. It's something new to play with made from yarn and flufflies and that is a magical thing. I named this one 'Cody' but the kids call him whatever strikes them as a good name that day.
Once you have the body assembled, it's time to dress the doll. He needed pants. So I did that first. The buttons help getting things on and off. The hardest part is getting clothing over the feet, they are huge on these dolls!
Next of course, was a shirt to go with the pants. And he needed shoes as well.
I was surprised that Cody was balanced enough to stand alone for a while. He went on quite a few adventures in various vehicles and settings and encountered some small plastic animals. The imagination of children is an amazing thing. As a writer I love to sit nearby and listen to them 'make believe'. That's where stories come from.
It wasn't long before Cody needed more clothes. So I made him some shorts that double as swim trunks. And he also needed a shirt to keep the sun off of course.
Plus some new sneakers and a cap with stars on it. Yeah, I'm old fashioned so canvas shoes with rubbery soles and laces will always be sneakers to me.
I figured Cody should have something to carry, so I made him a messenger bag, which is what the youngest grandkids' dad (my #2 son Brian) carries to and from work. Yes it actually opens and closes. Lots more fun that way.
That bag proved to be a big hit and routinely gets stuffed with odds and ends. Popular are some flat backed 'slime' charms that are food and candy themed. This guy could survive for a month on all that junk food he takes out and about with him. Now and then a small plastic farm animal will join him for an adventure.
It was decided that Cody needed a little brother or friend. So I quickly threw together another smaller boy doll, one that we never really named. The 'kid' has clothing that is not removable so he's not as popular. But he still gets around. He seems to spend a lot of his day in 'time out' for some reason. Nope, not one of my better looking creations, but the grandkids don't seem to care. It's something different to play with.
My hope is that the grandkids will remember these homemade toys with some fondness, and that if they survive through the years, will hand them down to their own children. It's just a small legacy from me to them, a chance to show that once again, not all toys have to come from the store. Sometimes you can make your own. I crochet anyway, because I find it relaxing and I enjoy making things, but how many afghans or scarfs and hats do you really need before it gets monotonous? There is nothing quite as wonderful as seeing the delight in a child's eyes over something you actually made for her or him, or to sit by and listen to them creating tales to go along with their playthings.
To take a metal hook, some yarn, stuffing, and other little doodads into your lap in the evening and gradually turn it all into a one-of-a-kind plaything is a special kind of magic. I love the creative process, where you envision something to fashion from raw components and watch it evolve before you. There are always problems to work out along the way, and it never turns out exactly how you pictured it. I write during the day, which is creative also, but mostly done from head to fingers on the keyboard into words on a screen. Crochet is more concretely manipulative than writing, because I get to see and handle something happening in real time. It's a different form of artistry because its far more visual in the end result.
I like to sit quietly in the evenings after dinner with the TV on and the rest of the household hunkered down nearby, fiddling with stuff like this. Hobbies of any kind are good for your mental health, and with my having to daily deal with chronic pain and mobility issues, it's doubly rewarding. I may not be able to get around well, and I often need help with all but the simplest tasks, but I can still do things that make some impact on those around me. Keeping busy gives me less time to brood and fret. So it's the gift that also gives back to the giver. Can't buy that sort of healing therapy anywhere. It doesn't come in supplement formulations or from some self-help tome. Plus it satisfies that need to make some mark on this world. Since mankind began to gather in groups, we've had this urge to leave some tangible evidence of what is going on in our lives, our hearts, and minds behind. I like to think of my books and my other creative endeavors as leaving a trail of artifacts that will become my legacy. So these are just some of the things I do in my "spare" time.
More dolls next time I write,
~NANCY
