May 27

May 27 Charlie, a Custom Fiber Art Doll

doll clothes, custom orders, dollmaking, figlette, storytelling

Little Charlie has been keeping me company in the doll studio, but the time has come to send him home to his Mom and twin, so he can whip up everybody into shape. Let me show you what Little Charlie is all about.

waldorf inspired doll with brown skin and curly hair made with blue faced leicester wool locks — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

waldorf inspired doll showing back of overalls with crossed straps and button placket — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

waldorf inspired fiber art doll named charlie, made with dark skin and curly wool locks for hair — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

As you can see, Little Charlie is a very cute fella, who has everyone around here wrapped around his little finger. It is not common to have boys gracing our wooden work table and helping us design boyish clothes that fit their adventurous spirit, so obviously, the dolls were tripping all over themselves trying to win him into being their “very best friend”.

Little Charlie wasn’t used to this much attention, so he often retreated to the cool corner of the living room, watching the girl madness from afar.

I felt his consternation at being the centre of such hoopla, as well as his disdain for hierarchy games. He much preferred to sit with Poet, which is always a calm and mature playmate. I approved of this friendship wholeheartedly.

waldorf boy doll clothes, blue corduroy overalls with bear applique — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

Once the other dolls got over the fact that I was working on him ever so slowly, and he usually refused to wear clothes on most days, much to their dismay, the emotional party subsided and Little Charlie was able to explore and play in a more quiet environment.

I have to agree with him that having others fighting over you is not very conducive to imaginative play. Had he a Machiavellian streak, the plot would have thickened. But he is one of those dolls with a gentle and old soul.

waldorf boy doll in striped cardigan and woollen shorts by a pink hydrangea bush — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

I convinced him to wear sandals instead of boots, but he in turn demanded socks. No amount of fashion magazines persuaded him to abandon this faux pas, so socks with sandals it was. Somehow, the socks had been washed and were still wet when we headed outside for this photoshoot ☺️. One small win for me!

waldorf boy doll clothes, striped lambswool cardigan, wool shorts with large pockets, corduroy sandals and leather shoulder bag — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

Since he is quite the collector I felt inclined to give him a nice big satchel, so he could carry his treasures with him. The amount, size and variation of said treasure can vary with the day and activity, sometimes it’s seashells, or dead snails, other times is a fallen nest.

On occasion he is met with the need to carry a roasted fat potato, should he get hungry or even a stash of wild blackberries…which I have told him will stain everything and leave a royal mess. He giggles as he pops them one by one in his mouth.

waldorf inspired boy doll in a garden of hydrangeas — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

I am sure going to miss this little boy. I am always tenderly surprised when people ask me to make boy dolls, as I don’t feel is my forte and I much appreciate their trust. But, I have to say, I adore making them.

My boy dolls have such a sweet energy, a bit sweaty, and they’re not as saccharine as the girls. They make me feel very confident and joyful, as if no matter what I make for them, they will not be terribly against. As long as it’s comfortable, they allow all sorts of designs and outfits. They do have their own requests though, and sometimes they push me to try very odd construction methods for their clothing, Chadwick comes to mind.

Charlie is a 16" tall waldorf inspired doll in a lambswool cardigan, leather satchel, corduroy sandals and woollen shorts — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

I have been thinking about all the boys I’ve made and which ones are my favourites. Little Charlie is most definitely amongst them, there is just something so tender, so previous in his gaze and demeanour. I hope he is welcomed home with open arms.

boy doll hair, brown and curly, made of blue faced leicester wool locks — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

waldorf boy doll sitting on white washed wall, in a summer garden — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

Thank you so much to Samantha, for allowing me the time and space to see Little Charlie being born from my hands. I hope his little twin Theo welcomes him and they both enjoy many hours of fun and games.

waldorf inspired boy doll, wearing a striped sweater and woollen shorts, brown sandals and a large leather bag — Waldorf-inspired boy doll, Little Charlie. Custom order by Fig and Me.

Thanks for coming to read about Little Charlie. I hope you enjoyed the photos and the bits about his life with us. I am preparing a little post with some of the boy dolls I’ve made in the past, perhaps as a little treat for those who love boy dolls, perhaps as a little walk on memory lane for me. I shall come back shortly and in the meantime, help me wish Little Charlie a safe journey home.

Bon Voyage!