Jul 22

Jul 22 The discovery is always a journey

dollmaking, creative process, storytelling, mannikin

I have been slowly uncovering a doll from under the wool, or should I say my wishes? my dreams? Who knows but she was already there when I started felting.

Natural fiber art doll Heidi, 22” tall wool sculpture over armature. By Fig and Me.

Of course I had an inkling, an intimation, of who she was. I find it so hard to work “blind”. I like to know who it is that I am trying to unveil. If I have zero clue and I am just working willy-nilly, I feel lost. So while I may not know entirely all about them, I do have an “idea” of who the doll is when I set to work.

After making my sweet tiny fairies, I guess the heart desired a much heftier girl to play with. Cue Miss Heidi, who came out at 22.5” tall. Lord help us!

I built an armature, I needle felted a head. I made a little wig with mohair weft. I painted freckles and embroidered eyes. But…tell me, did I really came up with her? or more like, she came to me? She chose me to make her little knees pop and her cheeks blushed with beeswax?

How come she chose me? Out of so many dollmakers out there? I am not going to argue with her and instead accept the honour of being her dollsmith and make everything she desires and wishes, to the best of my ability.

Miss Heidi, I suppose they all are, but more so her than anyone, she is one of a kind. You see, she is a rather cunning mix of two doll styles. The Mannikin doll style, which is a wool sculpture over armature (there is no pattern for their body, I just go to town felting); and the Figlette, which does have a body pattern, and I stuff and needle felt some parts. I guess she is a hybrid of doll kind.

She couldn’t care less though what I call her. She just loves that she is so big and she can come for walks with me every day. We are all smitten with her and keep teasing her about her hair. Yes, she doesn’t care about that either.

Heidi reminds me of saucers of milk, of summer breezes through single-pane windows…the ones with smudged paint from years of upgrades…and a few mouldy bits. Whenever I look at her, I am transported to the dark shadows of a stone cottage, with lacy curtains blowing softly under a gentle breeze. There’s a stoneware pitcher on the rickety wooden table full of daisies, empty dishes stained with strawberry juice. A gold-rimmed glass of water half empty, making fairy lights just when the sunshine hits it. And Heidi, sitting on a rocking chair with a big book, playing with her toes as she rocks herself back and forth.

As regulations of the house entail I find a home for her, I shall keep working on her clothes and keep you posted.

Today I had the courage to set to work on her dress. Something breezy, not too precious she wouldn’t be allowed to sit on the low fat branch of the crabapple tree. I rather feel inclined to make her a hat, perish the thought she gets sunburned!

To be continued…