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Hi.

Welcome to my dollmaking journal. I write doll stories, share tips on this creative journey and so much more. Hope you enjoy your visit!.

Octavia Rose and the beauty of life, natural fiber art doll ready to play.

Octavia Rose and the beauty of life, natural fiber art doll ready to play.

We have been pondering some rather deep questions, this little doll and I; while we have no answers, it still felt good to dive deep in conversation and let our hearts out, trying to understand our life just a little bit better. But today, she is ready to go and ponder somewhere else, so please read on for Octavia Rose.

Octavia Rose, pondering. Natural fiber art doll by fig and me.

Octavia Rose is looking for a home; one where she can be extensively played with; where her natural disposition to be helpful shines through; perhaps a family or a single human. It really doesn’t matter. A roof over her head and a nice chair to sit at. That’s all she wants.

Though her list is short, her intentions are long and purposeful. She will slowly open up to you and inspire you to take notice of the love which she was created with. Here, look at this stitch, it was made with love and intention. Look at this rose, at this petal, at this little pleat. Little by little those details will wear you down, making you softer, kinder, more open. Like a linen tablecloth that has seen many washings, instead of brittle you will become stronger, but also softer. Full of stories.

You will slowly begin to feel more at ease in your own skin and wonder, little by little, “hey, maybe I can do little things with love too. Maybe I can be kinder to myself first, and then to others. I want to make things that are beautiful, simple, useful, loving. Maybe I can be playful, adopt a more gentle lifestyle, be happier”.

Octavia Rose at sunset. Art doll by fig and me.

One of the many joys of doll making, is this. A regular abandon to pursue the callings of my heart. By slowly working on them dolls, I work on myself. By listening to them, I listen to my heart and the things that make it expand. By sharing my work, others become enboldened, strengthened. Through giggles and fabric, through dolls and play, we all become slightly gentler humans. It is difficult to have hard edges when you play with dolls.

Some days the path is heavy with harsh words and questioning. Wondering whether I should be putting my energy and life hours into something more “worthwhile”.

Then I get letters. Always at the right time. Thanking me for having inspired someone to be a doll maker. Or for having helped someone overcome grief, sadness, trauma. Or I make a doll that creates such a deep bond with me and gently allows me to see a little bit more light. To soften my own rough edges, to ease my own pain, to heal my own trauma.

So I have no answers, really. But I do know this: dolls are vials of imagination and is only through this creative playfulness that we all heal a little. It is a powerful force and as long as it wants to flow through me, I will heed its call.

Octavia Rose, a natural fiber art doll by fig and me.

Octavia Rose is finally looking for a home. As mentioned before, she is a little over 21” tall (almost as tall as Poet!) and is made with slight modifications to my Petite Fig pattern. These dolls have older children proportions (around 10 to 12 years of age) but are very lanky and petite in their body dimensions.

Octavia Rose is made with a tan-complexion fabric, manufactured in Switzerland, and she is firmly stuffed and sculpted using Canadian wool. She has a three-part (inner construction, not visible) leg that allows her to gently bend her legs at the knees, or straighten them up to stand gracefully. Her very long torso and neck, her slim arms and welcoming hands, and a socket-joint movable head that allows her to look to either side, up or down and slightly hold that position due to the construction. Gentle hands must play with her always.

Octavia Rose at sunset, by fig and me.

Her eyes are embroidered in a beautiful green shade and her hair is made with very long, blonde colour camel weft. This can be styled, brushed, washed and played with. Octavia Rose loves braids, so you better be prepared to learn how to make a few different kinds.

Her clothing consists of several items, the list is long so let’s begin.

Linen top for Octavia Rose, by fig and me.

Linen top for Octavia Rose, by fig and me.

She wears a pink, handkerchief linen (very thin and beautiful fabric) top with 3/4 length sleeves, peter pan collar and very wide and gathered skirt. The top closes at centre front with hand-sewn snaps and vintage glass buttons for adornment. The entire dress/top has many hand-sewn finishes as well as serged seams. I top-stitched it by hand with thick silk thread.

You will see, Octavia Rose is a funny mix of fancy with homespun. She likes beautiful things, and her style is to mix elegant items with things that look more earthy.

Octavia Rose by fig and me.

She has crop leggins made in repurposed pink cashmere, the softest ever. The leggins are close fit and have a wide elastic band at the waist and fancy elastic at the legs.

She can wear her top with the cashmere leggins as one version of her outfit, or don the magnificent tulle skirt. This skirt was made using repurposed tulle with a wide satin ribbon (lest you think I am a saint, I did not gather entirely all that tulle by myself!). It is simply the fullest, fanciest, most gorgeous tulle skirt there ever was and she is so happy that is hers. Unfortunately she likes to wear it in the garden! I hope she can be more sensible when she is with you.

Octavia Rose, by fig and me

She also has a sweet headband made with a bit of tawny velvet ribbon and pink elastic at the back. The headband has 4 fabric roses, three made in the thick linen we used for her overalls and one made with bautiful and soft, cotton double-gauze. The whole thing is backed with 100% pink wool felt.

Octavia Rose in the garden, at sunset. By fig and me.

She also has pink cotton pointelle underpants, not pictured. As well as the other clothes we already showed you. You can visit this post to see them all in detail.

These clothes consist of a set of pink, thick linen overalls, with leather ties that cross at back, handmade button loops, an oversized dotty linen pocket and many embroidered roses (at the moment we simpy can’t decide which item of clothing we like the very best!). An organic cotton pointelle shirt, that closes at back with sewn in snaps, short sleeves and cashmere ribbing through out. Pink socks and linen canvas tall boots with elastic ties and pink woven wool soles. To complement this outfit she wears a fully lined, linen garden hat with a pom-pom flower and pink cotton lace. Only the very best for Octavia Rose.

Octavia Rose in her gardening outfit, by fig and me.

If you would like to bring Octavia Rose into your home, please enter your details in the form below. Her price is $1525 USD plus postage. She travels with insurance and tracking number (US/Canada $50, International will need a revised quote based on your country of residence and method selected). Taxes apply to Canadian residents.

Please only enter your details if you are personally interested in bringing Octavia Rose into your own home, and not on behalf of someone else. She is an art doll suitable for play for older children and adults (12+). There are many details of her construction and clothing that require loving and tender hands.

Octavia Rose will be open for sale until Tuesday July 23rd at 8 PM EST. At that time we will close entries and select a name at random to take her home, and send an invoice via Paypal. If you have any questions regarding payment or how this all works, please do not hesitate to email me.


ENTRY FORM HAS BEEN CLOSED AND DELETED. I have notified the future home of Octavia Rose and if all goes well, she will be on her way very soon. Thank you so kindly to everybody that wrote a sweet note to my little lady. She read them all with eagerness and was very excited to see where her lucky stars would take her. Your support means the world to me!

Octavia Rose, playing in the garden, by fig and me.

I hope that looking at her gives you an idea of how much I love what I do. Some days it is hard to comprehend how doll making has evolved into such an intrinsic part of who I am. All I can do is be thankful and grateful that I have the opportunity to do it, the health, the space, the resources, the experience and the loving support of you all. One little, magical doll at a time.

Thank you for being here.

Octavia Rose at sunset, by fig and me.

Twinflowers: Linnaea and Borealis.

Twinflowers: Linnaea and Borealis.

A stroll through the garden with Octavia Rose

A stroll through the garden with Octavia Rose